Guardian Music — Songwriting duos have given pop some of its finest moments. Laura Barton looks at how they work – and what happens when they don't'We started fighting the moment we met," Mike Stoller once said of his songwriting partnership with Jerry Leiber. "We ... more info

Guardian Music — Singer and songwriter who had a string of hits with his wife, Valerie Simpson, during Motown's heydayAshford and Simpson were one of the most prolific songwriting teams in black music in the 1960s and 1970s, composing hits for Ray Charles, Diana Ross... more info

Guardian Music — Two great American songwriters have died. Leave your tributes, and tell us which songs you'll remember them by ...It's a sad day for anyone who loves classic pop and soul songwriting as two great practitioners of the art have died. Jerry Leiber, who ... more info

The Independent — Nick Ashford, one half of the legendary Motown songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson that penned elegant, soulful classics funk hits for the likes of Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye and Chaka Khan, has died at the age of 70, his former publicist said. more info

Guardian Music — Continuing our series in which Guardian and Observer writers pick their favourite albums – with a view you might do the same – Tim Jonze wets himself at the prospect of the Hidden CamerasThe Smell of Our Own opens, as perhaps more albums should c... more info

Stereogum — As part of the encore to their Pittsburgh show at Stage AE last night, MMJ brought opener Neko Case onstage to duet with Jim James on “Islands In The Stream.” The treacly Bee Gees-penned tune was originally intended for Marvin Gaye, but instead b... more info

Guardian Music — From Public Enemy to P Diddy, a new documentary charts how rap became a global phenomenon out of anger, sex and blingIt's 1989 and I'm hangin' tough with my £11.99 skateboard from Argos and a bright yellow Sony Walkman in Stanmore, a leafy suburb of... more info

White Folks Get Crunk — Hold up hold up hold up hold up hold up hold up hold up. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. New one from the homey Geometrix. Big Sean, Kanye West, Roscoe Dash – Marvin Gaye & Chardonnay (DJ Geometrix Remix) by DJ Geometrix more info

Topix — Paul McCartney dodged the early threat of thunder storms and brought a memorable three-hour show to Comerica Park Sunday night. more info

Guardian Music — Veteran DJ shares some of his favourite music. 'If you love reggae, you've got to love soul,' he saysFrom his original shows on Radio London and Capital to his new Sunday show on Kiss FM, a series on Radio 2, up to four gigs a week, and now Dubwize ... more info