This week
As Britain experiences a remarkably rainy July, it's perhaps not surprising that people are less keen to venture out and watch some bands – and this week has been a particularly bad one for outdoor music events.
Hopes were high for Bloc weekend at the newly opened London Pleasure Gardens – a two-day event with a lineup featuring Snoop Dogg, Orbital, Gary Numan and Battles. However, the event turned out to be something of a disaster, and was closed down by police on the first night, with organisers announcing the company had gone into administration a few days later. Why did it go so wrong? Read Dan Hancox's full report here.
Also cancelled this week was Hit Factory Live, a one-off show in London's Hyde Park due to feature the likes of Steps, Bananarama, Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue – called off owing to adverse weather conditions affecting the ground.
With the 2012 festival season proving to be far from vintage, is there more than just bad weather to blame? European festival promoters have also been reporting a downturn in the number of UK ticket sales. Michael Hann investigates.
In the news
Fleetwood Mac reunion confirmed by Stevie Nicks
Coldplay to launch Mylo Xyloto comics
Woody Guthrie novel to be published … with help from Johnny Depp
Michael Jackson gets the Spike Lee treatment
Beach Boys' children form tribute band
On the blog
When I saw the Rolling Stones play live
Open thread: which was the best decade for music?
Frank Ocean's Channel Orange album arrives a week early on iTunes
Which Meltdown moments have been the best?
The greatest ever album covers
Things to watch and listen to
The Very Best – MTMTMK: album stream
New Band of the Day No 1,306: Maxsta
AlunaGeorge at Wireless festival – video
Now listening: reader playlist
Further reading
Latitude 2012: festival preview
Frank Ocean: Channel Orange – review
Alessio Natalizia of Walls: 'What does Italian music sound like anyway?'
T in the Park 2012 – in pictures
Jobs in the music industry
Can you inspire musicians? Live Music Now is seeking an executive director. Click here
Or could you be the next trust and foundations manager of Glyndebourne? Click here
And finally
Burgess Powers creates web sites and applications like this one!