The 100 Best Alternative Songs of the 1980s
The best alternative songs of the 1980s span punk, post-punk, new wave, college rock, underground, goth, new romantic, ska, power pop, hardcore, and indie rock.
Lists
Hit the Road: 10 Fresh Driving Songs
Does your cruising playlist sound a bit hoary these days? Here are ten fresh driving songs, rocking highway anthems to get your motor running.
Who Will Be the Next Harry Hole? The 5 Best Norwegian Actors for the Role
The complex detective in Norwegian noir writer Jo Nesbø’s novels needs the perfect actor for the upcoming series. Who will be – who can be – the next Harry Hole?
Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Lists/MetalMatters/Music/Music Features/PopMatters Picks/Reviews
MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of March 2024
In March’s best metal, Coffins and Slimelord define death/doom glory, Misotheist find beauty in raw black metal ugliness, and Prisoner attack the senses.
Ambient Matters: The 15 Best Ambient Albums of March 2024
This month’s best ambient/experimental releases yielded enough sublime music to send you drifting into transcendence for many moons to come.
Three TV Shows That Promise an Intriguing Viewing Experience
These three TV shows of early spring 2024 are the most compelling, mind-boggling, and expensive-looking ones to watch before you go back out in the sun.
Say It Loud! 100 Timeless Protest Songs
PopMatters has scoured the musical spectrum for the best examples of protest songs, including anthems of great popularity and obscurity that resonate today.
JazzMatters: The Best New Jazz of Winter 2024
PopMatters presents the best new jazz recordings from the winter of 2024 and reflects on the relationship of the Grammys to jazz.
The 10 Best Oasis Songs From the B-Sides
Oasis kept putting out singles all throughout their career, spawning some pretty memorable B-side tracks. Here are ten of their best.
The 10 Best John Coltrane Solos
John Coltrane redefined the vocabulary of jazz with his “sheets of sound” and modal approaches. He also revolutionized how people play the saxophone.
Dancing in the Street: Our 25 Favorite Motown Songs
Detroit’s Motown Records will forever be important as a hit factory and an African American-owned label that achieved massive mainstream success and influence.
Get Hooked: 15 Classic Songs About Addiction
Great artists suffer, so we don’t have to! Rather than face such personal demons ourselves, we list 15 classic songs about addiction for the morning after.