Vagina lasers, bananas and an awkward Cumberbatch: 10 surprising moments in Madonna’s new video

Sabrina Carpenter, a car crash, a urinal, Kate Moss and, of course, those perplexing green lasers: Confessions II has it all. Let’s make some sense of it …

The best albums of 2026 so far

From Thundercat’s all-star funk to Kacey Musgraves’ hymns to solitude, we look at some of our favourite music of the last six months from across the pop spectrum

‘We were going off the cliff’: Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil on inventing grunge – and losing Chris Cornell and Kurt Cobain

As he publishes a memoir, the pioneering guitarist talks about rejecting spandex and hair metal, his fears for breakthrough hit Black Hole Sun – and completing nine unfinished Soundgarden songs

‘You escape the slaughter. But there’s a long tail of sadness’: musician Bedouine on the strangeness of Arab life outside the Middle East

With roots in Armenia, Syria and Saudi Arabia, the singer-songwriter now lives in the US. But despite her Carole King-style sound, her homelands are never far from her mind

Post your questions for David Byrne

As the former Talking Heads frontman releases his concert film American Utopia in 4K, he will join us to answer your questions

Is Australian music at risk of extinction? Here’s what the data tells us

Forty years of Aria chart history shows big changes to our listening habits – and local artists have a huge fight ahead

Aria music quiz: how well do you know the Australian charts?

We’ve looked at the Aria charts since 1998 to see who Australians can’t stop listening to. Take our quiz to find out if you know your chart toppers and fan favourites

Jesse Hector obituary

Other lives: Charismatic leader of bands including Crushed Butler, Helter Skelter and the Hammersmith Gorillas

‘So rogue’: country superstar Shania Twain turns London pub into saloon

Fans from across UK descend on Shacklewell Arms for intimate gig that leaves them wanting one more song

‘At my funeral I want people dancing in the aisles to Madness’: David Gray’s honest playlist

The singer knows all the words to Grease and channels Kenny Rogers at karaoke. But which classic musician does he liken to Picasso?

Hello, goodbye: the Beatles’ chaotic, controversial final tour – as never seen before

Tired, emotional and besieged by fans and enemies alike, by 1966 the Fab Four were ready to quit touring for good. A new collection of images by rock photographer Jim Marshall captures their last gigs

St Vincent review – majestic orchestral transformations of jagged art-pop

The mercurial artist reworked her catalog with technical mastery – and playful dance moves – accompanied by the Boston Pops orchestra

With warmth, kindness and unlimited energy, Kanya King revolutionised Black British culture

The Mobo founder, who has died aged 57, had an unprecedented vision: to give Black British music a glitzy and joyful awards ceremony. But her impact went well beyond it

Taylor Swift: I Knew It, I Knew You review – giddy up! Song for Toy Story cowgirl Jessie is Swift’s best in years

Full of handcrafted care and the rootsy soul of her country origins, this gently elated song is a reminder of what fans love about Swift … and the film series

Kanya King, founder of Mobo awards for Black British music, dies aged 57

Entrepreneur died of colon cancer, with Mobo Organisation hailing her as ‘one of the most fearless champions’ in the music industry