The return of one of the UK’s most prolific guitarists comes in the form of a full-length studio album Luck And Strange, which was released on 6 September 2024 by Sony Music and is his fifth studio solo album to date. It has been nine years since English guitarist and singer-songwriter has released an album.

It is one of three of his solo albums to hit number-one status – the other two being On An Island (2006) and Rattle That Lock (2015) – alongside a flurry of singles from Luck and Strange steadily dropped since April 2024. With the first being The Piper’s Call followed by Between Two Points and Dark and Velvet Nights, the album’s title-track was released this week.

According to Rolling Stone, the album was recorded over five months at Gilmour’s Medina Studio in Hove and at Mark Knopfler’s British Grove Studios in London, with the producer Charlie Andrew.

The album grapples with themes regarding mortality and age. Turning 78 this year, it is no wonder these subjects are clearly on his mind. David Gilmour is best known for being one of the members of prolific rock band, Pink Floyd. He joined the band in 1967 and was part of the group during their most successful period. Pink Floyd, one of the most acclaimed and highest-selling bands of all-time, created some of the most ground-breaking albums in music history: The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977) and The Wall (1979).

He ranks at #28 on the Rolling Stone greatest guitarist of all-time list. If you haven’t listened to them already, here is a list of David Gilmour’s solo studio albums:
– David Gilmour (1978)
– About Face (1984)
– On an Island (2006)
– Rattle That Lock (2015)
– Luck and Strange (2024)

He is equally incredible live and David Gilmour will begin his Luck and Strange tour this month. So far, he has announced September-November shows through his website at Circus Maximus in Rome, Royal Albert Hall in London, the Intuit Dome and Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles as well as Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Luck and Strange is out and available on vinyl, CD and digital formats.

Luck and Strange tracklist:

1. Black Cat
2. Luck and Strange
3. The Piper’s Call
4. A Single Spark
5. Vita Brevis
6. Between Two Points with Romany Gilmour
7. Dark and Velvet Nights
8. Sings
9. Scattered

Bonus tracks
10. Yes, I Have Ghosts with Romany Gilmour
11. Luck and Strange (original Barn Jam)

Springsteen revealed the news on his Instagram. The 74-year-old megastar, who has earned 20 Grammy Awards and entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, said in a caption: “Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band delivered “the greatest show on earth” (Billboard) across Europe this past summer, and they’ll make a triumphant return to the continent in 2024 with a just-announced 22-show stadium run.” 

Fans of the megastar flooded the comments with their buzzing excitement. One person wrote: “Great news! Thanks so much my musical father!”, and another person said in tongue and cheek: “The hope I needed in my life but I also have no money.”  

Last month, Springsteen revealed that he was recovering from ulcer disease, forcing him and the E Street Band to postpone and reschedule certain dates of the tour. Springsteen said: “Thanks to all my friends and fans for your good wishes, encouragement, and support. I’m on the mend and can’t wait to see you all next year.” 

The world tour sees the rock band and Springsteen perform various hit songs, including “Because the Night” and “Glory Days”, whilst also performing tracks from the 2020 album Letter to You and 2022 record Only the Strong Survive.  

The 2020 LP is Springsteen’s twentieth studio album and became an instant success among the masses and critics. The album topped the charts in over 14 countries, including the UK, which ended on the 2020 year-end chart performance at number 31. The record, which features hit singles “Ghosts” and the album title, received rave reviews from numerous publications such as The Independent, who gave the album five stars and said that it “comes as close to the electricity of live music as it gets.”  

Listen to “Ghosts.”

Meanwhile, the 2022 album, Only the Strong Survive, was also a smash success, peaking at number two on the UK Albums Chart and entering the top 10 on the US Billboard 200. The album went on to sell over 60 thousand copies in the UK, certifying the record as Silver.

Tour dates

05/05/24 – Principality Stadium – Cardiff
09/05 – Boucher Playing Fields – Belfast
22/05 – Stadium of Light – Sunderland
25/07 – Wembley Stadium – London

The singer shared the news on her Instagram and was met with a mixed reception.

The post, which has over 30,000 likes, left many fans divided over the announcement. The official Bratz page commented: “OMG BESTIE WHAT?!” followed by a crying emoji, whilst another use commented: “Sky Ferreira world domination.”

However, many fans were also sharing their frustrations over a lack of new material by the superstar. One person wrote: “Girl you’ve been touring the same album for 10 years”, and another person commented: “Girl how about you drop an album before these dates we’re starving”.

Sky, who last performed in the UK at the 2022 Meltdown Festival, released her latest single “Don’t Forget” last year. The track, which has over 3 million streams on Spotify, will be included on her up-coming sophomore album, Masochism. Her 2019 single, titled “Downhill Lullaby”, will also be part of the anticipated record.

Listen to “Don’t Forget”, below.

Sky’s last and only album was released over a decade ago. The project, Night Time, My Time, showcases Sky’s strength as an indie pop-rockstar and features 1990’s grunge and 80’s pop elements. The record, which is featured in many media publication’s best album lists of 2013, debuted at number 73 on the UK Albums Chart. Hits from the album include “Boys”, “I Blame Myself” and “You’re Not The One.”

The musician and model has been open about her struggles with delays with new material. Earlier this year, Sky expressed her frustrations on the subject and took to her Instagram stories to explain the hold-up. She said: “Being ‘difficult’ or ‘high strung’ doesn’t give people the right to damage & stall my career. I am in a difficult situation & I have to be ‘difficult’ to get through it. I have to protect my work & myself somehow? It’s not okay. If I’m not allowed to say something without consequence & the people who are supposed to do their job refuse to look out for me… How am I not going to be ‘difficult’?!?”

Fans of the singer have also expressed their feelings, with ‘Free Sky Ferreira’ banners flying over Capitol Records in Los Angeles.

Whilst fans will have to be patient for a little while longer for a new album, they can see her perform on her tour next year.

Tour Dates

17/03/24 – 3Olympia – Dublin
19/03 – SWG3 TV Studio – Glasgow
20/03 – O2 Institute – Birmingham
22/03 – Project House – Leeds
24/03 – O2 Ritz – Manchester
26/03 – KOKO – London
29/03 – Marble Factory – Bristol
31/03 – O2 Academy – Oxford
01/04 – CONCORDE 2 – Brighton

.@charli_xcx had the best reponse to the Brits’ failure to nominate any women for best artist. pic.twitter.com/zCkHN2FP50

— Mark Savage (@mrdiscopop) February 12, 2023

Charli has now made waves with her decision to part with Atlantic Records, whom she signed a five album deal with at just 16 years old. The details of her new record deal have not yet been revealed, but Charli did tease fans with a glimpse of her “brand new recording contract” in her ‘In the Bag’ video for British Vogue.

Charli reveals that she has signed a two album deal, stating in the video “We’re in business!” Rumours subsequently began to circulate that she had signed with Dirty Hit, an independent label home to No Rome, Pale Waves and Charli’s boyfriend George Daniel’s band, The 1975.

Charli has previously worked with numerous artists signed with Dirty Hit, most recently teaming up with George Daniel to remix Caroline Polachek’s new single, ‘Welcome To My Island’, so it wasn’t surprising that fans thought she may have signed with Dirty Hit herself.

However, she quickly put these rumours to rest, replying to a fan on Twitter saying “i’m too expensive for them.”

i’m too expensive for them https://t.co/1ZXWeqERfJ

— Charli (@charli_xcx) February 22, 2023

Speaking to NME in October 2022, Charli revealed that she wasn’t sure about becoming an independent artist, saying, “I like not having to foot the bill for everything at the beginning, that’s quite scary. Especially when you want to do things on the kind of scale that I did on the last record. I’m still exploring, definitely.”

She concluded that, “there’s so many interesting options that would work for me.”

Charli’s latest album CRASH released in March 2022 debuted at No.1 on the UK Albums Chart, becoming her first album to top the chart. CRASH also became her highest charting album in the US to date, debuting at No.7 on the Billboard 200.

Following this success, Charli expressed her confusion surrounding the lack of recognition for female artists at the Brits, tweeting “i only came to speak the truth hunny.’

i only came to speak the truth hunny: https://t.co/vJj5hYrPYS — Charli (@charli_xcx) February 12, 2023

Despite her lack of nomination for Best Artist, Charli was later seen wearing a very on-brand tongue in cheek outfit, with a slogan t-shirt reading ‘REAL WINNER.’

REAL WINNER pic.twitter.com/GKuWS9m3UV

— CHARLI XCX UPDATES (@FckyeahCharli) February 12, 2023

Fans are eagerly awaiting news on Charli’s plans for 2023, with hints at further collaborations and even a potential book being on the horizon.

Stream Charli XCX’s latest album here.