Muse Page 4

Muse have cancelled their concert in Turkey.

The Devon-based rock band - who are formed of Matt Bellamy, Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard - have been forced to postpone their planned gig in the Eastern European country next week after the attempted military coup last Friday (15.07.16) in a bid to overthrow President Recep Erdogan and his government, which was thwarted.

However the trio have taken extra precaution by calling off their performance, which was due to take place at the Blue Night venue in Istanbul on Tuesday (26.07.16) as part of their 'Drones World Tour' because of the danger to their safety, a decision they ''regret'' having to do.

Continue reading: Muse Have Cancelled Their Concert

Thanks to her show-stopping headlining performance at Glastonbury last weekend, Adele’s third album 25 has returned to the number one spot in the UK albums chart. The album enjoyed a huge surge in sales (up 231% from last week) thanks to her Glastonbury appearance, which was streamed live on the BBC and watched by over 3.5 million viewers.

Adele’s 25 is back at number one following her Glastonbury set.

25, which was released on November 20th 2015, has now spent 13 weeks at number one in the UK. Its rise up the charts this week was also helped by it finally being made available on streaming services last Friday (24 June).

Continue reading: Adele Says Hello Again To Number One Spot After Glastonbury

Muse frontman Matt Bellamy is preparing for his band to headline Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage tonight, for the third time in their career. Bellamy says the band are ready for anything, including something going wrong on the night, saying Muse has learnt to “embrace the chaos” of huge live gigs.

Muse’s Matt Bellamy.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Bellamy said: "Really, the stage is not yours. There are so many components that are unpredictable and out of your control, so there is no one to blame if anything goes wrong, which it will.

Continue reading: Muse's Matt Bellamy: "Something Will Go Wrong During Glastonbury Set"

Muse have invited their fellow Glastonbury headliner Adele to join them onstage during their Friday night slot, in a bid to help her overcome her nerves. Adele will headline the festival for the first time on the Saturday evening and has previously said she was scared of performing in front of the huge crowds.

Muse have invited Adele to join them on stage at Glastonbury to help overcome her nerves.

Speaking on Nick Grimshaw’s BBC Radio 1's Breakfast Show on Wednesday morning (April 13th), Muse frontman Matt Bellamy said: "The best thing for her to do would be to come the night before, watch us and come on and sing a song with us.”

Continue reading: Muse Invite Adele To Join Them On Glastonbury Stage To Help Calm Her Nerves

Glastonbury has unveiled its first line-up poster for the annual festival, which will take place this year from June 22nd to 26th at Worthy Farm. The newly confirmed acts will join already announced headliners Muse, Adele and Coldplay, with a further 800 acts to be announced on a second poster in the coming weeks. 

We’re pleased to reveal our first Glastonbury Festival 2016 line-up poster (by Stanley Donwood)… pic.twitter.com/k6t3d7b1PH

— Glastonbury Festival (@GlastoFest) March 29, 2016

Continue reading: Glastonbury Festival Reveals First Line-Up Poster

Adele has been confirmed as the final headlining act for this year’s Glastonbury Festival, taking the Saturday night slot on the Pyramid Stage. The singer made the announcement during her sold-out show at London’s O2 Arena on Friday night, with the news later being confirmed by festival organisers.

Adele is the final headlining act for this year’s Glastonbury festival.

The Sun reports that Adele told the sold-out crowd: "Who's going to Glastonbury this year? See you there. I'll be there. I'll be headlining on the Saturday night this year.” Rumours had been swirling for weeks that Adele could be the final headliner, but the singer had previously said she was too scared of the big festival crowds.

Continue reading: Hello Glastonbury! Adele Is Your Final 2016 Headliner

If you’re at Coachella this year, you won’t be reading this story and if you are… well, this might just make things worse, but here’s a rundown of the best things you’re missing anyway. Saturday saw a huge dust storm rip through Coachella Valley on Saturday, but diehard fans stuck it out anyway for Muse’s headlining gig. The English rockers performed festival staples like "Hysteria," "Resistance," and "Magic," but a large portion of the Coachella crowd left the field early as high winds swept sand and dust across the festival field, Reuters reports.

Muse went for festival favorites and a Nirvana tribute.

Continue reading: Coachella Saturday Highlights: Muse, Pharrell And Surprises From Jay And Bey

Saturday night marked the 20^th anniversary of Kurt Cobain’s death. The Nirvana frontman commited suicide on April 5, 1994. Predictably, Nirvana tributes were abundant over the weekend. In Sao Paolo, Brazil Muse managed to do justice to the 1991 single Lithium for the crowd at Lollapalooza.

Saturday marked the 20th anniversary of Cobain's death. He was found on April 8, 1994.

Muse started performing together 20 years ago - the same year that Cobain commited suicide, as Matthew Bellamy helpfully reminded the crowd.

Continue reading: 20 Years After Cobain's Death, The Nirvana Legacy Lives On In Tributes Across The World

Coachella 2014 will be returning to Indio, California, this spring for a two-weekend spectacular that will see some of the world's biggest performers gather in one polo field in the middle of the desert. This week the full line-up for the latest incarnation of the ever-popular festival was announced, with the bill yet another feast for the eyes (and eventually the ears too).

Big Boi and Andre 3000 will reunited for the headline performance

Eight years since their last album and eventual hiatus, Outkast will reform to headline the first day of the festival, which will kick start on the weekend of 11-13 April. The Grammy-winning hip-hop duo will be joined on the first day by fellow returnees The Knife, who released their first album in seven years - the acclaimed Shaking the Habitual - in 2013 and The Replacements, who reformed in 2012. Ellie Goulding, Chromeo, Haim, A$AP Ferg, Bryan Ferry, DJ Falcon and many others will also appear on the first day.

Continue reading: OutKast, Muse And Arcade Fire To Headline Coachella 2014

Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars and Katy Perry are among the names confirmed for the iHeartRadio Music Festival at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas in September. The two-day festival, set to be held on September 20 and 21, will also feature performances from Elton John, Keith Urban and a special pairing of Queen (with Brian May) and the former American Idol star Adam Lambert.

The main festival line-up was announced on Monday morning (July 15, 2013) in a press conference hosted by Ryan Seacrest. A final schedule will be announced closer to the festival, though Timberlake, Perry, Elton and Bruno Mars are likely to be the marquee names. The likes of Muse, Tiesto, Chris Brown, Fun, Phoenix, Maroon 5, Tim Mcgraw, Ke&ha, Thirty Seconds to Mars and Benny Benassi are other high profile names to have been confirmed. 

Last year's festivals played host to No Doubt, Pink, Usher and Swedish House Mafia though it will be remembered for Billie Joe Armstrong's meltdown during Green Day's set. After smashing the band's instruments in protest of his set being cut short, Armstrong left the stage and was admitted to rehab the next day, cancelling his band's tour dates and promotional appearances. 

Continue reading: IHeartRadio Festival To Welcome Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars And Err, Queen

Prepare for strangeness, as the iHeart Radio music festival is once again upon us and it comes with an eclectic lineup once again this year. Said lineup has now been announced, and while there won’t be another meltdown from Green Day frontman Billy Joe Armstrong, since the band won’t be performing this year, there are still plenty of names on their for fans of various genres to get excited about.

Productive as ever, Justin Timberlake will make an appearance.

For anyone who’s following current musical trends, Justin Timberlake and Ke$ha both feature in the lineup, as do J Cole, Bruno Mars, Maroon 5, AWOLNATION and even 30 Seconds to Mars – pretty much everyone, who has an album to promote, it would seem. The festivities will once again be based in Las Vegas, taking place over Sept 20 and 21. There are some changes to the festival structure as well, with the addition of the iHeart village, featuring such talent as Miley Cyrus and Avril Lavigne. The village is actually a brand new festival stage – according to the official website “ On Saturday, September 21, from 10a - 4p, the iHeartRadio Music Festival Village takes over a brand-new outdoor venue, The Lot, right on the Strip. ” The full lineup (for both the main stage and the village) is listed below, curtesy of the official iHeart website.

Continue reading: From Miley Cyrus To Muse - There's Something For Everyone In IHeartRadio Festival's Lineup

A week in videos… It’s been a busy week for the languid voiced, melancholic entity that is Kurt Vile, and he’s topped it off by releasing a new video for KV Crimes – a song off his latest release Wakin' On A Pretty Daze. Directed by Tom Scharpling, the video riffs on the recent news that the 28th of August will officially be known as Kurt Vile Day. The actual ceremony will be marked by a free concert at City Hall from, guess who, Kurt Vile

Lack of sunny weather and increased austerity got you feeling down? Then the video for Michael Franti & Spearhead - I'm Alive (Life Sounds Like) will do a sterling job of perking you up, unless you’re averse to whistling that is. Drums and face paint at the ready; it’s festival season, and Michal Franti & Spearhead are getting ready for a summer of live shows with this seasonal video, full of fun and vitality. And drums. We mentioned drums, right?

While 20 years is a long time to develop that pop punk, emo, power pop or alternative rock sound – whatever you want to call it – it seems as though Jimmy Eat World still sound the same, not that that’s a bad thing. Their eighth studio album 'Damage' is due to hit shelves on June 11th 2013, and the video for their new single, I Will Steal You Bank conjures memories of their frenetic live shows with its nostalgic black & white style.

Continue reading: A Week In Music – Kurt Vile Has His Own Day, Tom Odell Lives Up To The Hype, Candy Says Are Delighted & Kanye Still Thinks He's God

Brad Pitt was on the red carpet for the premiere of his newest film, World War Z, where he discussed at length his pride in the project, the intricacies of the plot and Muse being chosen to take on the soundtrack for the film; something that was practically destined to happen.

Click for Pitt talking about Day Z

Continue reading: Brad Pitt Says Muse's Work Was Made For World War Z And Claims The Film Is "The Most Intense Thing You'll See All Summer" [Video]

A Week In Albums... Vampire Weekend have been getting some much deserved props for their comeback LP, Modern Vampires Of The City and our man Jim Pusey was more than happy to join in the chorus of praise. Marking the group's second US Billboard number one charting album to-date - not to mention their best selling first week effort - Modern Vampires... looks like it's only going to set the indie rockers onto greater things. Pusey commented: "While it's an album that may struggle to repeat the phenomenal commercial success of Vampire Weekend's debut, I'd argue in the long run there's more to love on Modern Vampires. It's not just because the band's affection for New York seeps through every pore of the record, but also because sonically it's a far more interesting album. If this is indeed the end to a trilogy of records, Vampire Weekend have set themselves an extremely high bar to reach for the next chapter of their career."

Collaborator-happy party bringers Major Lazer have returned with a new album in the form of Free The Universe. A record that does little to change the act's sound, it doesn't necessarily need to, says Andy Peterson, with the array of people brought on board, including - there he is again - Ezra from Vampire Weekend, Peaches and Wyclef Jean, meant to enhance the party not the sound evolution. Peterson writes, "At times it's fair criticism that the formula isn't saying anything new, but the main objective here is far less about innovation but instead about being what it is; a no-nonsense party record made to be turned up to eleven and put on after twelve. Righteous."

Continue reading: A Week In Music - Vampire Weekend Album Is Tops, Daft Punk Break Records, Kelly Rowland Breaks Down

The premiere of the long-awaited end of the world action-drama World War Z is due to take place in London next Sunday (June 2), but this wont be your average movie premiere though, as rocker Muse are set to turn the shindig into a full-blown concert for the expected 15,000 spectators.

The Brad Pitt-staring zombie epic, in which Pitt stars as a former UN investigator attempting to save the world from a strange pandemic that threatens to wipe out the human race, will premiere in London’s Leicester Square next week before movie to Horse Guards Parade Ground in St James' Park for Muse's performance. Paramount Pictures' President of Motion Picture Music Randy Spendlove (great name) also revealed that the studio are planning to fly US chat-show host Jimmy Kimmel to the U.K. to host the whole thing, which will be filmed and made available to the public.

Why Muse you may be asking; well the British band feature heavily in the movie's soundtrack, with the track 'Isolated System' being used a various points throughout the movie. Spendlove told Billboard, "It made the movie feel and sound really cool. After we layered in the music, we reached out to their management in the US and the UK to see how we could reach beyond the movie. We wanted it to be bigger than that."

Continue reading: Muse Set To Turn World War Z Premiere Into Full-Blown Concert

The two-weekend Austin City Limits festival in Texas has announced a varied line-up for this year's bash, with Depeche Mode, The Cure, Kings Of Leon, Muse, Atoms for Peace, Lionel Richie, Phoenix and Wilco on the bill. It will mark a return to the festival for KOL, though both Depeche Mode and The Cure make debuts.

Other notable acts on the bill for the six-day extravaganza - taking place on Oct 4-6 and 11-13 - include Vampire Weekend, D'Angelo, The National, Queens of the Stone Age, Kendrick Lamar, Passion Pit, Grimes and Bon Iver's new project Shouting Matches. Tickets for the festival go on-sale today at 10am at alcfestival.com. For those less concerned with the marquee acts, the Austin City Limits festival appears to offer plenty of interesting options for festivalgoers this year. Portugal. The Man, Grouplove, Jimmy Eat World, The Black Angels, HAIM, Noah and the Whale, Silversun Pickups and The Joy Formidable are also confirmed to play sets.

Last year's festival saw performances from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, The Shins, Weezer, Black Keys, Florence + The Machine, Jack White, Iggy and the Stooges, The Roots and Two Door Cinema Club.

Continue reading: Austin City Limits Announces Depeche Mode, The Cure, KOL, Lionel Richie

Storm Thorgerson, the artist who famously designed the cover art for Pink Floyd's classic album 'The Dark Side of the Moon,' has died aged 69, the band's management confirmed to the BBC. A childhood friend of the rockers, Thorgerson became their designer-in-chief and fashioned a string of eye-catching creations.

The Unmistakable Cover For Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon' [L] and Peter Gabriel's 'Scratch' [R]

In a statement, Pink Floyd guitarist and vocalist Dave Gilmour said, "We first met in our early teens. We would gather at Sheep's Green, a spot by the river in Cambridge and Storm would always be there holding forth, making the most noise, bursting with ideas and enthusiasm. Nothing has ever really changed," adding, "He has been a constant force in my life, both at work and in private, a shoulder to cry on and a great friend. I will miss him."

Continue reading: 'Pink Floyd' Artist Storm Thorgerson Dies Aged 69: His Greatest Album Covers

In an interview with Elle magazine, Kate Hudson has declared that her days as a wild child are well and truly behind her, as she focuses on family life with her partner – Muse frontman Matt Bellamy – and her two children, Ryder (from a previous relationship with Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson) and Bingham. Kate fell pregnant with Bingham just two moths after she and Matt started dating but she says that although she was shocked by the sudden pregnancy, she thought to herself “this is going to be interesting.”

Talking about her current lifestyle, Kate revealed “I’m a lot less rock chick and a lot more about being a good mother, a good partner. I’m part of a family.” Hudson has a strong strain of rock and roll in her past though. Not only is she best known for her role in the rock movie Almost Famous, but she was previously married to the Black Crowes’ frontman Chris Robinson, before settling down with Muse singer Matt Bellamy. Matt and Kate met at the rock festival Coachella, though their relationship took a sudden turn when she unexpectedly fell pregnant.

“It was all very old-fashioned and proper and we went on lovely dates. And two months later I was pregnant… knew it would take a strong man to deal with it. You know that with a relationship things can go either way when you have a child… When you get pregnant everything changes: you, your body. Everything becomes a big decision. But he was there and that was that. Now it's three wonderful years later. Things happen for a reason.” 

Continue reading: Kate Hudson Claims She's "A Lot Less Rock Chick" These Days

Muse are set to headline the War Child BRIT Awards, two days before the main awards are held, it was announced today. They will be live at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on Monday 18th February 2013.

This year is the charity's 20th Anniversary year, and the gig will mark War Child's Special Recognition Award to be presented at the BRIT Awards. Muse's lead singer, Matt Bellamy said today (Tues Jan 29); "We are proud to have a continuing association with War Child, who have been doing amazing work over the last 20 years. It's great to see their efforts being recognised at this year's BRITs and we are really looking forward to playing this special show for them."

War Child's upcoming award - the first of it's kind celebrates two decades of their proud partnership with the music industry in raising millions of pounds that have helped transform over 800,000 young lives.

Continue reading: Muse To Headline The War Child BRIT Awards Concert

Beyoncé Knowles will be one of the key headliners at next months BRIT Awards, it is believed, with an increasing amount of press building up behind the speculation.

The performance, which will be Mrs Jay Z's first performance in the United Kingdom since her 2011 headlining slot at Glastonbury, marking the beginning of what already looks like one hell of a hectic year for Knowles. Although no official statement has been issued commenting on whether or not Bey will in fact be performing, it is looking increasingly more likely that she will indeed be on the bill for the night.

The Destiny's Child beauty will be performing alongside Muse, One Direction, Robbie Williams and more, and will be her third high-profile performance in the space of a month - talk about a comeback! The singer is first scheduled to sing at President Barrack Obama's second inauguration on January 21, with her half-time show at the Super Bowl, an appearance that may see her being reunited with former bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, in early February. She will also be releasing her fly-on-the-wall documentary, Life Is But a Dream, around this time too and then it's time to hit the studio again to press on with her upcoming fifth album. Phew! We're exhausted just thinking about it.

Continue reading: Beyoncé Rumoured To Be Performing At This Years BRIT Awards

In the word of pop music, there is no property hotter than Beyoncé right now. Beyoncé doesn’t really even have to make any music to be the hottest property in pop. She just has to… be. Rumour has it, though that the Destinys Child singer might be making a little trip over to Blighty to perform at next month’s Brit Awards, according to the Guardian.

She’s not nominated for any awards or anything, but that wouldn’t stop her performance being the probable highlight of the Brit Awards. As far as coups go, this is pretty much the biggest one that the organisers of the Brits could possibly hope for. Unless they got Jay Z too. Anyone that watched Beyoncé’s Glastonbury Festival slot will testify to the might of her live performances. If it happens, she could well make these Brit Awards one to remember (though possibly never as memorable as the year that Jarvis Cocker waggled his posterior to the cameras during Michael Jackson’s performance).

Beyoncé hasn’t performed at the Brit awards since 2004. She’s soon due to perform at the Super Bowl and also at Barack Obama’s second presidential inauguration. The Brits will take place on February 20, 2013 at London’s O2 Arena. One Direction, Muse and Robbie Williams are also expected to perform. 

Continue reading: From The Super-Bowl To The Brit Awards? Will Beyoncé Perform In UK Next Month?

This year’s Brit Awards nominations look as though they were concocted by a group of strangers, with wildly different cultural backgrounds, on a drunken night out. Is this a sign that the mainstream music world is finally starting to accept that it’s becoming more and more acceptable to have diverse musical tastes? Or are the organisers of the BRITS simply trying to spark controversy? have they lost the plot? Or is this an honest reflection of the mindset of a 2013 British music buying public? Let’s take a look at the evidence, and scrutinise some of the more baffling categories…

British Female Solo Artist Nominees – One of the more sensitive and contentious issues, here, in the British female solo artist category. Of the five nominees, only four of them were alive this year. We understand that Amy Winehouse has a lasting legacy in British pop music. We understand that she was – and, in many ways remains - a tour de force. But, for the sake of the awards, we simply have to ask, at the risk of sounding flippant, what has Amy Winehouse done for British music in the last 12 months? Sadly, nothing. Her posthumous album (released in December 2011, we should add), Lioness: Hidden Treasures was politely and quietly denounced for being little more than cuttings from the studio floor. We simply can’t get our heads around her inclusion on this list. With Bat For Lashes throw in as the ‘alternative’ wild card, to lend a touch of outsider cool to the category, it’s between Emeli Sande, Paloma Faith and Jessie Ware to catch this one, we reckon. 

Watch Jessie Ware's video for 'Sweet Talk'

Continue reading: BRIT Awards 2013 Nominees Announced: Diverse? Or Just Weird?

The Brit Awards 2013 nominations were announced on Thursday (January 10, 2013), being somewhat overshadowed by the Oscars stuff going on across the pond. We already know James Corden is back on-board as host, and he'll be joined by the likes of Muse, Robbie Williams, Mumford & Sons and One Direction, who all scored nods this week.

Forget all that though, because The Rolling Stones may be playing live. After scoring a nomination for Best Live Act, the legendary rockers hinted that they may well be on hand to rock the stage at the O2 Arena on February 20, 2013. Keith Richards said, "Onstage is where we belong. When I'm up there with Mick, Charlie and Ronnie, everything is rocking, so a big thanks to Brit fans and the Brits nom!" Though it's not confirmation exactly, there's a possible hint in there somewhere. His band-mate Mick Jagger said, "We all had such a blast. Everyone was at the top of their game and the hometown audiences at The O2 were just fantastic. It's great to be nominated... we'll see you soon." Organizers of the Brit Awards are always keen to get marquee acts to close the evening, and the Stones' seem at home at the O2 nowadays.

Others picking up nods during Thursday's announcement were Mercury winners Alt-J (3), Emili Sande (3) and Amy Winehouse, who was posthumously nominated for her Lioness record. One Direction will battle Mumford & Sons and The XX for Best Group.

Muse's Matt Bellamy in typical pose in Finland

They first made their name for their relentless touring schedules, and to be fair to British pomp-rockers, Muse still have that commitment to their live program; the group played Helsinki in Finland last night (December 10) and have six more European dates coming up before Christmas. It doesn't stop there either, with the group calling in to Asia and North America before a series of special stadium shows in the summer. Glastonbury weekend has been left tantalisingly left free, though given they headlined the event as recently in 2010 it would be a surprise to see them there again. 

Continue reading: Pictures: Muse European Tour Calls Into Helsinki

Muse, a band whose live shows are getting so big and ostentatious that we can’t but think they’re compensating for something, have announced another slew of the blighters. The space-rocking, crotch-thrusting, tune-misplacing British group have been doing the rounds of Europe’s arenas this Autumn, whilst they also have trips to Asia and North America lined up at the beginning of the new year.

However, they’ll be back in the corporate domes of Europe come the summer, taking in shows in such salubrious surroundings as the Stade de France in Paris, the Emirates Stadium in London and, err, the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. The band announced the dates on their official website, with the shows taking around a month and a half to complete, starting in their native UK and finishing in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.

They’re most critically divisive album yet, The 2^nd Law nevertheless managed to top the charts in more than 20 countries globally, fully cementing their reputation as one of the world’s biggest rock bands – for better or worse. The Killers certainly think it’s for better; they’re huge fans of Muse and would love to work together. Grief. “We’ve become good friends with Muse” the Las Vegas group’s Brandon Flowers said to The Sun. “We get along so well, so I’d never rule out working together. We would be trying to outdo each other. It would be spectacular, the choruses would be huge.”

Continue reading: Muse Announce European Stadium Tour; Is A Killers Collaboration On The Cards?

"I'm sorry. I've never had to do this before. We've got to stop," were the words of The Killers' Brandon Flowers in Manchester last night (November 13, 2012) after cutting short the band's arena concert just 4 songs in. The singer, 31, lost his voice and was forced to tell 15,000 fans to, well, go home.

"I'm sorry, we'll come back, I don't know what else to tell you.it's frustrating, I'm sorry, this is the town that we look forward most to coming to. I'm sorry, I don't know what else to say," said Flowers before sloping off-stage with the rest of the band. The group has also been forced to cancel tonight's concert in Manchester, owing to Flowers still having trouble with his vocals. The band issued a brief statement on Twitter and Facebook, telling fans, "Manchester, we started something we couldn't finish and we're so, so sorry. Working on rescheduling tonight and tomorrow's shows. Will let you know new dates ASAP." 

Though Manchester fans will undoubtedly been frustrated at the cancellation, followers of the band have a potential Muse collaboration to look forward to. Two bands were hanging out together at the MTV Europe Music Awards, with Brandon saying, "We've become good friends with Muse. We get along so well, so I'd never rule out working together. We would be trying to outdo each other. It would be spectacular, the choruses would be huge."

Continue reading: "I'm Sorry, We've Got To Stop", The Killers End Manchester Gig After 4 Songs

Muse's Matt Bellamy never grew out of sliding on his knees as a kid

Muse have long since gained the reputation for their outlandish stage shows, and their on stage theatrics were there for all to see as they played Manchester's Arena in the north west of England last night (November 1, 2012). The group have been causing murmurs by playing with a giant LED-covered pyramid above them which falls to the ground bit by bit as their set continues, eventually surrounding them. Even by previous efforts - playing surrounded by giant satellite dishes at Wembley stadium, playing underneath a giant 'space ship' on their 2010 - this has been an ambitious stage plan. 

Continue reading: PHOTOS: Muse Finish Off UK Leg Of European Tour

The answer, of course, is no. But it's that time of year again folks: the Q Magazine Awards! Muse picked up the biggest gong at the event in London on Monday afternoon (October 22, 2012) known for rewarding middle-of-the-road and aging rock acts with offensively generic prizes such as one that now sits proudly on Matt Bellamy's mantelpiece.

Though Blur have been excellent in the handful of shows they've played since reforming, were they really befitting of best live act? Saying that, they were going up against The Stones Roses in a farce of a category. Dance act Underworld received the 'Innovation in Sound' award - whatever that is - while Jarvis Cocker picked up the 'Inspiration Award.' Q magazine editor Andrew Harrison told the BBC, "Our bands and our anthems transformed the Olympics... and amazing comeback shows from Blur and the Stone Roses showed the enduring appeal of our best-loved musicians." Hmm, ok Andrew, but what about the new British acts? Well, Emile Sande won best solo artist in another bizarre category featuring Noel Gallagher and Adele, while American soul star Bobby Womack won best album for 'The Bravest Man in the Universe.'

Elsewhere, Dexys Midnight Runners took home the Q Icon Award, Johnny Marr won Q Hero, and The Cribs won the 'Spirit of Independence Award.' Anyone hazard a guess at who won the Q 'Idol' award? Clue: frontman of The Killers. Sigh.

Taylor Swift goes dubstep on ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’? The country music star has always had one foot in the mainstream pop arena but Taylor Swift’s new song is really something else. She’s not the first to dabble in a spot of dubstep, of course; Britney Spears famously did it, with her track ‘Hold It Against Me,’ released last year and more recently, Muse have let elements of the formerly underground dance sound into their music. Dubstep may have originated in Croydon, in the UK but now that Skrillex has popularized the genre Stateside, it seems that everyone wants a piece of the action. Might as well do the whole ‘female singer-songwriter goes dubstep’ thing before Skrillex’s girlfriend Ellie Goulding gets in on the action, eh?

Taylor Swift debuted the track on Good Morning America and introduced the song by saying that it was one of her favorite tracks from the new album Red “It sounds just as chaotic as the feeling was when I wrote it. It’s a song about kind of being frustrated with yourself, because here you are heartbroken, and you knew when you first saw that person, you saw all these red flags and you just went for it anyway.” She doesn’t speak about her new love of dubstep but the production on ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ is undeniable. It basically sounds like classic Swift, but with added ‘whomp’!

Fans will be left wondering if this new direction has got legs, or if Taylor’s going to stick to traditional country ground from now on. And, of course, they will be wondering which of her unlucky exes the song’s about! John Mayer, perchance?

Taylor Swift will soon make her debut at MTV’s EMA 2012 awards. She will join the likes of Muse and No Doubt, who will also perform live and she’s near the top of the list of nominees, having been nominated for no fewer than five awards. Taylor Swift is an MTV favourite but 2012 will mark the first time that she has performed live at the European music awards show. The awards ceremony will be aired from Frankfurt, Germany, on November 11, 2012.

Swift told MTV “I've always wanted to go to the EMA, because you hear about the spectacle of it, and how everyone just goes all out for their performances” and she added “To be nominated for five EMAs was the most exciting feeling, and I was absolutely blown away. I can't wait to be there this year and perform on the show!” The supermodel and TV presenter Heidi Klum will be hosting the event, which will also feature a live performance from No Doubt, who have recently released their sixth studio album Push and Shove. Muse are known for their spectacular live shows, so viewers will surely be in for a treat from the UK rock band, who recently penned the song ‘Survival’ for the London 2012 Olympics.

Rihanna leads the list of nominations, with six nods, with Justin Bieber and Katy Perry both on four apiece.

One Direction almost caused a riot at the iTunes Festival at London’s Roundhouse on Thursday evening (September 20, 2012) just by, err, being there. The Press Association reports how fans “squealed and cried” as the boy-band took time out from their set to answer ‘Twitter questions’. Some of their answers were inaudible due to the high pitched din that enveloped the historic venue.

The question-and-answer session was an intriguing affair; for example, we found out that Zayn things Harry is sexy, and that Liam thinks Niall is cute. Oh wait, and Louis thinks Zayn is kind! Anyway, after that, the audience were treated to a blistering set from the group, who performed some of their biggest hits – You Don’t Know You’re Beautful, One Thing and Moments – as well as some of the tracks they performed while on The X Factor. Their cover of Kings Of Leon’s ‘Use Somebody’ went down a storm, as did The Zutons’ ‘Valerie’ and The Black Eyed Peas’ ‘I Gotta Feeling’. It’s safe to say One Direction have been one of Simon Cowell’s biggest success stories, topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic and selling out huge venues with ease. Addressing the band’s storming success across the pond, Louis (who said Zayn was nice, remember!), told fans, “We have spent time outside of the UK and it is incredible to be back in London.”

The iTunes Festival continues throughout the month with Muse, Alicia Keys and Lana Del Rey set to perform, though Contactmusic.com recommends checking out Willie Mason (24th) and Hot Chip (29th).

Frank Ocean’s appearance on Saturday Night Live and the release of his new video for Pyramids made for a busy weekend, reports MTV News.

The critically acclaimed singer songwriter took the stage on Saturday Night Live for the premiere of its 38th season. Introduced by Family Guy creator, Seth McFarlane, the Odd Future member trilled out his high-pitch hit ‘Thinkin Bout You’ under a lone spotlight on a retro stage, with vintage arcade machines scattered in the background. The lights shifted to reveal co-star on the show, John Mayer on guitar, who managed to get a solo performance in when Ocean returned to the stage to perform his song Pyramids. It was a bite size version of the track, as the album version runs for nearly 10 minutes, but it was still an impressive performance. The background arcade machines were utilised when Frank left to twiddle his thumbs on the joysticks, whilst Mayer did some of his own thumb twiddling on the guitar. A video for Pyramids was also in the offing for Ocean’s busy weekend, and MTV described it as a “dark, druggy thing that doesn't provide any answers; instead, it only poses more questions about the mercurial star.”

Overall it was a successful return for SNL, which will welcome Joseph Gordon-Levitt to present the next episode on September 22nd, with Mumford And Sons, Daniel Craig and Muse next in line on October 6th.

Rihanna has received 6 nominations for the MTV Europe Music Awards; more than any other act, reports The Telegraph. Muse, Coldplay and One Direction also pick up nominations.

The 24-year Barbadian star has been shortlisted for the awards for best song, best video, best female, best pop, biggest fans, and best look. Both ‘best song’ and ‘best video’ were for the same song, ‘We Found Love’ and ‘best look’ is a brand new category. She is up against Taylor Swift in the female, pop and look sections, whilst Swift was also nominated for best live and best world stage act. Other acts to be recognised, or at least they hope so, are Lana Del Rey, Nicki Minaj, Jay Z and Kanye West, all of which garnered three nominations each. Lady GaGa dominated last year's awards - held in Belfast - coming away with four awards and performing ‘Marry the Night’. This year she is also nominated for three categories.

Given the name of the awards, one would be forgiven for thinking that European acts are the most prominent, but it’s the Americans that continue to dominate year after year, and despite being held in Germany this year, that trend is set to continue. Great Britain represents the biggest European contingent with Muse Coldplay, Rita Ora, One Direction, Florence and the Machine, and M.I.A all hopeful to take home an award come November 11, 2012.