10 underrated Christmas songs to add to your playlist – according to a music lecturer

Guest blog: Steve Jones Senior Lecturer in Music Production at Teesside University, Dr Steve Jones takes us on a whistle-stop tour of his Christmas playlist ahead of the big day. You won’t find Mariah or Bublé on this playlist… And while it wouldn’t be Christmas without them, I’m focusing specifically on those special festive songs … Continue reading “10 underrated Christmas songs to add to your playlist – according to a music lecturer”

Before they were big…

As the Arctic Monkeys prepare to play at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium, there will be lucky music fans out there who can recall seeing them in much smaller venues on local soil, before they went on to bigger things. Long before they headlined at Glastonbury or sold out international venues, Alex Turner and his Sheffield bandmates … Continue reading “Before they were big…”

The positive power of music

Music can inspire so many emotions. Hearing just the first few bars of a much-loved album track or a long-forgotten chart hit can create a deluge of memories. Like an old friend that can provide an aural hug, music can help us in so many ways, whether you’re listening solo on your headphones or enjoying … Continue reading “The positive power of music”