How did a radio repair man make an instrument so sublime that it makes giants of music weep with reverence? As the Fender Stratocaster turns 70, we explore its extraordinary life

Moving on from his sad-clown antics with a beguiling set of instrumentals and fan faves, strung together by Tom Waitsy banter, DeMarco is a magnetic performer

Billie Eilish, Girl in Red and others have clocked millions of streams from music made at home. Mac DeMarco, Ariel Pink and others explain why we need to embrace this lo-fi recording

Father John Misty’s show-stealing stagecraft crowned a brilliantly curated weekend of rock-adjacent acts – from Parquet Courts’ prickly postpunk to Slowdive’s shoegaze – under Dorset’s starry skies

From Richard Dawson’s medieval Britain to Pixx’s super-contemporary take on pop – plus sharp records by stars such as Kendrick Lamar and Drake – 2017 is already shaping up to be a great musical year