Music

Bono has revealed one of his all-time favourite tunes – and it may be a surprise.The iconic U2 frontman, aged 65 and known offstage as Paul Hewson, shared his musical preferences on BBC's Desert Island Discs, where he chose the eight records he'd take if marooned. Topping his list was Bob Dylan's Every Grain Of Sand, yet he also expressed high regard for Noel Gallagher's Dead In The Water.Discussing his choice, Bono explained: "Well, this is Noel Gallagher and the High Flying Birds, and this is Dead In The Water and he has this thing where the songs just take him wherever they want to take him."It is a little bleak to be on an island with a song called Dead On The Water but there is some defiance in the song and defiance is the essence of romance."The mutual admiration between Noel and...

Various Artists. Rough Trade 45s: Volume 1. In the heady post-punk late 70s, when Radio 1 DJ John Peel was an arbiter of taste for a restless generation, power briefly passed from the major record labels to the indies. Rough Trade, originally a West London record shop, launched their own label in 1977, becoming a small but important launchpad for new artists.This limited-edition 7-inch singles boxset celebrates their role in that eccentric D-I-Y scene, beginning with Augustus Pablo’s 1978 dub reggae gem, Pablo Meets Mr Bassie. The song, by Pablo (AKA Horace Swaby) and Horace Andy, showcased his bewitching melodica style on a rhythm by Rockers All Stars. Stiff Little Fingers’ second single Alternative Ulster was arguably the label’s finest release. Opening with a clarion call of a riff, ...

Iron Maiden are set to make dreams come true as they are due to embark on a monumental tour across the UK, performing at some of the country's most prestigious venues. Beginning on June 21, 2025, Bruce Dickinson and his band will be playing five massive shows across the UK, taking over stadiums with their spectacular staging and timeless hits. In addition to performing at the London Stadium, they'll also be gracing Glasgow's OVO Hydro, Dublin's Malahide Castle, and Manchester's Co-op Live, among others.Tickets were initially released on Friday, September 27, 2024, at 12pm midday - but fans went into a frenzy. Many seat options and dates sold out within a very short period of time. Fortunately, there are still plenty of ticket options available right now through resale websites and VIP t...

Music icon Barry Manilow has said his next album will be his last. The 82-year-old legend has been promising fans a new album for quite some time. Following a run of concerts in the Palladium in London last year the star even took out adverts on buses to announce a new release which was due out in the autumn, but has yet to see the light of day. However the New York native has now assured fans the wait is over but this will most likely be his last recording. Explaining the delay he said it had take him so long to complete the album he has had to re-record some parts of it.“This’ll probably be my last album. I’ve been working on it for a long time, for so long that the style of music has changed," he said. "I had to go back and redo (the songs) so they sounded a little more contemporary....

Busted star Matt Willis forgot the words to his own lyrics while performing an outdoor set at Cheshire’s Delamere Forest. The pop punk three-piece, who reunited in 2015 – 10 years after a bombshell split – were part of the Forest Live line-up, a series of gigs taking place around England’s national forests in 2025.Supported by fledgling pop punk band Soap and Scottish rockers Twin Atlantic, Busted arrived on stage a little after 9pm to the sound of Eminem’s Lose Yourself and a cacophony of screams from the gathered crowd. After delighting fans with a barrage of classic hits like Air Hostess and Crashed the Wedding, they veered into album track territory – which is where things went slightly wrong.While performing their 2003 track Falling For You, from their second album A Present for Ev...

I'll admit it: I never really understood the hype around Dua Lipa. Sure, her songs are catchy enough - good for a workout playlist or the background of a bottomless brunch - but I didn't quite get the obsession. And then I saw her headline Glastonbury last summer. By the time she hit her fourth song, I'd opened my Spotify and started adding tracks mid-performance. By the encore, I was fully converted.There was something electric about the way she owned the Pyramid Stage - confident, effortless and entirely in control. It was one of those rare sets that make you forget you're standing in a field with aching feet and overpriced burgers. It felt like pop stardom in its purest, dazzling form. Thankfully, fans across the UK and Ireland don't have to wait for another festival to see her live....

Oasis are generally considered to be one of the biggest and most influential bands to ever come out of the UK. The brothers are now preparing to play their reunion gigs this summer following their dramatic break-up in 2009.The Britpop icons have had a total of eight number ones in their careers - but will there be more to come in the future? Here we look at the band's most successful songs as ranked by streams.10. Half The World Away: Release date December 18, 1994Originally the B-side to Whatever, Half the World Away gained recognition when it was used as the theme tune for British sitcom, The Royle Family. It has had more than 139 million streams on Spotify. 9. Don't Go Away: Release date May 13, 1998Despite only being released as a single in Japan, this Oasis track from album Be Here...

Glastonbury goers have speculated that an iconic musician could step in for Rod Stewart if he drops out of the festival. The 80-year-old was recently forced to cancel a run of concerts in the US after falling ill with the flu, leading fans to question his ability to perform at the event, which kicks off next week. No definite arrangements have been made to take the Maggie May crooner out of the festival line-up, but supporters fear he won't recover in time to take to the stage.The rock star was "devastated" as he announced the cancellation of his gigs, stating: "So sorry my friends. I'm devastated and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience to my fans. I'll be back on stage and will see you soon." Stewart headlined the festival in 2002, but this year he’ll take up the teatime legend s...

Paul McCartney has enjoyed a successful solo career (Image: Getty)As Paul McCartney marked his 83rd birthday on June 18, he will undoubtedly be basking in his appreciation for his incredible career, which spans over six decades. The iconic singer-songwriter burst into the spotlight during the 1960s as one-fourth of the chart-topping English boyband, The Beatles and became the best-selling music act of all time, with an estimated 600 million units sold worldwide before officially disbanding in 1974.In the years since, Paul has continued to make music with a wildly successful solo career, with new releases and world tours. The musician even returned to his band roots by becoming a member of the acclaimed group Wings. After his time with The Beatles, Paul's work solidified his status, and ...

Green Day star Billie Joe Armstrong took a savage swipe at Donald Trump during his band's headline performance at Download Festival in Donington on Friday, June 13. The punk rock icon took to the stage with bandmates Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool to appear at the festival for the first time in their almost 40 year career and wasted no time in making his feelings known. Early into their set, he told the crowd: "Donald Trump and his administration is a fascist government and it's up to us to fight back."His remarks were met with cheers from the crowd and he continued to show his disdain for the US President later in the show. The 53-year-old recalled in the 90s people used to chant "you fat b******". He encouraged the crowd to chant the phrase and then asked them to bring it down. "Now for Dona...