The British listened to 139bn audio streams last year, up from 114bn in 2019, with streaming accounting for more than 80% of overall music consumption in the UK in 2020, Guardian reports. The top 10 streaming artists in 2020 each achieved more than half a billion streams in the UK, while 8,000 different acts totaled 1m streams annually. Lewis Capaldi's 'Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent' was the most-streamed album for a second successive year in the UK, while The Weeknd’s 'Blinding Lights' was the most-streamed single. CD sales slumped a further 31% to 16m units in the UK, while sales of vinyl records increased for the 13th consecutive year, by 11.5% to 4.8m copies purchased.

Since the outbreak, the UK government has been meeting with Britain's supermarket bosses to align on communication strategies that can minimise disruptive or irresponsible shopper behaviour, according to Wired. Music is one of a host of tricks supermarkets are using to try and encourage shoppers to maintain social distancing, and not to panic buy. Some surprising turns - Britney Spear's ‘Toxic’ has been struck off, The Bee Gees’ ‘Stayin’ Alive’ was also flagged as inappropriate, Lewis Capaldi isn’t getting much air time anymore as curators avoid ballads and downbeat tracks. Music policies, in general, have been made even more stringent to maintain a positive, if restrained, atmosphere.

Lewis Capaldi this week starts a tour that will see him play some of the UK’s biggest venues, Sam Fender and Dermot Kennedy will soon play two shows each at Alexandra Palace, Billie Eilish plays four O2 Arena dates in July, Scottish troubadour Gerry Cinnamon is set to play arenas, castles, parks and even Glasgow’s Hampden Park stadium. How did it come to that? - some artists have huge followings thanks to social media, without having to play small shows. This often means they haven’t had the time to work on their live show and develop as artists used to. Guardian wonders whether it's damaging to young artists to be playing such big venues so early in their careers.

Lewis Capaldi was the big winner at last night's Brit Awards picking up statues in Best new artist and Best song categories ('Someone You Love'). Dave won the No. 1 award, the Best album category, for 'Psychodrama', Mabel was awarded Best female award (30 years to the day her mother Neneh Cherry won her very own trophies), Stormzy got the Best male, and the Foals Best British group awards. Billie Eilish won in the International female category, with Tyler, the Creator wining in the International male category. Rising star award went to Celeste. Independent points out to Dave's political statement at the Brits - called out UK prime minister "racist", and lack of women, nominated or awarded.

Dave and Lewis Capaldi are the most nominated artists at Brit Awards this year, with four nominations each. Grime star Stormzy has three nominations, as well as 23-year old Mabel, being the most-nominated female artist this year.

Stormzy won best solo act at last night's Q Awards, The 1975 were named best act in the world today, Scottish chart-topping singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi took home the best track gong for 'Someone You Loved', while song of the decade went to Lana Del Rey for her breakthrough hit 'Video Games'. Best breakthrough act went […]

Billie Eilish, Lewis Capaldi and Sheryl Crow are among the Glastonbury stars to give T-shirt to Oxfam in support of a campaign against "throwaway fashion", and with the aim of encouraging fans to buy second-hand fashion. The Cure's frontman Robert Smith gave a Disintegration Era shirt, worn in 1989, Kylie Minogue donated a sun visor, Johnny […]

Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi releases his debut album 'Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent' on 17 May, with "power ballads about breakups, heartache and insecurity". On social media he's quite a funny guy, but on records quite sad: "When you're happy you're thinking about puppies and spaghetti... just enjoying being happy", he told BBC, and […]