NME Photo Yearbook 2008

The Mighty Boosh staged a warped Nativity scene for an NME Christmas cover shoot, December 2008. To see behind-the-scenes footage of the shoot, head to NME.COM/VIDEO.
Pic: Andy Whitton

Muse, pictured live at London’s Royal Albert Hall, April 2008. The gig was in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust. Prior to their headline appearances at the V Festivals in August, Muse decamped to their Lake Como studio to begin work on the follow-up to ‘Black Holes And Revelations’, tentatively scheduled for release in the second half of 2009.
Pic: Andy Willsher

The Last Shadow Puppets pose for the cover of NME, March 2008. You’ll find striking images of the duo in the NME Photo Yearbook, which features 60 pages of the year’s most eye-watering rock photography. It’s on sale Wednesday 31 December.
Pic: Dean Chalkley

Radiohead played their smallest London show in years at 93 Feet East in Brick Lane in January. The show was moved from the nearby Rough Trade shop because of the size of the crowd that showed up.
Pic: Andy Willsher

The Cure’s Robert Smith poses for the cover of NME, November 2008. In the accompanying interview Smith gave a bizarre anecdote about the time he took LSD, stripped off, and played tennis with himself all night.
Pic: Dean Chalkley

Jay-Z was a controversial choice of Glastonbury headliner, but his Saturday night Pyramid Stage performance was ecstatically received. Watched by his wife Beyonce, he answered the criticism of his appearance from Noel Gallagher by kicking off his set with a mock cover of Oasis’ ‘Wonderwall’.
Pic: Guy Eppel

Metallica backstage at Leeds Festival, August 2008. It was a good year for metal, with both Metallica and AC/DC releasing big-selling studio albums.
Pic: Danny North

TV On The Radio, pictured performing live in London, September 2008. The Brooklyn experimentalists scored highly in many end of year polls with their fourth album, ‘Dear Science’.
Pic: Pieter M Van Hattem

Fucked Up frontman Pink Eyes, photographed for the cover of NME, September 2008. That same month we gave the Canadian hardcore mob’s album ‘The Chemistry Of Common Lifeâ

Hip Brooklyn outfit Amazing Baby formed on January 1, 2008 – when the core duo of Will Roan and Simon O’Connor decided it might be a nice idea to be in a band together. They get by with a rotating cast of helpers. See many more of 2008’s best images in NME’s end-of-the-year photo special, on sale from December 31.

Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hütz works the crowd at the 2008 Coachella Festival in California. The gypsy punks have played the bash twice in a row, and are also being tipped to perform there in 2009.

Iglu & Hartly went on three sold-out tours of the UK in 2008. The Californian band have built up a huge following since the release of June’s debut single ‘Violent & Young’, and their debut album ‘& Then Boom’ came out in September.

The Killers won twice at the inaugural NME Awards USA in Los Angeles – claiming the prizes for Band Of The Year and Best Indie/Alternative Track for ‘Tranquilize’. They dedicated the latter award to their collaborator on the song, Lou Reed.

As well as releasing her self-titled debut album this year, Santogold has supported Coldplay, Kanye West, Jay-Z and The Streets on tour. See many more of 2008’s best images in NME’s end-of-the-year photo special, on sale from December 31.

He started the year on NME’s cover – and when we last saw Lightspeed Champion it was at a record label Xmas party, singing ’80s smash ‘(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life’ with a female friend.

Glasvegas had an astonishing 2008, becooming one of the UK’s biggest bands. As well as releasing their self-titled debut LP, they also released a Xmas album – and drummer Caroline McKay was in the Top Ten of NME’s yearly Cool List.