No one could terrify like Cronos, the black metal innovator who reignited rock’s hellraising attitude

As frontman of Venom, Conrad Lant made an impact on metal to rival Black Sabbath, inspiring a whole new subgenre with his diabolical grandstanding, unruly spirit and heretic noise

‘It’s a deep soul connection’: Erasure on how 40 years of friendship got them through grief – and why Vince Clarke has quit touring

Returning for a 20th album of sumptuous synthpop, Andy Bell and Clarke open up about supporting one another through bereavement, being happily uncool and battling the resurgence of homophobia

Conrad ‘Cronos’ Lant, frontman of UK heavy metal band Venom, dies aged 63

Singer and bassist helped turn Newcastle band into hugely influential force on thrash and black metal subgenres

‘Shane was rascality personified’: the Pogues on their late frontman, anti-Irish prejudice and the feud over Fairytale of New York

The Celtic punk band’s co-founders Spider Stacy and James Fearnley take your questions about Shane MacGowan, ruffling the feathers of trad musicians and putting Laurence Fox in his place

Meshell Ndegeocello: Synonym review – vivid all-star reinventions of everyone from Bob Dylan to J-Lo

In the jazz-soul singer’s ‘expression of queer liberation’, stars from Chaka Khan to Bill Callahan to Cynthia Erivo duet on equally varied songs from Cher to the Human League and beyond

Oasis take legal action to stop sale of unheard recordings valued at more than £1m

Tapes made in the 90s, including candid conversations between Noel and Liam Gallagher, which were expected to sell for up to £1.6m

The Pussycat Dolls review – Nicole Scherzinger’s star power dominates fraught reunion

First announced in 2019 and now launching with just three of the original lineup, the Dolls whip up a whirlwind of hair-flipping and put on a decent spectacle

‘A genre-defying monument’: how Sign o’ the Times captured Prince at his creative peak

As a new book on the Paisley Park polymath is released, author John McKie explains why Prince’s 1987 album is the ultimate showcase of his genius

Mighty Sparrow obituary

Trinidadian singer and songwriter hailed as a living legend and the greatest calypsonian of all time

‘We wanted it to be a battlecry’: how Republica made 90s anthem Ready to Go

‘The day Saff came into the studio with red hair, I said, “We’re gonna be massive!” It was the missing link’

Stevie Wonder releases four unheard songs from Songs in the Key of Life sessions

Previously unreleased material comes as Wonder marks 50th anniversary of album with arena tour

MTV VMAs 2026: full list of winners

Taylor Swift and Madonna were the big winners, with Swift now the recipient of the most MTV VMAs in history

Rod Stewart announces final tour for 2027: ‘Most definitely my last’

The 81-year-old singer will wrap up a touring career that stretches back to his mid-teens in the early 1960s, with dates planned for UK and Europe

MTV VMAs 2026: Taylor Swift and Madonna win at awards dominated by female artists

Madonna and Swift take home four of six prizes given out during ceremony telecast, alongside K-pop star Lisa and British newcomer Sienna Spiro

Rapper and actor Eve looks back: ‘I was the only girl in the boardroom in major label meetings – that Philly girl had to come out’

The Grammy-winning artist on ​destroying egos in school, the dealers who looked out for her, and learning from early failure