The Official Charts Company has announced that Bastille’s single 'Pompeii' is currently the most streamed track of all time in the UK, racking up over 26.6 million plays. UMPG also holds a publishing share on five more tracks within the Top 10 Most Streamed Songs Of All Time list including 'Wake Me Up' by Avicii, co-written by Micheal Einziger, Pharrell Williams’ single 'Happy', 'Blurred Lines' by Robin Thicke, 'Radioactive' by Imagine Dragons, co-written by Alex Da Kid, and Clean Bandits' 'Rather Be', co-written by Jimmy Napes.

Klaxons are back with their third studio ‘Love Frequency’, released through Akashic Rekords/Sony today. Featuring the tracks ‘There Is No Other Time’, ‘Show Me A Miracle’, ‘Children Of The Sun’ and ‘Atom By Atom’ this new release sees Klaxons return to their euphoric, electro post-punk best.

Legendary Modfather Paul Weller returns with his new ‘best of’ compilation ‘More Modern Classics’, released on Virgin Records this week. ‘More Modern Classics’ is the long awaited follow up to 1998’s ‘Modern Classics’ which showcased the first part of Weller’s highly successful solo career. The new 21 track LP features songs taken from Weller’s solo albums in over the last 15 years, including 'From The Floorboards Up', 'That Dangerous Age' and newest single ‘Brand New Toy’– released for 2014’s Record Store Day.

Four Universal Music Publishing artists took home Ivor Novello awards yesterday. James Blake topped the Best Contemporary Song category with his single ‘Retrograde’ whilst The Chemical Brothers won the award for Outstanding Song Collection. Mumford & Sons picked up the prize for International Achievement and the legendary Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award.

 

The mighty Coldplay return to centre stage with their sixth studio album 'Ghost Stories', released through Parlophone today. Featuring the singles 'Magic' and 'A Sky Full of Stars', 'Ghost Stories' sees Coldplay step back from the blazing energy of 2011's chart topping 'Mylo Xyloto'. Instead this new release takes an introspective turn with Chris Martin's trademark emotive vocal delivery overlaying a more atmospheric backdrop.

UMPG writer Danger Mouse has co-written and produced The Black Keys’ eighth studio album ‘Turn Blue’, which was released through Nonesuch Records this week.

The album, featuring critically acclaimed single ‘Fever’, was recorded at Sunset Sound in Hollywood during the summer of 2013, with additional recording done at the Key Club in Benton Harbor, Michigan and guitarist Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound in Nashville in early 2014.

Described by Clash Magazine as ‘unsurprisingly monstrous’ fusing ‘tenacious funk with serrated Neil Young-like guitars’, ‘Turn Blue’ is the follow up to The Black Keys' Grammy Award winning ‘El Camino’ (2011) – which was also co-written and produced by Danger Mouse.

Lily Allen has topped the UK album charts with her third studio album ‘Sheezus’, released on Regal. Lily returned to the studio last year following a three year hiatus, and shot to the top of the UK singles chart with her cover of Keane’s ‘Somewhere Only We Know’, whilst new single ‘Hard Out Here’ also charted in the Top 10 that same week.

To celebrate 20 years since Britpop stormed the charts, we’ve put together two Britpop themed playlists celebrating the best UMPG published artists and writers across the genre. Elsewhere, the UK’s music media have been exploring Britpop’s musical heritage with a series of programs and features, including BBC6 Music, who asked listeners to vote for their favourite Britpop anthem - Pulp’s ‘Disco 2000’ came out on top.

Artists and writers signed to Universal Music Publishing have received  8 nominations for the 59th Ivor Novello awards. Disclosure, Everything Everything, James Blake, James Napier, Laura Mvula, Olly Murs, Palma Violets, Steve Booker and Steven Price are amongst the artists and writers in the running.

Kelis releases her sixth studio album ‘Food’ today through Ninja Tune. As the title suggests, the new album pays homage to her passion for gastronomy (Kelis is now a qualified chef) with lip smacking tracks named ‘Jerk Ribs’, ‘Friday Fish Fry’, ‘Biscuits N’ Gravy’ and ‘Cobbler’.