Selby firefighters went to the aid of a person who had fallen inside  a property and couldn’t get up at 8.40am. Crew members used their strength to lift the uninjured person who was left in the care of family members.

In Tadcaster, crews put out a fire in a skip using a hose reel jet at Station Road at 9.30am.

In Ripon, a fire alarm activation at 9.43am turned out to be a false alarm at Boroughbridge Road due to a fault in the system.

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Multiple signals had been received, but on investigation, it was found to be a false alarm.

A Whitby crew helped a person who had fallen behind a door in a property on Byland Road, and was able to get back up just after 11am.

They gained entry using small tools and bolt cutters and helped the person, who was then left in the care of carers.

In Sherburn in Elmet, Tadcaster firefighters assisted the Yorkshire Ambulance Service with the difficult extrication of a casualty, who was left in the care of paramedics.

In Scarborough, a wooden board that had blown from nearby scaffolding hit the roof of a ground-floor kitchen on North Marine Road.

The board was removed, and advice was given to the homeowners.

A report of black smoke in the open in Stainsacre, Whitby, turned out to be controlled burning, which had been extinguished before the fire service’s arrival.

In Blenheim Terrace, Scarborough, numerous people raised the alarm about a fire to grass measuring approximately 5m x 5m was extinguished by crews. The cause of the fire is believed to be deliberate.

In William Plows Avenue, York, a fire alarm activation in a residential property was found to be a false alarm due to cooking fumes.

In Tadcaster, a fire in the open at the rear of a property, measuring approximately 10m x 5m, was extinguished by crews using a hose reel jet.

Appleton’s Butchers was founded in the historic cathedral city in 1867 and has become particularly renowned for its traditional Yorkshire pork pies.

The business began when 19-year-old Thomas Appleton started working at Smithson’s butchers on Kirkgate.

Following Mr Smithson’s death in 1872, the shop passed to Thomas and was renamed T. Appleton and Son.

Appleton’s Butchers in Ripon (Image: TRIPADVISOR)

It later moved to its landmark black-and-white timbered building on Ripon Market Square in 1936, where the business continues to trade today.

With its distinctive frontage and windows filled with pies and other savoury produce, the shop has become a familiar sight for residents and visitors exploring the city centre.

Appleton’s describes itself as a “traditional pork butcher and pie maker, combining more than a century of history with a modern range of meats, baked goods and prepared dishes”.

At the centre of the business are its Yorkshire pork pies.

Made with carefully selected pork, flaky pastry and the traditional addition of jelly, the pies have attracted praise from customers travelling from across Britain, and even further afield.

The company says it mainly uses Large White cross pigs selected by the Piercy family of Easingwold. The Large White is widely known as the Yorkshire pig and is valued for producing high-quality pork.

Beyond its pork pies, Appleton’s sells fresh pork, beef, lamb, poultry and game, as well as sausages, bacon, gammon, cooked meats and a wide selection of savoury products.

Its current range includes steak pies, chicken, ham and leek pies, quiches, sausage rolls, Scotch eggs and traditional savoury ducks.

The business changed hands in 2010 when husband-and-wife team Anthony and Isabel Sterne took over.

It has since expanded beyond Ripon, opening in Wetherby in 2014, Boroughbridge in 2017 and Knaresborough in 2020.

Appleton’s now operates four shops across the North Yorkshire market towns, with click-and-collect also available.

However, it is the Ripon shop and its pork pies that appear to make the greatest impression on visitors.

Appleton’s has a rating of 4.7 out of five on Google at its Ripon branch, with customers repeatedly praising the pork pies, sausage rolls, Scotch eggs and friendly service.

One reviewer asked whether they were the best pork pies in Yorkshire before concluding they were “definitely up there”.

Another customer went further, declaring them the “best pork pies in England”.

The reviewer said they travelled from Australia to visit Ripon and made sure to buy several pies whenever they returned.

Another visitor bought a pork pie to take home for their mother and described it as “utterly perfect”.

For some visitors, buying a pie and eating it in the Market Square has become part of the experience.

One customer said they purchased two small pork pies and ate them on a seat beneath Ripon’s obelisk during a sunny visit.

They were so impressed that they immediately returned to the shop and bought two more.

The shop has also been described as the “crown jewel of Ripon marketplace”, while several reviewers have praised the pork pies’ light, crisp pastry.

“A request has been made today to the UK Government for military assistance in aerial support.”

The First Minister has asked for military aid from the UK Government as residents in the highland village of Nethy Bridge are “angry and frustrated” amid evacuation orders due to a nearby wildfire.

More than 500 firefighters have been tackling the blaze which has raged in the Cairngorms National Park for the past 10 days and forced the evacuation of homes in the remote region.

First Minister John Swinney has said the blaze remains a “major and serious” incident but that they were seeing an “improved picture” on Saturday afternoon.

He said: “A request has been made today to the UK Government for military assistance in aerial support that can be used to supplement existing resources that are being deployed to tackle the Cairngorms wildfire and we await a response.”

The military is not currently conducting any aerial firefighting operations in the area.

Sandy McCook, chairman of the Nethy Bridge and Vicinity Community Council, said residents of the Cairngorms village could see large plumes of smoke from the wildfire on Friday before they were evacuated.

Speaking to the Press Association on Saturday, Mr McCook said: “Apocalyptic is the word for the pall of smoke that was on the go yesterday.”

The smoke has changed direction, and on Saturday at midday he said it was blowing towards Aberdeenshire and the North Sea, but the flames were still “very plain to see” from the outskirts of Nethy Bridge.

Evacuations and smoke advisories are still in place after Police Scotland declared a major incident as emergency services battled the wildfire in the Cairngorms National Park.

Emergency services previously said significantly changed weather conditions, including stronger winds, have contributed to the unpredictable behaviour of the blaze.

In an update on Saturday morning, Police Scotland said residents in a small area of properties north-west of Dorback Lodge (Lain Thatchan) had been evacuated as a precaution.

The Scottish Government said a fire break around the village was established overnight, and new breaks are being constructed as Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) deploys additional resources.

A smoke advisory is also in place for Tomintoul, where residents have been advised to keep windows and doors closed due to smoke from the wildfire.

“If you are affected by smoke, stay indoors where possible, keep windows and doors closed, and avoid strenuous outdoor activity,” SFRS said.

The service also requested more heavy machinery, such as bulldozers, to help with the response.

“Operators who can provide suitable plant machinery to support the ongoing multi-agency response are asked to report to the Village Hall in Nethy Bridge,” SFRS said.

On the ground, Mr McCook said there was a major increase in firefighting units from the SFRS in and around the village, plus multiple wildfire response units.

“I think a lot of people are running on adrenaline,” he said.

“A lot of people are upset, angry and frustrated at the ongoing situation because the Scottish Government said a week ago [on Wednesday] that they had enough resources to deal with it, and they said on Thursday that the fire was contained.

“My argument with that is, if you said the fire was contained and you had enough resources last Wednesday and Thursday, why are we still fighting it 10 days later and it’s still running out of control? It is still not controlled in any way shape or form.”

On Saturday, emergency services said there were nine fire appliances at the scene, supported by specialist wildfire resources.

SFRS said it has maintained a “significant operational response” since the wildfire was first reported on July 15.

More than 500 firefighters have tackled the blaze over the last 10 days, alongside specialist wildfire appliances, all-terrain vehicles, helicopter water-bombing operations and partner agencies.

The update came after First Minister John Swinney chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) on Friday night.

The meeting was attended by several ministers and representatives from emergency services, including SFRS and Police Scotland.

On Friday, the First Minister told the Press Association: “I would obviously ask people in the region to follow all of the advice that is available and to respect the exclusion zone that’s been put in place.

“This is an incident that we felt was moving in a positive direction earlier this week, but with the change of weather circumstances – which is an illustration of just the scale and difficulty of the situation that we are managing – it has moved in the other direction.”

His comments came as smoke from the wildfire near Glenmore drifted as far as Aberdeen due to changing wind conditions.

The fire, which broke out near the village of Glenmore on Wednesday last week, led to residents and campsites being evacuated.

It covered about six square kilometres of heather and small trees at its height.

Evacuated residents are being directed to a dedicated respite centre at the Macdonald Aviemore Resort.

Members of the public are asked to avoid affected areas in the Cairngorms National Park. SFRS said the area remains unsafe due to firefighting operations, rapidly changing fire conditions and helicopter activity.

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By JONATHAN MCEVOY, SPORTS WRITER AND DAILY MAIL’S MOTOR RACING WRITER

Published: 17:03 BST, 25 July 2026 | Updated: 18:09 BST, 25 July 2026

Lewis Hamilton’s title hopes were rocked when he was demoted three places down the grid for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The seven-time world champion will start fifth on Sunday, with his chief rival for the title Kimi Antonelli third. They were previously going to start second and fourth respectively.

Hamilton, who is 45 points back from Mercedes Antonelli, was penalised for inadvertently blocking McLaren’s Oscar Piastri during qualifying.

He had, at one stage, seemed to have taken pole. He pulled into parc ferme next to the marker with No 1 on it, but that honour was snatched from him by Lando Norris with a late and skilled ambush. And so Hamilton’s three-year wait for a pole start drags on. 

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Norris was still out on track and piecing together his smooth assault on the top, a chance he was gifted by Hamilton being unable to improve on his first run that had temporarily put him first – the head shake.

Barely any driver was conjuring extra speed in the final stages, bar Norris, who pipped Hamilton by 0.012sec to claim the first pole of his title defence. The No 1 marker was moved by officialdom in front of the world champion’s McLaren. No 2 was placed by the red car.

Now that the stewards have intervened to bung him down to fifth, Hamilton’s chances of winning Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix have taken a dent. But not all hope is lost. , It is a track he loves and where he has prevailed a record eight times. His car is fastest, a point he believes he could have underlined other than for Ferrari’s wonks sending him out early.

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Lewis Hamilton was left frustrated after having pole position snatched away at the 11th hour – and then he was bunged down to fifth with a grid penalty

Reigning champion Lando Norris roared through to claim his first pole of the year by 0.012s

‘We have been doing a great job all weekend,’ he said, slow to raise much cheer in the immediate aftermath. ‘I felt solid throughout qualifying and, for some reason, we went out first, which I don’t think was the right call.

‘And for some reason the grip wasn’t there on that last lap.

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‘We’re obviously competitive but I think tomorrow is going to be a hard day.’

In a boost to the British veteran, who lies second in the drivers’ standings, 45 points behind Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, the Silver Arrows looked a shadow of their formerly dominant selves.

Indeed, this was the first time this campaign that neither of the Mercedes had set the qualifying pace. Instead, Hamilton’s team-mate Charles Leclerc was third fastest with Antonelli fourth. They have, of course, benefited from Hmailton’s grid penalty. 

George Russell, in the other Mercedes, was only seventh quickest, his championship dream increasingly bleak. Fifty points off the top, he had to abandon his car, a water leak having sprung his latest dose of bad luck.

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Aston Martin showed a glimmer of hope in their long road back from a start to the season team principal Adrian Newey called a ‘complete nightmare’.

They brought 16 upgrades to Budapest. The rest of the grid have 21 between them, a measure of Aston’s kitchen-sink approach to finding a solution. It resulted in Fernando Alonso managing to break the team’s 2026 duck by progressing into Q2 and qualifying 16th. His team-mate Lance Stroll, however, was only 20th fastest, just ahead of the two Cadillacs.

Race organisers have shortened the finale of the Tour de France in Paris on Sunday, after security forces were redeployed away from the capital to help battle wildfires near Bordeaux.

The Tour de France traditionally finishes with a processional ride to the Champs-Elysees, where the winner of the yellow jersey is crowned.

The event draws tens of thousands of spectators to Paris, but security personnel initially planned to protect the race have now been sent south to support overwhelmed fire services.

It means the route will be reduced from 133km to 89km.

“As numerous wildfires are currently affecting ⁠France, particularly the ‌Gironde region, emergency services are fully mobilised to combat the blazes, while internal security ‌forces are working to secure ‌the affected areas and protect the population,” the Paris police and the event’s organisers said in ⁠a joint statement.

“In light of this, the Interior Ministry has decided to redeploy a portion of the internal security forces initially mobilised to ensure security for the final stage of the Tour de France, ‌in order to reinforce the response efforts in the areas affected by ‌the wildfires.”

Wildfires in Spain and south-west France, fanned by high winds, have led to widespread evacuation orders in and around Bordeaux, the country’s ninth-largest city. Nearly 200,000 people have been told to leave their homes across France and a further 73,000 in Spain.

“We expect a fight that will be long and very difficult,” said French interior minister Laurent Nunez, who added the government would “reorganise our response so we can fight from the ground and prevent it from advancing toward Bordeaux”.

The route alteration will not affect the result of the race’s general classification, after Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar effectively secured a record-equalling fifth yellow jersey on Saturday. Sunday’s stage 21 is a truce, contested only by a sprint finish, and will not change the overall standings.

This is the moment a police boat collided with Westminster Bridge sending officers flying into the River Thames as five are ‘seriously injured’. 

Fresh footage has since emerged of the black rigid inflatable boat travelling at speed before hitting the Westminster Bridge’s pillar. 

Waves rose into the air as officers were hurled into the water, with their heads seen bobbing above the water as the boat drove away from them. 

Four police officers were seriously injured after the patrol boat smashed into the bridge yesterday afternoon. Their injuries are non-life threatening.

After being treated by paramedics at the scene, they were rushed to hospital. A fifth police officer was also treated at hospital but later discharged.  

The patrol boat was responding to reports of a person in the water further up the river, the Metropolitan Police said.

It comes as emergency services rushed to the incident on the River Thames after the patrol boat crashed in central London at around 3.45pm on Friday. 

Officers were thrown into the River Thames by the collision before they were rescued by those on nearby boats. 

Video footage, obtained by the Daily Mail, also showed individuals on the Uber Boat attempting to rescue one officer in the water. 

Meanwhile, two others could be seen being pulled onto the black rigid inflatable boat from the River Thames. 

Waves rose into the air as officer were hurled into the water, with their heads seen bobbing above the water as the boat drove away from them

Five police officers have been injured after a number had to be recovered from the River Thames when their boat hit Westminster Bridge 

RNLI responders could be seen treating casualties at the scene. The Metropolitan Police said no members of the public were injured.  

Officers entered the water but were recovered and were seen being treated by paramedics on a rigid black inflatable boat moored to the side of the river.

The incident sparked traffic chaos as a  police cordon was placed at either end of the bridge with buses travelling on it forced to reverse and find another route. 

A large number of officers, fire crews and ambulances arrived to the scene, with an air ambulance and police helicopter spotted circling.

Mother and son Cecilia Lusevic, 56, and Mateo Bilis-Lusevic, 12, said they heard a loud bang when the police boat crashed into the bridge. 

The two, visiting from Chile, were on a Thames tour boat on the north side of the bridge as they saw officers being rescued from the river. 

‘Two boats were riding extremely fast through the water,’ the 12-year-old said. ‘Suddenly, I was looking towards the boat, and I heard a boom.

‘Then three people went flying into the water, and one of the people was really hurt.’

He added that the officers were in the water for around ten minutes, and a life ring was thrown to one of them before a black rigid inflatable boat arrived to help them.

Mateo said emergency services then also arrived as he and his mother were evacuated from their vessel shortly after. 

A US couple said they heard ‘an explosion’ when a police boat travelling at ‘high speed’ struck Westminster Bridge.

A police cordon is in place at Westminster Bridge, with a large emergency service presence

Police cars and a fire engine are seen parked on Westminster Bridge on Friday afternoon

Pictured: The police boat being towed down the River Thames following the crash today

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An area cordoned off by police near the site where a boat of the Metropolitan Police’s Marine Policing Unit (MPU) struck Westminster Bridge 

Jim Bagley, from Gloucester, Massachusetts, said: ‘We were standing in line to get onto the city cruise hop on, hop off tours, and we saw two police boats coming up the river.

‘One was an orange boat that went under the bridge and left a great big wave, and then there was a black boat that came up behind it, the police boat.

‘It looks to me that he got stuck in the wake of the other boat that had just passed through the bridge and slammed into the wall on the opposite side.

‘We didn’t see it happen, but we heard the explosion… the next thing we saw was three people in the water, coming down the river.’

He added: ‘We were wondering why they were under way at high speed to begin with.’

Katherine Bagley said: ‘They were both in pursuit of something further down the river, but they never… the second boat never got to it because it crashed into the bridge with a big bang.’

Entrances three and four to Westminster Underground station have been shut, Transport for London confirmed.

A fire service boat has since been seen towing the black rigid inflatable police boat away from the bridge.

An Uber Boat service, operated by Thames Clippers, was also cancelled and others were delayed today following the incident yesterday afternoon. 

Pictured: Onlookers amid the patrol boat crash at Westminster Bridge at around 3.45pm today

London Fire Brigade said its fire boat and three of its fire rescue units with water rescue capabilities were mobilised following the incident

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A police cordon was placed either end of the bridge and buses and coaches travelling on it were forced to reverse and find another route

Emergency services at the scene near Westminster Bridge as witnesses say they heard a loud boom as the incident unfolded 

An Uber Boat service, operated by Thames Clippers, was also cancelled and others were delayed today following the incident this afternoon (Pictured: Emergency services at the scene) 

A number of officers entered the water but were recovered and have been seen being treated by paramedics on a rigid black inflatable boat moored to the side of the river

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Metropolitan Police Commander Nick John said: ‘Our thoughts are with all those involved, in particular our officers who were injured and those who responded in challenging circumstances.

‘The four officers who remain in hospital have serious but non-life-threatening injuries. We will give them all every support as they recover.

‘I must also offer our thanks to those river users who came to the aid of the officers, as well as other police and emergency service colleagues who immediately made their way to the scene to assist.

‘The quick-thinking and professionalism of all those involved undoubtedly prevented any further injuries.’

It is understood a probe into the incident is being led by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch, while the Met will support them with any enquiries. 

A Port of London Authority spokesman said: ‘We are aware of an incident involving a police vessel at Westminster Bridge.

‘We are supporting the response by providing river traffic management assistance where needed and are working closely with the Metropolitan Police, HM Coastguard and partner agencies to manage the situation.’

An RNLI spokesman said: ‘Tower RNLI lifeboat attended an incident this afternoon, Friday 24 July, at Westminster Bridge. For further information please contact the Metropolitan Police.’

London Fire Brigade said its fire boat and three of its fire rescue units with water rescue capabilities were mobilised following the incident. 

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: ‘We were called at 3.47pm today (24 July) to reports of an incident on Westminster Pier, Victoria Embankment.

‘We sent resources to the scene including ambulance crews, incident response officers, advanced paramedics and paramedics from our hazardous area response team (HART). We also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance.’

A spokesman for Uber Boat by Thames Clippers said: ‘An incident occurred in the vicinity of Westminster Bridge on Friday afternoon that did not involve Uber Boat by Thames Clippers, however some services may be subject to disruption or delay as a result.

‘For further information and updates please refer to the Port of London Authority or the Metropolitan Police.’

Manu Kone has constantly emerged as a midfielder Manchester United want to sign, but reports from Italy suggest the process has had its difficulties

Reports from Italy have claimed Roma are growing frustrated with Manchester United’s lack of a transfer offer for Manu Kone. The Italians are open to selling him, but want to wrap up any potential deal by July 31st.

The Frenchman is high on the Reds’ list of potential midfield signings after his excellent displays for France at the World Cup. It has been reported personal terms, in principle, between United and Kone have been agreed.

Moreover, a bid from United had also been expected to be issued, yet Roma has claimed none has been sent by Michael Carrick’s side. It’s a situation which is believed to be frustrating the Serie A side.

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Corriere dello Sport, via Sport Witness, has claimed United have not moved forward in their desire to sign Kone, despite the agreement in principle they made with the 25-year-old.

It also stated United have been moving “slowly” in the deal, something which is frustrating Roma. They are enduring a race against the clock as they have a settlement agreement with UEFA where they need to cap their aggregate football earnings deficit to €60m (£51.3m).

Selling Kone would help them meet this threshold and prevent the club from being fined between €10m. However, for them to do so, they need a move to be completed by July 31st, which is the deadline UEFA have set.

Kone is not the only midfielder the Reds have been linked with. Real Madrid ace and Kone’s France team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni is still being linked with a move to Old Trafford.

United have already bolstered the middle of the pitch with the signings of £35m Aston Villa star Youri Tielemans and Chelsea youngster Andrey Santos for £50m. But with Casemiro out of the building and Manuel Ugarte injured, a fourth is still at the top of United’s transfer list.

At the World Cup, Kone started four of France’s seven matches. In their semi-final defeat to Spain, Didier Deschamps turned to Kone to help France get back in the game by introducing him at half time for Adrien Rabiot.

Arsenal legend and former Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira has already given Kone his seal of approval. While speaking as a pundit, the 1998 World Cup winner, when asked about Kone, said: “He had a really good season in Serie A with Roma.

“He came to the World Cup after a couple of injuries. It has been quite a difficult season for him. He is for me today the best midfielder in France.

“I’d put him ahead of [Aurelien] Tchouameni and [Adrien] Rabiot, because he has this mobility, he is aggressive, he is a ball-winner, and he has the technical ability to be part of the build-up, has the facility with the ball to break lines and move forward.”

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A huge wildfire has been raging across Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands for days

Enraged residents have condemned the response to an “apocalyptic” wildfire tearing through the Scottish Highlands, with some being instructed to leave their pets behind as suffocating smoke engulfed their properties.

The vast blaze has burned across Cairngorms National Park for several days, sending enormous plumes of smoke rolling over Nethy Bridge before locals were ordered to flee. More than 500 firefighters have been tackling the inferno for 10 days as it continues to pose a threat to homes in the remote region.

Community council chairman Sandy McCook said villagers were left “upset, angry and frustrated” after witnessing the towering smoke on Friday (July 24), the Mirror reports.

“Apocalyptic is the word for the pall of smoke that was on the go yesterday,” he said. The smoke has since shifted direction, with Mr McCook noting on Saturday that it was now drifting towards Aberdeenshire and the North Sea, while the flames remained “very plain to see” from the outskirts of Nethy Bridge.

Duncan Ferguson, a resident in Glenmore near Aviemore, revealed that police visited his property last Wednesday and instructed residents to “leave your pets and go”.

He expressed concerns that the fire could continue to advance and damage properties unless it was brought under control swiftly.

“It’s going to be bad, it’s going to be major unless they get hold of it. It’s heathland at the minute, but it’s started to burn in the upper area of the regeneration of the Caledonian pine forest,” he added. “Once it comes down into there, it’s dry, dry ground, with a real load to burn. It’s just going to get hotter and hotter.”

Police Scotland declared a major incident, with evacuations under way and smoke advisories remaining in place throughout Cairngorms National Park. Emergency services had previously warned that powerful winds were causing the out-of-control wildfire to behave in an unpredictable manner.

“If you are affected by smoke, stay indoors where possible, keep windows and doors closed, and avoid strenuous outdoor activity,” the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) stated.

“Operators who can provide suitable plant machinery to support the ongoing multi-agency response are asked to report to the Village Hall in Nethy Bridge.”

In a further update on Saturday morning, Police Scotland confirmed that residents in a small cluster of properties north-west of Dorback Lodge (Lain Thatchan) had been evacuated as a precautionary measure.

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Pop has always thrived on reinvention, with artists moving through distinct phases that reconfigure both their sound and sense of self.

David Bowie moved through personas such as Ziggy Stardust and the Thin White Duke, each marking a distinct shift in sound and identity. Madonna similarly built her career through transformation, with each phase tied to a distinct visual and sonic shift. More recently, Beyoncé has moved through distinct eras, from Lemonade (2016) to Renaissance (2022) and Cowboy Carter (2024), creating clearly different stylistic worlds around each project.

Taylor Swift’s recent Eras Tour has helped to repackage this reinvention as clearly defined “eras”. The tour reinforced the idea that each album represents a distinct world, and encouraged fans to structure their memory, identity and engagement through these phases.

These artist eras are now experienced, circulated and intensified through social media. Albums have become centrepieces of wider cultural worlds built through visuals, personal stories and fan participation. Meanwhile deluxe editions, remixes and companion releases increasingly blur the boundaries of the album itself.

Thinking in terms of eras provides a way of understanding these multiple releases as belonging to the same creative chapter that fans actively participate in, expand and help define.

Charli XCX

Fan studies research has long shown that digital technologies expand opportunities for fan creativity and participation, allowing audiences to play a more active role in shaping and circulating cultural meanings.

On social media, fans don’t just follow an era – they help bring it to life. Through videos, memes, fashion, conversations and creative interpretations, they shape the meanings that come to define a project and extend an album beyond the music itself. Artists often encourage this by revealing visual aesthetics, sharing cryptic teasers and discussing new projects in interviews long before release, inviting fans to imagine the era before the music is even out. What emerges is something larger than an album alone: a shared cultural world built together by artists and fans.

This can clearly be seen in the work of Charli XCX. Released in 2024, her album Brat became instantly recognisable for its lime green artwork and deliberately chaotic aesthetics, becoming one of the defining pop moments of the year.

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Brat by Charli XCX is a work of contemporary imagist poetry – and a reclamation of ‘bratty’ women’s art

The album’s rebellious energy was rapidly taken up by fans online, who helped to build a recognisable Brat universe that connected with the core themes of the album through fashion, memes and video edits. One example was the “apple dance” a viral TikTok dance that accompanied Charli’s song Apple. It was originally created by fan Kelley Heyer before being taken up by Charli herself and becoming a regular feature then in her live shows.

Participating in an era in this way was also a way of expressing identity and belonging, allowing fans to signal shared values, tastes and community through creative participation.

Charli’s new album Music, Fashion, Film (released on July 24 2026), signals a shift in tone and style, showing a distinct new era. Where the Brat era embraced bright green visuals, club culture and a chaotic energy, Music, Fashion, Film introduces a more cinematic, fashion-led aesthetic, with stronger influences from rock culture.

The album’s artwork itself is a collage featuring figures from music, fashion and film. As with Brat, fans are similarly able to co-produce a particular world around this new era, being invited through a website generator to add their own images and remix the album cover. This built excitement around the release and encouraged fans to share visual references and interpretations before the music was fully out. It’s an example of how eras increasingly begin even before albums are released, shaped through expectation as much as through reception.

The third single from Charli’s album, Wink Wink, with its tongue in cheek declaration “I’m not a bad girl anymore, I promise”, signals a deliberate departure from the Brat era.

This has shaped early fan interpretations of the project as a shift in direction. Charli herself has reinforced this, explaining in interviews that her albums often “repel against each other”, suggesting that reinvention is central to her creative process, with it being “fun to flip the form”.

Ariana Grande

One of Charli’s recent collaborators, Ariana Grande has highlighted a different dimension of era building with her new album, Petal (released on July 31). Whereas Charli’s recent era has centred on a bold visual aesthetic, Grande has framed her new era primarily through emotional openness and personal storytelling.

Grande labelled her new current era “a little feral” and from “a place that I have maybe been too shy or polite to tap into before” in a post shared to her Instagram before any music was released. By describing the project this way directly with her followers, Grande encouraged fans to understand the album as an emotionally revealing chapter of her career.

The visual presentation remains important. Through monochrome photography, Grande showcased a return to her signature high brunette ponytail after the blonde look associated with her role as Glinda in Wicked. The striking image of her smiling on the album artwork helped to signal a new chapter as it reinforced a sense of a return to self after a major acting role.

These visuals establish the mood of the project, but it is the emotional framing of the project that gives this era its further distinctive identity. Fans extend those narratives through their own posts, edits and discussions online. Eras, as well as being visual or aesthetic terrains, can also be emotional ones.

Not every fan welcomes a new era. Major shifts in sound or image can spark debate, with some celebrating reinvention while others mourn the loss of what came before. Those discussions are themselves part of how an era takes shape.

Ultimately, what we are seeing is the expansion of the album. Albums remain core musical texts, but eras are the wider worlds built around them that can grow over time through visuals, performances, interviews, remixes and fan interpretations. In this sense, the album becomes less of a fixed object and more of an ongoing cultural space shaped through repeated engagement and reinterpretation.

Eras have become such a powerful way of understanding contemporary pop music. Listening is only one part of the experience. At their core, eras are sustained by the connective and creative work of fandom, which fuses together music, meaning and identity across time.

By JOSHUA HAINING, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 11:04 BST, 25 July 2026 | Updated: 17:24 BST, 25 July 2026