We awarded 12 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2016 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2017 so far and what’s to come. Lady Gaga, Shura, Suede and Florence and the Machine are among the previous winners in these categories.

• Read on for reasons including our favourite songs, albums and gigs of 2017 so far

Dua Lipa (pictured above)

12 Reasons Why I Love Her? 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover? We love a good list song. And New Rules (see above) is a great list song. Sample quote: ‘1. Don’t pick up the phone, you know he’s only calling ‘cos he’s drunk and alone, 2. Don’t let him in …’ Our song of the year so far. Dua tours the UK later this year. Tickets

Lorde

This 20-year-old New Zealander’s Glastonbury gig was one of our highlights of 2017 and the competition will have to go some to outdo second album Melodrama. Lorde returns to the UK in the autumn. Tickets

Zara Larsson

Swede Zara turns 20 in December and this year she’s enjoyed UK sales success with her debut album So Good and tours later in 2017. Tickets

Lady Gaga

Joanne was our album of 2016 and this autumn she tours the UK including two dates at The 02. Tickets

Hurts

Fourth album Desire is out 29/9 and was teed up by new single Beautiful Ones which sees lead singer Theo drag up for the video. They play two UK dates in December. Tickets

Music to look out before the end of 2017 includes tours by Bananarama (tickets)Steps (tickets), Goldfrapp (tickets), Alison Moyet (tickets) and Martine McCutcheon (tickets).

• Picture via Facebook courtesy Dua Lipa. Check out our tips and hopes in each of the remaining 9 categories on this site over the rest of the summer. Go here for Revival, Theatre Actress, Theatre Actor, Musical and Best New Play.
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