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Music Featured: Top of Home Page Features Music Features

Nu Metal Anomalies Slipknot, System of a Down, and the Strange Math of Mass Appeal

By
Ryan Dyer
/ 23 April 2026

Nu metal’s ecosystem in the 1990s allowed unexpected forms of extremity to break into mainstream success, and Slipknot and System of a Down exemplify that.

FEATURES

Jazz Trumpeter Dave Douglas Discusses His Latest Music
Music

Jazz Trumpeter Dave Douglas Discusses His Latest Music

By
Will Layman
/ 23 April 2026
‘Cheers’, Cosiness and the Illusion of Companionship
Television

‘Cheers’, Cosiness and the Illusion of Companionship

By
Mike Cormack
/ 23 April 2026
‘Monty Python’s Life of Brian’ Is Fundamentally Silly
Film

‘Monty Python’s Life of Brian’ Is Fundamentally Silly

By
Chris Barsanti
/ 22 April 2026
Graham Nash’s “Teach Your Children” and the Creation of the 1970s
Music

Graham Nash’s “Teach Your Children” and the Creation of the 1970s

By
Jim Curtis
/ 22 April 2026
Inside Shakey Graves’ Wonderfully Weird World
Music

Inside Shakey Graves’ Wonderfully Weird World

By
Brian D’ Ambrosio
/ 22 April 2026
Salim Nourallah Connects Manila to the Stars
Music

Salim Nourallah Connects Manila to the Stars

By
Justin Cober-Lake
/ 21 April 2026
PopMatters Music

Reviews

Music Music Reviews PopMatters Picks Reviews

Friko Deliver on the Exciting Promise of Their Debut

By
Brian Stout
/ 23 April 2026
Music Music Reviews PopMatters Picks Reviews

Hurray For the Riff Raff Are at a Vibrant, Outspoken Peak

By
Greg M. Schwartz
/ 23 April 2026
Music Music Reviews PopMatters Picks Reviews

Frog Combine Exquisite Melodies and Oddball Arrangements

By
Chris Ingalls
/ 23 April 2026
The Moss Choose Their Own Path on ‘Big Blue Moon’
Music

The Moss Choose Their Own Path on ‘Big Blue Moon’

By
Mary Chiney
/ 23 April 2026
Does Stephen Emmer Share George Harrison’s DNA?
Music

Does Stephen Emmer Share George Harrison’s DNA?

By
Eoghan Lyng
/ 23 April 2026
Wesley Joseph Is a Hugely Talented New Musical Voice
Music

Wesley Joseph Is a Hugely Talented New Musical Voice

By
Paul Carr
/ 22 April 2026
Thin Lear Unspools More Disarming Pop Perfection
Music

Thin Lear Unspools More Disarming Pop Perfection

By
Chris Ingalls
/ 22 April 2026
Lucas Santtana Champions Brazilian Language on ‘Brasiliano’
Music

Lucas Santtana Champions Brazilian Language on ‘Brasiliano’

By
Adriane Pontecorvo
/ 22 April 2026
Dale Watson Is Still Fiercely Independent on ‘Unwanted’
Music

Dale Watson Is Still Fiercely Independent on ‘Unwanted’

By
Steve Horowitz
/ 22 April 2026
Friko Bring the Noise on ‘Something Worth Waiting For’
Music

Friko Bring the Noise on ‘Something Worth Waiting For’

By
Thomas Britt
/ 21 April 2026
Mr Eazi and King Promise Document a Long Kinship
Music

Mr Eazi and King Promise Document a Long Kinship

By
Mary Chiney
/ 21 April 2026

Features

Music Featured: Top of Home Page Features Music Features

Nu Metal Anomalies Slipknot, System of a Down, and the Strange Math of Mass Appeal

By
Ryan Dyer
/ 23 April 2026
Music Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features Interviews Music Features

Jazz Trumpeter Dave Douglas Discusses His Latest Music

By
Will Layman
/ 23 April 2026
Music Feature Sub Head Features Music Features

Graham Nash’s “Teach Your Children” and the Creation of the 1970s

By
Jim Curtis
/ 22 April 2026
Inside Shakey Graves’ Wonderfully Weird World
Music

Inside Shakey Graves’ Wonderfully Weird World

By
Brian D’ Ambrosio
/ 22 April 2026
Salim Nourallah Connects Manila to the Stars
Music

Salim Nourallah Connects Manila to the Stars

By
Justin Cober-Lake
/ 21 April 2026
A Place to Bury Strangers Discuss Their Resurrected Songs
Music

A Place to Bury Strangers Discuss Their Resurrected Songs

By
James A. Cosby
/ 20 April 2026
Why Is Tori Amos Thanking Rival Courtney Love?
Music

Why Is Tori Amos Thanking Rival Courtney Love?

By
Dan Gilbert
/ 20 April 2026
Don Felder’s Curious Pre-Fame Connection
Music

Don Felder’s Curious Pre-Fame Connection

By
Dave Van Dyke
/ 20 April 2026
Protest Music from Today’s Folk Troubadours
Music

Protest Music from Today’s Folk Troubadours

By
Iain Ellis
/ 16 April 2026
PopMatters Film
‘A Yard of Jackals’ and the Sound of Dictatorship
Film

‘A Yard of Jackals’ and the Sound of Dictatorship

By
Guilherme Quireza
/ 23 April 2026
‘Monty Python’s Life of Brian’ Is Fundamentally Silly
Film

‘Monty Python’s Life of Brian’ Is Fundamentally Silly

By
Chris Barsanti
/ 22 April 2026
Silent Serial ‘Tih-Minh’ Puts You Under Its Drugged Spell
Film

Silent Serial ‘Tih-Minh’ Puts You Under Its Drugged Spell

By
Michael Barrett
/ 21 April 2026
‘The Christophers’ Is So Soderbergh
Film

‘The Christophers’ Is So Soderbergh

By
Paul Risker
/ 20 April 2026
‘Wuthering Heights’ Puts Us All on the Leash
Features

‘Wuthering Heights’ Puts Us All on the Leash

By
Caroline J. Smith
/ 16 April 2026
‘Amrum’ Presents Wartime Distress with Visual Grace
Film

‘Amrum’ Presents Wartime Distress with Visual Grace

By
Guilherme Quireza
/ 15 April 2026
Sound of Falling’s Slow Exhaustion of Memory
Film

Sound of Falling’s Slow Exhaustion of Memory

By
Guilherme Quireza
/ 14 April 2026
Why Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work” Is the Ultimate Screen Song
Music

Why Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work” Is the Ultimate Screen Song

By
Timbray Shafer
/ 13 April 2026
PopMatters Books
Interviews Books Culture Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features

William Lessard on Vibe Coding Poetry in Our Era of AI

By
Sal Cataldi
/ 16 April 2026
Books Feature Sub Head Features

Stephen King’s Nightmares are Personal and Real

By
Chris Barsanti
/ 13 April 2026
Reviews Books Comics Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features Music PopMatters Picks

‘The Midnight: Shadows’ Renders Nostalgia’s Dangers in Neon

By
Alyssa Charpentier
/ 31 March 2026
Edmund White’s Longing for Being and Nothingness
Books

Edmund White’s Longing for Being and Nothingness

By
Mike Cormack
/ 24 March 2026
The Black Dahlia Is a Victim of Time
Books

The Black Dahlia Is a Victim of Time

By
Douglas MacLeod
/ 19 March 2026

Pop Past Culture

Enjoy the Popmatters archive [subscriber exclusive]

Subversive Strumming: Fear and Loathing of the American Folk Music Revival
Featured: Top of Home Page

Subversive Strumming: Fear and Loathing of the American Folk Music Revival

By
Iain Ellis
/ 20 February 2024
Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’ and the Power of I as Other
Music

Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’ and the Power of I as Other

By
Katherine Factor
/ 10 August 2022
Edgar Allan Poe, Pandemic, and Underlying Conditions
Features

Edgar Allan Poe, Pandemic, and Underlying Conditions

By
Timothy Scherman
/ 26 May 2020
PopMatters Television
‘Cheers’, Cosiness and the Illusion of Companionship
Television

‘Cheers’, Cosiness and the Illusion of Companionship

By
Mike Cormack
/ 23 April 2026
Why Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work” Is the Ultimate Screen Song
Music

Why Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work” Is the Ultimate Screen Song

By
Timbray Shafer
/ 13 April 2026
PopMatters Interviews
Music Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features Interviews Music Features

Jazz Trumpeter Dave Douglas Discusses His Latest Music

By
Will Layman
/ 23 April 2026
Music Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features Interviews Music Features

Inside Shakey Graves’ Wonderfully Weird World

By
Brian D’ Ambrosio
/ 22 April 2026
Music Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features Interviews Music Features

Salim Nourallah Connects Manila to the Stars

By
Justin Cober-Lake
/ 21 April 2026
A Place to Bury Strangers Discuss Their Resurrected Songs
Music

A Place to Bury Strangers Discuss Their Resurrected Songs

By
James A. Cosby
/ 20 April 2026
William Lessard on Vibe Coding Poetry in Our Era of AI
Interviews

William Lessard on Vibe Coding Poetry in Our Era of AI

By
Sal Cataldi
/ 16 April 2026
PopMatters Lists
Where Should Billy Joel Sit at the Pop Rock Table?
Music

Where Should Billy Joel Sit at the Pop Rock Table?

By
Brian Chander Wiora
/ 14 April 2026
ElectroMatters: Best Electronic Music of March 2026
Music

ElectroMatters: Best Electronic Music of March 2026

By
J. Simpson
/ 8 April 2026
10 Synthwave and Ambient Songs for Swimming
Music

10 Synthwave and Ambient Songs for Swimming

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Alyssa Charpentier
/ 7 April 2026
MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of March 2026
Music

MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of March 2026

By
Spyros Stasis,
Antonio Poscic / 6 April 2026
The Best Performances of 2026’s Love Rocks NYC
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The Best Performances of 2026’s Love Rocks NYC

By
Sachyn Mital
/ 25 March 2026

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