Five songs to hear this week (Nov 25-Dec 1)

R&B superstar The Weeknd’s third album proper, Starboy, is out today, but he’s so famous that he wouldn’t give it to reviewers in advance. Instead we must satisfy ourselves with the title track, a Daft Punk collaboration, and the urgent sounds of another new song, False Alarm.

Sharon Jones’s death this week was a sad loss for soul music. She found success belatedly and then was gone too soon. See her and her band The Dap Kings operating at full power on YouTube, in a concert recording made for KEXP six months ago.

It’s almost time to start listening exclusively to Christmas albums, with plenty of notable ones out this year from the likes of Neil Diamond, Kacey Musgraves, Kylie and The Killers. Hard rock band Halestorm have a new festive single that’s noisier than the usual sleighbells-fest: a cover of AC/DC’s Mistress for Christmas.

Veteran electronica duo and Ninja Tune label bosses Coldcut are back with a new EP, Only Heaven, on sale today. It includes an appearance from Roots Manuva among the music box sounds of the title track.

A live album of Kate Bush’s special 2014 run of Hammersmith performances, Before the Dawn, is out today. You can also see the video that she made to accompany her song And Dream of Sheep at the shows, on YouTube now.