Features

The Barometer: Coldplay; Girls; Sun Airway; Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses; Twin Shadow; Neon Indian; Drake ft Alicia Keys; Bob Dylan

Friday, 17 December 2010

The Choir With No Name: Coldplay's Crisis support act is a treat not to be missed

Friday, 17 December 2010

Coldplay fans heading to the band's only live UK performances of 2010 this weekend – two "hidden gigs" for homeless charity Crisis in Liverpool and Newcastle – would do well to arrive early as the evening's support act is a treat not to be missed.

Alexei Ogrintchouk to present a rare new oboe concerto

Friday, 17 December 2010

The oboe is the hardest instrument to play, so what drew the young virtuoso Alexei Ogrintchouk to it? "My parents took me to a lot of concerts in Moscow when I was young, and I was always fascinated by its sound. I loved its purity and naturalness."

Albums: The perfect presents – pop and classical

Friday, 17 December 2010

Not sure what music to buy as a present? Andy Gill helps you decide with his guide to some of this year's best albums.

Caught in the Net: A hearty single from Los Campesinos!

Friday, 17 December 2010

A hearty single from Los Campesinos!

The Word On... Michael, Michael Jackson

Friday, 17 December 2010

"If there is a heaven, and if Tupac, Cobain, Presley et al made it through the gates, chances are they're consoling a wincing, visibly embarrassed Jackson, cursing his inability to bolt the demos drawer in Neverland's vaults just that little bit tighter." bbc.co.uk/music

Blues: When Santa Claus wants some lovin'

Friday, 17 December 2010

John Clarke: Never mind mistletoe and wine. It's sex and sadness that made the blues singers' seasonal songs so potent.

How Olly Murs went from X Factor reject to pop sensation

Saturday, 11 December 2010

He might not have won The X Factor, but that's not stopping Olly Murs, as Fiona Sturges discovers.

Friday playlist: The Go! Team

Friday, 10 December 2010

Many thanks this week to the The Go! Team, whose new album ‘Rolling Blackouts’ is out at the end of January.

Jessie J - The girl from Essex who plans to take the pop world by storm

Friday, 10 December 2010

She's written songs for Alicia Keys and is touted as the world's best singer by Justin Timberlake – and she's still only 22. Elisa Bray meets Jessie J, hotly tipped to be the chart sensation of 2011.