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Ian McCann

A music journalist, columnist and editor, Ian McCann has written for NME, Financial Times, Record Collector and Potato Digest, and was a reporter for a Radio 1 programme for several years, which happened by accident. He has written jokes for comedy shows, spent several years on the news desk at the Independent, and won a national award for Headline Of The Month. He enjoys music you can dance or swoon to, anything with soul, and the less pretentious regions of rock’n’roll. His record player is registered at the UN as a weapon of mass destruction.

Articles by Ian McCann

‘Power’: How Ice-T Blasted Gangsta Rap Into The World

In Depth

‘Power’: How Ice-T Blasted Gangsta Rap Into The World

Critical in establishing gangsta rap, Ice-T’s second album, ‘Power’, remains a force of West Coast hip-hop.

Best Sugar Hill Records Songs: 10 Classics From The Label That Built Hip-Hop

List & Guides

Best Sugar Hill Records Songs: 10 Classics From The Label That Built Hip-Hop

Introducing hip-hop to the mainstream, the best Sugar Hill Records songs proved rap could sell, and they still get the party started today.

Hip-Hop History: From Golden Age To Digital Age, And The Rappers Who Led The Way

In Depth

Hip-Hop History: From Golden Age To Digital Age, And The Rappers Who Led The Way

Hip-hop history is as twisted as DNA. From its rise in the Bronx to its future online, it has been a vital force for half a century.

Summer Holiday: The Story Behind Cliff Richard’s Shining Hit Song

In Depth

Summer Holiday: The Story Behind Cliff Richard’s Shining Hit Song

Released at the peak of his fame, Cliff Richard's Summer Holiday is a classic pop song that’s no mere romantic fling - it lasts forever.

‘Sweet Soul Music’: Arthur Conley’s Taste Of Sweet Soul Success

In Depth

‘Sweet Soul Music’: Arthur Conley’s Taste Of Sweet Soul Success

Recorded with Otis Redding’s guiding hand, Arthur Conley’s ‘Sweet Soul Music’ album was an all too brief entrée from a shoula-been soul icon.

How Ray Charles’ Genius Debut Album Birthed Soul Music

In Depth

How Ray Charles’ Genius Debut Album Birthed Soul Music

Ray Charles’ self-titled debut album may not have delivered the bundle of joy singlehanded, but it represents the birth of soul music.

‘The Exciting Wilson Pickett’: An Explosive Southern Soul Album

In Depth

‘The Exciting Wilson Pickett’: An Explosive Southern Soul Album

Stuffed with killer soul songs, ‘The Exciting Wilson Pickett’ was a perfectly named album from the ‘Wicked’ soul icon.

‘Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul’: Behind The Timeless Masterpiece

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‘Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul’: Behind The Timeless Masterpiece

Some albums are stuck in time. Some don’t fit any time. A few suit their era yet transcend it. Such is ‘Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul’.

Best Atlantic Records Soul Albums: 20 Thrillers From The Home Of Soul

List & Guides

Best Atlantic Records Soul Albums: 20 Thrillers From The Home Of Soul

The best Atlantic Records soul albums not only invented soul music, they shaped it over decades, making history with each new record.

Working My Way Back To You: The Story Behind The Classic Pop-Soul Song

In Depth

Working My Way Back To You: The Story Behind The Classic Pop-Soul Song

Turned into a hit by both The Four Seasons and Spinners, Working My Way Back To You is a pop-soul classic that keeps on returning.