English rock band Radiohead are finally back – but how likely is a new album?
The second-biggest UK music reunion is now well underway as Radiohead continue the comeback tour that surprised fans with an unexpected announcement back in September.
So what now? The band are active again, side projects are on pause, and fans are naturally eager at the prospect of something new, but how likely is it really?
Here, Music News Blitz writer Charlie Gardner looks at some of the theories that have been doing the rounds for the past few months and the reasons why they may or may not mean new music is on the way.
Music analysis: My Bloody Valentine - The pioneers of shoegaze
Shoegaze is a subgenre of alternative rock, often described as psychedelic and ethereal.
My Bloody Valentine were formed in Dublin in 1983, and are said to be pioneers of the genre.
But what is shoegaze? And what was My Bloody Valentine’s influence on the genre?
Music News Blitz writer Nisha Cullen answers those questions…
We’ll Live and Die in These Towns: How a song encapsulates a culture
In 2007, a relatively new indie band from the West Midlands city of Coventry, England, found themselves at the start of a promising career as they released a debut album that took them to the top of the UK charts in no time, writes Music News Blitz’s Charlie Gardner.
The band was called The Enemy, and We’ll Live and Die in These Towns was the album.
It soon made its way to infamy, with music magazines praising them and bringing them to the public eye and the band being further promoted in their support of countless UK music juggernauts, including Oasis, Kasabian and Stereophonics.
Beyond the boys’ club: Girl Group’s glitter-fuelled rebellion
With gender politics an ever-pervasive layer of contemporary discourse, the role of men and women is under scrutiny in every walk of life.
Still a leading cultural force, the music industry continues to both shape and reflect the ways we perform and perceive gendered roles, writes Music News Blitz’s Katie Slater.
With women now representing 53.8% of the UK’s music industry workforce, female voices are an ever-growing presence in a previously male-dominated space.
While this new figure is undeniably promising, deeper research reveals that it may not be all sunshine and daisies yet.
Research from the 2024 Musicians’ Census found that 51% of women had experienced gendered discrimination during their careers - showing the industry to be more than a little hostile to its newcomers.
Pub music - The importance of supporting small gigs and artists
Picture this one: it’s Friday night, you’re out having a catch-up with friends.
Later on into the night, some bloke turns up with a rented amp and sets up in the back of the room.
Next thing you know, you’re standing arm-in-arm with your mates, belting Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, Bon Jovi or whoever else - and you’re surrounded by plenty others doing the same.
Everyone’s been out and seen live music before, small artists or large.
This Music News Blitz article by Charlie Gardner contains a little appreciation for those small artists you see down at the local, and explores why live music is just as important now as ever before.
Onesies, profanity and innuendo: Who were Bloodhound Gang?
Before a world of edgy streamers and hidden-camera pranksters, there was a band that went viral for their crude jokes, catchy hooks and nothing but pure disregard for class or dignity.
In this article, Music News Blitz’s Charlie Gardner discusses the infamy of Bloodhound Gang, answering questions of what made them so iconic and how their success defined an era.
Meet the Music News Blitz team part two: Fave songs, memories and ‘don’t-get’ artists
In part one of our Meet the Music News Blitz content team, we grilled them on their best and worst gigs, and asked which Festivals are on their bucket lists.
Here, part two delves into their favourite song in recent times, songs that evoke cherished memories - and revered artists they ‘just don’t get’.