PUNK AT 50Sex, porn star names and teenage violence: the story of punk's origins in the 1950sAs punk celebrates its 50th anniversary, David Rea explores its tangled beginnings in 1950s rock 'n' roll: its sexually suggestive lyrics, dirty guitar sound and a very British version of Elvis Presley.Photo: WS Collection / Alamy Stock Photo17 July 2026 EDITOR’S PICKS THE ANATOMY OF A SONGA very British take on an American Odyssey: David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ revisitedDavid Bowie’s first great song appeared to undermine the ideals of NASA’s moon landings, but it said much more about David Bowie’s ‘inner space’ at the end of the 1960s. ALBUM REVIEWGraham Coxon, Castle ParkExploring adolescent romance and the passing of time, the album teems with Coxon’s familiar pop charms and is one of the strongest entries into his solo discography. MUSEUM OF YOUTH CULTUREA short history of youth culture in 10 iconic photos: punks, mods, ravers & more! The Museum of Youth Culture’s extensive collection includes countless iconic photographs, amassed over three decades of archive building. Celebrating mods, punks, breakdancers, ravers and everyone in between, these images capture the vibrancy of youth cultures across the decades. MAKING A MASTERPIECE‘I pictured the Soft Boys as bloodless, spectral entities’: how the Soft Boys made Underwater MoonlightMade in a grey and broken Britain, the Soft Boys’ Underwater Moonlight refracted sparkling 1960s power pop, providing a foundational text for 1980s neo-psychedelia and alt-rock.by David Rea3 July 2026 FEATURES THE ‘ONE TO WATCH’ INTERVIEWLuke James Williams: ‘I remember being 7 and proudly proclaiming I wanted the new Metallica album for Christmas!’Luke James Williams on the music that made him, getting support from BBC6 Music and watching Sufjan Stevens give a PowerPoint presentation.Photo: Julain Eales17 July 2026 NEIL YOUNG‘I don’t care if it’s out of tune’: Neil Young’s Tonight’s the Night in the age of machinesIn an era of confected studio production, Neil Young recorded Tonight’s the Night, one of the rawest and most desolate albums ever made. David Rea explores the live recording philosophy behind the masterpiece and how it might soon be seen as the AI revolution takes hold. FROM THE ARCHIVES‘I’m going to kill you tonight’: how they wrote Candi Staton’s ‘Young Hearts Run Free’It began when Candi Staton’s partner threatened to shoot her and ended with a rallying cry for women everywhere. MAKING A MASTERPIECE‘Like a long dead ghost trying to make contact’: how Wilco made Yankee Hotel FoxtrotInvolving Cold War spy recordings, drug addiction and music industry landmarks, Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot has been called a fable and a masterpiece. David Rea does a deep dive into the plots and subplots which created the band’s greatest album. ALL FEATURES RANKINGNeil Young’s greatest albums ranked and reviewed! 1968-1975From his pristine eponymous debut through to the first post-’ditch’ record, Zuma, 1968-1975 forms the first great era of Neil Young’s discography. Read our ranking from 8-1.Photo: Gijsbert Hanekroot / Alamy3 July 2026 STATE OF SOUNDYour Backstage Pass to Music HistoryFounded & Edited by David ReaState of Sound provides the best in-depth coverage of music history. Travel back in time to groundbreaking eras and scenes. Get closer to iconic music and the trailblazers who made it. Claim your backstage pass to music history now by signing up for our free newsletter. Sign up for our free newsletter, Get exclusive contentGet all the latest from State of Sound delivered straight to your inbox. Only newsletter subscribers receive our Muso Playlists and Hidden Classic recommendations. Email Address Sign Up We respect your privacy. Thank you! Photo: Bob Dylan; credit: Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy MAKING A MASTERPIECE‘They all wanted to be the front man’: how the Stone Roses made their classic debut albumBeginning with shambolic preproduction, driven by a puritanical work ethic and featuring last-minute moments of inspiration, David Rea explores the novelistic story behind The Stone Roses’ classic debut album.16 May 2026 REVIEWS ALBUM REVIEWCastle ParkGraham CoxonExploring adolescent romance and the passing of time, the album teems with Coxon’s familiar pop charms and is one of the strongest entries into his solo discography.by David Rea27 June 2026 NEW RELEASEJohn Lennon Love (Meditation Mixes) ALBUM REVIEWThe Demise of Planet XSleaford Mods ALBUM REVIEWThe Former Site OfThe New Pornographers ALBUM REVIEWWasted on YouthThe Molotovs ALBUM REVIEWAll is Love and Pain in the Mouse ParadeOf Monsters and Men ALL REVIEWS RANKINGThe 10 greatest alt-country albums, reviewed and ranked!Alt-country has always given the polished twang of mainstream country a roughened edge, drawing from the countercultural snarl of punk, the kooky charms of indie pop, rockabilly, bluegrass or Southern rock. Here is our ranking of the greatest alt-country albums, from No. 10 to No. 1.Image: James Lee / Unsplash16 May 2026
