PopMatters Staff

Between the Grooves of Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’

Between the Grooves of Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’

In 1984, funk rock legend Prince combined music and film into a major extravaganza called Purple Rain, and it went to the top of the charts for 24 weeks in a row.

The 75 Best Albums of 2013

The 75 Best Albums of 2013

Jump back a decade and revisit the best albums of 2013, a year that saw the debuts of major female artists Kacey Musgraves, CHVRCHES, Haim, and Savages.

The 15 Best Americana Albums of 2013

The 15 Best Americana Albums of 2013

Jump back a decade and visit one of the best years for Americana albums ever, including Jason Isbell, Neko Case, the Devil Makes Three, and the Lone Bellow.

The 80 Best Albums of 2022

The 80 Best Albums of 2022

Musicians were more active in 2022 and it resulted in a vast treasure trove of superb work. The best albums of 2022 pushed boundaries and are more varied than ever.

The 13 Best Pop Albums of 2022

The 13 Best Pop Albums of 2022

The 13 best pop albums of 2022 radiate with unstoppable playlist power, much-needed sweet escapism, self-reflection, self-criticism, and killer melodies.

The 25 Best Indie Rock Albums of 2022

The 25 Best Indie Rock Albums of 2022

In 2022, indie rock was a guitar-led extravaganza with artists drawing from an ever-widening musical well. These are the 25 best indie rock albums of the year.

PopMatters Seeks Music Writers

PopMatters Seeks Music Writers

If you’re a smart, historically-minded music critic or essayist, let your voice be heard by the quality readership of PopMatters.

Between the Grooves of Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’

Between the Grooves of Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’

A track-by-track analysis of the most celebrated album of the 1990s: Nirvana’s Nevermind. From the hit that popularized grunge to a hidden cacophonous noise-fest.

Between the Grooves of Radiohead’s ‘The Bends’

Between the Grooves of Radiohead’s ‘The Bends’

PopMatters takes a deep dive into Radiohead’s first musically important album, The Bends, where the group’s experimental inclinations initially took flight.

The 75 Best Songs of 2011

The 75 Best Songs of 2011

Nostalgia Alert! Jump back a decade and enjoy the best songs of 2011. They are headlined by a synthpop classic, a massive hit from a hot diva, pristine harmonies of a young band headed for greatness.

20 Beatles Buried Treasures

20 Beatles Buried Treasures

This is a Beatles list of the nearest things in the most overexposed catalog in popular music history to “deep tracks”.

The 25 Best New Musical Artists of 2020

The 25 Best New Musical Artists of 2020

The best new artists are pushing boundaries as popular music becomes less genre-focused. New artists are forging new identities, rather than occupying the convenient marketing categories of the past.