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3 out of 5 stars.
Kitty Empire's artist of the week Lily Allen – a keen ear for London’s musical melting pot
3 out of 5 stars.Lily Allen plunges fearlessly into her dark side with a soundscape mixing Afrobeats and Caribbean London -
The R&B rising star comes with an endorsement from Drake
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The parenting blogger’s song, a reworked version of Starship’s We Built This City, is raising money for foodbank charity The Trussell Trust -
The charismatic singer makes light, catchy work of very personal and politicised pop on this compelling portrait of a woman in flux -
The French artist’s album has been named our best of 2018. She talks about embracing her sensuality, touching gifts she received from fans and her own favourite record of the year
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‘I wrote it in the summer during a heatwave. I was dripping sweat and standing there with jingling bells thinking: “This is crazy!”’ -
The award-winning musician, who was born with brittle bone disease, talks about going on tour, finding love – and fighting for accessible green rooms -
Avicii: True Stories was initially given a small release before the death of the EDM star but now the director discusses its uneasy relevance -
The 90s grunge icon talks about how Gianni Versace got her out of slips, Karl Lagerfeld got her out of tutus and why naming her clothes helps her get dressed
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4 out of 5 stars.
Wolf Alice Sweetness and snarl from indie-rock revolutionaries
4 out of 5 stars.Capping a banner year in which they won the Mercury prize, Wolf Alice swerve rock cliche with counter-intuitive songcraft -
4 out of 5 stars.
Orbital – techno giants still raging against the political machine
4 out of 5 stars.Their sledgehammer polemic is brought up to date in an gloriously overwhelming visual and musical assault on the senses -
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4 out of 5 stars.
Sam Sweeney – folk prodigy shuns the showboating for gentle joy
4 out of 5 stars. -
4 out of 5 stars.
Chic & Nile Rodgers – timeless party classics at the Nile high club
4 out of 5 stars. -
4 out of 5 stars.
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3 out of 5 stars.
Alexis Petridis's album of the week John Legend: A Legendary Christmas – tasteful covers need a tot of sherry
3 out of 5 stars.Its classy backings, star guests and deep cuts avoid tackiness, but Legend should have got out the tinsel and loosened up -
3 out of 5 stars.
Jessie J This Christmas Day – bigger-is-better seasonal fare aiming for world domination
3 out of 5 stars.She’s won a TV singing competition watched by millions in China: now Jessie J is ramping Christmas up to 11 -
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XXXTentacion Skins – a toxic legacy
2 out of 5 stars.
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To honour the passing of Pete Shelley, we revisit Dave Simpson's feature on 40 years since the Manchester band’s first release reshaped pop music with one of the first ever independent releases
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In focus
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Her songs are streamed in the millions and her music is beloved by Janet Jackson. But who is HER, the songwriter who hides her identity with a pair of sunglasses? -
Steven Ellison, otherwise known as Flying Lotus, on unearthing new talent, LA beat, ‘difficult’ Tyler, the Creator and ten years of Brainfeeder records -
Pop star’s reported use of software to root out stalkers may be well meant, but it fuels a disturbing trend, experts say -
Sheeran’s single Shape of You is the music platform’s most-streamed song since it launched
By genre
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Our countdown is complete, and top spot goes to a timely blast of identity pop – adding to a fine selection of albums that range from the socially conscious to the political, as well as pure slices of ecstatic rock and cutting rap -
The R&B rising star comes with an endorsement from Drake
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The experimental artist has released another Instagram zine. So what other artistic pursuits might she pursue before making album No 2?
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We will publish a selection of readers’ favourite albums before the end of the year
You may have missed
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Christmas No 1 was once a fiercely fought-over prize. From RATM v Joe McElderry, Slade v Wizzard and George Michael in Wham! v George Michael in Band Aid, winners and losers recall the great festive stand-offs -
This London trio are that rare thing: a homegrown metal band with mainstream appeal -
It was impossible not to fall in love with an artist so talented, and so selfless, says the rapper’s manager
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6 September 1971 – 15 January 2018
The Kinks’ lead guitarist recalls a fabulous, unique voice, her kindness and their plans to write a song together • Aretha Franklin remembered by Clive Davis
• Read the Observer’s obituaries of 2018 in full here -
The BBC 6 Music DJ on the beauty of a Berlin recording studio, Daniel Day-Lewis and the art that held up the Haçienda nightclub -
Packed with hooks and waspishly funny lines, the Buzzcocks frontman effortlessly created singles which became part of the musical landscape
The week in classical Hansel and Gretel; LCMF