Long-awaited returns, new albums and tours, festival headliners, fresh faces… here are just 26 reasons to be cheerful in 2026.

YOU CAN LOOK at Dave Mustaine’s career in two ways: as a revenge tour or as a story of perpetual redemption. If Mustaine’s life, which is earmarked by iconic records like 1986’s Peace Sells… But Who’s

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What an incredible 2025 it’s been in the world of prog. This year, we’ve taken a different approach to our Critics’ Choice and instead of printing our writers’ Top 20 lists, we’ve pooled them to create a definitive Top 50 with profile pieces on some of the key players. Did your favourite make the cut? We look forward to reading your thoughts on the results.

There is an omission from Will Farmer’s article on music and motor sport [Pump up the volume, January]. The Radio 1 Fun Day was held at Mallory Park in May 1975 and remains the most bizarre race meeti