Intro

In the age of streaming and playlists, it’s rare for an album to make global headlines, but Lily Allen’s latest release has done just that. West End Girl by the English singer-songwriter appears to concern her divorce from US actor David Harbour, with its detailed description of an open marriage destroyed by an affair with a woman called Madeline. YouTube Shorts host Rafqa Touma talks to deputy culture editor Sian Cain about the power of the breakup album, the rise of non-monogamy and why West End Girl has hit a nerve