A developing theme in new music sees artists navigating the fine line between criticism and complicity - and revelling in the contradictions.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The UK’s culture secretary is a ‘Star Trek’ fan who wants the arts to be ‘accessible to everyone’ - while the filmmakers of the defiantly highbrow ‘Life May Be’ remind us that there are merits in other ambitions.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

By focusing on the personal rather than the political, Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski created a quietly subversive masterpiece, Peter Aspden says  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Here today, washed-up tomorrow: that’s supposed to be the career trajectory for musicians in the pop age. But, as two recent projects show, great artists will always find ways to keep their signature work fresh and relevant  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In lending one of its Parthenon sculptures to Russia, the British Museum has provoked Greece and exposed the hollowness of so-called ‘cultural diplomacy’  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Aspden visits the basement treasure-house where recordings of Florence Nightingale, 1940s electronica and other rarities are stored alongside some equally exotic audio technology  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Belgian artist has been found guilty of plagiarism. But intellectual property law is a poor fit with contemporary art's mash-ups, multiples and reworkings, says the FT's arts editor  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From a heavy metal hit to its use in the Abu Ghraib tortures, Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’ strikes some sinister chords with Ludovic Hunter-Tilney. Credit: Elektra  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

David Honigmann on the Louis Armstrong blues song that inspired a poem by WH Auden and recordings by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and others.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Herbie Hancock's soul jazz classic 'Watermelon Man' originally drew on his 1940s Chicago childhood but went on to be given funk, disco, ska, pop and hip-hop makeovers, says Mike Hobart. Credits: Roslin Records, Columbia/Legacy, Salt & Pepper, History Of RnB Records  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“I had to phone someone so I picked on you-hoo-hoo”: David Cheal on the song that gave David Bowie his breathrough moment. Credits: Parlophone UK, RCA Records, EMI Records  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jan Dalley tells the story of the aria that united opera and football fans alike in a strange example of the power of posh music. Credits: ZYX Music, Naxos, Monument, Arista.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This year’s carol was specially commissioned by the FT with the help of Nicola Clase, Sweden’s ambassador to the UK. Jane Owen talks to Clase about the piece, which was composed by Johan Hugosson and features lyrics adapted from medieval Scandinavian rune poems. It is sung by the choir of Stockholms Musikgymnasium conducted by Bengt Ollen.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How did a dirge-like song about a serial killer written by a Marxist playwright and a left-wing composer become a swinging jazz classic and global commercial success? David Cheal follows a trail not yet gone cold. Credits: Naxos; Decca Music Group Ltd; Not Now Music; Delta  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

"Lady Marmalade" began life as a sleazy soul anthem by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan before being funked up by Labelle, given an R&B twist by Sheila E and overlaid with cheesy rap for the film "Moulin Rouge". Ian McCann charts its evolution. Credit: Epic, 20th Century Records, Fania, Warner Bros., Polydor Associated Labels  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How did Bill Withers' little blues inspire a 1990s R&B hit and a Simon Cowell-produced football anthem? Ian McCann charts its history. Credit: Columbia, Legacy, Sony, Ministry of Sound, Syco  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How is music streaming changing the experience of listeners? Are the algorithms that guide us through this new world an adequate replacement for DJs, critics and knowledgable record shop owners? Could endless choice paradoxically be making us more conservative in our tastes? Lorien Kite discusses these questions with Spotify's Will Page and FT pop critic Ludovic Hunter-Tilney.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The grand hymn of redemption took a long path to its current stature in American spirituality, from John Newton’s original lyric to the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Ian McCann follows its turbulent history. Credits: Rhino Atlantic, Marathon, Ameritz Music, Bandleader Recordings, UMC  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bob Dylan’s cryptic number is one of the signature songs of the 1960s, signalling a shift in his career. It helped launch The Byrds to stardom and was pivotal in the development of indie rock. Richard Clayton follows its history. Credits: Columbia, Legacy, Spectrum, Naxos  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Greg Lake died this week, and this track remains an enduring Christmas classic. Credit: Syco Music, Universal, Decca, Symphonia  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From Bob Dylan to Adele, the song that was first called 'a spare ballad undermined by greetingcard lyrics' is now a karaoke tearjerker. FT pop writers David Cheal and Helen Brown debate the origins, meanings and cover versions of 'Make You Feel My Love'.

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What makes a good Christmas song? Should it be cheesy or serious? And why do millennials love them? 

FT pop writers discuss festive classics old and new - from carols to Mariah Carey, Greg Lake to Phil Spector, Sufjan Stevens to Run-DMC. Plus, which 2017's best Christmas song: Gwen Stefani's 'You Make it Feel Like Christmas' or Sia's 'Santa's Coming for Us'?

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Social distancing curbs mean August vote cannot be held, says electoral commission

Ruling sets precedent in continent where poorest fear cure could be worse than the disease

2019 has been a bumper year for bad investments - the unravelling of Neil Woodford's investment empire has left many nursing heavy losses, others have lost money in mini bonds or have money trapped in property funds. Presenter Claer Barrett talks to experts about what people should do if their investments haven't worked. Plus, as we enter the season of goodwill we tell listeners how to talk to their family about money.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Student debt in the US is crippling millions of Americans. Last year the amount students owed came to a total of $1.6tn - that's 8 per cent of the country's national income. This week we hear from one of the 45m students paying back debts to the government. FT Money Show presenter Lucy Warwick-Ching talks to FT reporter Alice Kantor about why university is so expensive in the US compared to the UK and whether there is anything that can be done about it.

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join our campaign for clear pension charges - FT Money has been exploring the impossibility of comparing the costs of drawdown plans. The FT is calling on the pensions and advise industry to be transparent about charges to help people to shop around. In this week's show, FT Money Show presenter Claer Barrett interviews o the FT's pensions expert about our campaign. Next up, the spread of the coronavirus has given world stock markets a nasty turn - FT Moneys' new investment reporter, Madison Darbyshire, talks about how investors are reacting. And finally, to cheer listeners up a bit - James Max, our Rich People's Problems columnist is here to discuss a burning issue - the government's proposed ban on coal fires. 

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's been a week of shock and awe for UK investors. Wednesday started with an emergency interest rate cut from the BoE. New chancellor Rishi Sunak then delivered a Budget full of emergency "first aid" measures to help workers, the self employed and small businesses survive the crisis - and some very unexpected news for wealthy pension savers. And in the meantime - stock markets around the world continue to experience deep falls as central banks work out how to respond to the coronavirus.

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Century-old agriculture lender is latest state group in need of government support

Five-week shutdown to be eased stage by stage according to a series of rolling levels  

Pandemic could set back the fight against malaria by 20 years, with Africa hit worst

Local drug research and joined-up thinking are needed to deliver results on the ground

Continent has limited confirmed virus fatalities but experts warn it is too early to draw conclusions

Use of community health workers to identify cases draws heavily on experience battling tuberculosis and HIV

Putting women on boards was just the first step

Artisans provide antidote to today’s frenzied lifestyle

Olga Zoutendijk’s appointment as chair of ABN Amro is a landmark, and the bank is better for it

From Muscat to Madeira, the best — and best-value — tipples for the festive season

Producers have made impressive progress in a country where consumption per capita is heroic

High Court rules some allegations against Associated Newspapers should be struck out

Couples share how they divide their incomes and outgoings — and joint accounts are falling out of favour

Savvy shoppers game the system to collect the maximum amount of points

Smart speakers don’t yet have the skills to

The next government should meddle less and encourage more of us to save

Readers say they fall between the cracks of government support schemes

The investigative journalist on #MeToo and the perils of taking on the powerful

The Russian billionaire on working with Putin, his Premier League plans and making a fortune in the 1990s

Her gene-editing tool could cure disease and change the human race. But what happens if it falls into the wrong hands?

US liberals’ favourite TV host on polarisation, the primaries and staying sane

The South Carolina congressman on Trump, Michael Moore — and the ‘bombastic’ Bernie bros