Neil McCormick
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Daily Telegraph music critic. Author of Killing Bono, #Zero. Ghostwriter of U2 by U2. Know all.
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Articles by Neil McCormick
The 30 best songs of the 2000s, ranked
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The 30 best songs of the 2000s, ranked
Our Music of the Decades series crosses perilously into a new century, as we contemplate the fast-moving, sound-clashing uproar of pop in the turbulent 2000s. The 2000s witnessed the arrival of iTunes and the iPod along with “free” music websites such as YouTube and MySpace. Legal and illegal downloading led to a near collapse in music sales, while the primacy of albums was threatened by a trend towards playlisting.
The 30 best songs of the 1990s, ranked
Hazing 13 hours ago Former University Fraternity Leader Sobs as He’s Sentenced for Role in Hazing Death of Pledge Who Died of Alcohol Poisoning People - Kimberlee Speakman • 13h A former Northern Arizona University (NAU) fraternity leader has been sentenced for his role in the death of a fraternity pledge. Carter Eslick, 20, was sentenced to 60 days in jail on Wednesday, Sept. 30, in connection with the death of 18-year-old Colin Daniel Martinez, who died of alcohol …
The 30 best songs of the 1990s, ranked
From the street swagger of Oasis to the epic alienation of Radiohead, the spaced-out futurism of Massive Attack to the technotronic shock waves of the Prodigy, the bubblegum feminism of the Spice Girls to the plastic pulchritude of Britney Spears – the 1990s was a resounding era for popular music. There was a spirit of confidence in the air – and in the airwaves. The youth looked good, with street fashion sharpening up from the eccentric excesses of the Eighties.
My school reunion with U2 – the ‘Dublin chancers’ who changed my life
Celebrity 1 hour ago 23-Year-Old Cat Mom Says She Makes Up to $1.3K a Month from Sharing Videos of Her Pet Online (Exclusive) People - Meredith Wilshere • 1h Olivia Lamper adopted her tabby cat, Finn, from her local SPCA when he was 3 months old. “He was so playful and friendly and wouldn’t stop purring. We left that day without him, but I couldn’t stop thinking about him,” she recalls.
My school reunion with U2 – the ‘Dublin chancers’ who changed my life
Fifty years ago, on Saturday, September 25 1976, some teenagers gathered in a kitchen in Dublin, in answer to a notice on a school message board: “Drummer seeks musicians to form band.” They made a rowdy racket on acoustic and electric guitars trying to play Rolling Stones classics Brown Sugar and (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction and decided to give it a go. The band became U2.
Only when Van Morrison left the stage did his gig come to life
It is reassuring to report that Van the Man is back on the road, still ticking along reliably with 81 years and many miles on the clock. For the first show in a five-night residency at new 3,800-capacity London venue the Arc, the great Belfast singer-songwriter did what his loyal (and, some might say, long-suffering) fans have come to expect: he gave the audience exactly what he wanted.
Only when Van Morrison left the stage did his gig come to life
It is reassuring to report that Van the Man is back on the road, still ticking along reliably with 81 years and many miles on the clock. For the first show in a five-night residency at new 3,800-capacity London venue the Arc, the great Belfast singer-songwriter did what his loyal (and, some might say, long-suffering) fans have come to expect: he gave the audience exactly what he wanted.
Oto 30 najlepszych piosenek z lat 70. Wybór redakcji "The Telegraph"
Lata 70. były niezwykłą dekadą dla muzyki popularnej. Siła młodego pokolenia, w sensie kulturowym i ekonomicznym, która zaczęła się ujawniać w latach 60., w pełni się już ugruntowała, a muzyka stała się jednym z najważniejszych elementów jego tożsamości. Branża muzyczna opływała w pieniądze, a wytwórnie płytowe i promotorzy koncertowi z entuzjazmem poszerzali skalę swojej działalności.
The 30 best songs of the 1970s, ranked
The 1970s was an incredible decade for popular music. The empowerment of a young generation as a cultural and economic force had really taken hold in the 1960s, and music was central to its own identity. The music business was rolling in money, with record companies and concert promoters enthusiastically expanding their reach. Studio technology was improving, replacing eight-track machines with 24 and even 48-track mixing desks facilitating more detailed and complex recordings than ever before.
The Ed Sheeran I know will be reeling from this political nightmare
1:36 8 hours ago UNCAPTIONED: Finneas and other acts ditch Ed Sheeran's tour in support of Macklemore. StringersHub • 8h Finneas and other acts ditch Ed Sheeran's tour in support of Macklemore. All remaining support acts on Ed Sheeran's US tour have quit after rapper Macklemore was dropped from the line-up for making pro-Palestinian remarks on stage.
The Ed Sheeran I know will be reeling from this political nightmare
Ed Sheeran, of all people, has found himself in the middle of a culture-war zone, with enemies taking pot shots from all sides. The amiable British singer-songwriter is certainly not an artist known for taking controversial positions – and arguably that is one of the reasons he has become a ubiquitous global superstar in this febrile age.
The Ed Sheeran I know will be reeling from this political nightmare
Ed Sheeran, of all people, has found himself in the middle of a culture-war zone, with enemies taking pot shots from all sides. The amiable British singer-songwriter is certainly not an artist known for taking controversial positions – and arguably that is one of the reasons he has become a ubiquitous global superstar in this febrile age.
The 30 best songs of the 1960s, ranked
The 1960s was a time of explosive creativity in the realm of popular music, that shaped the era we are still living through. There was a pop cultural explosion, driven by the confident and empowered Baby Boomer generation and the ascendance of global mass communication. Musicians of the era expanded the structural, sonic, rhythmic and lyrical possibilities of songcraft in multitudes of ways. In pop terms, not all decades are created equal, and the 1960s was a hard one to parse.
Céline Dion roars back to her best in emotional Paris return
Well, that was emotional. Céline Dion's unlikely comeback was a tense, tearful, joyous affair, probably even more so for the singer than for her loyal audience. The 58-year-old Canadian chanteuse walked out at Paris's Plenitude Arena in a shoulderless black dress, hair tied tightly back, smiling in a strained way that suggested she might crack at any moment. When she started singing French hit On Ne Change Pas over a simple motif of strings and piano, nervousness was written all over her face.
The 30 best songs of the 1960s, ranked
The 1960s was a time of explosive creativity in the realm of popular music, that shaped the era we are still living through. There was a pop cultural explosion, driven by the confident and empowered Baby Boomer generation and the ascendance of global mass communication. Musicians of the era expanded the structural, sonic, rhythmic and lyrical possibilities of songcraft in multitudes of ways. In pop terms, not all decades are created equal, and the 1960s was a hard one to parse.
The 30 best songs of the 1960s, ranked
Neil McCormick The 1960s was a time of explosive creativity in the realm of popular music, that shaped the era we are still living through. There was a pop cultural explosion, driven by the confident and empowered Baby Boomer generation and the ascendance of global mass communication. Musicians of the era expanded the structural, sonic, rhythmic and lyrical possibilities of songcraft in multitudes of ways. In pop terms, not all decades are created equal, and the 1960s was a hard one to parse.
Céline Dion roars back to her best in emotional Paris return
Well, that was emotional. Céline Dion's unlikely comeback was a tense, tearful, joyous affair, probably even more so for the singer than for her loyal audience. The 58-year-old Canadian chanteuse walked out at Paris's Plenitude Arena in a shoulderless black dress, hair tied tightly back, smiling in a strained way that suggested she might crack at any moment. When she started singing French hit On Ne Change Pas over a simple motif of strings and piano, nervousness was written all over her face.
Rock around the clock is a fluffy novelty hit, not a top song of the decade
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Rock Around the Clock is a fluffy novelty hit, not a top song of the decade
Shailene Woodley Slips Into an Itty Bitty White Micro Minidress for a Major Career Milestone The actress took home her first Emmy for ‘Paradise.’ Shailene Woodley just reached a major career milestone. The Big Little Lies actress took home her first Emmy for her guest role as Amanda in season two of Paradise at the 78th Emmy Awards on September 6—and she wore a bold look for the …
Rock Around the Clock is a fluffy novelty hit, not a top song of the decade
Are we still rocking around the clock in 2026? Or has Bill Haley's classic hit finally wound down and ground to a halt in the digital age? In my choice of the 30 greatest songs of the 1950s, the omission of the world-conquering number-one smash Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and His Comets rankled many readers. It was the song most often mentioned in the hundreds of comments that greeted the article's publication at the weekend.
The 30 best songs of the 1950s, ranked
What are the greatest songs of our times? The Telegraph is launching a new series Music of the Decades to answer that fascinating, frivolous yet momentous question, on which every music lover surely has an opinion. What are the songs that have touched the whole world, changed popular culture, resonated deepest within our own hearts and minds, and contain an innate power to linger on past the short shelf life of the hit parade?
The 30 best songs of the 1950s, ranked
What are the greatest songs of our times? The Telegraph is launching a new series Music of the Decades to answer that fascinating, frivolous yet momentous question, on which every music lover surely has an opinion. What are the songs that have touched the whole world, changed popular culture, resonated deepest within our own hearts and minds, and contain an innate power to linger on past the short shelf life of the hit parade?
The 30 best songs of the 1950s, ranked
What are the greatest songs of our times? The Telegraph is launching a new series Music of the Decades to answer that fascinating, frivolous yet momentous question, on which every music lover surely has an opinion. What are the songs that have touched the whole world, changed popular culture, resonated deepest within our own hearts and minds, and contain an innate power to linger on past the short shelf life of the hit parade?
The 30 best songs of the 1950s, ranked
What are the greatest songs of our times? The Telegraph is launching a new series Music of the Decades to answer that fascinating, frivolous yet momentous question, on which every music lover surely has an opinion. What are the songs that have touched the whole world, changed popular culture, resonated deepest within our own hearts and minds, and contain an innate power to linger on past the short shelf life of the hit parade?
Jay Z has only got one problem: he was away from the stage for far too long
The greatest rapper of his generation is back after almost a decade away from music - Nirah Sanghani/Shotbynee A huge London crowd sang Happy Birthday for Beyoncé at Tottenham Hotspur football stadium as fireworks lit up the sky. The 45-year-old smilingly accepted applause from a VIP box, while her husband Jay Z stood onstage, leading the sing-along. Expectations that she might join him were dampened by his jokey remark that “you can’t expect her to work on her birthday”.
Charli XCX dazzled at Reading Festival – even if the drunk teens weren’t convinced
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Charli XCX dazzled at Reading Festival – even if the drunk teens weren’t convinced
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Charli XCX dazzled at Reading Festival – even if the drunk teens weren’t convinced
The show looked astonishing on the big screens, as if she was directing her own ultimate live movie - Henry Redcliffe For her only British shows this year, homegrown superstar Charli XCX presented the dazzling conceptual art-pop extravaganza of her dreams. I am not entirely convinced its audaciously conceived aesthetic – which might be summed up as hedonistic consumerism as a response to apocalyptic times – was quite the right fit for a Reading Festival crowd.
Sex, drugs and smashed guitars – Jimi Hendrix’s roadie tells all
The keepers of the Grateful Dead's history During this year's Days Between — from Aug. 1 to 9 — NPR Music is publishing a series of stories about what keeps drawing people to the Grateful Dead and how they plan to carry the band's legacy forward. Inside a climate-controlled facility located in a redwood forest just a few miles from the …
A track-by-track guide to Paul Simon’s Graceland at 40
How many musical masterpieces have been censured by the United Nations? When Paul Simon’s Graceland was released in August 1986, his choice to record with musicians in South Africa plunged the American singer-songwriter into controversy, leading to condemnation by the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid for breaking its cultural boycott.
Nick Cave reunites with Kylie Minogue in a spellbinding Bad Seeds show
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' concert in Preston Park, Brighton, was a kind of rapturous homecoming for the Australian émigré, who has made the British seaside town his base for decades. It was even blessed by the appearance of an even more famous Aussie immigrant icon, Kylie Minogue , who glided on in a lacy white ballgown to sprinkle some glamorous pop magic on a barnstorming rock concert.
Ariana Grande's temper tantrum is like being attacked by a lovely butterfly
Ariana Grande has warned fans that her new album, Petal , comes from a place of “unfiltered rage”. “It's a little feral,” she said in a recent interview. “It's definitely from a place I've been maybe too shy or polite to tap into before. This kind of just feels like, ‘F--- it.'” Well, if you are wondering what Grande sounds like when she's angry, try to imagine being assaulted by a particularly lovely butterfly.
Glen Hansard always found a way to bring the music out of people
Glen Hansard was a shining light of Irish music. He was a maverick and a true artist – a gregarious, warm, thoughtful and caring lover of people and songs, to be found at the centre of so many good things, strumming his guitar, singing and playing because that’s where he found his best self. And so many other people found their best selves with him. I was shocked to hear of his death, in a motorbike crash, aged just 56.
Boy George’s new pro-Israel song might not be his best, but it is his bravest
Boy George has released a new song defending Israel’s unpopular military campaign in Palestine. Now there’s a headline you wouldn’t see in Smash Hits. We Will Dance Again is a loping reggae anthem which opens with the lyrics “You say genocide, I say war / When you’re attacked, it’s what the army’s for”. The flamboyantly transgressive 65-year-old British frontman for 1980s pop band Culture Club could not be accused of pulling his punches.
Madonna is upstaged by a frog at the World Cup half-time show
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A World Cup half-time show that won by playing it simple
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A World Cup half-time show that won by playing it simple
Colombian superstar Shakira delivered a striking performance down on the pitch - AFP The World Cup half-time show was surprisingly nimble on its feet for a major sporting extravaganza. Rather than going for the kind of spectacular blockbuster staging often seen at sporting events such as the American football Super Bowl, the World Cup rather surprisingly opted to keep things charming, friendly and intimate.
The new Rolling Stones album proves they're still rock's most thrilling band
Neil McCormick “This never gets old!” Mick Jagger barks, deep into the Rolling Stones' 25th studio album, Foreign Tongues . And it turns out he's right. There is more than enough vitality, wit, richness, energy and joy on offer here to make the case that rock 'n' roll still rules in the modern pop firmament, and the Stones remain its greatest advocates.
My night with Jagger, Wood and a host of stars – turns out rock 'n' roll isn't dead
Neil McCormick The Rolling Stones still know how to throw a party. Last night in London, the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world took over a luxury hotel by the river Thames to throw an old-school record-company blowout for their 25th album, Foreign Tongues . There were cocktails, canapés, stars of film and TV, a spectacular drone light show, and an impromptu set by Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood.
I was at Oasis’s unforgettable Knebworth gig in 1996 – bring on next year
Over two nights, a quarter of a million people gathered at Knebworth Park, Hertfordshire, to watch Oasis perform in 1996 - Alamy Stock Photo I was at Knebworth to see Oasis receive the Britpop crown in August 1996. It was an all-time great concert, in part because it was so much more than a concert – it was a generational coming of age, a celebration of the unifying force of pop music: one nation under a wall of guitars and towering choruses.
At 85, Dionne Warwick’s voice has aged – her artistry has not
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Madonna throws a sweaty dance party to reclaim her crown
Confessions II is Madonna’s 15th studio album and her first release in seven years Madonna has thrown a dance party, with herself as guest of honour. Everyone is invited. As the title implies, Confessions II is a sequel to her most successful album of this century, reuniting the indefatigable 67-year-old with British producer Stuart Price, architect of Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005), which sold more than 10 million copies and featured the hitsHung Up and Sorry.
An uncomfortable truth about legacy rock bands
Bob Dylan 3 hours ago 61 Years Ago Today, One of the ‘Greatest Bob Dylan Covers of All Time’ Hit No. 1 Men's Journal - Brian Particelli • 3h While beloved by fans and regarded as one of the “greatest songs of all time,” Dylan’s version was never released as a single.
Self Esteem gives London’s newest venue the debut it deserves
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Self Esteem gives London’s newest venue the debut it deserves
Self Esteem's bold theatrical vision brought life and personality to the British Airways Arc in Hammersmith - Matthew Baker/Getty "Welcome to the British Airways Arc," announced Rebecca Lucy Taylor, dutifully promoting the new London venue's sponsors with the polite brightness of a model air stewardess. "Let's give this place the energy it needs!" Well, she and her enthusiastic audience certainly did that.
Elvis Costello is one of my musical heroes. Is his voice past its sell-by date?
He was once characterised as the angry young man of New Wave songcraft. Now a venerable 71-year-old vintage hero, Elvis Costello became visibly choked up as he acknowledged “so many old friends” who had come out to see him at the Royal Albert Hall . “I might not be getting frail, but I'm getting a little emotional as I get old,” he admitted. Monday night marked his 32nd appearance at the stately Victorian venue, which he first played with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1982.
Elvis Costello is one of my musical heroes. Is his voice past its sell-by date?
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Twenty-five albums in, the Rolling Stones are still rock’s most thrilling band
Despite their ages, the now-trio – from left, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood – are still gathering no moss - Kevin Mazur "This never gets old!" Mick Jagger barks, deep into the Rolling Stones' 25th studio album, Foreign Tongues. And it turns out he's right. There is more than enough vitality, wit, richness, energy and joy on offer here to make the case that rock 'n' roll still rules in the modern pop firmament, and the Stones remain its greatest advocates.
Elvis Costello is one of my musical heroes. Is his voice past its sell-by date?
He was once characterised as the angry young man of New Wave songcraft. Now a venerable 71-year-old vintage hero, Elvis Costello became visibly choked up as he acknowledged “so many old friends” who had come out to see him at the Royal Albert Hall. “I might not be getting frail, but I’m getting a little emotional as I get old,” he admitted. Monday night marked his 32nd appearance at the stately Victorian venue, which he first played with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1982.
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