Guardian Music

Readers are invited to submit questions for actor, director and musician Samantha Morton ahead of her Guardian reader interview at the Green Man festival. The discussion, hosted with Guardian writer Kate Hutchinson, will cover Morton's acclaimed acting career, directorial work and music, including her latest role as Circe in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey and her 2024 album Daffodils & Dirt. Questions are due by midday BST on 21 August 2026, with selected questions to be answered live and published in a future Guardian reader interview.

A photographic retrospective of music executive Clive Davis, spanning his career from the 1960s through the 2010s. The gallery includes images of Davis with major artists including Diana Ross, Muhammad Ali, Barry Manilow, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Carlos Santana and Elton John, highlighting his central role in popular music and the recording industry.

Lil Nas X has issued his first public statement since his 21 August arrest in Los Angeles, saying the experience was terrifying but reassuring fans that he is safe. Authorities allege that he charged at police officers after being found walking in his underwear on Ventura Boulevard; he was hospitalized amid overdose concerns and later held on $75,000 bail with drug-treatment conditions. He pleaded not guilty to three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one felony count of resisting an executive officer. Prosecutors described the alleged conduct as a public-safety threat, while his lawyer called it an unprecedented aberration and his father denied drug involvement.

The Guardian invites readers to submit questions for Pusha T and Malice of Clipse ahead of a future Film & Music reader interview. The discussion may cover the brothers’ separation and reunion, the evolution of rap, their new album Let God Sort Em Out and its tribute to their late parents, and the current Virginia and Southern rap scenes.

Charli xcx was the dominant winner at the 2025 Brit Awards, taking five prizes including British album of the year for Brat, song of the year for “Guess” with Billie Eilish, British artist of the year, best pop act and best dance act. Other major winners included Sam Fender, Ezra Collective, Raye, Stormzy, Chappell Roan, Fontaines DC, The Last Dinner Party, Myles Smith, A.G. Cook and Sabrina Carpenter.

Eight Guardian classical writers recommend pieces that energise rather than relax listeners, responding to the launch of BBC Radio 3’s restorative Unwind service. Their selections range from Verdi’s joyous Falstaff finale and Stravinsky’s exhilarating Petrushka to John Adams’s driving Short Ride in a Fast Machine, Bernstein’s explosive Candide Overture, Ravel’s suspenseful Gaspard de la Nuit, Strauss’s psychologically intense Elektra, Brahms’s stormy First Piano Concerto and Mendelssohn’s optimistic String Octet. The contributors emphasize music’s capacity to stimulate, thrill and provoke emotional and physical excitement.

A category-by-category account of the 2024 BRIT Awards winners lists Raye as the night’s leading recipient, winning six awards including British Artist, British Album, New Artist, Songwriter and R&B Act of the Year. Other major winners included SZA, Kylie Minogue, Dua Lipa, Calvin Harris, Jungle, Boygenius, Miley Cyrus, Bring Me the Horizon, Casisdead and The Last Dinner Party.

Ethiopian nun, composer and pianist Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou has died in Jerusalem at 99 after spending nearly four decades at the Ethiopian Monastery. A former prisoner of war who studied violin in Cairo, she released her first album in 1967 and used proceeds from her music to support people in need, including Ethiopian children orphaned by war. She composed more than 150 works, founded a music-education charity, and gained renewed attention when her music appeared in the documentary Time and Rebecca Hall’s film Passing.

Musicians including Jeff Tweedy, Steve Albini, Robert Plant, Georgia Hubley, Justin Vernon and Geoff Barrow pay tribute to Mimi Parker, the vocalist and drummer of Low, following her death at 55. They describe her distinctive, serene voice, understated virtuosity, singular drumming and profound influence on indie music, while emphasizing her warmth, humility and generosity toward fellow artists. The tributes also celebrate Parker's creative partnership with Alan Sparhawk and Low's ability to create powerful, emotionally resonant music with remarkable restraint.

Joni Mitchell is scheduled to perform her first headline concert in 23 years at Washington’s Gorge Amphitheatre on 10 June 2023, as part of the Echoes through the Canyon event, also known as Joni Jam II. The concert follows her recovery from a 2015 brain aneurysm that affected her speech and mobility. Brandi Carlile, who will perform the preceding night, helped reveal the event and has collaborated with Mitchell at earlier Joni Jam performances. Mitchell’s recent recognition includes a Kennedy Center Honor, MusiCares’ Person of the Year award and a Grammy for her archival album. She also joined Neil Young in protesting Spotify’s handling of anti-vaccine content.

Right Said Fred accused Beyoncé of arrogantly using elements of “I’m Too Sexy” on “Alien Superstar” without first contacting them. Beyoncé’s representatives denied the allegation, saying permission had been granted and that only the composition—not the original recording—was used. The dispute comes amid broader controversy over interpolations on Renaissance, including Kelis’s criticism of “Milkshake” and Robin S’s positive response to the use of “Show Me Love” on “Break My Soul”.

A centenary celebration of the BBC ranks 100 memorable music performances across television and radio, spanning pop, rock, punk, soul, hip-hop, grime, jazz, house and dubstep. David Bowie’s 1972 performance of “Starman” tops the list for its profound impact on alienated young viewers, followed by Mary Anne Hobbs’s formative “Dubstep Warz” broadcast and Bob Marley and the Wailers’ landmark Old Grey Whistle Test appearance. The selections emphasize the BBC’s role in introducing emerging genres, documenting influential artists and creating culturally defining live moments, while also acknowledging controversies involving miming, censorship, political backlash and performers’ unconventional behavior.

Cardi B pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and second-degree reckless endangerment stemming from a 2018 fight at a Queens strip club. She received 15 days of community service, three years of restrictions from contacting the victims and an order to pay their court fees, while avoiding prison through a plea deal that dismissed 10 other charges. Co-defendant Jeffrey Bush received six months in jail, and Cardi B said she accepts responsibility and wants to move forward.

Adele has announced rescheduled dates for her Weekends with Adele Las Vegas residency, with 32 shows running from 18 November to 25 March. She cancelled the original opening dates at short notice because the production was not good enough, later describing the decision and its aftermath as deeply painful and guilt-inducing. Fans who held tickets for the original shows will receive priority for the new performances.

Internationally acclaimed opera director Sir Graham Vick died on 17 July 2021 at age 67 from complications of Covid-19. Artistic director of Birmingham Opera Company, which he founded in 1987, Vick was known for experimental productions in unconventional venues and ambitious outreach to audiences across social, ethnic and age groups. Tributes from English National Opera, Scottish Opera, the Royal Philharmonic Society and critic Fiona Maddocks highlighted his warmth, originality and commitment to making opera accessible. Vick was knighted in the 2021 New Year Honours.

Jazz composer, keyboardist and bandleader Chick Corea died at 79 from a rare form of cancer discovered shortly before his death. A 23-time Grammy winner and one of the most Grammy-nominated artists, Corea was known for his work with Miles Davis, his genre-spanning groups Return to Forever and Circle, and collaborations with Herbie Hancock and Gary Burton. His extensive legacy included jazz fusion, classical music, standards, Latin jazz and solo piano performances, while tributes praised his influence and mentorship across the music industry.

Live Nation, AEG, CAA, WME, Paradigm and UTA jointly recommend postponing large-scale music events worldwide through the end of March because of the coronavirus pandemic, while leaving decisions on smaller events to local authorities. The announcement follows Coachella’s move to October and cancellations affecting artists including The Who, Miley Cyrus and Madonna. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo separately suspends events involving more than 500 people, prompting Broadway theatre closures, while numerous film releases are also postponed.

Jazz pianist McCoy Tyner has died at 81. A key member of John Coltrane’s quartet from 1960 to 1965, Tyner played on My Favorite Things and later built a distinguished career recording solo albums and collaborating with artists including Sonny Rollins and Stanley Clarke. Blue Note Records and other musicians paid tribute to his artistry, influence and enduring legacy.

Neil Peart, Rush’s drummer and principal lyricist, died in Santa Monica, California, on 7 January 2020 at age 67 after a three-and-a-half-year battle with brain cancer. Widely regarded as one of rock’s most technically accomplished drummers, Peart joined Rush in 1974, wrote major songs including 2112, and helped the band sell more than 40 million albums. He retired in 2015, and Rush ended in 2018. Peart also authored seven nonfiction books and was survived by his wife and daughter.

A California appeals court revived sexual-abuse lawsuits brought by James Safechuck and Wade Robson against companies associated with Michael Jackson after a new law extended the deadline for filing such claims from age 26 to 40. The suits target MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures, while separate claims against Jackson’s estate remain dismissed. The plaintiffs’ attorney said the companies enabled the alleged abuse; the companies’ attorney called the allegations false and the lawsuits absurd. The cases concern allegations featured in the documentary Leaving Neverland.

Liza Womack has sued Lil Peep’s management company, First Access Entertainment, alleging that it fostered and enabled his illegal drug use and negligently contributed to his 2017 overdose death. The lawsuit names chief executive Sarah Stennett and tour manager Belinda Mercer, who are accused of supplying or facilitating access to drugs. First Access rejects the claims as groundless and offensive, saying it encouraged Peep to stop abusing drugs. The suit seeks unspecified damages for negligence, breach of contract and wrongful death.