Plus: Patti LaBelle at 80 on soul, sex, survival and superstardom
Sleeve Notes | The Guardian

Support the Guardian

Fund independent journalism

Sleeve Notes
Picks of the week
Why country is the biggest pop music craze of 2024
Ten-gallon hits!  
Why country is the biggest pop music craze of 2024
Beyoncé and Dua Lipa have swapped mirrorballs for rhinestones, while new stars such as Shaboozey and Dasha are making hay with uptempo hoedowns. Even the UK is enjoying its first rodeo – but can it last?
‘I thought I was going to drown Otis Redding!’  
Patti LaBelle at 80 on soul, sex, survival and superstardom
‘It’s basically inaccessible without a phone’  
Are kids losing their love for music?
‘I hadn’t thought about a drink. Then I saw the pub. Game over’  
Singer-songwriter Michael Head on beating addiction – again
‘My songs spread like herpes’  
Why did satirical genius Tom Lehrer swap worldwide fame for obscurity?
‘It became a beacon of hope’  
The incredible story of Stax Records
Reviews
Alexis Petridis's album of the week  
Paul Weller: 66 – sumptuous rumination on older age springs some surprises
Paul Weller: 66 – sumptuous rumination on older age springs some surprises
Album review  
Nathy Peluso: Grasa – don’t overlook this Latin pop polymath
Film review  
The Beach Boys – rather too sunny account of 60s pop legends’ story
Contemporary album of the month  
Ezra Feinberg: Soft Power – trippy, bucolic and playfully minimal
Album review  
Bess Atwell: Light Sleeper – poignant, dreamlike miniatures
Album review  
Jasmine Myra: Rising – gently insistent jazz
Spotlight
The ultra-creative women dismissed as rock star girlfriends
‘I’ve been called a witch, slut, murderer’  
The ultra-creative women dismissed as rock star girlfriends
Despite their artistic skill, Anita Pallenberg, Suzi Ronson and Yoko Ono were cast as mere lovers or muses. They’re now being allowed to tell their own stories – even if it’s after death
Classical
Classical album of the week  
Elgar: Symphonies Nos 1 & 2 – warmth, refinement and conviction
Elgar: Symphonies Nos 1 & 2 – warmth, refinement and conviction
The spy, the songbird and the sham that wasn’t  
How I restored broadcasting history
How I restored broadcasting history
Album review  
Payne: Visions and Journeys – British composer steps out of Elgar’s shadows
Payne: Visions and Journeys – British composer steps out of Elgar’s shadows
Opera review  
States of Innocence – ambitious Milton opera leaves us in the dark
States of Innocence – ambitious Milton opera leaves us in the dark
‘There is a hunger’  
Inside New York’s unique, sold-out classical music experiences
Inside New York’s unique, sold-out classical music experiences
Concert review  
Fatma Said/Joseph Middleton – expressive storytelling
Fatma Said/Joseph Middleton – expressive storytelling
 
Guardian Live

Our biggest offer of the year

2024 is a seismic year for news and politics, and with major global stories breaking every day, it can be hard to keep up. The Guardian Weekly is here to help. Get the week's most important stories from Guardian journalism you know and love, curated and handpicked into one weekly magazine.

Get 12 issues for £12 today.

 
Add to playlist
Rap-rock beasts and drive-by eggings  
Beastie Boys’ 20 greatest tracks – ranked!
Beastie Boys’ 20 greatest tracks – ranked!
Jon Bon Jovi’s honest playlist  
You couldn’t help but learn the moves to Gangnam Style
One to watch  
Myles Smith
Advertisement
You may have missed
If I stopped what I’m doing the songs would still come
Richard Hawley  
If I stopped what I’m doing the songs would still come
On a tour of his home city that begins ‘at the crack of midday’, the singer discusses his new album, how his musical, Standing at the Sky’s Edge, has hit a nerve, and his main hope for Keir Starmer
‘He’s never worked a day in his life!’  
Paul McCartney honours Bruce Springsteen at Ivor Novello awards
Springsteen receives Academy fellowship as Raye named songwriter of the year, and Yussef Dayes, Victoria Canal and Speakers Corner Quartet pick up major awards
Lil Nas X  
Who do I most admire and why? I have to say myself
The singer on eating junk food in bed, a $100k holiday he didn’t even go on, and the perks of fame
Taylor Swift  
How are you preparing for her UK Eras tour?
We would like to hear from Taylor Swift fans about their preparations for the Eras tour
‘A good way to get out stress’  
The magnetic force of the mosh pit
When she first went moshing, Rachel Ní Bhraonáin couldn’t stop giggling. Now she has made a dance show about the ‘gorgeous community’ she encountered
Goths, gays, punks and surfers  
Behind the wild rise of Lollapalooza
The story of the music festival is brought to life in a new docuseries that takes viewers from Rage Against the Machine to Chance the Rapper
Live music this week
Girls Aloud  
A glorious pop institution still calling the shots
A glorious pop institution still calling the shots
Yes  
Head-spinning intensity, immaculately delivered
Danny Brown  
Rap icon delivers each bar with purpose and poise
Benson Boone  
Echoes of Harry Styles in pop’s newest star
Barry Manilow  
Mellow master glides through his hits with grace
Bruce Dickinson  
Metal’s charismatic star indulges his goofy side
Get in touch
If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email newsletters@theguardian.com
 

… there is a good reason why not to support the Guardian

Not everyone can afford to pay for news right now. That is why we keep our journalism open for everyone to read. If this is you, please continue to read for free.

But if you are able to, then there are three good reasons to support us today.

1

Our quality, investigative journalism is a powerful force for scrutiny at a time when the rich and powerful are getting away with more and more

2

We are independent and have no billionaire owner telling us what to report, so your money directly powers our reporting

3

It doesn’t cost much, and takes less time than it took to read this message

Help power the Guardian’s journalism in this crucial year of news, whether with a small sum or a larger one. If you can, please support us on a monthly basis . It takes less than a minute to set up, and you can rest assured that you're making a big impact every single month in support of open, independent journalism. Thank you.

 
Manage your emails | Unsubscribe | Trouble viewing?
You are receiving this email because you are a subscriber to Sleeve Notes. Guardian News & Media Limited - a member of Guardian Media Group PLC. Registered Office: Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9GU. Registered in England No. 908396