A year is a long time to wait in the music industry; like the interminable wait for morning as Christmas Eve slowly ticks by. So there were plenty of people in attendance at Sydney’s Brighton Up Bar keen to finally see local artist Eleanor Dunlop launch her new self-titled EP, having waited a year since its recording, not least Dunlop herself.

You can love her or hate her, but when Lana del Rey makes waves we're all going to get a little bit wet. Her genius for making yesterday's sounds feel completely new is in full play on "West Coast", which is another sumptuous and emotionally conflicted ballad from the gangster Nancy Sinatra. Though it's the first cut from her upcoming Ultraviolence, the record doesn't yet have a release date; she's keeping us hanging on that one.

Top Dawg Entertainment have released a new song by soulful emcee Ab Soul entitled "Tree of Life." The breezy production circles around classic hip-hop beat with an undeniable 90's flavour; Ab-Soul shows all sides of his versatile style with witty wordplay.

Your mum is a special person and she deserves to be celebrated. Sometimes though, it can be hard to pick the right way to celebrate her. We’ve compiled a list of delicious dining experiences that are sure to impress, as well as a couple of unique gift ideas and some recipes just in case you want to give her mother’s day meal a personal touch.

Day Three. The halfway point. A chicken wrap and a chorizo stick down and I’m ready to go again, dropping by the Crossroads stage, where Lime Cordiale are already in the midst of their Saturday Bluesfest set. The Sydneysiders, who I’d last seen play in Austin, have only gotten better over the last few years and seeing them on a stage this big was a great way to open the day.

Byron Bay Bluesfest favourites John Butler Trio packed out the Mojo Stage for their set tonight. Photos by Johnny Au.

Dave Matthews Band returns to Byron Bay Bluesfest and headlines Day 3 of the festival. An incredible set left many to wonder if that was the best show Dave Matthews Band has ever performed in Australia. Photos by Johnny Au.

From Grace Potter to Dr. John and Elvis Costello, Byron Bay isn't the only place to see the legends and finest up-and-coming artists this weekend. The Deni Blues and Roots Festival is happening in Deniliquin, NSW, near the Victorian Border. Our writer Lachlan Mitchell is there and brings us these five highlights from his first day:

The surprises kept on coming for the 25th anniversary of the annual Byron Bluesfest tonight, with guest appearances, surprise busking sets and more carrying on throughout the day.

In This Issue: Sheppard top the ARIA charts, Chugg adds a trophy to his cabinet and APRA/AMCOS begin their hunt for song of the year...

A lot has happened since the Pixies last released an album. Kurt Cobain died. The Berlin Wall came down. A prince was born but the People’s Princess and the King of Pop passed. Kids traded in their cassettes for iPods and Apple Inc. became a force to be reckoned with. North Korea made several (mind you, fruitless) threats of mass destruction and Australia finally said sorry. Contrary to what their devoted fans would like to believe, the Pixies have also suffered from the inevitable effects of time and this is eminently apparent on Indie Cindy, their first album since 1991’s Trompe Le Monde.

Jake Bugg drew an impressive crowd for his first of two weeknight shows on his second visit to Australia. Frequently labelled as the next Bob Dylan, Bugg has quickly harnessed a cult following for his music that fuses folk with modern rock influences, recently earning him a Brit Award nomination for Best Male Solo Artist.

UK artist Jake Bugg, The Creases, and The Growl put on an excellent concert at Melbourne's Palace Theatre, with all three acts ensuring fans walked away completely satisfied. Perri Cassie was in attendance and brings you these images, snapped for the AU.

Sydney’s Bluejuice are a truly unparalleled outfit: they’ve created a unique style of music, and completely owned it. Even in a relatively unconventional venue, The Star’s Rock Lily, Bluejuice brought the party to Good Friday Eve with their enthusiasm and extreme talent.

The quite brilliant line-up of Morcheeba and Jurassic 5's Chali 2na took to the small stage at Sydney's Metro Theatre for a crowd-pleasing show. Evelyn Tjia was on hand to bring you these images snapped for the AU.