Guardian Music — The author of a new oral history of the band on how they became the biggest cult rock music has ever seen"This social phenomenon – in no way was it ever in existence in the past and in no way will it ever exist again," the American rock promoter Bi... more info

Guardian Music — John Harris finds out why a magical band broke up"From the beginning," writes Tony Fletcher, "the Smiths sensed greatness, and to realise that greatness meant a refusal to accept confinement to the margins."The point is undeniably true, in so many wa... more info

411 Mania — Before the Beatles... more info

ContactMusic — Recordings by Ringo Starrs first ever band have been found after more than 50 years The Beatles drummer started out in Rory Storm and the Hurricanes - one of the top bands of the Liverpool scene of their era - and recordings made in 1960 fe... more info

Guardian Music — This French singer-songwriter is in thrall to the Beatles, sunshine pop and French melodyHometown: Paris.The lineup: Melody Prochet (vocals, instruments).The background: One of the albums being talked up as an autumn highlight is the forthcoming one ... more info

Guardian Music — The former Beatle will become the first British musician to receive the honour, at a gala ceremony from the French presidentPaul McCartney is to receive France's highest cultural distinction at a ceremony this week. President François Hollande will ... more info

ContactMusic — Recordings featuring The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr before he found fame with the Fab Four have been discovered in a basement The previously unheard sessions from 1960 contain performances by Rory Storm and the Hurricanes - the band S... more info

Here Comes The Flood — Watch a vintage promo clip of Deep Purple tackling The Beatles' classic Help. From their 1968 debut album Shades of Deep Purple. more info

Guardian Music — Royal Albert Hall, LondonThe Proms, Desert Island Discs, Sir David Attenborough – how many Great British institutions can the BBC expect the Albert Hall to contain at once? The radio programme took over the Proms for a 70th birthday shindig hosted,... 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