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Music Featured: Top of Home Page Features Lists Music Features PopMatters Picks

The 10 Best Pop Music Books of the 2000s So Far

By

Josh Friedberg / 21 September 2026

These ten books are not a poptimist syllabus, but they represent some of the best music writing of the 21st century on pop music.

FEATURES

Satyajit Ray’s Lovely ‘Days and Nights in the Forest’ Almost Escapes the World

Feature Sub Head

Satyajit Ray’s Lovely ‘Days and Nights in the Forest’ Almost Escapes the World

By

Michael Barrett / 21 September 2026

Why Deadhead Culture Is a Pure Strain of American Noir

Why Deadhead Culture Is a Pure Strain of American Noir

By

Jimy Valenti / 21 September 2026

Rock Music Returns to Outside Lands 2026

Rock Music Returns to Outside Lands 2026

By

Greg M. Schwartz / 21 September 2026

Andrew Sacher Discusses Reclaiming Emo for a New Generation

Andrew Sacher Discusses Reclaiming Emo for a New Generation

By

Brian Stout / 17 September 2026

Showbiz Drama ‘Primetime’ Peers into the Media’s Twisted Minds

Showbiz Drama ‘Primetime’ Peers into the Media’s Twisted Minds

By

Ana Yorke / 17 September 2026

Control Science: Your Subjugation Under Capitalism

Control Science: Your Subjugation Under Capitalism

By

Ivan Selimbegović / 17 September 2026

Music Reviews

Music Music Reviews PopMatters Picks Reviews

Bonobo’s ‘Distance in Static’ Is a Well-Earned Victory Lap

By

Paul Carr / 21 September 2026

Music Music Reviews PopMatters Picks Reviews

A Place for Owls Build Strength Upon Strength on ‘All Thieves, Vol. 1’

By

Thomas Britt / 21 September 2026

Music Music Reviews PopMatters Picks Reviews

Emma Ruth Rundle Releases a Brilliant Career-Defining Set

By

John Amen / 17 September 2026

Melissa Auf der Maur Creates a Feminist Apotheosis

Branford Marsalis and Dianne Reeves Pay Tribute to Coltrane

John Hollenbeck’s Singular Voice Animates’ Peace and Justice’

Oasis’ ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ Makes the Case for Their Enduring Delight

Getdown Services Dance Through the Class War on ‘Massive Champion’

Drummer Matt Wilson’s Good Trouble Fight Power with Love

Wesley Stace Settles into a Stylish Vibe on ‘One Last Heist’

Mastodon Find Blood in the Bone on ‘Marrow Deep’

Matt B Goes Home and Lets the Ocean Do the Talking

Enneads Immerse Themselves in “Doom Jazz” on Debut

Music Features

Music Featured: Top of Home Page Features Lists Music Features PopMatters Picks

The 10 Best Pop Music Books of the 2000s So Far

By

Josh Friedberg / 21 September 2026

Features Culture Feature Sub Head Music Music Features

Why Deadhead Culture Is a Pure Strain of American Noir

By

Jimy Valenti / 21 September 2026

Music Events Feature Sub Head Features Music Features

Rock Music Returns to Outside Lands 2026

By

Greg M. Schwartz / 21 September 2026

Andrew Sacher Discusses Reclaiming Emo for a New Generation

How Melanie Martinez’s “THE VATICAN” Revives an Old Religious Joke

Oasis’ ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ Makes the Case for Their Enduring Delight

Saul Williams Discusses Teaching the Next Generation of Activists

Film

Satyajit Ray’s Lovely ‘Days and Nights in the Forest’ Almost Escapes the World

Feature Sub Head

Satyajit Ray’s Lovely ‘Days and Nights in the Forest’ Almost Escapes the World

By

Michael Barrett / 21 September 2026

Showbiz Drama ‘Primetime’ Peers into the Media’s Twisted Minds

Showbiz Drama ‘Primetime’ Peers into the Media’s Twisted Minds

By

Ana Yorke / 17 September 2026

The Nazi Indoctrination of Otto Gebühr’s Frederick the Great

The Nazi Indoctrination of Otto Gebühr’s Frederick the Great

By

Ilya Ganpantsura / 16 September 2026

Hirokazu Koreeda’s ‘Sheep in the Box’ Embraces AI Unquestioningly

Hirokazu Koreeda’s ‘Sheep in the Box’ Embraces AI Unquestioningly

By

Guilherme Quireza / 15 September 2026

Laura La Plante’s and Marion Davies’ Gender-Defying Silent Comedies

Laura La Plante’s and Marion Davies’ Gender-Defying Silent Comedies

By

Michael Barrett / 15 September 2026

‘Bouchra’ Explores How Artists Create New Forms for Familiar Questions

‘Bouchra’ Explores How Artists Create New Forms for Familiar Questions

By

David Pike / 14 September 2026

Venice Film Festival 2026 Carefully Welcomes the Political in Filmmaking

Venice Film Festival 2026 Carefully Welcomes the Political in Filmmaking

By

Ana Yorke / 10 September 2026

Danny Boyle’s ‘Ink’ Gets Despicability Fabulously

Danny Boyle’s ‘Ink’ Gets Despicability Fabulously

By

Ana Yorke / 9 September 2026

Dolly Parton’s Greatest Movie Role

Dolly Parton’s Greatest Movie Role

By

Guilherme Quireza / 1 September 2026

Books

Barbara Kingsolver’s ‘Partita’ Captures Dreams Deferred

By

Chris Barsanti / 21 September 2026

Books Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features Reviews

Control Science: Your Subjugation Under Capitalism

By

Ivan Selimbegović / 17 September 2026

Books Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Music Reviews

Chuck Klosterman’s Rock* Makes Rock Music History Wobble

By

Jeremy McDonagh / 14 September 2026

How to Read James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’ Without Fears or Tears

Colson Whitehead’s ‘Cool Machine’ Is Powered by His Ruminating Prose

Susannah Felts on ‘The Come Apart’ and Creating for Creatives

Physicist Christophe Galfard Takes on Who We Are in ‘This Is Life’

Television

For All Mankind’s #Resist Moment

For All Mankind’s #Resist Moment

By

Victor Clemente / 26 August 2026

Love, Death and Caste in Gay Romances ‘Heated Rivalry’ and ‘Cactus Pears’

Love, Death and Caste in Gay Romances ‘Heated Rivalry’ and ‘Cactus Pears’

By

Jayashree Kamblé / 6 August 2026

Lists

The 10 Best Pop Music Books of the 2000s So Far

The 10 Best Pop Music Books of the 2000s So Far

By

Josh Friedberg / 21 September 2026

Dolly Parton’s Greatest Movie Role

Dolly Parton’s Greatest Movie Role

By

Guilherme Quireza / 1 September 2026

MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of August 2026

MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of August 2026

By

Spyros Stasis / 31 August 2026

The 10 Best Dolly Parton Songs (Plus One More)

The 10 Best Dolly Parton Songs (Plus One More)

By

Jeff Koch / 25 August 2026

Interviews

Music Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features Interviews Music Features

Andrew Sacher Discusses Reclaiming Emo for a New Generation

By

Brian Stout / 17 September 2026

Music Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features Interviews Music Features

Saul Williams Discusses Teaching the Next Generation of Activists

By

Brian Stout / 15 September 2026

Music Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features Interviews Music Features

There’s Always Ways: Jesse Malin Discusses Writing His Memoir

By

Brian Stout / 14 September 2026

Susannah Felts on ‘The Come Apart’ and Creating for Creatives

Americana’s Pieta Brown Is Dreamin’ in the Dark

Evil Island on Reunion Tours, I.C.E., and Best Album Yet

Anthony Kavanagh on ‘Pop Scars’ and Taking the Long Way Home

Pop Past

The best of our archive [subscriber exclusive]

Of Maus and Men: Postwar Identity Through a Postmodern Lens in Art Spiegelman’s ‘Maus’

Featured: Top of Home Page

Of Maus and Men: Postwar Identity Through a Postmodern Lens in Art Spiegelman’s ‘Maus’

By

Eric Steingold / 24 March 2015

Publish with PM

PopMatters Seeks Book Critics and Essayists

PopMatters Seeks Book Critics and Essayists

By

Karen Zarker / 24 January 2024

Submit an Essay, Review, Interview, or List to PopMatters

Submit an Essay, Review, Interview, or List to PopMatters

By

PopMatters Staff / 26 July 2023

PopMatters Seeks Music Writers

PopMatters Seeks Music Writers

By

PopMatters Staff / 28 September 2022

PopMatters Seeks Film Critics and Essayists

PopMatters Seeks Film Critics and Essayists

By

Karen Zarker / 28 September 2022

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