The man machine: Bruce Springsteen at Hyde Park
In his eighth decade, the singer has one eye on mortality – but for now the vigorous physical work of his…
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Bruce Springsteen and the spectre of stardom
In 1981, the singer sensed his future fame – and retreated. Nebraska, his darkest and most personal album, was the…
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The contradictions of Arctic Monkeys
In the run-up to their headline Glastonbury set, the band defied the creative arc of their late career by shutting…
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The joyful evolution of Janelle Monáe and Christine and the Queens
On their new albums, these genre-bending, postmodern shapehifting stars show new sides to themselves.
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Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour is a vast sci-fi spectacle designed for social media
This retrofuturist extravaganza, like all modern big gigs, is intended to look good on someone’s phone so they can prove…
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The National’s First Two Pages of Frankenstein is just too predictable
On their ninth album, the band have collaborated with exciting acts from Taylor Swift to Sufjan Stevens – so it's…
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Frank Turner: “Stop asking musicians about politics”
The punk rock singer on indie venues in crisis, his transgender father and songs inspired by Keir Starmer.
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How Burt Bacharach rewrote the rules of pop
The composer’s music was often described as “easy listening” – but it appealed alike to jazz musicians, popstars, rock bands…
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