Franklin aretha

The Eagles have been awarded honorary doctorates of music by the Berklee School of Music. The ceremony, held in Boston on Saturday May 12, also saw Alison Krauss and Ethiopian musician Malatu Astatke honoured. Previously, Berklee, the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world, has awarded honorary doctorates of music to David Bowie, BB King, Aretha Franklin and Quincy Jones among other.

Assured full-length debut by precocious spawn of Muscle Shoals....

Alex Chilton’s wild, idiosyncratic life after Big Star is examined in the new issue of Uncut (Take 180, May 2012), out now. But what happened before the demise of Chilton’s greatest group? They should have been rock superstars, but Rob Jovanovic explains how drugs, in-fighting and personal tragedy meant Big Star had to settle for being the biggest cult band of all time (from Uncut's Take 94, March 2005). ________________________________

Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire and The Clash are among the artists releasing new records as part of this year's Record Store Day.

Noah and the Whale, Arcade Fire and Florence and the Machine are amongst the artists that have made it on to US President Barack Obama's Spotify playlist.

Read our online obituary of the E Street legend

Dickinson passes away in Memphis hospital

Special reward for artistic and charity work

Hall of Fame celebrates 25 years this October

Big on tunes. Big on ambition. Beth Ditto is coming for you