This week in music

Sunday night marked 24-year-old Britney’s big "comeback". Her performance of new single Gimme More at the MTV VMA awards was roundly viewed as a flop by critics and fellow popstars. Click here to read about the day the world changed, forever. Photograph: Kevork Djansezian/AP

Alexis Petridis remembers the irrepressible Marc Bolan, who died in a car crash in Barnes, south west London, 30 years ago. He was 29. With hits such as 20th Century Boy and Get It On behind him, the T-Rex lead singer remains one of glam rock’s most iconic performers. Photograph: Bill Orchard/Rex

Bastions of 70s art-funk ESG announced they were calling it a day after 30 years. The all-female, all-black band, made up entirely of members of the Scroggins family, have influenced everyone from Wu-Tang Clan to LCD Soundsystem. Click here to hear more. Photograph: Sipa Press/Rex

Kanye West reacted with typical restraint when he discovered that he hadn't won a single award at this year's MTV VMA awards. The rapper apparently said: "That's two years in a row man. Give a black man a chance. I'm trying hard, man. I have the... No 1 record man." Click here for more. Photograph: Matt Sayles/AP

20-year-old popstar Kate Nash received some salacious heckling while onstage, with sources divided over exactly which part of her body Nash was being asked to display. Nash’s rumoured love-interest, The Cribs' Ryan Jarman, didn't need to hear it twice, waiting until the hecklee had finished her set before throwing a pint glass at the heckler. He missed, but we feel he made his point. Photograph: Rob Loud/Getty

The White Stripes announced the cancellation of both their forthcoming US and UK tours. The band's drummer Meg White is said to be suffering from acute anxiety, which prevents her from travelling. A message was posted on the band's website earlier this week that said: "We hate to let people down and are very sorry." The Stripes are seen here during the recording of their album Icky Thump in Nashville earlier this year. Photograph: Dave Swanson/PR

The remaining members of Led Zeppelin, who disbanded following the death of drummer Jon Bonham in 1980, announced they would be reforming for a one-off gig at London's 02 Arena this November. The internet service provider Pipex claimed that it took an army of 20 million fans to crash their service trying to buy tickets, as was reported the the following day. Photograph: Globe Photos Inc/Rex

Legendary French-Spanish performer Manu Chao has reached the number one spot across Europe with his album La Radiolina, becoming the first Frenchman ever to top Billboard’s European Top 100 chart. Photograph: Albert Olive/EPA

If you're anything like us here at Guardian Unlimited Music, you're confusing your Alberichs with your Nibelungs. Fear no more, Joe Queenan is here with a complete A-Z of everything Wagner's Ring. Thank goodness for Joe Queenan. Photograph: Hulton Archive/Getty