This kitten hears a violin for the first time – and her response is priceless
Watch Esther Abrami playing the violin to her kitten - and the frankly adorable response from the musical feline
Best movie scores of all time: 20 scores that changed the way we feel movies
Grab the popcorn, dim the lights and settle in for a run through our ranking of the greatest film scores of all time...
Lalo Schifrin (1932-2025) obituary
The Argentine-born composer's innovative fusion of jazz, classical, and Latin elements reshaped the landscape of film and TV music
Five things to know before buying an acoustic guitar
Let us help find the best acoustic guitar for you
Tchaikovsky: doomed marriage, tortured sexuality... and devastatingly beautiful music
Tchaikovsky: a great Russian, a great Romantic - and a master of the lament
Ahead of his Glastonbury set, we asked you to name your favourite Neil Young album. Here's how you voted
Ahead of his Glastonbury headline set, we asked you to vote for your favourite Neil Young album. Here's what you said...
Seven astonishing debut albums that their creators never bettered
Some artists peak early—these stunning debut albums set a standard so high, even their creators couldn’t top them later
On this day, 2004: mud and helmets, as Glastonbury does Wagner
On 27 June 2004, rock and opera achieved perfect harmony - as the English National Opera brought Wagner to Glastonbury
Eleven incredible pieces of music written by teenagers
From Schubert to Shostakovich, these stunning works prove youth is no barrier to genius—prepare to be astonished
Brawling, bed-hopping... murder? Music's 15 worst-behaved composers
From Mozart to Peter Warlock, here are 15 composers who stepped out of line - socially, sexually, or just with too much motorbike-based nudity
Meet the most fascinating figures from classical music
'Be young all your life': 15 musicians who played on into their 90s
For some performers and composers, the notion of retiring at 90 has been simply out of the question, as Terry Blain explains
Here are 10 reasons you should NEVER marry a musician
Free concert tickets and a home filled with the joys of music might seem tempting now, but you could live to regret it...!
These 11 musical mavericks followed absolutely none of the rules
From Satie to Sun Ra, we salute 11 musicians who defiantly did things their own way - and left music incalculably the richer for it
The great composers
Explore the lives and works of classical music's finest composers
Is there a link between mental illness and creativity? Top psychologists have their say
The cliché of the ‘mad genius’ has long perpetuated the idea that creativity and mental illness are linked. But, asks Rebecca Franks, how true is that notion?
‘What a giftless bastard!': when composers tear into each other
Sparks fly and verbal venom is spat, as John Evans explores the great names who simply loved to take potshots at each other
Vivaldi’s British Invasion: How the Red Priest conquered a country he never even saw
Vivaldi never crossed the English Channel. But rich clients and the postal service ensured his popularity far from home
German composers: the 21 greatest of all time, ranked (and where to start with each)
Germany has produced some of the greatest compositional voices in history – many of whom are considered among the best across the entire globe. Here are some of the very best - and a musical gateway into each one
Greatest Recordings
Our recommendations of essential additions to your listening library
The 1970s were the LP's golden era. Here's the greatest album from each '70s year
From glam to punk, prog to soul, the 1970s defined the album era—here are the decade’s standout releases, year by year.
Alfred Brendel: these seven stellar recordings will stand as the pianist's great legacy
We salute the late, great pianist Alfred Brendel by picking out seven outstanding recordings from his impressive discography
Adventures at the edge of music: ranking the King Crimson albums
From that explosive, visionary debut onwards, King Crimson have constantly pushed at the boundaries of prog, jazz and hard rock. We assess their wildly inventive back catalogue
RIP, Brian Wilson. Here are the Beach Boys' 21 greatest songs, ranked
To mark the passing of their creative powerhouse Brian Wilson, here are the 21 greatest Beach Boys songs of all time
Albums of the week
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine
Review: Purcell – Complete Suites and Other Music for Keyboard
In her review, Kate Bolton-Porciatti believes pianist Cristian Sandrin has set the bar with his thrilling modern take on Purcell keyboard gems
Review: Moonlight Variations (Pablo Ferrández)
Cellist Pablo Ferrández serves up an appetising menu of works, perfectly played and curated, says Jo Talbot in her review
Review: For Dieter... (Benjamin Appl)
Benjamin Appl’s heartfelt and imaginative album homage to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is cherishable, says Natasha Loges in her review
Audio equipment reviews and advice
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine
The best desktop speakers 2025: turn your home office into a listening paradise
Here are the best luxury headphones on the market right now
Our audio expert Chris Haslam tests options for luxurious listening in private
Affordable noise-cancelling headphones: the best on the market in 2025
Our expert Chris Haslam gives advice on buying the latest hi-fi equipment. This month... affordable noise-cancelling headphones