Thousands of EMI workers were facing the prospect of redundancy tonight after the music giant’s private equity owners announced a “revolutionary” overhaul to the business.

Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin has said his band is working on a new album featuring what he called a quintessential song that everybody should hear "before we die".

Belfast band Snow Patrol followed the antics of scores of high-profile musicians when they were covered in rice in a bid to highlight aid agency Oxfam’s fair trade campaign.

The Scissor Sisters have scooped the UK Gig of the Year award for their performance at this year’s V Festival.