12 h. ago Michael Hurley death: Greenwich Village outsider folk singer dies at 83

In addition to releasing over 30 albums, Hurley – known by the nickname ‘Snock’ – was also a cartoonist and painter

Events

13 h. ago Sir Elton John 'makes outrageous admission' about having to make another solo album as he 'insists he needed Brandi Carlile' to keep going

On Friday the hitmaker, 78, is set to release a collaboration album with American country singer Brandi, 43, called Who Believes in Angels?

Events

19 h. ago 90s pop icon breaks silence on 'rumours' he's signed up for Celebrity Big Brother

Singer Chesney Hawkes has opened up about his career and his willingness to try new things as he continues to tour the country and releases a new album of music

Politics

19 h. ago Bruce Springsteen to release seven albums of unreleased songs

Tracks II: The Lost Albums includes 83 songs.

Culture

20 h. ago Bruce Springsteen to release 7 albums of unreleased songs, 'Track ll: The Lost Albums'

Bruce Springsteen knows what his fans want

Culture

23 h. ago Black Country, New Road: Forever Howlong review | Alexis Petridis's album of the week

(Ninja Tune)After losing their frontman, the band’s third studio album shows how resilient and adaptable they are, with luscious melodies, fantastical lyrics and lots of recordersThe last time Black Country, New Road released a studio album, in 2022, it was accompanied by a strange feeling. Their debut the previous year had reached No 4 in the UK charts, and Ants from Up There was an even greater breakthrough, the sound of the UK septet pulling confidently away from the serried ranks of sprechgesang-heavy alt-rock bands who proliferated in the late 2010s. But there was an elegiac feeling around its release: Black Country, New Road’s frontman, Isaac Wood, had announced his departure four days prior. The others had resolved to continue without him, but given how distinctive Wood’s declarative, ruminating vocals were, many thought the band’s future was uncertain at best.That proved to be an underestimation. Instead of touring Ants from Up There, the remaining members stopped playing an...

Politics

26 h. ago Commemorative socks are one thing, Jeff Goldblum, but you’re missing a trick not doing official knickers | Stuart Heritage

Many stars blanch at their commodification. But as the master of drollery launches a new line of monogrammed merch, I think he isn’t going far enoughJeff Goldblum is an actor. He has starred in films both cult (Earth Girls Are Easy) and blockbuster (Jurassic Park). He’s worked with Wes Anderson. He’s been part of the MCU. Last year he was in Wicked, a film that made three quarters of a billion dollars and won multiple Oscars. Make no mistake, Jeff Goldblum is an actor.However, Jeff Goldblum is not just an actor. He is also Jeff Goldblum, and this in itself is a full-time job. He releases jazz albums. He conducts interviews where he ums and ahs over every idiosyncratic word choice, like a wan minor European royal choosing hors d’oeuvres from a silver tray. He has developed a system – and this sounds made up, but it isn’t – where he awards people and things a ranking of Goldblums out of a possible 10 Goldblums. When it came time to mark the 25th anniversary of Jurassic Park, how did U...

Politics

45 h. ago Chesney Hawkes performs special Music Box session as he releases first album in over a decade

Nineties pop sensation Chesney Hawkes performed an intimate acoustic session for The Independent’s Music Box sessions as he prepares to release his first album in over a decade.

Culture

50 h. ago Skunk Anansie to headline The Independent’s stage at The Great Escape Festival

Rare intimate performance will take place a week before the release of the band’s first album in nine years

Politics

65 h. ago Susan Boyle teases major comeback as Scots star working on 'new projects'

Britain's Got Talent singer Susan Boyle delighted fans with the news in a huge announcement on her birthday, five years on from releasing her most recent album

Politics

3 d. ago ‘I feel as though I’ve been in chains’: the bittersweet life of lovers rock legend Mari’ Pierre

The British-Guyanese singer topped the reggae chart with 1978’s Walk Away, but despite work with Robert Plant and others, she’s rarely returned to the studio. This interview might change that In December 1978, Marie Pierre was at No 1 in the UK reggae chart with the lovers rock classic Walk Away, a beautiful tearstained lament on a troubled relationship. Her 1979 debut album Love Affair, powered by another enduring scene song in Choose Me, remained one of Trojan’s best-selling albums well into the 1980s; Pierre, with her crystalline multi-octave voice, seemed destined to follow her contemporary, Silly Games singer Janet Kay, into mainstream pop-reggae success.But in the 46 years since, Pierre has never released another album. A career that promised so much has – despite TV work and successful backing singing gigs with Robert Plant, Donna Summer and Chaka Khan – been one of frustration and thwarted ambition. Misfortune, mistrust and mistreatment, personal and professional, have sidel...

Politics

3 d. ago Erykah Badu on first new album in 15 years: ‘It feels natural to me’

The ‘Don’t Cha Know’ singer-songwriter hasn’t released a full new album since 2010’s ‘New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)’

Politics

5 d. ago Will Smith raps about Chris Rock slap in new song as he teases album release

Will Smith has used his infamous Oscars 2022 slap on Chris Rock as inspiration for his new music, with the actor rapping about the incident on his upcoming album

Culture

6 d. ago Tony Christie's wife explains moving reason it takes him an hour to buy newspaper

Tony Christie, his wife Sue and son Sean open up to the Mirror about how he is inundated with well-wishers after his dementia diagnosis - as he releases his 'magical' new album recorded in Nashville

Politics

6 d. ago Ariana Grande sings about leaving her heart in a Hampstead pub in short film

The Wicked star released a deluxe version of her album Eternal Sunshine and a short film titled Brighter Days Ahead on Friday.

Politics

6 d. ago Harry Styles listens to music through wired headphones as he passes a starstruck Deliveroo driver

Harry Styles was spotted listening to music through a pair of wired headphones while out and about in central London on Thursday afternoon.

Transport

6 d. ago Bruce Springsteen: our pick of his top 10 songs of all time as he performs tribute at Patti Smith concert

We pick out some highlights from The Boss’ stellar six-decade career

Culture

7 d. ago Will Smith’s rap comeback could be a sign of a career in freefall

Three years after the slap seen and heard around the world, the Oscar winner is performing in Scarborough and releasing an album of inspirational hip-hop. Has it all gone wrong for one of our biggest stars, asks Ed Power

Politics

7 d. ago Raw, romantic and radical: Joan Baez’s 20 greatest songs – ranked!

With her Diamonds and Rust album turning 50, we rate the standout tracks from the American folk singer and political activistAs with a lot of her 60s peers, Joan Baez seemed slightly out of place in the 80s. She only released two studio albums that decade but came out swinging on Recently. It’s a steely rebuttal of her ex-husband’s memoir, which was downbeat about both their marriage and 60s radicalism: “You could say we failed but I prefer remembering the way we were.” Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Will Smith’s resurrected rap career could be a sign of a career in freefall

Three years after the slap seen and heard around the world, the Oscar winner is performing in Scarborough and releasing an album of inspirational hip-hop. Has it all gone wrong for one of our biggest stars, asks Ed Power

Politics