Category: Music

London’s renowned inclusive club night, The Beautiful Octopus Club, is set to make its debut at the Wellcome Collection this summer in a free special one-night-only event. Hosted by the award-winning creative arts charity Heart n Soul, the event will take place on Friday, July 12, 2024, from 7 to 11 pm, promising an immersive… Continue reading London’s most inclusive club night, The Beautiful Octopus Club, comes to Wellcome Collection

Thirty years from his death on April 5 1994, the impact of Kurt Cobain and his band, Nirvana, and their values, still resonates in today’s culture and music. Nirvana were everywhere at the start of the 1990s, much like Taylor Swift’s omnipresence today. But unlike Swift, who has embraced and mastered the business side of… Continue reading Kurt Cobain is still shaping culture – 30 years after the Nirvana frontman’s death

Just For One Day, the Old Vic’s new musical about Live Aid, recreates the story behind the history-making concert in a spectacle full of iconic 1980s rock anthems. The script may feel a bit clunky, but as it’s performed in front of enthusiastic audiences largely made up of people old enough to remember that warm… Continue reading Live Aid the musical: what really happens when celebrities get behind humanitarian causes

The long-awaited Bob Marley biopic “One Love” will highlight important moments in the musician’s life – his adolescence in Trench Town, his spiritual growth, the attempt on his life. But as a music industry scholar, I wonder if the film is yet another extension of the Marley marketing machine. Marley died in 1981 at the age of 36.… Continue reading From rebel to retail − inside Bob Marley’s posthumous musical and merchandising empire

Halsey shared a video on TikTok with tinny music in the background, the on-screen text reading: Basically I have a song that I love that I wanna release ASAP but my record label won’t let me. I’ve been in this industry for 8 years and I’ve sold over 165 million records. And my record company… Continue reading Halsey’s record label wouldn’t release a new song until it went viral on TikTok. Is this the future of the music industry?

Justin Bieber is the latest artist in a growing list of musicians who have sold the rights to their music. This move is typically made by more seasoned artists such as Bruce Springsteen, who reportedly received US$500m (£406m) for the sale of his life’s work in 2021, or Stevie Nicks who sold a share of… Continue reading Justin Bieber sells his back catalogue – an expert explains why artists give up rights to their music

In an unexpected turn of events, BBC’s University Challenge has found its way into the music scene, with its new presenter Amol Rajan becoming an unwitting icon for DJs and music producers. During an episode of the quiz show, Rajan, known for his journalistic prowess, sparked a viral sensation after he made a comment about… Continue reading “Can’t except drum and bass, we need jungle I’m afraid” – how University Challenge went viral on the rave scene

A longstanding feud between TikTok and Universal Music Group seems to have finally reached an end, with both parties signing a deal that will see Universal-backed music returned to the social media platform. Universal first removed its artists’ work from TikTok about three months ago, restricting access to tunes from household names such as Billie… Continue reading Universal’s music is returning to TikTok, ending a spat that hurt fans more than anyone

The inclusion of Kate Bush’s 1985 song Running Up That Hill in Stranger Things catapulted her (again) into the mainstream musical scene, experiencing a true resurgence in popularity. Kate Bush herself provided a response by issuing a rare message on social media about the whole affair, not only declaring her enthusiasm over Stranger Things, but… Continue reading Kate Bush’s ethereal, evocative, and inventive music spans generations