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1976: the 21 greatest albums from the year music got bigger, bolder and stranger
From stadium anthems to punk’s first strike, explore the 21 essential albums that defined rock’s most polished year
We ranked rock's 15 greatest breakup albums. And one artist makes the list twice
From bitter confessions to tear-stained masterpieces, these 15 breakup albums prove heartbreak can hurt, heal, and still sound timeless
'All-conquering': inside Bach's mighty B minor Mass – and its greatest recording
The sheer variety and craftsmanship of JS Bach’s final choral masterpiece, Mass in B minor, enthral Paul Riley as he chooses the finest recordings
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The 1960s were music’s most transformative decade. Here's the greatest LP from each '60s year
From musicals to jazz, blues and soul to rock and pop, these are the defining albums that chart a decade of phenomenal change and even more incredible music!
'Don’t go after other women’s husbands': Fleetwood Mac's darkest, most bruising album (it's not Rumours)
A fragmented, bold and often beautiful double-album, Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Tusk’ is a document of a band on the brink
Lost genius: 23 criminally underrated 1970s bands
Some became cult heroes, others vanished entirely. All of these bands helped shape 1970s music more profoundly than their reputations suggest
1968 was a traumatic year in America. These 21 albums are the sound of that trauma
Assassinations, riots, Vietnam and disillusionment: these 21 albums captured the fury, grief and uncertainty of a fractured America
World Cup TV theme tunes: the 7 most unforgettable melodies from World Cups past
The football was (mostly) unforgettable - and so was the soundtrack. We remember seven World Cup theme tunes that defined entire tournaments
Letdowns: 15 disappointing follow-ups to brilliant albums
From creative overreach to studio meltdowns, 15 follow-up albums that buckled under the crushing weight of their predecessor’s legacy
Sex, blood and blasphemy... opera’s most shocking moments
Some opera productions really do push the boundaries of good taste, reflects Ashutosh Khandekar as he relives some of the most outrageous of all
From Elvis to Nirvana: the 45 best 45s of all time
Rock's music's natural environment has always been the album, but the 7-inch single also holds a special place in the pantheon
Can you hear the difference? 11 big hits accused of ripping off other songs
From Bitter Sweet Symphony to My Sweet Lord, these 11 rock and pop disputes show when inspiration crossed the line - or did it?
The Orchestra: A Young Person’s Guide – a bold new re-imagining of Britten's popular classic
Composer Charlotte Harding introduces her new work for the National Open Youth Orchestra – the world’s first disabled-led national youth ensemble
The 11 murders that changed the music world
From rock icons and soul legends to blues pioneers and rap superstars, these artists helped define genres and inspire generations. And yet they all share one tragic thing: they were all murdered.
Review: Huw Watkins: Symphony No. 2, etc (Hallé / Mark Elder)
Mark Elder and the Hallé expertly showcase
Huw Watkins’s delightful works, notes Geoff Brown
Fit for a queen: the colourful music of Marie Antoinette's court
As a lover of music, Marie Antoinette did much to promote composers and performers at her court in Versailles, explains Claire Jackson
These 11 rock icons weren't quite who they claimed to be
From the bayous of California to the four ‘brothers’ from Queens, these 11 rock legends presented imagined versions of themselves to the world
Rock's greatest 'what ifs': 13 careers cut tragically short
Thirteen rock visionaries whose brilliant trajectories were cut short by internal demons and external pressures
These 15 bands ended up fighting each other in court
15 iconic rock acts who traded years of creative harmony for pitched legal battles over merch, royalties or songwriting credits
This was rock’s greatest-ever supergroup – and chances are you’ve never heard of them!
Assembled in the late 1970s, this who’s who of rock royalty won a Grammy and played to a sell-out crowd, and yet few could tell you their name, let alone what they sounded like…
Despised by critics, loved by millions: 11 bands that proved the music press wrong
Rock critics routinely tore these 11 legendary bands to shreds – but the record-buying public simply turned up the volume
The sound of self-destruction: 15 albums that ended great careers
From blockbuster blunders to creative collapses, these 15 albums were the moment when rock legends lost their way
'Scared': 17 rock stars who wrestled with stage fright
They looked fearless under the spotlight. In reality, these rock stars battled crippling stage fright before facing an audience
From Buddy Holly's glasses to Taylor Swift's scarf: 31 objects that defined music history
The history of rock can be told through songs. It can also be told through these 31 extraordinary objects
