The January/February 2024 issue (#194) of Songlines is out now, filled with the best music happening around the world, and the stories behind that music. With a forthcoming Hollywood biopic on its way on Bob Marley, we try to find the man behind the myth by speaking to his friends and family. We chat to Mon Laferte, the Chilean diva behind one of the albums of the year; we profile the tirelessly inventive Polish guitarist Raphael Rogiński about his search for the ‘origins’ of Eastern Europe, and discover the unexpected stories behind sea shanties. Our editors have chosen their Best Albums of 2023, we find out about Bounaly’s guitar-shredding Malian wedding music, prodigious American fiddler Mark O’Connor gets a Beginner’s Guide, Yann & Emilie Tiersen tell us why they prefer touring by boat and we hear about the latest Felabration in Lagos featuring none other than Ezra Collective. Plus, Ben Edge, Don Letts, Karine Polwart, Julieta Laso, Gustavo Durán and Jamala, the Eurovision winner wanted by Russia, as well as all the usual news, listings, reviews, competitions and so much more.

 Both physical and digital copies of the magazine will also come with our accompanying Top of the World compilation featuring our pick of the month’s best new music – Mutabaruka, Tamsin Elliott & Tarek Elazhary, Hugh Masekela, Negarit Band, Bholoja, Corey Ledet Zydeco, Makushin and more – as well as bonus tracks from Bounaly, Raphael Rogiński, Julieta Laso and Mark O’Connor to bring our features to life.