Michael Cragg
@mcragg.bsky.social
Journalist. Author (Reach For The Stars). Tall person. Currently finishing a book about Kylie (Minogue, obvs) for Faber, due out in 2026
Tried listening to a celebrity podcast but the constant "what I love about you" chat made me want to disconnect the internet forever
November 18, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Tried listening to a celebrity podcast but the constant "what I love about you" chat made me want to disconnect the internet forever
I interviewed Russell Tovey for the cover of today’s G2. Features a bit where we compare gay sex to the Harvester salad cart 🥗
Russell Tovey on pride, sexual power and politics: ‘The Green party slogan – make hope normal again – is what we need’
Russell Tovey on pride, sexual power and politics: ‘The Green party slogan – make hope normal again – is what we need’
One of the most prolific and popular actors of his generation, he reflects on therapy, homophobia, why he suspects now is the worst time in history for trans people, and his secret life as a geek
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 10:09 AM
I interviewed Russell Tovey for the cover of today’s G2. Features a bit where we compare gay sex to the Harvester salad cart 🥗
Reposted by Michael Cragg
Why was Robbie Williams fired from Take That? @msmirandasawyer.bsky.social and @mcragg.bsky.social discuss why The Bad Boy of Pop, Robbie Williams was fired from Take That in 1995.
Full discussion here 👉 linktr.ee/talk90stome
#RobbieWilliams #TakeThat #boybands #Glastonbury #90s
Full discussion here 👉 linktr.ee/talk90stome
#RobbieWilliams #TakeThat #boybands #Glastonbury #90s
November 15, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Why was Robbie Williams fired from Take That? @msmirandasawyer.bsky.social and @mcragg.bsky.social discuss why The Bad Boy of Pop, Robbie Williams was fired from Take That in 1995.
Full discussion here 👉 linktr.ee/talk90stome
#RobbieWilliams #TakeThat #boybands #Glastonbury #90s
Full discussion here 👉 linktr.ee/talk90stome
#RobbieWilliams #TakeThat #boybands #Glastonbury #90s
Happy Robyn-finally-releasing-new-music day to all who celebrate
November 12, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Happy Robyn-finally-releasing-new-music day to all who celebrate
Reposted by Michael Cragg
🚨ICYMI🚨 This week @mcragg.bsky.social & @msmirandasawyer.bsky.social are talking about all the boy bands that took over the world in the ’90s. From Take That to Westlife. Listen now 👉 linktr.ee/talk90stome
#boybands #takethat #westlife #robbiewilliams #garybarlow #90s
#boybands #takethat #westlife #robbiewilliams #garybarlow #90s
November 12, 2025 at 7:00 AM
🚨ICYMI🚨 This week @mcragg.bsky.social & @msmirandasawyer.bsky.social are talking about all the boy bands that took over the world in the ’90s. From Take That to Westlife. Listen now 👉 linktr.ee/talk90stome
#boybands #takethat #westlife #robbiewilliams #garybarlow #90s
#boybands #takethat #westlife #robbiewilliams #garybarlow #90s
Here I am talking about Five and Max Martin, while wearing a Steps jumper. If you want to read more about all this you can in my award-winning Reach For the Stars, which has been out for a while now but doesn't age, much like J from Five: amzn.eu/d/aHIvklx
"...Baby One More Time" was almost a Five song, but Max Martin gave it to Britney Spears despite her being unknown at the time. Simon Cowell even offered Max Martin a luxury car for it, but that couldn't change his mind.
Full episode out now 👉 linktr.ee/talk90stome
#britneyspears #five #boyband
Full episode out now 👉 linktr.ee/talk90stome
#britneyspears #five #boyband
November 10, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Here I am talking about Five and Max Martin, while wearing a Steps jumper. If you want to read more about all this you can in my award-winning Reach For the Stars, which has been out for a while now but doesn't age, much like J from Five: amzn.eu/d/aHIvklx
Had a lovely time chatting about 90s boybands with @msmirandasawyer.bsky.social. The results are up now (apols to Boyzone)
🚨NEW🚨 Boy bands were a big deal in the ‘90s, with Take That paving the way for hundreds of different groups. From Westlife, to 5ive to plenty you haven’t heard of or whose songs are forgettable, sorry Boyzone. @mcragg.bsky.social joins @msmirandasawyer.bsky.social to discuss 👉 linktr.ee/talk90stome
November 10, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Had a lovely time chatting about 90s boybands with @msmirandasawyer.bsky.social. The results are up now (apols to Boyzone)
Still a thrill! Did I move it to this position? How rude (yes)
November 2, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Still a thrill! Did I move it to this position? How rude (yes)
The studio setup for Simon Cowell’s new singing talent show, Who’s In the Band, is quite Naked Attraction, no?
October 30, 2025 at 10:52 AM
The studio setup for Simon Cowell’s new singing talent show, Who’s In the Band, is quite Naked Attraction, no?
I love the Lily Allen album, specifically Dallas Major, but I can’t get over the fact it sounds like a mistake has been missed at the 28 second mark. She starts to sing “hate” but then the “I hate it here” hook plays over the top. Can everyone else hear it?? (“No one else cares!!” - everyone)
October 25, 2025 at 1:29 PM
I love the Lily Allen album, specifically Dallas Major, but I can’t get over the fact it sounds like a mistake has been missed at the 28 second mark. She starts to sing “hate” but then the “I hate it here” hook plays over the top. Can everyone else hear it?? (“No one else cares!!” - everyone)
I write about all of Max Martin's US top 10 singles on a blog called Maxopedia. As you can imagine, there have been a few of late - thank you Taylor! – so here's a blog on 'The Fate of Ophelia', Max's 28th chart-topper in America maxopedia.co/2025/10/14/t...
Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’
A thing about a song by Taylor Swift.
maxopedia.co
October 14, 2025 at 9:07 AM
I write about all of Max Martin's US top 10 singles on a blog called Maxopedia. As you can imagine, there have been a few of late - thank you Taylor! – so here's a blog on 'The Fate of Ophelia', Max's 28th chart-topper in America maxopedia.co/2025/10/14/t...
PinkPantheress’ Fancy Some More? mixtape is WILD! Kylie! Sugababes! Jade!
October 7, 2025 at 5:12 PM
PinkPantheress’ Fancy Some More? mixtape is WILD! Kylie! Sugababes! Jade!
“There’s Keats, there’s Shakespeare, there’s Scherzinger". I had a brilliant and baffling time in the company of Nicole Scherzinger last night www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...
Nicole Scherzinger review – raunchy gags and dazzling stylistic zigzags
Riding high off Tony and Olivier wins, the Pussycat Doll turned theatre star showcases her astonishingly versatile singing chops and a standup’s gift for chaotic humour
www.theguardian.com
October 7, 2025 at 12:47 PM
“There’s Keats, there’s Shakespeare, there’s Scherzinger". I had a brilliant and baffling time in the company of Nicole Scherzinger last night www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...
Saw some rock music last night 🤘🏼🎸🤘🏼
Busted vs McFly review – millennial ‘rivals’ let the pop-rock punches fly
Busted vs McFly review – millennial ‘rivals’ let the pop-rock punches fly
The boybands go toe-to-toe with their catchy teenage anthems – and after a hefty 90-minute bout of greatest hits McFly just about edge it on points
www.theguardian.com
September 21, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Saw some rock music last night 🤘🏼🎸🤘🏼
Just thinking about how Uncut magazine gave Kylie’s Body Language album half a star. HALF A STAR OUT OF FIVE! An album that included Slow…
September 16, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Just thinking about how Uncut magazine gave Kylie’s Body Language album half a star. HALF A STAR OUT OF FIVE! An album that included Slow…
Had a lovely chat with Mawaan Rizwan ahead of series two of Juice, which is properly batshit in all the best ways (the first episode involves an escape hatch via a sperm-soaked sofa)
‘I’ve spent a lot of my adult life trying to prove myself’: Mawaan Rizwan on his long journey from shopping centre performer to Bafta-winning actor
‘I’ve spent a lot of my adult life trying to prove myself’: Mawaan Rizwan on his long journey from shopping centre performer to Bafta-winning actor
He’s the star and creator of the BBC hit Juice, but life has thrown him a few curveballs along the way. He opens up about his years of hard graft, his mum’s big acting break, and why things are getting weird with his therapist
www.theguardian.com
September 14, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Had a lovely chat with Mawaan Rizwan ahead of series two of Juice, which is properly batshit in all the best ways (the first episode involves an escape hatch via a sperm-soaked sofa)
When all is said and done, perhaps still my favourite Beyoncé album. I Care, I Miss You, Love on Top, Countdown and End of Time all top tier. (Obvs Schoolin’ Life should have been on the main album in place of I Was Here)
September 6, 2025 at 9:26 AM
When all is said and done, perhaps still my favourite Beyoncé album. I Care, I Miss You, Love on Top, Countdown and End of Time all top tier. (Obvs Schoolin’ Life should have been on the main album in place of I Was Here)
I also interviewed Say She She about their disco-laced protest songs and how Nile Rodgers made them cry www.theguardian.com/music/2025/s...
‘Just being who we are is political’: disco trio Say She She on impressing Nile Rodgers and making bold protest songs
Their origin story may have been quintessentially New York, but the disco-funk band are now spread across the US – and they’re more determined than ever to be heard
www.theguardian.com
September 5, 2025 at 12:42 PM
I also interviewed Say She She about their disco-laced protest songs and how Nile Rodgers made them cry www.theguardian.com/music/2025/s...
I went to Manchester to bare witness to the Steps jukebox musical, a shop-based non-stop pop blowout www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/s...
Here & Now review – Steps supermarket musical is a sweep of bangers, bops and ballads
Endlessly entertaining jukebox show frames its plot around a seaside store’s workers to purvey the band’s hits
www.theguardian.com
September 5, 2025 at 12:41 PM
I went to Manchester to bare witness to the Steps jukebox musical, a shop-based non-stop pop blowout www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/s...
I’ll be chatting to Nicola Roberts for this next week so if you have any burning questions please do drop them on this here link below: www.theguardian.com/music/2025/a...
Post your questions for Girls Aloud’s Nicola Roberts
After a stellar girl group career the singer is heading to London’s West End with the musical Hadestown, and will answer your questions
www.theguardian.com
August 29, 2025 at 12:37 PM
I’ll be chatting to Nicola Roberts for this next week so if you have any burning questions please do drop them on this here link below: www.theguardian.com/music/2025/a...
Just finished the first round of edits on my Kylie book so here’s a picture of the Stop Me From Falling hitmaker on the phone, likely asking for 10,000 or so words to be kept in
August 28, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Just finished the first round of edits on my Kylie book so here’s a picture of the Stop Me From Falling hitmaker on the phone, likely asking for 10,000 or so words to be kept in
This is a classic old Twitter topic, and boring for 80% of people, but trying to review music in 2025 is so frustrating. Email after email to try and get a stream. They always come from the US so there’s a delay, then it arrives maybe a day before deadline because everyone’s paranoid re an embargo
July 22, 2025 at 12:09 PM
This is a classic old Twitter topic, and boring for 80% of people, but trying to review music in 2025 is so frustrating. Email after email to try and get a stream. They always come from the US so there’s a delay, then it arrives maybe a day before deadline because everyone’s paranoid re an embargo
Richard Osman has such excellent taste in books 👀
July 20, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Richard Osman has such excellent taste in books 👀
After months and months in my glorious K-hole, I’ve finally finished my Kylie book. I feel sad she’s gone, but she’ll be back soon with loads of edits. But today I will celebrate in the only way I can
July 1, 2025 at 10:50 AM
After months and months in my glorious K-hole, I’ve finally finished my Kylie book. I feel sad she’s gone, but she’ll be back soon with loads of edits. But today I will celebrate in the only way I can
@shura.gg is great, her new album is great and she said some great things in this interview we did in west London #great www.theguardian.com/music/2025/m...
‘Worrying is my hobby’: Shura on overcoming injuries, writer’s block and being dropped twice by her label
The London musician has endured a lot since she emerged as a viral bedroom pop star back in 2014. Now she is channelling those setbacks into a new album that’s ‘devastating, but in a fun way’
www.theguardian.com
May 30, 2025 at 3:14 PM
@shura.gg is great, her new album is great and she said some great things in this interview we did in west London #great www.theguardian.com/music/2025/m...