It’s always a challenge for an artist working on the periphery of a genre to cultivate a strong commercial following while retaining their unique personality — and to not be too well-defined by…
There have been countless documentaries, specials and books produced about the Beatles. They remain the most influential band of all time. What makes Hulu’s docuseries “McCartney 3,2,1” different is how it allows…
John Mayer emerged fully formed as an artist from an era that was almost bygone when he debuted — one of muscular, catchy, unthreatening pop rock — so to hear him tap…
Pop-punk captures the mercurial, petulant mindset of teenagers better than any other genre. The fact that almost nobody except teenagers listens to it — at least after entering their twenties and beyond —…
At 22 minutes, Vince Staples’ new self-titled album runs barely long enough to qualify as an EP. But in an era frequently defined by maximum output, minimum effort, the three-year wait…
The making of Hulu’s documentary “Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” began, as many risky endeavors must, by taking chances. For the highly accomplished Questlove, this…
Amon Tobin has been at the forefront of electronic music for over two decades, shifting shapes with an unparalleled abandon, and always exhibiting a consummate commitment to craft. In 1997, when the world…
“Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” confirms that some documentaries can be so absorbing, so transcendental, that the viewer doesn’t so much watch them as absorb them.
In the age of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), sampling is a lost art form, but you wouldn’t know it from “Call Me If You Get Lost.” Not only does…
Doja Cat is a quintessentially Generation Z artist. She began releasing her music on Soundcloud as a teenager, promptly landed a record deal, and went viral when her song “Mooo!” became an…
Unknown quantities no longer exist in popular music, but Sault is probably the closest — and best — thing to one in a media landscape inundated in promotion (and self-promotion). In a…
Based on at least five good years of wall-to-wall coverage of H.E.R., leading to numerous chart appearances, collaborations, guest spots, ten Grammy nominations, four wins, and an Oscar, it seems impossible that…