For anyone furious about the state of the world, the London band offer a welcome – and unsparing – blast of catharsis

From South London
Recommended if you like Converge, Trap Them, Misery Index
Up next No One Is Coming to Save Us released 25 September, touring the UK from 26 September

Burner are the extreme musicians we need. They’re observing the world around them, they’re furious about what they see and they don’t feel much hope for the future. Much like the rest of us.

Over the past two decades, Taylor Swift has changed the music industry, and how we think about girlhood. From songs like Fifteen about first love and heartbreak to introspective tracks like Mirrorball from Folklore, Swift has chronicled the emotional lives of young women in a way few artists have. Her music says that the experiences of girlhood deserve to be immortalized. But as fans celebrate her upcoming marriage and the 20th anniversary of her debut album, Carter Sherman and the Guardian's deputy music editor, Laura Snapes, ask: is she leaving that stage of her life behind, and if so, what's in store for her next era?

• 20 ways Taylor Swift remade pop culture in her image (2026)

• Taylor Swift: ‘I was literally about to break’ (2019)

Correction note added 26 June 2026: This video incorrectly says Taylor Swift's jet has burned hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel since March. The figure is actually reported to be tens of thousands of gallons.