Music
In 1975, Dylan, Patti Smith, Bowie and Marley woke up a cosseted music culture. It’s a 50th anniversary worth celebrating
2025 marks the golden jubilee of some fine records, to be sure, but also of a time when punk came to sack rock’s citadel and popular music began to go in new directions
Album Reviews
From Notify to Ani DiFranco: The top five trad/folk albums of 2024
Joyful Irish traditional music and politically charged folk feature in our LP picks of the year
The best Christmas playlist, according to the pros
From cosy classics to Christmas with Captain Kirk, we’ve chosen tunes for your holiday playlist, with a little help from three professionals
From Christian Lee Hutson to Oisín Leech: The top five roots albums of 2024
Our pick of the year’s roots albums take in Malin Head, Missouri and points between
Top five Irish jazz albums of 2024, from Mary Coughlan to Adjunct Ensemble
‘Thank God I’m alive,’ Mary Coughlan sings on her album Repeat, Rewind. Hear, hear
The music of 2024: Our critics’ verdicts on the best albums and acts of the year
Fontaines DC top the 2024 Ticket critics’ choice lists, with Kneecap hot on their heels, but right across Irish music the profusion of excellence shows zero signs of stopping
Daniel O’Donnell says friend was scammed by a fake social media account posing as him
Friend had already sent money via Apple Pay when ruse was discovered
The Pogues at 3Arena: In pictures
A stomping sing-song with help from members of Fontaines DC, Lankum and The Mary Wallopers
The Music Quiz: Who is Kayleigh Rose Amstutz better known as?
Plus: What is the missing kitchen utensil in Sabrina Carpenter’s How Many Things: “You used a [blank] once, it turns out [blank] are f**cking everywhere…”
‘My dad managed the Pogues. I’ve refused to let the sense of loss take over at Christmas’
Growing up as part of The Pogues family, Shannon Murray, daughter of the band’s manager Frank Murray, explains how Fairytale of New York has a poignant meaning for her each Christmas
Liam Payne death: Suspects to learn in new year if they will be prosecuted
Interviews of five people under investigation over Buenos Aires hotel tragedy to begin in coming days
U2’s Larry Mullen on his dyscalculia and the band’s touring plan
Drummer says U2 is writing new material and the band hope to tour in 2026
Elton John: Legalising cannabis is one of the greatest mistakes of all time
Veteran musician has been sober for 34 years and has helped other celebrities to get clean
Eurovision issues new code of conduct after controversy involving Bambie Thug and Israel
Several issues arose this year, including the disqualification of Netherlands’s entrant Joost Klein
The Music Quiz: Which Irish island is part of the title of Bretonese musician Yann Tiersen’s new album?
Plus: How many Spotify streams did Taylor Swift accrue this year?
Tori Amos on Neil Gaiman, sexism and trauma: ‘I’m sure that I have met men who treat me differently’
As she releases a new album, the singer-songwriter explains how failure has fuelled her career
