Latest music features

<p>‘I would sing in public, and everyone would be like, “She’s got the voice of a divorced woman in the body of a 13-year-old girl,”’ says singer-songwriter Laufey Lín Jónsdóttir </p>

Interview

Grammy-winning jazz-pop star Laufey: ‘When I was 17, Bill Murray told me I was a very powerful woman’

With deep, diving vocals that recall jazz icons of yesteryear, the 23-year-old from Iceland is now more popular than Björk and Sigur Rós. She speaks with Ellie Muir about learning to love her distinct voice, her pivot to Christmas music – and her chance encounter with Hollywood star Bill Murray

How Bob Dylan stole Christmas and made himself the elf-in-chief

<p>‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ was a final showcase for one of the greatest soul voices of its generation and a cry of hope and defiance from the sharp end of American racism and segregation</p>

In Focus

Sam Cooke’s death left questions, but nothing can overshadow his music

<p>East 17’s Tony Mortimer in the video for ‘Stay Another Day’ </p>

Interview

East 17’s Tony Mortimer on the pain of hearing Stay Another Day

Interviews

<p>Boy George: ‘I hope Trump’s got no time to think about drag queens’</p>

interview

Boy George: ‘When I called someone “a white”, I meant naff’

Interview

Rebecca Ferguson: ‘When you speak out in showbiz, you get blackballed’

<p>Gala on Freed From Desire: ‘The people brought the song back’ </p>

Interview

How Gala reclaimed ‘Freed From Desire’, her rave hit turned fan anthem

<p>Kim Deal: ‘I look back at that and think, maybe they should’ve let me flounder – could that be better for addicts?’ </p>

Interview

Kim Deal: ‘It’s nice I lasted long enough to contemplate the past’

On Trend

Music Box

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Wishes’ for Music Box session

The Mysterines perform ‘The Last Dance’ for Music Box

Rita Ora performs new single ‘Ask And You Shall Receive’

New Sensations

<p>“I was definitely a “Perks of Being a Wallflower”-style individual’ </p>

New Sensations

The Dare: ‘People want to return to a dirtier, less fashionable era’

<p>Scottish band Brògeal: ‘We feel very strongly about our country and its culture'</p>

New Sensations

Scottish band Brògeal: ‘It’d be a cop-out to copy English bands’

<p>Jalen Ngonda: ‘Love is the most human thing to talk about'</p>

New Sensations

Singer Jalen Ngonda: ‘I don’t want to write something I can’t feel’

Reviews

<p>Snoop Dogg in a promotional shot for his album ‘Missionary’</p>

Snoop Dogg’s new album Missionary is relentlessly interesting

Rapper and producer team up for the first time since their 1993 album ‘Doggystyle’

Albums this week: Kim Deal; Joan Armatrading; Michael Kiwanuka

The Breeders frontwoman brings her trademark attention to detail to a superb debut solo album full of surprises

Live music

<p>Paul McCartney on stage in Manchester </p>

Paul McCartney, the last great Sixties showman, is truly breathtaking

<p>Suede are beloved in Hong Kong for being one of the first Britpop-era bands to visit the then-colony</p>

Hong Kong music festival Clockenflap punches well above its weight

Charli XCX brings her brazen, bass-heavy Brat Summer to Manchester

Bob Dylan, folk-rock’s finest songwriter, seems to exist beyond music

Retrospectives

<p>You’ve got a friend in him: The songwriter’s musings on racism, poverty and the American struggle have resonated through the years </p>

In Focus

Randy Newman’s scathing satire of America has never been more relevant

playback

Nirvana’s Unplugged show is hallowed now but it almost never happened

in focus

Inside the turbulent journey to The Cure’s first album in 16 years

The bizarre history of the ‘final gig’, from Oasis to Pink Floyd

News