Starpulse — Happy Birthday to: Police singer Sting (1951) Actress Samantha Barks (1990) Actress Camilla Belle (1986) Singer Mandisa (1976) Actress Michelle Krusiec (1974) Singer / songwriter Sam Roberts ... more info

NME - Radar — Pins were one of our highlights at The Great Escape this year, and one of our big regrets is that we haven't managed to see them play in their hometown of Manchester yet. Nothing like a Manc crowd in a basement to get the energy levels going. We've ... more info

Guardian Music — To mark a Global Day of Action in support of Pussy Riot, art-pop outfit MEN have released a new single and videoOn 10 October an appeal hearing in Russia will decide whether the two-year sentences handed down to three members of punk activists Pussy ... more info

Brooklyn Vegan — Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Edie Brickell, Tina Fey, Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, James Taylor, and more are playing the Children's Health Fund 25th Anniversary Concert at Radio City Music Hall on October 4. Tickets for that show are... more info

ContactMusic — Sting and his wife Trudie Styler have been recognised for their long-running environmental work by being honoured with a 'green Oscar'. The Geordie... more info

Guardian Music — From the Clash to Boy George to Ian Dury, musical creativity and squat culture are inseparable – which is why this new law is such a bad ideaThis weekend a new law came into force that makes squatting – the occupation of empty buildings by otherw... more info

Guardian Music — The music blogger picks the songs that mean the most to him as part of our Six Songs of Me projectDigby Vollrath writes a current music blog called Gruff Trade, focusing on "non-aggressive up-and-coming music from across platforms, with a special int... more info

Guardian Music — Singer condemns conviction of Russian musicians, urging artists around the world to 'protest against this travesty'Madonna has condemned Pussy Riot's two-year jail sentence. Two weeks after joining the international chorus calling for the musicians' ... more info

Guardian Music — Oscar-winning composer who had a Broadway hit with A Chorus LineThe American musician Marvin Hamlisch, who has died aged 68 after a short illness, won three Oscars, four Emmys, four Grammys and a Tony award in the course of composing A Chorus Line an... more info

Dlisted — Well, here's a double dose of sadness to go with your late afternoon cup of Red Bull and Mountain Dew. Musical theater composer Marvin Hamlisch died yesterday in Los Angeles after a brief illness, and former Hot Slut of the Day and fashion icon ... more info