Dear Sir: No longer is it an experience to go into a local record store and share the excitement of an artist's new release. At a retail cost of $7 to $8 per LP, it is understandable why blank tapes are your best enter- tainment value. Too true, too bad. Ernest Monzon Laurel, Md.

Letter to the editor in Billboard, September 20, 1980

“I’d worked in new record stores, but used records were different. There were out-of-print things, obscure things, strange things—stuff you’d never see otherwise. It felt like a world you could keep discovering forever.”

Agree with Joyce: a thoroughly entertaining read.

Register to vote Register to vote to take part in elections in the UK. Includes how to get on the electoral register and how to update your address on the register.

PSA for UK folks. Register to vote by 11:59 pm Monday 20 April.

It’s straightforward and online.

Next local elections in England, Scotland and Wales: 7 May.

www.gov.uk/register-to-...

*Very* lazy/cheeky late saunter to Rough Trade East to see what #RSd26 goods remained at 4pm. *Shedloads* of Bowie, Laura Marling, Grateful Dead, Blur, Wicked, K-Pop Demon Hunters, Air, and pretty much every compilation.

(Don’t get anything though. Not a vintage year for me: wallet is grateful.)

Fremony at the library day!

Up early for #Recordstoreday
Really pleased with my haul this year

Force the government to rip up the EHRC’s transphobic guidance It’s been a year since the Supreme Court's decision that accelerated the rollback of trans rights in the UK. It’s been a difficult year, but it’s also been a year of coming together and fighting back....

Over 3,500 people have taken action in less than 48hs.

We need to make sure the government listens to us, and we don't have much time. Will you join us?
action.goodlawproject.org/force-government-rip-ehr...

Is Record Store Day Worth Going to Anymore? YouTube video by Pieces of Vinyl

Should you stay or should you go to #RSD26?

(I’m tucked up in bed, but enjoy seeing the pics of folks in the queues! Good luck to the Swifties and everyone hoping to grab some special wax. Do share your hauls later.)

youtu.be/crPpGE1WdJw?...

Madonna Shares New Single "I Feel So Free": Listen A couple of days ago, Madonna confirmed her long-teased plans to release a new album called Confessions II this summer. The new album is the sequel to her 2005 LP Confessions On A Dance Floor, the las...

Hear "I Feel So Free," the lead single to Madonna's new dance-oriented album 'Confessions II'

PET SHOP BOYS TOP 40 B-SIDES It’s a Top 40 of Pet Shop Boys B-sides and extra tracks that I did in 2024 for Classic Pop.

I did a Top 40 of the Pet Shop Boys' B-sides and extra tracks a couple of years ago and so here you go

A pile of RSD titles for this Saturday’s big event

M People - Northern Soul - 2LP - RSD 2026

James Dean Bradfield - The Great Western - orange LP - RSD 2026

Nicky Wire - Intimism - Green LP - RSD 2026

The @recordstoredayuk.bsky.social preview is live on @clashmusic.com! Get the lowdown on which things to look for on Saturday. Plus, excellent jazz reissues, Gorillaz, Andrew Rumsey and Katherine Priddy. Read and share as you wish!

www.clashmusic.com/features/jus...

He’s a smart guy with clickbait titles too. I’ve watched a few of his ‘is this music?!?’ videos and he generally seems to actually like most of the songs!

Neko Case's Thelma & Louise musical to premiere at London’s Young Vic Thelma & Louise is being adapted for the stage as a new musical written by original screenwriter Callie Khouri with music and lyrics by Neko Case.

More than three decades after Ridley Scott’s road movie became an unexpected cultural flashpoint, Thelma & Louise is being adapted for the stage as a new musical with music and lyrics by Neko Case, opening this September at the Young Vic in London.

Phew! See you there!

NOW Yearbook – THE VAULT: 1985 (Special Edition 4CD) - NOW MUSIC Official Store 1985 was a remarkable year in pop music. Across the releases on Yearbook 1985 and its’ ‘Extra’ we’ve already celebrated many of the year’s biggest hits – the tracks that dominated the charts … but as ...

More: nowmusic.com/products/now...

Black album cover with a glossy, metallic green logo reading “VAULT ’85” centred. A small “NOW Yearbook” label sits in the top left. Behind the sleeve, multiple translucent neon-green vinyl records are fanned out, creating a layered effect.

Black background with four columns labelled CD One to CD Four, listing 1980s tracks in white text with selected artist names highlighted in green. Artists include Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Ferry, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Billy Joel, Whitney Houston and others. Sony Music and EMI logos appear at the bottom along with copyright text.

The NOW Vault is back with an 1985 edition. One of the stronger tracklists of the series so far.

Lana Del Rey - First Light (Lyric Video) YouTube video by Lana Del Rey

Lana REALLY doing Video Games now - www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA82...

Scritti Politti | Southbank Centre

Blimey, the Scritti Politti matinee gig in July at Southbank Centre is almost sold out! Grab!

www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/scr...

Massive Attack and Tom Waits' Boots On The Ground addresses "the American epoch that is yet to be named." | Nialler9 Massive Attack release their first new song since 2016's The Spoils EP (or if you are counting this 2023 release), a song and video that is informed by the

Massive Attack and Tom Waits' Boots On The Ground addresses "the American epoch that is yet to be named."
nialler9.com/massive-atta...

Shocking: Popular Album Had a Marketing Campaign We need to talk about Geese. This is something that could have ostensibly been said by anyone — particularly those with feelings about the

Shocking: Popular Album Had a Marketing Campaign

Moya Brennan On ‘Macalla’ At 40 | XS Noize Podcast #255 Moya Brennan joins XS Noize to celebrate 40 years of Clannad’s ‘Macalla’—stories behind the songs, the Bono duet, and why the album still resonates today.

Following the sad news of Moya Brennan’s passing, I’m resharing this XS Noize Podcast conversation as a tribute to her life, voice and legacy.

She was warm, thoughtful and gracious throughout.

Watch/listen here: www.xsnoize.com/moya-brennan...

Samantha Fox - Love House YouTube video by SamanthaFoxVEVO

It was quite unexpected/weird/welcome when she appeared in the Top 40 with a pretty respectable acid house track in 1988! youtu.be/g9usE58DQWY?...

@denisebreen.bsky.social 👀

Album cover for Songs to Remember by Scritti Politti. A minimalist white background with the artist name and album title written in elegant gold script near the top, separated by a thin horizontal line. A small embossed insect-like logo appears in the bottom right corner.

'The concise manifesto from a perfect pop writer who would come good on his promises later'

Scritii Politti's Songs To Remember is Reissue of the Week for @thequietus.com.

thequietus.com/quietus-revi...

Chicane - Saltwater 'Live' on Top of the Pops 1999 (HQ Version) YouTube video by Trancefrequency

Maybe it managed that twice? Chicane’s Saltwater reswizzled Harry’s Game (and got Moya back on TOTP) with some Gaeilge reaching no 6 in 1999. (I think she re-recorded the vocals rather than it being a sample.)

youtu.be/S7MNvol83_0?...

Irish musician Moya Brennan dies aged 73 Moya Brennan, best known as the lead singer of the Grammy and BAFTA-winning group Clannad, died peacefully yesterday, surrounded by her family, at the age of 73.

Now this is unexpected. How very sad.

RIP Moya Brennan, founder member of Clannad. I still remember their appearance on Top of the Pops in 1982- the first act to perform in Irish - it was a very big deal then.

www.rte.ie/entertainmen...

Omg

Agreed. That size worked well.

went to check out the techno rave outside Parliament and I don't think I have the data allowance to share a video from it but let me tell you: there sure is a techno rave outside Parliament right now, celebrating Orban getting ousted