From Pet Shop Boys to Portishead, the impressive bill of fare at this year’s Electric Picnic caters for all musical tastes. Ed Power recommends some choice cuts.

MUSIC NEWS: U2 have revealed they hope to finish their new album by the end of next month, with a release date yet to be specified for 2014.

Oasis showed they are gone but not forgotten after landing three nominations at the NME Awards, including best British band - despite splitting five months ago.

Beyonce Knowles’ song ‘Crazy In Love’ has been voted the best song of the decade.

The Strokes' debut album 'Is This It' has been judged as the greatest album of the decade.

Girls are officially cool – according to the NME.

DESPITE the huge number of open-air concerts last year, new arrival Electric Picnic proved the hit of the summer and with another star-studded line-up just announced, it looks poised to repeat the trick.

The line up for this year’s Electric Picnic Festival in Co Laois has been announced. The self style ‘boutique’ festival returns as a three day event this year on September 1-3.

Jay-Z’s jarring video for 99 Problems, which depicts his own murder as a metaphor for his retirement from rapping, leads the MTV Video Music Awards with six nominations.

Acclaimed duo Outkast topped a year-end poll of polls today to land the definitive album of the year accolade.

British rapper The Streets has joined Floetry, Cody Chestnutt and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to vie for this year’s Shortlist Music Prize, which honours the best non-mainstream artists in the music world.

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin remained tight-lipped last night about rumours that actress Gwyneth Paltrow had dumped him.