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‘Fame is a drug like LSD’
Robbie Williams on success, sexuality and his simian movie alter ego

The former Take That star has made a biopic, Better Man, in which he’s played by a CGI chimpanzee. He talksabout sex, drugs and the traumatic madness of 90s pop

End of an Eras era
What’s next for Taylor Swift?

Best music of 2024
The 50 best albums: 50-6

Music tells the story of our lives – and trusty old Last.fm does it better than gaudy Spotify Wrapped

Laura Snapes

Reviews

Angel Olsen
Cosmic Waves Vol 1 – intriguing half compilation, half covers

Cosmic Waves Vol 1 – intriguing half compilation, half covers

Lauren Mayberry
Vicious Creature – a solo statement of intent

Bubble Love
Bubble Love – Ross From Friends’ high-energy pop-club side project

A Complete Unknown
Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan is an electric revelation

Elton John: Never Too Late
Few surprises but plenty of joy in official life story

Spotlight

‘Blokes who would normally fight would get off their boxes and dance’
Sanctuary, the club that made Milton Keynes massive

It eventually got turned into an Ikea, but for over a decade this warehouse unit galvanised hard dance, grime and more. At a big reunion, former ravers recall the magic

Classical

From exquisite Elgar to razor-sharp Cage
Our classical recordings of the year

La Rondine
Pappano and the LSO make Puccini glitter

Pappano and the LSO make Puccini glitter

Nikolai Lugansky
Lots of notes, lots of noise, but precious little poetry

Lots of notes, lots of noise, but precious little poetry

Add to playlist

Best music of 2024
The 10 best jazz albums

Best music of 2024
The 10 best global albums

‘God Save the King makes me sick’
Bobby Gillespie’s honest playlist

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Comfort and joy!
Merry gentlemen Sheeps deliver the ultimate Christmas album

With A Very Sheeps Christmas, featuring songs such as Hoo Hoo Daddy X, the comic trio and guests including Rose Matafeo pastiche all manner of festive tunes

The experts
DJs on how to pick tracks that will get everyone dancing at a Christmas or New Year’s party

Fatboy Slim, Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy, DJ Paulette and Sherelle offer tried-and-tested tips for making sure your festive do goes off with a swing

A moment that changed me
I was loving life as a cellist – then something snapped in my arm

As a teenager with a scholarship to a prestigious music school, I was looking forward to a future playing Dvořák, Shostakovich and Elgar. Then came the injury that shattered my dreams

The Long Wave
The Lamar v Drake beef has gone legal – what does it say about today’s hip-hop industry?

In this week’s newsletter: Lawyers are now involved in the most explosive rap feud of the century. A look at the potential cultural and commercial impact, and how hip-hop became big business

Live music this week

TV on the Radio
NYC art-rockers remain singular, energised and lupine

NYC art-rockers remain singular, energised and lupine

The Human League
Immaculate electro pop as radiant now as it was 40 years ago

Sam Fender
Cathartic songs delivered with passion and a humble presence

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