‘A three-minute history of England written in the tour bus toilet’: how Tenpole Tudor made Swords of a Thousand Men

‘Dressed as knights, we’d walk onstage to the sound of the William Tell overture. I’d quote Henry V and the crowd would shout, “You’re the rightful king of England!”’

U2: Carnaval de Luz review – rousing, restorative rock from a band ready to take on the world again

On their first album of new songs in nearly a decade, even earnest Bono-isms carry weight amid music that is impassioned and rejuvenated

‘I didn’t dance until I was 45’: how Jorge Drexler went from repressed doctor to rump-shaking Oscar-winner

How did a Uruguayan medic who grew up under an anti-music dictatorship win a best song Academy award? As he looks set to scoop up more prizes at the Latin Grammys, we meet the extraordinary Jorge Drexler

‘My dad said Great Balls of Fire was pagan music – and threw it out of the window’: Leo Sayer’s honest playlist

The singer lives by the words of John Lennon, and once did karaoke surrounded by supermodels. But which song still makes him cry?

Macklemore says that nine US arenas turned down his Free Palestine tour

Rapper called out ‘intimidation and suppression’ in post, claiming major arenas refused to host him after he was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour

Spice Girls: The Singles Collection review – stop fleecing your fans right now, thank you very much

The reunion that fans were hoping for turns out to be a cash-grab box set – though there is a worthwhile curio featuring Posh on lead vocals

Post your questions for folk music legend Judy Collins

Ahead of her farewell UK concert next year, the 87-year-old singer-songwriter will join us to answer your questions

The week’s best new tracks and the act you need to know: crowd-pleasing anticapitalist rockers Sans Froid

Inspired by everything from Radiohead to Deerhoof and Linda Perhacs, the west country band merge disparate styles into solid anthems

La Roux: Old Flames review – a breezy, hook-packed twist on a breakup album

Devastating moments are dressed up with warm production and kinetic 00s R&B in the now quiff-less singer’s grownup fourth album

‘It’s a new world. It’s a little fascistic. And it needs a different response’: U2 on 50 years together – and why Bono can’t work with Trump

After some so-so albums, can U2’s new one, Carnaval de Luz, restore them to glory? They discuss male egos, working with Dolly Parton, and explain why, despite Trump, they still believe in democracy – at least in their band

K-pop group NewJeans’s contract omitted rights to ‘sleep and free choice’ – report

New report finds that record label Ador stripped child protections from group’s contracts when they were minors

Bassvictim: Peace + War review – like a thrillingly chaotic house party that goes on too long

​On their fourth buzzy project in two years, the gobby and combustible US-Polish pair are best when they’re leaning into the roughness of their sound

Full of life and catching feelings: Christine and the Queens’ greatest songs – ranked!

As the French avant-popper returns with new single Rendez-vous avec toi, we celebrate the best of an artist who uses sleek songwriting to grapple with knotty emotion

‘At my age, I can rant!’ Bernie Taupin on Elton John, hellraising vampires and competing in full-blown rodeos

He is the outstanding lyricist who propelled the Rocket Man to 300m sales. As Taupin releases a wistfully grouchy solo album, he talks about the joy of anonymity, his LA drinking gang – and owning a prize-winning bucking bull

Ashanti: ‘I’ve had a bodysuit snap off on stage. That was not my coolest moment’

Before her Australian tour, the Grammy-winner talks about her marriage to Nelly, fans rushing the stage and her secret skill