What makes a meme? In definition, a meme is a mode of image-based communication usually used for humour, to evoke a sense of familiarity and shared pop-cultural reference amongst those who receive and understand it. Memes have become a...
As polarising as country music can be, it’s hard to find a better companion to heartbreak when it’s done well. Kacey Musgraves’ ’Space Cowboy’, Lucinda Williams’ ’Steal Your Love’, ‘Rebel Heart’ by First Aid Kit: these are all country...
Lianne La Havas is blessed with a voice that can instantly awe entire arenas into silence. With a smoky lower register and silvery upper range, she doesn’t so much deliver lines as caress each individual syllable, wringing emotion out...
The industry is struggling right now, but despite release delays, gig cancellations and other difficulties, there are a lot of artists putting out really exciting music in the midst of the chaos. With the first half of the year...
The tracks you need to hear this week
There’s always been something strangely soothing about Jarvis Cocker. It’s more than just familiarity, though the 30-odd years he spent fronting Pulp certainly cemented him in the public consciousness. Yes, it’s that balmy baritone with its warm notes of...
Anybody who has experienced domestic violence, whether personally or as witness, will know that it's an experience that never truly leaves you. Unless you have been there yourself, it is difficult to truly understand how it feels to deal...
Digital pop stars are shaking up the music industry, but what does that mean for authenticity, accessibility and pop music post-pandemic?
The band formerly known as the Dixie Chicks set themselves apart from the Republican sound of mainstream 1990s country when they released the darkly comic 'Goodbye Earl'. Not just a certified karaoke classic, it’s still possibly the only song...
Skim through the back catalogue of the past 60 years of popular music and it’s easy to find incredible, groundbreaking, oh-my-god-what-is-this-it’s-the-best-thing-I’ve-ever-heard albums at every turn. Well, almost. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the most shocking 12 months...