Music

Ella Fitzgerald at the Newport Jazz Festival in Newport, Rhode Island, 1970.

The Genius of Ella Fitzgerald The Genius of Ella Fitzgerald

She remade the American songbook in her image, uprooting the very meaning of musical performance.

May 28, 2024 / Books & the Arts / Sam Fentress

Steve Albini poses for a portrait in his recording studio.

Talking Punk, Nirvana, and the Ethics of Art Under Capitalism With Steve Albini Talking Punk, Nirvana, and the Ethics of Art Under Capitalism With Steve Albini

The legendary engineer, producer, and musician who died on May 7 spoke to Daniel Bessner about his career and the state of the music industry.

May 14, 2024 / Q&A / Daniel Bessner

Macklemore onstage with a delightful duck-print short-sleeve shirt.

Macklemore Dares Others to Stand Up for Palestine Macklemore Dares Others to Stand Up for Palestine

With “Hind’s Hall,” the rapper is telling artists and other culture workers, “The students are risking it all. Where are you?”

May 7, 2024 / Dave Zirin

Woody Guthrie

Top 12 May Day Songs Top 12 May Day Songs

In tribute to all those planning actions for May Day.

May 1, 2024 / Peter Rothberg

Kid Cudi in Las Vegas, 2024.

The Many Evolutions of Kid Cudi The Many Evolutions of Kid Cudi

In Insano, the rapper and hip-hop artist comes back down to earth.

Apr 17, 2024 / Books & the Arts / Bijan Stephen

Beyoncé at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Calif.

Did Beyoncé Conquer Country Music? Did Beyoncé Conquer Country Music?

On Cowboy Carter, the pop superstar’s bid to radicalize a parochial genre falls short.

Apr 2, 2024 / Books & the Arts / Stephen Kearse

Joe Lieberman in 2010.

Joe Lieberman and the Venality of Elite Bipartisanship Joe Lieberman and the Venality of Elite Bipartisanship

The late senator embodied a consensus of militarism and plutocracy.

Mar 28, 2024 / Jeet Heer

The Visions of Alice Coltrane

The Visions of Alice Coltrane The Visions of Alice Coltrane

In the years after her husband John’s death, the harpist discovered a sound all her own, a jazz rooted in acts of spirit and will.

Mar 21, 2024 / Books & the Arts / Marcus J. Moore

Bad Brains in London, 1987.

Black Punk Means Liberation Black Punk Means Liberation

The present and future of Black punk culture.

Mar 13, 2024 / Books & the Arts / Marc Bayard

The Era of Nicki Minaj

The Era of Nicki Minaj The Era of Nicki Minaj

How the queen of rap revolutionized American music.

Feb 21, 2024 / Books & the Arts / Bijan Stephen

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