Plus: Ethiopians look back on Do They Know It's Christmas?
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Picks of the week
The brilliance and tragedy of ‘fifth Beatle’ Billy Preston
‘I just had to rejoice'  
The brilliance and tragedy of ‘fifth Beatle’ Billy Preston
A magnetically vibrant keyboard prodigy who played on Let It Be and worked with George Harrison, Preston later lived through years of addiction. A new film aims to find ‘the dark and the light’ in his story
The reader interview  
Joan Armatrading: ‘I love the Beano – in fact, I was in it, having a slap-up meal’
I set up my own indie label. From Brexit’s brutality to the joy of DIY music, here’s what I learned
US news  
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is accused of sexual abuse. Why are his music streams rising?
Band Aid  
‘Everyone was happy, but it became annoying’: Ethiopians look back on Do They Know It's Christmas?
Reviews
Alexis Petridis's album of the week  
Lauren Mayberry: Vicious Creature – Chvrches singer writes her own pop gospel
Lauren Mayberry: Vicious Creature – Chvrches singer writes her own pop gospel
Global album of the month  
Auntie Flo: In My Dreams (I’m a Bird and I’m Free) – joyous ride through Kenyan and Goan heritage
The Innocence Mission  
Midwinter Swimmers – lo-fi soft focus on the beauty of everyday life
Kendrick Lamar  
GNX – amply backed-up grandstanding
Papa M  
Ballads of Harry Houdini – committed to evolution
Father John Misty  
Mahashmashana – a superb chronicler of life’s perverseness
Spotlight
Tell us your favourite music albums of 2024
Callout  
Tell us your favourite music albums of 2024
We would like to hear about the best album you have heard this year and why
Classical
Live review  
LPO/Kremer/Roslavets/Boreyko – an evening of raw and uncompromising music
LPO/Kremer/Roslavets/Boreyko – an evening of raw and uncompromising music
Album review  
Hasse: Serpentes Ignei in Deserto – dazzling performances bring this oratorio of snakes on a plain to life
Hasse: Serpentes Ignei in Deserto – dazzling performances bring this oratorio of snakes on a plain to life
Album review  
Schubert, Ter Schiphorst, Andre – something old, something new
Schubert, Ter Schiphorst, Andre – something old, something new
Live review  
BCMG/Paterson – amplification dulls both Eötvös and Birtwistle
BCMG/Paterson – amplification dulls both Eötvös and Birtwistle
Add to playlist
Honest playlist  
‘I do both the Beyoncé and the Jay-Z parts of Crazy In Love’: Edith Bowman’s honest playlist
‘I do both the Beyoncé and the Jay-Z parts of Crazy In Love’: Edith Bowman’s honest playlist
You may have missed
Rebel Musix, Scribe on a Vibe by Vivien Goldman – hanging with the punks and the Rastas
Music books  
Rebel Musix, Scribe on a Vibe by Vivien Goldman – hanging with the punks and the Rastas
From Bob Marley embracing the Clash to Brian Eno hurling his phone against a wall, this wide-ranging collection of music writing evokes an era in which journalists and musicians existed side by side
Comfort Eating with Grace Dent  
S8, E10: David Gray, musician
The multi-platinum selling musician David Gray joins Grace his week on Comfort Eating
Clubbing  
‘By 8pm it is time to head home’: whatever happened to the big night out?
This week, the chief executive of a major bar group suggested 3pm is the new 9pm. Why have we stopped drinking and dancing the night away on a Friday and Saturday night?
Other lives  
James McMahon obituary
Other lives: Music journalist who was full of enthusiasm for new bands, wrote for the NME and edited Kerrang!
Live music this week
Nines  
British rap great bows out with glittering career highlights
British rap great bows out with glittering career highlights
Charli xcx  
Feral masterclass in pop presence heralds Brat winter
Anohni  
Uniquely gifted interpreter pays homage to mentor Lou Reed
Zayn  
Shy star lets his hypnotic vocals do the talking
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