Jazz. A genre commonplace in cabarets and speakeasies in the era of the flapper and during a flourishing of individual liberty and freedom post-WWI in the 1920s, but now often lost and forgotten in UK top charts list, overtaken by the likes of Electro-pop, Rap and Hip-Hop. Rooted in rich cultural heritage, jazz has not only endured the test of time as a genre, but has continuously reinvented itself in attempts to remain relevant and captivating in a modern era of music.

6th June 2023: Hosted by Jaz Unplugged at Shoreditch’s Looking Glass Cocktail Bar, Plug & Play is about to begin. This is no gig, however. This is a fresh take on an artist showcase. The evening will showcase six up-and-coming R&B artists and two “special acts”, each with three minutes to impress.

This week, The Music Mag interviewed the up and coming The Sheratons, a group from Leeds who have been taking the UK music scene by storm. Having just completed a UK tour, upcoming festival spots, over 400,000 Spotify streams and radio plays, it is safe to say this group is going places. Keep reading to discover more on the past, present and future for this hidden gem in todays music scene.

A fundamental element of modern music production that allows producers to incorporate elements and snippets of existing tracks and transform them into new music. Sampling is used across every genre, from hip-hop to electronic dance music to pop music.

The musicians that came from this city and its surrounding boroughs have become innovators within their own genres while keeping their attitude and sound distinctly Mancunian, and no one was the living embodiment of this fact than the late, great music producer Martin Hannett. He was the producer behind two albums from two bands that went on to influence subcultures in their own city and beyond: Joy Division’s ‘Unknown Pleasures’ and Happy Mondays, ‘Bummed’ without having to go to London to produce such albums.

Avril Lavigne rose to prominence back in the early 2000’s when she released her debut album ‘Let Go’. The tracks on this album would turn her into a global pop punk princess. Featured tracks from the debut album included ‘Sk8er boi’, and ‘Complicated’.

In an era of music hybridity, genres are no longer the static, immovable categories used to divide EP’s and albums in record stores. Even ‘Alternative’ and ‘Pop’ have become binaries which no longer juxtapose the ideals of each other. Scanning over current chart hits, an eclectic mix of Rap, Funk, Folk, R&;B, Rock and old-school classics permeate a list of music now categorised as ‘Pop’, reimagining the reductive ideals of genre once so closely tied with artistry.

In honour of Record Store Day, it is important to take a look at some of the incredible record shops that help bring life to record collecting and the music scene in Scotland. Chatting to these business owner’s give incredible insight into record collecting and what makes record collecting so special. The Music Mag were lucky enough to discuss these with owner Lee from Dundee’s, Thirteen Records, a store which was born out of Dundee’s beloved Groucho’s and is the perfect store for any loved for record collecting.

Record Store Day (RSD), the three words music fans will have been hearing everywhere recently, but what exactly is it? Celebrating 15 years in 2022, RSD is the one day of the year for all things vinyl. On this day, 260 shops across the Uk come together along with music lovers to celebrate the record collecting community and the shops which help keep that community alive.

In honour of Record Store Day, it is important to take a look at some of the incredible record shops that help bring life to record collecting and the music scene in Scotland. Chatting to these business owner’s give incredible insight into record collecting and what makes record collecting so special. The Music Mag were lucky enough to discuss these with owner Nick from Aberdeen’s, Red Robin Records. Red Robin Records is a record cafe located in the heart of Aberdeen and is the perfect stop for any vinyl lovers.

Chances are you have never heard of Laura Nyro by name, but you may have heard her music on a film or a tv show, like in My Girl where Anna Chlumsky’s character is sweetly singing “Wedding Bell Blues” to a framed picture of the teacher she is crushing on. Read more here.

There’s a small bar in every town. Often overlooked or hidden, always a little bit too small, always vibrant and full of life. For one night each week these bars are the best places to be, close and busy, always surprising. What is it that make these venues open mics, so important?

Known only by the monikers Vessel, II, III, and IV, the members of Sleep Token remain anonymous, which furthermore adds to the excitement of their music, live shows, and very existence. Who are these hooded geniuses, and where are they taking us next?

There are many successful artists who decided to go it alone and found huge success as a result. With digital distribution services and independent labels that give artists more control, artists now have the ability to release their own music without the need to be signed to a major label. Let’s take a look of some examples of artists that found more success by going it alone.

The 8th of March is International Women’s day, a global holiday which honours gender equality and women’s rights. Music would not be what it is today without its incredible female artists. Read all about it here.

If ever the indie world needed a blast from the past, it would be this: The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel, an archival project released on February 24th through Merge Records. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the psychedelic indie project’s first EP, Everything Is. Read about it here.

The self-described “folk-punk” band may have been together since 2014 but the South-London foursome remained a well kept secret amongst their fans until gaining traction in early 2021. Read all about the up and coming group here.

New Order, Joy Division, Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden are just a few of the iconic names potentially entering the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023. Read the full list and details here.