‘Young audiences are less scared of it’: why London jazz clubs are expanding and thriving against the odds

As the Jazz Cafe and Ronnie Scott’s expand, and Blue Note eyes its arrival, proprietors say there’s an energy in the scene – but financial pressures remain

‘I flew to Luxembourg to see the gig there instead!’: music fans on how they cope with high UK ticket prices

As increasing prices and fees make gig-going difficult, readers voice their frustration – and suggest alternatives

‘Raise the questions. Don’t provide the answers’: composer Jake Heggie on 25 years of Dead Man Walking

As his groundbreaking opera about the death penalty comes to the UK, Heggie reflects on its enduring power and the story’s relevance in an age of division

The Guardian view on live music: a scheme to spread the sound around deserves support

Editorial: More gigs would be a good thing, and a voluntary £1 levy for grassroots venues could help

There’s a £1 idea that could save small music venues. Is Live Nation holding it back?

Artists including Coldplay and Katy Perry have got behind a plan to fund small venues from big gigs – but owners say that without Live Nation on board, it could fail

‘Why are all these twentysomethings at a Killing Heidi show?’ How nostalgia tours took over Australian music

The band are among a wave of artists hitting the road this year to celebrate landmark albums. It reflects deeper trends in the Australian music landscape, where new artists are struggling to cut through

Isle of Wight festival increases profits despite fall in attendance

Festival made £3.4m profit in 2024, generating £2.6m dividend for its parent company, part of Live Nation

Beyond regional doubt: why more acts are touring the UK’s far-flung venues – and why it’s worth making the effort

With touring costs rising and venues closing, many acts are only playing big city dates. But as the Beatles and Led Zep showed in the past, more scenic routes can pay off

Spotify removes 75m spam tracks in past year as AI increases ability to make fake music

Streamer to crack down on AI-generated spam by introducing filter to identify fraudulent uploads

Guitar ‘smashed up’ by Liam Gallagher on night Oasis split up goes to auction

Red Gibson ES-355, damaged on night of 2009 Rock en Seine fight, being sold alongside acoustic used in Wonderwall

Dua Lipa denies ‘categorically false’ report that she fired her agent over anti-Kneecap stance

The pop star and her talent agency say reports that she sacked David Levy for allegedly signing a letter urging Glastonbury to drop the pro-Palestine Irish rap group from lineup are untrue

Resale ‘subterfuge’: Viagogo sent fan his tickets along with a stranger’s passport

Experiences of booking for big London gigs underscore the opaque practices of some online platforms

Taylor Swift’s Eras tour helps fuel UK consumer spending on live music to record £6.7bn high

Report from Live shows spending £2bn higher than before Covid-19 shutdowns, although grassroots venues are still closing at an increasing rate

Non-profit collective plans festival to help grassroots live music circuit

Members to co-own event that organisers say will cut costs by up to 40% after 78 independent festivals closed last year

Thursday briefing: How Taylor Swift, the ​ultimate pop ​star, ​turned ​her story into our own

In today’s newsletter: ​Her songs have soundtracked first loves, heartbreaks and coming-of-age moments for millions,​ and fostered a rare kind of intimacy between artist and audience