Laura Barton is a writer and broadcaster. A Guardian feature writer for a decade, she now writes for a number of publications including the FT, Uncut and Prospect magazine. She is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4 and Radio 3, writing and presenting documentaries on a wide range of subjects — from reproductive healthcare in America, to the role of silence in Shakespeare. Her specialism is music, and she has produced several acclaimed series, including NOTES ON MUSIC, NOTES ON A MUSICAL ISLAND, and a five part series on Bruce Springsteen. She was a longstanding contributor to Radio 4’s beloved Short Cuts, and has written short radio dramas around the themes of Woodstock, Northern Soul and the Modern Lovers’ 1976 single Roadrunner. She also moonlights in A&R, signing artists such as Self Esteem and Cigarettes After Sex. Her novel, TWENTY-ONE LOCKS, was the recipient of a Betty Trask award. Her next book, SAD SONGS, combines memoir and a study of music and sadness, and will be published by Quercus.