'Someone called me the antichrist': behind the battles for Christmas No 1
Christmas No 1 was once a fiercely fought-over prize. From RATM v Joe McElderry, Slade v Wizzard and George Michael in Wham! v George Michael in Band Aid, winners and losers recall the great festive stand-offs
July 2015
Lost in showbiz
Simon Cowell loves his dogs. But does he love his former contestants as much?
The karaoke Sauron is designing helmets to protect Squiddly and Diddly from seagull attacks. But could he apply the same concern to those who have been through his fame mangle?
May 2013
Lost in showbiz
Beyoncé and Joe McElderry: that duet in full
Witness the moment the singer got together with X Factor's Joe McElderry – if only for a brief, but beautiful, moment
May 2012
Dionne Warwick – review
The pop-soul icon proves a twinkly host in this charity gala, but we could have done with more of her own immaculate back catalogue, writes Ian Gittins
August 2011
Top of the Pops: ex-reality TV stars expected to dominate UK charts
Will Young, Olly Murs and Joe McElderry defy talent show expectations with newfound chart success
December 2010
X Factor's final four could all end up winning recording contracts
Cher Lloyd, One Direction, Rebecca Ferguson and Matt Cardle are fierce rivals for the 2010 title but the victor and the three runners-up could all score lucrative deals
October 2010
My week in pictures
My week in pictures: Joe McElderry
A week in the life of the X Factor winner
Joe McElderry: Wide Awake – review
X Factor champion Joe McElderry drowns in the production glitz of his debut album, writes Hermione Hoby
Joe McElderry: Wide Awake - review
As ever, a male X Factor winner doesn't look like matching the achievements of his female counterparts. By Caroline Sullivan
September 2010
Music blog
Joe McElderry covers Donkeyboy! Er, who?
Let people come out for all our sakes
Gary Nunn
August 2010
The guidelines
How to come out of the closet in the tabloids
When X Factor winner Joe McElderry came out it was textbook in its execution
May 2010
Going Gaga: Rock music sales take back seat to pop
Genre made a healthy comeback last year due to strong chart performances from Lady Gaga, Cheryl Cole and Lily Allen
March 2010
The guidelines
Midweek chart battles
From Mis-Teeq vs Stereophonics to Joe McElderry vs Rage Against The Machine, let's look back at some of history's great midweek chart battles
January 2010
Brit awards shortlist: Florence, Lily, Pixie and Lady Gaga on song
Three nominations each for quartet of female stars – but best-selling Susan Boyle is left out
December 2009
Music blog
Readers' poll 2009: The results!
The votes have been counted and verified and we can now announce that, this year, you lot really did like a bit of Animal Collective
BBC defends 'buy Joe's record' comment after Rage swearing incident
Complaints of pro-X Factor bias to BBC after response to band's swearing in Christmas No 1 battle. By John Plunkett
Estimated 5 million tune in to hear Rage Against the Machine top chart
Rage Against the Machine? Raging within the machine will do for now
Charlie Brooker
Rage Against the Machine beats X Factor's Joe to Christmas No 1
