Sarah Collins
Sarah came up through Nottingham's rock and indie scene, working the door and the merch stall before she ever wrote a word about it. That view from behind the scenes taught her how the machinery of live music really works. She writes about bands, live music and the culture around it.
The Complete Guide to Itunes Chart Dance
The iTunes chart for dance music reflects genuine purchasing decisions, offering insight into what listeners value and what commercial success looks like in electronic music.
The Best Blues Music Artists to Know
This is the tradition's real cast list — the names that shaped Delta, Piedmont, Chicago and electric guitar blues, one region at a time.
The Best Thrash Metal Artists to Know
Everyone knows the Big Four. Here's the fuller list — the bands who did just as much heavy lifting and rarely get the same credit.
Flamenco Subgenres, Explained
A plain-English map of flamenco's subgenres, or palos, from the gentle entry points to the ones worth saving for later.
The Best Soundtrack Artists to Know
No padding, no guesswork — just the composers who genuinely built this genre, from the old Hollywood guard to today's hybrid hitmakers.
The Best Latin Music Artists to Know
You can read about clave patterns and Grammy categories all day, but genres only really click once you attach real names and voices to them.
Acid House Subgenres, Explained
Acid house didn't stay one fixed sound — here's how to tell its original Chicago form apart from acid techno, UK rave, deep house and the styles it went on to influence.
The Complete Guide to Bollywood Music
Bollywood music is far more than background accompaniment—it is the beating heart of Indian popular culture and one of the world's most influential film music traditions.
Hard Rock Subgenres, Explained
Hard rock has never been a single thing — here's a clear map of its major branches, from heavy metal and glam to grunge and post-grunge.
The History of New Wave
No single band or city started it, and it didn't die so much as splinter. Here's the ten-year arc, told straight, from CBGB to the mid-80s comedown.
Progressive Metal Subgenres, Explained
The genre covers a wide range of approaches. Understanding the subgenres helps explain why listeners respond so differently to bands that carry the same label.
The History of Darkwave
Darkwave accumulated slowly over a decade of post-punk experimentation, independent label-building, and underground communities on three continents. Here is the full story.
Shoegaze Subgenres, Explained
The word gets thrown around loosely these days. Here's an honest breakdown of classic shoegaze and everything that's since branched off from it.
The Best Vaporwave Artists to Know
Vaporwave doesn't really have front-of-stage stars, but a handful of pseudonymous producers built the sound almost single-handedly. Here's who to know.
Ambient Music Subgenres, Explained
Call it “ambient” and you've said less than it sounds like — here's how the genre's main branches actually differ from each other.
Essential Fado Albums Explained
There's no agreed top-ten list. Here's a straight, honest route through the records that actually matter, and how to build a collection properly.
The Best R&b Music Artists to Know
A genre this old has too many names to rank fairly. Here's the roll call of R&B artists who built and rebuilt the sound, from the 1940s founders to today's contemporary wave.
Prog Rock Subgenres, Explained
Symphonic, Canterbury, avant, neo, metal, modern — a plain-English guide to the prog rock subgenres and who to check out in each.
Trance Music Subgenres, Explained
Trance isn't one sound, and anyone who tells you otherwise hasn't listened to enough of it. Here's an honest breakdown of how the subgenres differ.
The History of G Funk
G funk arrived in a single album in 1992 and transformed West Coast hip-hop overnight. Here's how the style emerged, peaked and left a lasting mark on music.
Headphone Reviews: What You Need to Know
A proper headphone review should tell you what you're actually getting and whether it suits what you actually do—not just whether one graph looks nicer than another.
The Best Phonk Artists to Know
Behind the cowbells and distorted bass are real people who built this scene. Here are the phonk artists worth knowing, and where each one fits in.
The Best Dancehall Artists to Know
It's always been a scene of rivals, mentors and successors. Here's an honest look at the artists who actually shaped dancehall, era by era.
Dubstep Subgenres, Explained
A no-nonsense breakdown of dubstep's family tree, from the original deep sound to brostep, riddim and melodic dubstep.
What Sarah Collins covers
Country Music
Country music combines storytelling lyrics, melodic hooks and acoustic-led band arrangements.
1 topic
Cover Songs
Practical music gear for rehearsal, gigging and storage, with reliable options for artists and bands.
Fender Jazz Bass
Fender jazz bass models deliver comfort, clarity and versatile low-end tone for rehearsals, recording and live gigs.
1 topic
Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine-inspired instruments and production gear for expressive songwriting, layered sound and dynamic...
Grunge
Grunge blends heavy guitars, raw vocals and dynamic songwriting for an intense, unpolished rock sound.
14 topics
Heavy Metal
Heavy metal combines powerful riffs, heavy drums and dramatic vocals for a loud, precise rock sound.
2 topics
House Music
House music delivers steady club rhythms, soulful grooves and adaptable electronic production for DJs and producers.
Metal Hammer
News, interviews and reviews for heavy music fans, covering metal releases, live shows and the wider scene.
