Perhaps contrary to expectations, the largest demographic for buying country music is working class women, and right from the 1950s Country more than any other genre of popular music has allowed women an assertive and positive role. This has included a tradition of surprisingly robust almost vigilante responses to domestic violence, even the gorgeous but

From bans on songs and leafleting to war against gossipy tabloids, 2011 was a bad year for free speech.

We normally run these Spotify playlists on Sundays, but, as it's Christmas tomorrow, we thought we'd make an exception for Adrian's selection of festive music. Don't forget Pete Hoskin's selection of more recent Christmas songs, from a couple of weeks ago, too. Distilling your Christmas favourites into a succinct playlist is like trying to cram the creator of the universe ...

Sounds Like Freedom; A Christmas Party to Celebrate the Arab Spring Sounds Like Freedom is this year’s Philosophy Football Christmas Party. The evening is a celebration of protest song, verse, street art and football in the year of the Arab Spring. Featuring the brilliant poetry of Lemn Sissay songs from Grace Petrie and Robb Johnson, with

He’s not heavy he’s my brother. After David Cameron embarrassed himself at the EU summit last week, it seems unlikely ‘He’s not heavy he’s my brother’ is one of his favorite songs, as he is clearly the type of chap who regards a friend in need as a bloody nuisance. By turning his back on the Euro zone in its time of need, Cameron has spit upon the future prospec...

Perhaps one of the more unusual performers inspired by the country music scene is Jon Langford, formerly drummer and then guitarist in the Leeds based punk band, the Mekons, and now an older statesman of Chicago’s alternative music scene. Although eccentric I did enjoy his collection of songs about capital punishment, the Executioner’s Last Song, recorded

Members accused each other of anti-Semitism and debauchery.

Brilliant, if you like this sort of thing! As well as Hank Jr and George Jones, we can see Bill Anderson and Hank Sr’s widow, Audrey; all singing Hank Williams Sr’s 1948 gospel hit. George Jones himself was an extraordinary conveyor of such heartfelt spiritual songs, and I strongly recommend his album Country Church Time, but

Judges on new programme have a hard act to distil the past 40 years of fine songs down to just 60 tracks.

Songs like the ‘Runway Song’ about the Munich air crash are in bad taste, but we don’t need censorship on the terraces.