9 h. ago Lily Allen has always been the queen of the confessional – West End Girl is a perfect exercise in unsparing honesty

Younger artists like Charli XCX have mastered what Allen owned first: a kind of ironic detachment that makes any suggestion of female artists being ‘hysterical’ much harder. With her new album, the pop star is so back, says Roisin O’Connor

Politics

49 h. ago Soft Cell star Dave Ball dies aged 66 just days after finishing final album with band

The electronic musician died on Wednesday, just days after completing the final Soft Cell album, with bandmate Marc Almond describing him as a 'brilliant musical genius'.

Events

49 h. ago Dave Ball dead: Soft Cell star famed for hit Tainted Love dies after completing album

Soft Cell star Dave Ball has died at the age of 66, the band has confirmed. The electronic musician died on Wednesday days after completing the band's final album

Events

3 d. ago ‘There’s an emotional intensity’: Polly Samson on her photos of David Gilmour

As she releases a new photobook documenting the creation and subsequent tour of the Pink Floyd star’s fifth solo album, ‘Luck and Strange’, Samson tells Roisin O’Connor how she is ‘endlessly fascinated’ by Gilmour’s playing and the quest to capture ‘something about that expressiveness’

Culture

5 d. ago Eurovision star Sam Ryder to celebrate his album with new Star Wars Lego sets

Forget sports cars Sam Ryder celebrates his success with new Lego sets. The former Eurovision star has revealed he can't get another of the building blocks and has his heart set on two new sets from his favourite fantasy films

Events

8 d. ago After years in the music industry, Jessica Winter is forging her own pop path

The star has just released her first music album in her thirties - and has never felt so liberated

Politics

8 d. ago Sam Fender wins the 2025 Mercury Prize for his album People Watching as shocked star admits he 'did not expect' it

The singer, 31, toom home the presitigous award at the ceremony in Newcastle on Thursday, the first time the ceremony has been held outside London.

Events

2 w. ago Robbie Williams review – tiny Camden gig offers blinding star wattage – and a surprising new song about Morrissey

Dingwalls, LondonPreviewing new album Britpop to an audience of 600, the star promises ‘no stadium bravado’ and delivers droll new songs alongside stripped-back oldiesWhat do you do if you’re a superstar who has pulled well over a million people to a stadium tour? If you’re as contrary as Robbie Williams, you play a gig in a shoebox. This late-night show at the 600-capacity Dingwalls, the smallest venue of his career to date, is a rum event. It was originally a launch evening for a new album, Britpop, now postponed to February. Williams makes no bones about why. “It’s because of Taylor Swift,” he admits, in a week where her new album The Life of a Showgirl is outselling the rest of the UK Top 20 put together. “I could pretend it’s not, but it is. It’s selfish. I want a 16th No 1 album.”Bounding on stage just as the pubs are closing, a grinning Williams clearly relishes the intimate environment. “I’m not doing all that stadium bravado and pointing,” he vows, launching into a full, st...

Politics

2 w. ago Taylor Swift beats Adele’s first week in US sales record with Life of a Showgirl

The star has already sold 3.5m units of her critically divisive album, a new record in the modern era of music salesTaylor Swift’s divisive new album, The Life of a Showgirl, has beaten Adele’s record-breaking 25 in first week sales numbers.According to data tracking firm Luminate, the album has already sold 3.5m units in the US which equates to 3.2m physical copies and 300,000 attributed to streaming activity. Adele achieved 3.482m in 2015 with her opening week sales of 25 which was led by hit Hello. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Taylor Swift reveals she surprised her record label with ‘The Life of a Showgirl’

Pop star said keeping the album a secret was possible thanks to her close friends who ‘do not snitch’

Politics

3 w. ago Taylor Swift live: Star dishes on The Life of a Showgirl and wedding plans during Graham Norton Show appearance

Fans and critics unpack lyric meanings on album inspired by the pop star’s relationship with Travis Kelce, as some unnamed foes and the nature of fame

Society

3 w. ago Taylor Swift live: Star appears on Graham Norton Show as The Life of a Showgirl gets mixed reviews

Fans and critics unpack lyric meanings on album inspired by the pop star’s relationship with Travis Kelce, as some unnamed foes and the nature of fame

Politics

3 w. ago Taylor Swift fans convinced she's taken brutal aim at ex Joe Alwyn with cryptic lyrics

Pop star Taylor Swift has released her 12th album today as fans think she's made another dig at her ex boyfriend Joe Alwyn with some very cryptic clues in one track

Politics

3 w. ago Taylor Swift live: The Life of a Showgirl released to mixed reviews ahead of star’s Graham Norton Show appearance

Fans and critics unpack lyric meanings on album inspired by the pop star’s relationship with Travis Kelce, as some unnamed foes and the nature of fame

Politics

3 w. ago Taylor Swift's love letter to London: Star spends her album launch day in the UK as she fangirls over Emma Bunton, proclaims her love for the city and goes house hunting

Rather than spend launch day in her native US, undoubtedly one of her biggest markets, Taylor, 35, has instead opted to fly to London.

Politics

3 w. ago Taylor Swift reveals new details about her wedding including the famous pal performing and surprising hen do plans as she promotes The Life Of A Showgirl

The pop star's album dropped at 5am (GMT) and she made lightwork of appearing on several British radio stations in the hours after to discuss her new record.

Politics

3 w. ago Taylor Swift live: The Life of a Showgirl released to mixed reviews as pop star lands in the UK

Fans and critics unpack lyric meanings on album inspired by the pop star’s relationship with Travis Kelce, as some unnamed foes and the nature of fame

Politics

3 w. ago Taylor Swift was worried songwriting would ‘dry up’ if she was ‘truly happy’

The pop star released her 12th studio album The Life Of A Showgirl on Friday.

Politics

3 w. ago Taylor Swift live: The Life of a Showgirl released to fanfare and wildly mixed reviews

Album offers songs inspired by the pop star’s relationship with Travis Kelce, as well as some swipes at unnamed foes

Economics

3 w. ago Taylor Swift champions future husband Travis Kelce and dethrones enemies on four star new album

Our 4 star track-by-track review of Taylor Swift's The Life Of A Showgirl album digs deep into all the lyrics and Easter eggs. A celebration of her love for future husband Travis Kelce, along the way she still dabbles in a dose of poetic revenge, with a few new grunge flavours thrown in too. Peak Taylor triumphs again.

Culture