On December 4, 2009, a user going by the name “iamamiwhoami” uploaded a video to YouTube. The video featured images of trees with writhing limbs, a metallic-skinned woman in the foetal position in what appears to represent the womb, and – most disturbingly – a goat giving birth; its soundtrack was a haunting trip-hop piece, completely devoid of vocals and led by quivering high-pitched synths. Links to the 55-second clip, titled “Prelude 699130082.451322”, were sent to various music blogs and the video quickly went viral, with over 122,000 views to …

In honour of awards season, here is a list of my favourite soundtracks of the last decade. Eight of these are from films, but two are mixes from two of the decade’s biggest television shows; no matter what you might think of the shows themselves, both were responsible for introducing several previously unknown artists to a massive and appreciative audience, and the resulting soundtrack albums were sufficiently relevant and beloved to earn them a place on this list.

In the final controversy post [for the time being], we look at several songs from the last 20 years which, for whatever reason, have aroused public ire. I’ve limited the list to songs that were comparatively well-known, the reactions to which many readers will remember.

Following on from the post about music’s most controversial onstage moments of the last 20 years, here are that period’s ten most controversial offstage moments, plus five equally outrageous ones from before 1990. There’s even a runner-up… what can I say, musicians and controversy go hand in hand.

In the first “controversial moments” post of 3, we take a look at ten of music’s most controversial onstage moments of the last 20 years – from Kanye’s mic-jacking to Donita Sparks’ er, inventive response to a hostile Reading Festival crowd – plus five classic pre-1980 shockers that just never get old.