Popular Music
Cultural Comment
Why Normal Music Reviews No Longer Make Sense for Taylor Swift
Critics argue that “The Tortured Poets Department” sounds too much like Swift’s previous albums. Fans argue that that’s the whole point.
Culture Desk
The Weirdest Night in Pop
A new Netflix documentary chronicles the dreamlike recording session for “We Are the World,” the 1985 charity single sung by a motley crew of America’s biggest pop stars.
Listening Booth
Nicki Minaj’s “Pink Friday” Sequel Is Pure Spectacle
The rapper’s new album harkens back to her début, but it mostly serves as a reminder that times have drastically changed.
Photo Booth
Harry Styles Fans Put On a Show
At Madison Square Garden, sequinned concertgoers were unfazed by the tabloid news cycle. “I hope he sticks to music mainly,” one said.
Cultural Comment
A Close Read of the Beatles in “Get Back”
It’s a revelation how gentle the four bandmates are with one another, in the pained, semi-articulate way of families.
On Television
Four Shows at the Center of a Golden Age of Hip-Hop Television
Programs on WE tv, AMC, Netflix, and Hulu offer celebrity chat, in-depth analysis of landmark songs, a reality competition, and a dramatized look at the making of one of the genre’s titans.
Culture Desk
Zimbabwe’s Powerful Music of Struggle
Thomas Mapfumo, a leading chimurenga singer whose music championed Zimbabwe’s war for independence, returns to his country after a decade of self-imposed exile.
Sarah Larson
Joe Jackson, Past, Present, and Fast Forward
Books
Bloc Heads
Critic’s Notebook
Regular Gui
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