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In the words of Zayn, “It is like pop, R&B, and a lot of Indian influences. The record is like a continuation of ‘Mind of Mine’ in that sense. I might have some songs coming out in Urdu, too.” Although Malik has never shied away from his Pakistani roots, this is probably the most explicit nod yet to his cultural heritage. The forthcoming record is not merely positioned as a music release, but rather as a definitive statement of authenticity as artists like Mailk seek to set a new precedent for artists navigating dual identities in an increasingly globalised space. 

This artistic shift marks a turning point for Malik, who is reclaiming his power and heritage after years of racism and stereotyping during his time in One Direction. He has described how being the only member of South Asian origin left him feeling invisible in moments of global visibility, and how those experiences planted the seeds for a deeper self-recognition. His new music signals more than a change in style; it stands as a deliberate act of cultural reclamation and self-definition.

“It’s the music I grew up with at home, and I want to give it a modern spin”, said Malik as he recalls his childhood evenings in Bradford soundtracked by Bollywood playback singers such as Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar, to the hypnotic qawwali of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan echoing from the stereo. Those formative sounds from the beats of tabla to the reverberation of the sitar, strung alongside shimmering Bollywood-style arrangements, would weave a rich fabric of arrangements alongside his trademark R&B falsetto.

 

 

 

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If Malik follows through, this could mark a rare moment in the mainstream Pop world, bringing South Asian sounds into the mainstream, echoing the rise of Latin, Korean and Afrobeat artists on the global stage. Malik’s decision to integrate South Asian influences is not only a personal one, but also quite a strategic one, with the South Asian market and its global diaspora representing a hotbed for new global hits, with an ever-expanding audience. This was demonstrated through the success of his single ‘Tu Hai Kahan’, and also recently, Ed Sheeran released his new album ‘Play’, which was heavily influenced by Indian and Persian influences. 

Malik’s forthcoming fifth studio album is far more than just a simple musical project; it is a definitive and purposeful statement in his career. By returning to the foundational ethos of his debut, he is not repeating himself but rather is re-contextualising his past through the lens of a mature artist who has found the confidence to embrace his heritage. For an artist who has already broken records and rewritten boy-band mythology, this could be his boldest act yet: reclaiming heritage as headline material and turning a personal homecoming into a global moment.

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This collective call to action has been strategically timed to coincide with the UK-US tech pact and the second state visit of Donald Trump, with talks expected to brush over the thornier aspects of copyright protections. Joining Trump in his entourage are technology heavyweights from Nvidia’s Jensen Huang to OpenAI’s Sam Altman. With Labour’s AI Bill yet to be materialised, the UK has become reliant on voluntary codes and arbitrary advice from external bodies, inadvertently stoking a sense of fear due to the lack of available safeguards across the creative industries.

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In their letter, the artists warn that AI companies have been “harvesting songs, recordings, and lyrics to create synthetic outputs that compete with original works without credit, permission, or payments.” For veterans like McCartney, whose catalogue spans decades, and for independent musicians, this signals an existential crisis of originality and leaves artists to wage a losing battle against the rising capabilities of Generative AI models. Without safeguards, the fear is that a whole generation of songwriters could see their economic bases being eroded, just as they begin to establish themselves.

This is not the first time musicians have challenged the government over technology. The last decade was characterised by fights over streaming royalties, Spotify’s opaque algorithms, and the ever-persistent ticket resale scandals. The artist’s expectations of the Labour government are heightened, given Starmer’s past support for a £1 ticket levy, a proposal designed to reinvest in grassroots music venues. This prior stance on protecting the economic infrastructure of the industry suggests a precedent for his willingness to intervene on behalf of artists. Yet, the stakes are higher this time as Starmer finds himself at a crossroads: whether to position the UK as a global leader in AI innovation or bring the unpleasant side of regulation and copyrights to the table. To thread the needle, it will require more than platitudes as artists continue to demand legal clarity towards bringing in safeguards in a digital economy that has too often exploited them.

It is not just the UK that is facing this looming reckoning. In the US, Universal Music Group has sued the Amazon-backed AI company Anthopic over using copyrighted lyrics in training datasets. The UK’s AI-copyright conundrum debate is riddled with complexities, and its decisions in the coming months will create ripples far beyond its borders. For now, the artist’s chorus rings clear and lies on Starmer’s desk: Will the UK defend those who have shaped the country as a cultural powerhouse, or would it allow itself to be drowned out by machine-made echoes?

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 In a move few global pop stars have ever attempted in history, he has confirmed a posthumous album sealed in his will,  ‘Eject’, to be released only after his death. In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Sheeran said: “Eject is the album in the will. It’s actually in my will, and Cherry gets to pick the tracks for it. It’s full, like it’s in there if I were to go tomorrow.”

The 13-track Play marks the first instalment in a new five-album series with titles that echo a cassette deck: Play, Pause, Fast Forward, Rewind and Stop. When recording ‘Play’, Sheeran spent a month touring India. The single, ‘Sapphire,’ was created by teaming with award-winning Indian singer and composer, Arijit Singh. In the words of Sheeran: “I made this record all over the world, finished it in Goa, India… It’s a rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish; it encapsulates everything that I love about music and the fun in it.”

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Lyrically, ‘Play’ offers a fascinating, sometimes jarring mix. The album incorporates elements of Indian and Persian culture, with a specific focus on sounds originating from instruments like tablas, bansuri flutes, the santoor, and a hammered dulcimer of Iranian origin. From tender reflections on domestic life in ‘In Other Words’ to surprising, sharp barbs aimed at a former friend in ‘A Little More’, and a direct address to his plagiarism lawsuits on the ‘Opening’ track, the album reveals interesting shades of emotions ranging from muted melancholy to vexation. The album reflects an artist grappling with his public persona versus his private realities. While it does spring surprises through the incorporation of global influences, the experimentation is not sustained, as the album soon retreats into a pop formula caught between global experimentation and familiar balladry.

‘Play’ isn’t just another Ed Sheeran album; it’s a statement of intent. By threading Persian nodes, Indian percussion, and Amy-esque horn arrangements into his trademark pop structures, Sheeran has risked alienating the comfort-zone listener to stretch his sounds, while discovering himself. Not every experiment lands; some of his global textures feel incomplete and confusing. From the calculated creative pivot of ‘Play’  to the unprecedented foresight of ‘Eject’, he is demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of how to manage an enduring artistic brand. Sheeran isn’t just releasing music; he is actively engineering a multi-generational legacy, ensuring his voice, vision, and artistic integrity will resonate far beyond his own lifetime.

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Presented by O2 in partnership with Sofar Sounds, a company renowned for organising secret, intimate performances in unconventional locations. The show was billed as one of the UK’s most remote gigs. By limiting physical attendance to a mere 100 people while simultaneously live-streaming the performance to music fans at the Outernet in London, the event created a new precedent, challenging conventional tour economics and marketing strategies. Supported by the likes of Hamzaa, Victor Ray and Au/Ra, the timing of the event approximately two weeks before the release of Radical’s new album, ‘Don’t Look Down’ was tailormade to generate significant pre-release momentum while serving as a brand activation event for O2, as it tries to cement its place as the ‘Best Mobile Network Operator’ in the UK. 

 

 

 

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Christian Hindennach, the Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “Music is part of O2’s DNA, so we’re always looking for new ways to offer our customers unmissable live experiences…We want to make live entertainment even more accessible and memorable for all of our customers to enjoy.”

By creating a globally newsworthy event instead of a traditional press conference or a single drop, Radical reinforced his creative, boundary-pushing persona and positioned himself as an artist at the forefront of cultural and technical innovation. The Glencoe brand activation gig reveals a contrasting juxtaposition to Radical’s public-facing tour dates later this month, which include performances at venues like Resident Music in Brighton and Rough Trade locations across London, Nottingham, and Bristol. The high-profile, sponsored event created the initial buzz, while the smaller, largely intimate record store dates provide a somewhat tangible way for fans to purchase the new album. In the words of Radical, who said: “It was really special playing a gig in such a unique, remote area, and sharing some music from my upcoming album.”

 

 

 

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The Glencoe gig is part of a growing trend in the UK live music scene where big brands are acting as curators, staging their own high-profile events beyond the traditional live music hotspots and venues. For those who ventured into the Highlands, the show will probably be a memory to treasure. But for the industry, it’s more than just a spectacle – it’s a subtle roadmap for the future, with creativity and risk-taking still key to music’s lasting appeal. Industry insiders are already speculating that artists such as Little Simz, slowthai, and experimental producer Vegyn could be among the next wave to redefine the UK live music experience. With more musicians experimenting with immersive, unconventional locations, the boundaries of live performance are likely to be pushed even further in the coming years.

The band Judas Priest is set to release their nineteenth studio album, Invincible Shield, on March 8, 2024, under the label Epic Records. The album was produced by Andy Sneap, the band’s touring guitarist, who also produced their 2018 album, Firepower. Fan’s have been given the opportunity to pre order the new album here.

The album promises to deliver the classic ’70s metal sound. In a recent interview with Audio Ink Radio,  Richard Faulkner expressed his excitement about the album’s nostalgic vibe, stating that it embraces the influence of ’70s Priest. He said, “This album was a bit more 70’s Priest, which I welcome as a guitar player.”

Describing the album as somewhat progressive, Faulkner revealed that it deviates from the traditional verse-chorus structure and incorporates more musical parts. This experimentation showcases the band’s willingness to push boundaries and explore new territories. Faulkner adds, “It’s ’70s Priest, but it’s not a retro album, by any means. It’s the influence of ’70s Priest in the progressive sense, but it sounds like Priest in 2023. It’s also a bit progressive in that it’s not verse-chorus-verse-chorus-solo-chorus-finish. It’s musical part-verse-musical part.”

Rob Halford, the legendary frontman of the heavy metal band, recently took to social media to announce the release of their new single “Trial by Fire“. In his post, Halford expressed his excitement about the new release and that he hoped fans would “dig it.” He said to fans, “We hope you dig it, oh yeah!”

TRIAL BY FIRE. OUT NOW. https://t.co/nZiIWE7RF6 pic.twitter.com/0tqJxngqMb

— Judas Priest (@judaspriest) November 19, 2023

Fans expressed their support and delight by commenting and tweeting, with one fan leaving a comment, “Love this! thank you for posting and letting the world know that you are still awesome and the DON of metal! I will be tuning in swiftly!!”

Love this! thank you for posting and letting the world know that you are still awesome and the DON of metal! I will be tuning in swiftly!!

—(@KRANIUS) November 19, 2023

Originating from Birmingham in 1969, this band has achieved a remarkable feat of selling over 50 million albums and is often regarded as one of the most legendary metal bands in history. In May 2022, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame committee announced that the band had been chosen to join the 2022 inductee class and receive the “Award for Musical Excellence”.

Judas Priest’s 2024 Tour Dates. Purchase UK Tour tickets here.

11/03/24 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow
13/03– First Direct Arena – Leeds
15/03 – 3 Arena – Dublin, Ireland
17/03 – International Centre – Bournemouth
19/03 – Resorts World Arena Birmingham
21/03 – OVO Arena Wembley – London

With thirteen tracks, The Good Fight features a variety of both US and UK underground artists including Freddie Gibbs, BONES, Eyedress, MAVI, and Greentea Peng. American producer Madlib also provides the beat for the title track “The Good Fight”. He has produced for other artists including MF Doom, J Dilla, and Freddie Gibbs.

On Instagram, Lord Apex thanked everyone for the support on his new album. He captioned the post: “THE GOOD FIGHT – album out now – thank you to all my fans & everybody that has been a part of making the album, you all made it possible to bring the vision of this album to life especially my brother zach on all the art. enjoy the album and let me know your fav songs and what songs u wanna see visuals for!!!”

Check out Lord Apex’s post on Instagram below:

Lord Apex first announced the drop of his album around this time last month, but he has revealed tracks from The Good Fight when he first dropped the song “Blessings”.

“Blessings” is available to listen to on his new album The Good Fight. The official music for “Blessings” is also available to watch on YouTube. Check out the music video below:

Most commonly known as Lord Apex, Shaeem Santino Wright released his first track in 2014 and has amassed around 63k subscribers on YouTube as of 2023.

Since then, the rapper was nominated for a UK Music Video Award in the Best Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Video Newcomer category for his video titled “Different” along with KAM-BU, as well as featured in promotions releasing his own radio segment for the American apparel company Carhartt.

The official music video for “Different” by KAM-BU featuring Lord Apex is available to watch and listen to on YouTube below:

In addition to the drop of his album, Lord Apex announced a third headline tour earlier this year. However, the tour dates have been changed to next year as a result of the album being released in November. On Instagram, he announced the news captioning his post, “Due the album release date now being November 10 we changed the dates to next year to present The Good Fight Tour with a special 4/20 show for London!” He further mentioned that “All tickets remain valid.”

See Lord Apex’s post on Instagram below:

The updated dates for Lord Apex’s tour are listed below:

Lord Apex UK and Ireland tour:

10/04/2023 – 24 Kitchen Street – Liverpool
11/04 – The Garage – Glasgow
12/04 – Canvas – Manchester
13/04 – O2 Institute – Birmingham
17/04 – The Button Factory – Dublin
18/04 – Thekla – Bristol
19/04 – Patterns – Brighton
20/04 – KOKO – London

Lord Apex Europe Tour

10/03/2024 – Bitterzoet – Amsterdam
12/03 – Le Flow – Lille
13/03 – Botanique – Brussels
17/03 – TBA – Oslo
18/03 – Bar Brooklyn – Stockholm
19/03 – Loppen – Copenhagen
20/03 – Turmzimmer – Hamburg
22/03 – Hydrozagadka – Warsaw
23/03 – Maschinehaus – Berlin
25/03 – Das Werk – Vienna
26/03 – Circolo Magnolia – Milan
27/03 – Komplex – Zurich
29/03 – Le FAT – Strasbourg
30/03 – La Place – Paris
31/03 – Le Rex – Toulouse
02/04 – Razzmatazz – Barcelona
03/04 – Café Berlin – Madrid

All tickets for Lord Apex’s 2024 tour are available to purchase here.

The Smile is a super group made up of Radiohead singer Thom Yorke and the band’s multi-instrumentalist Jonny Greenwood alongside former Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner. The band released their last album, A Light For Attracting Attention, in 2021 after working on the album across COVID-19 pandemic lockdown of 2020.

The new album Wall Of Eyes, 26th January 2024.

The title track, Wall Of Eyes is out today and is accompanied by a video from film director Paul Thomas Anderson.

Pre-order the Wall Of Eyes album: https://t.co/wUccoMhTjO pic.twitter.com/3vX4y8Unul

— The Smile (@thesmiletheband) November 13, 2023

The band have already released the music video for the lead single and title track, “Wall of Eyes”. The video was directed by director Paul Thomas Anderson, famous for movies such There Will Be Blood and Licorice Pizza. Jonny Greenwood has previously worked with Paul Thomas Anderson, composing music for There Will Be Blood and Thom Yorke has worked with the director for the short film, Anima, which used music from Thom Yorke’s solo album of the same name. The new album also includes the track ‘Bending Hectic’, which the band had already released in a studio version form earlier in the year after debuting the song at Montreux Jazz Festival last year.

Jonny Greenwood has spoken about the possibility of a new album from The Smile earlier this year, as he said: “The frustration of having not had access to playing in a band for a couple of years [has] just built up a big backlog of ideas, we’re still firing off each other, and it feels productive. So, while that’s happening, we just wanna keep moving forward, I think.” The new album was recorded in Oxford and at Abbey Road Studios. The album is produced by Sam Petts-Davis, who produced Thom Yorke’s Susperia soundtrack in 2018. The London Contemporary Orchestra also appear on the album for string arrangements, which can be heard on the lead single.

The Smile will be on tour in the UK and Europe during March 2024.

Tickets for these tour dates go on general sale at 9am GMT Friday 17th November. Sign up here today for access to the presale: https://t.co/F3ErW6TLkx pic.twitter.com/8TXgaR4hMQ

— The Smile (@thesmiletheband) November 13, 2023

Alongside the album, the band has also announced a tour of the United Kingdom and Europe, a couple of months after the release of the album. The tour starts on March 7^th in Dublin’s 3Arena, before heading to Copenhagen, Brussels, and Amsterdam. The band then heads into the United Kingdom for a show at the Brighton Centre on March 18^th, and then heading to Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham and finally finishing the tour at London’s Alexandra Palace on March 23^rd.

Tickets for the tour go on general sale this Friday (November 17th) and can be found here. Presale access tickets can be found here.

Wall Of Eyes Tracklist:

1. ‘Wall Of Eyes’
2. ‘Teleharmonic’
3. ‘Read The Room’
4. ‘Under Our Pillows’
5. ‘Friend Of A Friend’
6. ‘I Quit’
7. ‘Bending Hectic’
8. ‘You Know Me!’

Tour dates:

07/03/2024 – 3Arena – Dublin, Republic of Ireland
13/03 – K.B. Hallen – Copenhagen, Denmark
15/03 – Forest National – Brussels, Belgium
16/03 – AFAS Live – Amsterdam, Netherlands
18/03 – Brighton Centre – Brighton, United Kingdom
19/03 – 02 Apollo – Manchester, United Kingdom
20/03 – SEC Armadillo – Glasgow, United Kingdom
22/03 – 02 Academy – Birmingham, United Kingdom
23/03 – Alexandra Palace – London, United Kingdom

The festival orgainsers have released a statement saying: “New lineup additions include Mercury Prize winners Young Fathers, UK post-punk favourites Squid, beloved DJs Ben UFO and Helena Hauff, electronic pop legend Alice Glass, and Australian rockers C.O.F.F.I.N. to name a few, with yet more cutting-edge electronica and experimental pop artists still to be announced.”

“Expect leftfield Indie, Post Punk, Electronica, Techno and more across a line-up you won’t find anywhere in London. Our line-up has an equal gender split and 2023 saw us work further on our sustainable ‘Positive Policy’, which was set up to change the way live music events affect our planet. Environmentally conscious, socially aware and musical relevant, Wide Awake’s a party for people who care about music and more.”

Heavy hitters include, Young Fathers, an experimental Scottish hip hop who won a mercury prize award in 2014 for their album Dead. The group have gone on to make history by winning their third Scottish Album of the Year award with their latest album, Heavy, Heavy. They are the first artists to win the award three times. Furthermore, UK post punk band, Squid, from Brighton, have been announced for the lineup after they released their album, O Monolith, earlier in the year. The band released an audiobook to go alongside the album, written by Paul Ewan and narrated by Tim Key.

The other artists added to the lineup are Alice Glass, Charlotte Adigary & Bolis Pupil, Ben UFO, Crumb, Eartheater, Helena Hauff, The Babe Rainbow, Bodega, The Dare, David Holmes, Optimo, Al Lover, C.O.F.F.I.N, Decius, Etran Du L’air, Upchuck and Yhwh Nailgun.

A lot more artists should be announced for the day-festival in due course. Last years festival was headlined by Caroline Polacheck and hosted an eclectic batch of artists alongside the headliner, including Alex G, Black Country New Road, Viagra Boys, Jockstrap, Osees, Ty Segall, Joy Orbison and many more.

It is unknown when more artists will be announced for the festival, but more waves of announcements should be expected soon leading up closer to the date of the festival.

The day festival opens on May 25^th, 2024, and the current wave of tickets can be found here.

Kate Bush was not at the ceremony in Brooklyn herself as she released a statement on her website, saying: “I am completely blown away by this huge honour – an award that sits in the big beating heart of the American music industry. Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me. I never imagined I would be given this wonderful accolade. Last year was such a surprisingly successful time for my track Running Up That Hill and I’m sure that a lot of you who’ve voted me in to the RRHOF also drove that track up the charts. Thank you! I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend the ceremony tonight, but for me the real honour is knowing that you felt I deserved it.”

In place of Bush, St Vincent performed ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)’ at the ceremony in her honour. St Vincent later released a post on social media, recalling her admiration for Bush, as she said: “Kate Bush. First heard her song ‘This Woman’s Work” in the pivotal scene in the 1988 film She’s Having A Baby. And though I was 7 or 8 and too young to understand much of anything, I wept. Then around age 16 I went to CD World in Dallas and saw a copy of ‘The Sensual World’ on the racks. And I was so taken with her. Her expression. The flower to her lips. I hadn’t put the pieces together yet that this was the woman who sang THAT song. But I took it home and it was her. That woman who could soar so high into the ether and reach so deep into your soul. The entire album is a masterpiece, but I still cannot listen to ‘This Woman’s Work’ without weeping. I stand in awe of Kate Bush. There is no one who could ever compare.”

St Vincent’s performance of ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)’ can be found below.

Kate Bush had been nominated for the honour three times before in 2018, 2021 and 2022, but did not get an induction until this year. Bush’s song ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)’ was used on the fourth season of Stranger Things, with the track earning fresh recognition with a younger audience, particularly in the United States – No doubt contributing to her induction.

Announcing further dates on her Instagram, The Japanese House said “Last UK headline dates of ITEIAD. Pre-sale 10am Wednesday. Sign up on link in bio for exclusive early access.”

Check out The Japanese House’s announcement post on Instagram below:

Released on June 30, Bain dropped her second studio album In The End It Always Does which includes 12 tracks. Some of the songs in her new album include “Spot Dog”, “Over There”, “Indexical Reminder of a Morning Well Spent” and “One for Sorrow, Two for Joni Jones”. The album peaked at number 29 on the UK Albums Chart.

Listen to The Japanese House’s new album In The End It Always Does on Spotify below:

Amber Mary Bain, also known by her stage name The Japanese House, is a British indie pop musician who rose to fame through being introduced to The 1975’s Matty Healy. The singer was then signed to their label Dirty Hit.

She released her debut single “Still” in 2015, and went on her first tour as the opening act for The 1975 within the same year. Afterwards, she released three more singles “Pools to Bathe In”, “Teeth”, and “Sister”. Since then, she has released two studio albums titled Good at Falling and In The End It Always Does. In order to promote The 1975’s second album I Like It When You Fall Asleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It, The Japanese House supported the band on their 2016 North American tour.

In 2018, The Japanese House released the single “Lilo” then announced a North American tour in 2019.

Watch the music video for The Japanese House’s single “Lilo” on YouTube below:

Following this, The Japanese House’s debut album Good At Falling was released on March 1 2019. Like many of her other singles and album, Good At Falling was co-written by The 1975’s drummer George Daniel along with American record producer BJ Burton.

Tickets for The Japanese House’s tour is available to purchase here.

The tour dates for The Japanese House’s 2024 UK tour are seen below as follows.

The Japanese House 2024 Tour Dates:

07/05/24 – SWG3 – Glasgow

08/05 – O2 Institute – Birmingham

09/05 – Roundhouse – London

10/05 – Albert Hall – Manchester