Artist As Pure Ego: Beyoncé's 'Homecoming: The Live Album'
Beyoncé's Homecoming is one of the most impressive shows ever, but its need to tell us how impressive it is deflates some of its awe.
24 Apr 2019
Recent
On Black Girl Magic and Georgia Anne Muldrow's Latest, 'Overload'
It's tempting to proclaim this moment in black pop as something akin to 2018's political Year of the Woman -- Year of the Sista, if you will. But today's unapologetically progressive female black pop artists stand on the shoulders of a most impressive cohort from the '90s and early '00s.
31 Jan 2019
'Black Lives Matter and Music': From a Movement That's Only Beginning to Find Its Voice
Scholars share their initial thoughts on the musical reactions to the burgeoning social movement, Black Lives Matter, in this anthology from Indiana University Press.
05 Nov 2018
The Best Pop Singles of 2016
Celebrating the songs this year that operated within the constraints of "radio music", truly a genre all its own, and produced excellent results.
27 Dec 2016
2016: The Final Year of the Surprise Album (Hopefully)
Dropping unexpected albums is a growing trend and one that should be done away with.
Dan Kok
Music
22 Dec 2016
Form Follows Function: 'The Life of Pablo' and 'Blonde' Challenge the Notion of an Album
Kanye West and Frank Ocean have created imperfect perfect albums which invert our notions of flaws and challenge our perception of the album as an art form.
19 Dec 2016
Nicolas Jaar: Sirens
Sirens is a masterpiece. Melding pop and experimental music, it reflects the uneasiness of our difficult times.
23 Nov 2016
Beyoncé - "Hold Up" (Singles Going Steady)
"Hold Up" is a slice of art that engages the senses of sight and sound, and it's beautiful.
21 Sep 2016
Concert review: Beyoncé's Faithful in 'Formation'
Saturday during her sold-out Formation tour stop in Pasadena, Beyoncé’s passion and rage ruled.
Lorraine Ali
Music
16 May 2016
Beyoncé's 'Lemonade
Lemonade is that rare work where you will remember exactly where you were and exactly who you were with the first time you hear it.
27 Apr 2016
Hope and Despair in Video Games
There are moments in games that capture the feud waged in ourselves between hope and despair.
11 Feb 2016
Beyoncé - "Formation" (Singles Going Steady)
Beyoncé's "Formation" is Black Pride incarnate, and it’s exactly what we needed to hear right now.
10 Feb 2016
Beyoncé and When Music Writing Becomes Activism
The overall response to Beyoncé's "Formation" has been startlingly positive, but mostly for reasons attached to political agendas. It's time to investigate this trend.
10 Feb 2016
Was Super Bowl 50 a Golden Bowl?
A pop culture play-by-play of the biggest TV event of the year.
08 Feb 2016
PopTalk: The Poptimism and Rockism Debate
In 2015, the "poptimism vs. rockism" debate has inspired a rash of thinkpieces and Twitter arguments. Is this debate actually saying anything, though?
Brice Ezell, Evan Sawdey, Nathan Stevens
Music
14 Jan 2016
Made in America Festival 2015
Even though it is on Labor Day and it is called “Made in America", this fest has nothing to do with manufacturing jobs. Instead, this is Jay Z’s vision of a new – or renewed – sense of patriotism.
19 Oct 2015
Pop Ten
Mixed Media
PM Picks
- Follow Us
- SoundCloud
© 1999-2018 Popmatters.com. All rights reserved.
Popmatters is wholly independently owned and operated.