‘Medical treatment may be advisable’: The British Elvis Presley Cliff Richard’s role in the story of punk

The British Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, has been a national treasure for 60 years. But back in the 1950s, he had a dirty guitar sound and caused moral outrage, playing a role in the labyrinthine story of punk.

By David Rea

7 February 2026

THE WEEKLY MIX

O

7 RIFFS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

‘That human connection of fingers on strings’: 7 riffs that changed my life with The Red Tack

The Red Tack on how a Kiss riff made him take up the guitar, how the Runaways showed up his blind spot and why Keith Richards’ guitar style is impossible to copy.

7 February 2026

O

RECORD COLLECTORS

7 records I’d save in a fire

Jon Wicker from The Digital Gramophone on how Uncle Tupelo changed his life, the vast record collection he was gifted and the sealed record he will never open.

O

RANKING

Best albums of 2025

Including the genres Americana, Britpop, singer-songwriter and R&B, and circling the globe from Australia to the Isle of Wight, here is State of Sound’s top 10 albums of 2025.

O

FEATURE

How The Jam wrote Town Called Malice

EXTRACT: Perhaps it began here: The Jam hitting that famous Motown groove during an improvisation session, twirls of cigarette smoke rising from ashtrays, smiles appearing on lips.

O

ALBUM REVIEW

The Demise Of Planet X, Sleaford Mods

Following a change to their creative relationship, this is not only Sleaford Mods’ most ambitious album to date, it is their best.

REVIEWS

Independent opinion, informed criticism

ALBUM REVIEW

Wasted On Youth

The Molotovs

The sibling duo might not wear their influences lightly, but their debut album is an adrenaline shot of youthful optimism.

by David Rea

28 January 2026

Emerge, Return

The Bookshop Band

The Resurrection Game

Emma Swift

All is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade

Robyn Hitchcock at the EartH theatre in London.

WATCH NOW

Watch the official video for Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy’s new single, ‘They Keep Trying To Find You’

The song is the first single released from Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy’s upcoming studio album, We Are Together Again, released on 6 March 2026

7 February 2026

ANNIVERSARY

BOB DYLAN’S DEFIANT VOICE IN HEARTBROKEN AMERICA

A NEW REVIEW OF THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’

17 January 2026

THE DAY OF John F. Kennedy's assassination, Bob Dylan likely watched the news reports come in on television — the grainy images from Dallas, Texas flickering across the 22-year-old’s crestfallen face. CONTINUE READING >>

SACRED 7

The 7 albums, songs and riffs which changed artists’ lives

O

7 RIFFS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

‘That human connection of fingers on strings’: 7 riffs that changed my life with The Red Tack

The Red Tack on how a Kiss riff made him take up the guitar, how the Runaways showed up his blind spot and why Keith Richards’ guitar style is impossible to copy.

7 February 2026

O

RECORD COLLECTORS

Chris Coleman: 7 records I’d save in a fire

Chris Campbell on the record his mother left on his bed when he was a child, the record which always reminds him of his late brother and how his dog got on the cover of one of his favourites.

O

RECORD COLLECTORS

Norman Maslov: 7 records I’d save in a fire

One of YouTube’s most popular record collectors, Norman ‘Mazzy’ Maslov explains the thrill of collecting in the 1960s, how it felt to grow up with the Beatles and why the Kinks always remind him of cheerleaders.

O

7 SONGS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

Sleaford Mods: 7 songs that changed my life

Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson on the importance of vulnerability, his love of Ian Brown's voice and why Kneecap will never outshine the Sex Pistols.

6 December 2025

HOW THEY WROTE THE SONG

‘Places were being decimated’: How The Jam wrote Town Called Malice

By David Rea

31 January 2026

FEATURES

Interviews, opinions, rankings, playlists

A STATE OF SOUND EXCLUSIVE

‘An outpouring of love’: The micro record labels fighting back against AI

As streaming and major labels threaten to push out human creativity, a small band of micro record labels are fighting back, channelling the DIY ethos of punk.

24 January 2026

‘People rate Gravity in their favourite records. There was trepidation’

INTERVIEW

Balloon talks about making their first LP, decades after their sublime debut.

INTERVIEW

The Red Tack: David Bowie’s Diamond Dogs changed everything

The Red Tack on dancing to the rhythm of the washing machine, infiltrating the Boston scene during the time of Dinosaur Jr. and Throwing Muses, and how Diamond Dogs changed his life.

MORE FEATURES

PLAYLISTS

Lovingly curated song collections

O

THE MONTHLY MIXTAPE

Soul Alphabet: The January collection

O

THE MONTHLY MIXTAPE

Tangled: The December collection

O

THE MONTHLY MIXTAPE

Postcard: The November collection

O

THE MONTHLY MIXTAPE

Chrome: The October collection

ESSAYS

Cultural connections, historical perspectives

1960s MUSIC

‘It took a unique kind of courage’: how Son House beat the odds to make a masterpiece

On the 60th anniversary of its original release, we look at how Son House made Father of Folk Blues for white America.

By David Rea

18 October 2025

1980s MUSIC

Live Aid at 40: The story of a punk, a prime minister and a Britain now vanished

The extraordinary story of the Greatest Show on Earth recalls a very different Britain, one which came together to help a faraway African nation. It is difficult to imagine the same thing happening today.

ESSAY

How the Jam invented Britpop’s ethos

Critics couldn't take the Jam seriously at first, claiming they were just a bunch of gimmicks. But their ‘hail your heroes’ ethos was entirely authentic, setting the blueprint for Britpop two decades later.

THE WEEKLY MIX

SACRED 7

PLAYLISTS

ESSAYS

MOST POPULAR

A new issue every Saturday morning…