Laura Snapes

Siblings Audrey Hobert and Malcolm Todd have simultaneously broken into the international pop charts, with Todd’s “Earrings” reaching No 16 in the UK and No 20 in the US before Hobert’s “Sue Me” began its climb. Hobert, a former screenwriter and co-writer for Gracie Abrams, blends conversational pop and pop-punk, while Todd makes emotionally direct indie-R&B influenced by Steve Lacy and Omar Apollo. Despite their parallel success, the siblings publicly support rather than compete with each other, collaborating on videos, radio covers and festival performances. Their gradual breakthroughs illustrate how contemporary pop careers often develop through sustained work, label support and social-media discovery rather than one sudden hit.

Rowlene’s new album Some Strings Attached marks a shift from years of standout guest appearances toward a solo spotlight. The Cape Town singer’s restrained, confessional R&B examines the pain of losing friendships and confronting memories, with “Hurts 2b Reminded” presented as the album’s strongest statement. The piece also recommends new tracks from artists including Hayley Williams, Chidi Obialo, Sophia Stel, Axel Boman, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Shabazz Palaces and Garefowl, spanning alt-rock, chiptune, IDM, electronic music, techno and violin-led folk.

The Guardian invites readers to submit questions for Evanescence frontperson Amy Lee ahead of a reader interview. The discussion may cover the band’s 1990s origins, its MTV-era success, Lee’s fusion of classical music and metal, gender barriers in rock, the band’s longevity, and its influence on newer artists. Evanescence’s sixth album, Sanctuary, produced by Jordan Fish, addresses political turmoil, human rights violations and opposition to tyranny; the album’s vinyl release and a UK tour are also highlighted.

Rod Stewart has cancelled all remaining dates on his One Last Time farewell tour after undergoing a successful coronary-stent procedure. The 81-year-old singer said he was recovering well, while representatives said he would need four weeks off. The cancellations follow several recent health-related performance disruptions, including a postponed Ohio show, earlier doctor-advised cancellations and an incident in Utah when he used an oxygen tank after nearly fainting. His cancelled schedule included a six-date Las Vegas residency and shows across the United States and Mexico.

Tiffany Day’s album Halo is presented as a high-energy, electroclash-infused portrait of exhaustion, anxiety and vulnerability, drawing on hyperpop while reflecting her struggles with renewed pop momentum. The piece also recommends new tracks from Coco and Clair Clair, Helen, Lancer, Black Bananas, Eden Aurelius, Hana Stretton and the returning New Radicals, highlighting releases across pop, electronic, dream-pop, rap and lo-fi music.

Ariana Grande told fans in Chicago that her decision to step back from public visibility after her tour ends was carefully planned rather than a reactive response to criticism. The move follows what her spokesperson described as sustained public scrutiny, including concern about her weight after the release of her “Petal” music video. Grande said she needs to set boundaries and take a break, while describing her current tour as a healing and important experience. Her plans include withdrawing from the Barbican’s 2027 production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park with George,” in which she was due to appear with Jonathan Bailey.

The Guardian highlights Louisiana country-punk duo Twisted Teens, Caspian Hollywell and RJ “Razor Ramone” Santos, as one of 2026’s most distinctive breakout acts. Their albums Blame the Clown and Florida Water Blues are praised for combining gritty vocals, steel guitar, literary hooks and anthemic songwriting, with a third album, Holy Cross Tigers, due later in the year. The piece also recommends new tracks by John Glacier, Jeffrey Silverstein, Protomartyr, Namesbliss and Paul Stephan, Murex, Chad Hugo with Tierra Whack and Leikeli47, and Cole Pulice.

Charli xcx’s Music, Fashion, Film follows the cultural phenomenon of Brat with a deliberately slippery pivot toward guitar-based music, acting and fashion. Rather than rejecting her recent success, the album examines how celebrity, self-commodification and performance destabilize personal identity. The review praises Charli’s intimate collaborations with AG Cook and Easyfun, as well as standout tracks such as “Camera” and “I’m Afraid,” which explore artistic risk, absent parenthood, marriage and conflicting versions of the self. Its willingness to expose both ego and insecurity makes the album, in the reviewer’s view, as bracing and powerful as Brat.

Brennan Wedl discusses the personal and artistic growth behind her new self-titled Americana album, produced by Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield and Brad Cook. Drawing on Catholicism, riot grrrl, sobriety and years of self-analysis, Wedl says songwriting helped her reject the people-pleasing identity of being “delightful” and confront difficult aspects of her life. Crutchfield praises Wedl’s timeless voice, powerful melodies and unusually mature songwriting, while Wedl reflects on leadership, recovery, family, and the possibility of returning to Minnesota.

Guardian music writers select their standout songs of summer 2026, spanning hyperpop, Americana, club pop, country, hip-hop, R&B, breakbeat and tech house. Their choices include Kim Petras’s “Jeep,” Madonna’s “Danceteria,” Big Freedia and Sophie’s “Blaze That Ass,” Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert’s “Horses and Divorces,” Olivia Rodrigo’s “Stupid Song,” and several emerging electronic and pop tracks. The selections emphasize escapism, sensuality, communal nightlife and genre experimentation, while some songs also carry messages about reconciliation, inclusion and resisting attacks on Black, brown and trans communities.

Gracie Abrams’ third album, Daughter from Hell, uses gothic imagery and themes of adolescent recklessness, emotional pain and personal responsibility, but its polished, delicate production rarely matches the drama of the lyrics. The review finds Abrams’ influences from Lorde, Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift conspicuous, while praising her observational songwriting and select tracks such as “Good Reason,” “Look at My Life,” “Broke My Heart,” “Men Like You” and “Death Wish.” Much of the album is criticized as saccharine, generic and overproduced for arena performance. The reduced role of former co-writer Audrey Hobert is identified as a major loss, leaving Abrams’ artistic identity less distinctive.

South London trio Stolen Velour, Floco and Aria SL combine club production, violin and bel canto vocals on Underlight, an album shaped by their former shared living space and the sounds bleeding through its walls. Released through Bristol label Illegal Data, the album moves between ambient immersion, trip-hop, amapiano, gqom and a clean cover of Lilium while maintaining a carefully controlled atmosphere. The piece also recommends new tracks by Radie Peat, Biita Houdei, Kelela and PinkPantheress, RenzNiro, Gilla Band, Edgar and Slow Pulp, emphasizing emotional intensity, inventive production and distinctive vocal performances.

Tara Joshi profiles Irish fiddler and singer Tadhg Griffin, who performs as SexyTadhg and combines Irish traditional music with pop, disco, jazz, folk-rock and queer cabaret. Griffin’s EP SlutTrad reflects a renewed embrace of Sean-nós singing and a commitment to making the trad scene more inclusive. The feature also recommends new tracks by J Hus, Marina Herlop, Wolf Alice, The Big Moon, Ma Sha, Topdown Dialectic and Queen of Jeans, highlighting their distinctive production, songwriting and vocal styles.

Laura Snapes challenges speculation that Taylor Swift will pause her music career after marrying Travis Kelce, arguing that such expectations revive 1950s-era assumptions that newlywed women should retreat into domestic life. Swift's prolific output and continued studio activity make a career break seem unlikely, while examples from Beyoncé demonstrate that marriage can generate rather than inhibit meaningful art. The discussion also reflects broader fantasies about Swift and Kelce's relationship and the mistaken idea that marriage guarantees uncomplicated happiness or changes a woman's ambitions.

Victor Willis, the lead singer and co-writer of Village People hits including “YMCA” and “Macho Man,” died on 30 June 2026 at age 74 after a short, aggressive illness. The obituary traces his rise from Broadway to disco stardom, his departure from and returns to Village People, and the group’s lasting cultural impact. It also covers his years of substance abuse and legal problems, later recovery, copyright victory over 13 Village People songs, and shifting position on Donald Trump’s use of “YMCA,” including the group’s 2025 performances at Trump-related events.

The Victoria and Albert Museum will take more than 100 items from its 90,000-piece David Bowie archive on a UK tour beginning at V&A Dundee in November 2026. The exhibition, David Bowie: On Tour, will include Ziggy Stardust costumes, Bowie’s first saxophone, handwritten song and album materials, film memorabilia, his passport, personal archival notes and a rejected script for The Simpsons. Stops are planned in Dundee, Blackpool, County Durham, Hull and Bristol through September 2028, with further venues possible. The tour builds on the V&A’s 2013 international Bowie exhibition and the opening of a permanent Bowie Centre at V&A East Storehouse in 2025.

London extreme-metal band Burner channel anger over climate crisis, global conflict and wealth inequality into bleak, cathartic music. Their forthcoming album No One Is Coming to Save Us follows growing recognition, including appearances at Bloodstock Open Air, a support slot with Deicide and a guest contribution from Trivium’s Matt Heafy. The piece also recommends new tracks by Brennan Wedl, Ravyn Lenae, Desire, Beabadoobee, deBasement, Cold Light and The Tubs.