The album that almost bankrupted Fleetwood Mac
After the huge success of Rumours, Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk shattered expectations: a sprawling, experimental, wildly expensive gamble of obsessions, tensions, and brilliance that nearly bankrupted the band but redefined their legacy
California Dreamin': the 17 greatest Laurel Canyon albums, ranked
From sun-soaked harmonies to confessional folk, these 17 classic Laurel Canyon albums defined a countercultural golden age
Vladimir Horowitz: the legendary pianist who retired four times and had electroshock therapy for depression
Vladimir Horowitz was one of the greatest pianists the world had ever seen. his success, however, came at a heavy price. Nick Forton charts a glittering career blighted by depression and long periods away from the concert stage
Celebrate the future of music with the Festival Academy Budapest
FAB celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2025 with honoured guests and young talent
Hooked on Classics: when classical music went disco (and sold by the bucketload)
In the eighties, Hooked on Classics saw the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra dominate the pop charts and bring classical music to a mainstream audience...
From Ziggy to Camille: rock's 15 wildest alter egos
From psychedelic parodies to gender-bending voices and cartoon bands, rock’s greatest alter egos let artists escape, experiment, and reinvent themselves—sometimes eclipsing their “real” identities entirely
The Beatles are the greatest band of all time. Here's why
As we mark 65 years of The Beatles, Bob Chilcott, composer, former King’s Singer and Fab Four fanatic, explores the band’s many musical influences
Ravi Shankar: the visionary musician George Harrison called 'the Godfather of World Music'
Ravi Shankar's biographer Oliver Craske introduces us to the fascinating musical life of the great sitar virtuoso, composer, father of Norah Jones and Anoushka Shankar, teacher of Philip Glass and friend of Yehudi Menuhin
American composers: the US's 20 greatest composers, ranked
From jazz-fuelled symphonies to Hollywood blockbusters, America’s composers reshaped music with fearless invention. Here are 20 trailblazing voices who made the world stop, listen, and marvel
Star Wars music: ranking the nine film scores from worst to best
How do all nine Star Wars scores stack up? Here's our ranking of the best and worst Star Wars music
Meet the most fascinating figures from classical music
Canadian musicians: Canada's greatest performers of all time, ranked
From folk legends to pop icons, Canada has produced extraordinary talent. Here’s our ranking of the 15 greatest Canadian musicians, celebrating innovation, influence, and timeless artistry.
How the hell...? Rock's 15 unlikeliest success stories, ranked
Some bands shouldn’t have existed: chaotic line-ups, clueless musicians, or impossible personalities. Yet these 15 acts defied the odds — and changed music forever
These 11 bands honestly sounded like no one else
From Captain Beefheart’s surreal blues to Can’s hypnotic Krautrock, these 11 bands redefined music, creating sounds that were utterly unique
The great composers
Explore the lives and works of classical music's finest composers
Why these five so-called ‘great’ composers are simply overrated
We invite five of our writers to reveal those whose feted talents leave them seriously underwhelmed
Ranked: the 15 greatest Latin American composers of all time
From Afro-Cuban rhythms to the tango, Peruvian folklore to Mexican popular song, the distinctive classical music of Latin America and the Spanish Caribbean draws on diverse influences. Janet Crane introduces its composers
Composers who died young: 12 prodigious musical talents who didn't see 40
Many composers have died very young and often, we assume, at the height of their creative powers. Jeremy Pound explores the lives of 12 composers who died before reaching their 40th birthday.
Culture war! When a 1960s critic dared to compare The Beatles to Mahler
Greatest Recordings
Our recommendations of essential additions to your listening library
The strange tale of The Beach Boys' 'Smile': paranoia, breakdowns, and a haunting lost masterpiece
Brian Wilson’s doomed Smile was meant to outshine Pet Sounds. Instead, it collapsed into paranoia, fragments, and myth — becoming rock’s greatest unfinished masterpiece
Black Sabbath: all 19 of their albums ranked, from worst to best
From genre-defining classics to cult curiosities, we rank all 19 Black Sabbath albums — the highs, lows, and heavy milestones that shaped metal’s dark legacy
These 12 iconic album covers all have stories to tell
From Abbey Road conspiracy theories to Joy Division’s mysterious pulsar lines, here are 11 classic album covers with stories as fascinating as the songs inside
What if? 9 abandoned albums that could have changed rock history
From abandoned rock operas to lost masterpieces, these 9 cancelled albums might have rewritten musical history — if only they’d made it out of the studio alive
Albums of the week
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine
Review: Purcell – Complete Suites and Other Music for Keyboard
In her review, Kate Bolton-Porciatti believes pianist Cristian Sandrin has set the bar with his thrilling modern take on Purcell keyboard gems
Review: Moonlight Variations (Pablo Ferrández)
Cellist Pablo Ferrández serves up an appetising menu of works, perfectly played and curated, says Jo Talbot in her review
Review: For Dieter... (Benjamin Appl)
Benjamin Appl’s heartfelt and imaginative album homage to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is cherishable, says Natasha Loges in her review
Audio equipment reviews and advice
A selection of the best reviewed albums from the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine