15 Step: January

Starting our annual month-by-month review of the year...

Madonna attempted to use Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela in a promo campaign for her new record. Her explanations made it all worse. Meanwhile, Isreali police found time to investigate leaks of Madge tracks.

Dears forced Deers to become Hinds.

James Blunt had a hissy fit when Chris Bryant suggested he might have found it easy being a musician having come from a family wiht a few quid behind it; in US politics, John Boehner tried Taylor Swift gifs to communicate with the public.

Brian Harvey announced he was carrying out his own investigation into child abuse. It's unclear if he started with the Sia video.

Wes out of Puddle of Mudd got "confused" rode a luggage carousel at Denver airport.

Tesco flogged Blinkbox to TalkTalk, and they double-pinky swore it wasn't cursed in any way. Sony finally admitted that Omnifone had been a dead end.

Sarah Brightman planned to go into space, and Michelle Keegan planned to go into pop.

Sam Smith turned up to work for SeaWorld. Australian seaworld, which, as Smith pointed out, doesn't have Orcas. It just imprisons dolphins and polar bears. Didn't hurt him when the Brits shortlist came out. Nor did ripping off Tom Petty, come to that.

The Canadian copyright police turned out to be helping themselves to other people's content.

Together at, um, shall we say last? Rita Ora and Charli XCX.

Splitting: The Black Crowes, Ryan Adams and Mandy Moore

Reforming: Babes In Toyland

Part of 15 Step
February