The Cruel Truth About Rock And Roll
Recent allegations that one of The Runaways was raped by the band’s manager remind us that sexual exploitation is part of rock’s foundation — and challenge the very idea that it is worth loving.
Category: Ann Powers
How To Be Alone: Musicians Confront Solitude
On new albums, Sufjan Stevens, Kendrick Lamar and Laura Marling all hold the world at a distance in order to embrace creation.
Why We Fight About Pop Music
Two writers dig to the bottom of why other people’s bad taste in music bothers us so much, and along the way, lay out the new rules for thinking and writing about pop.
Lady Gaga At SXSW: ‘Don’t Sell Out. Sell In.’
In a keynote event at SXSW, the queen of pop transgression offered support for anyone struggling with self-definition and illustrated how hard it is to steer clear of the constraints of corporate pop.
The Guide To Making SXSW Fun (For Everybody)
SXSW can be so overwhelming, so here are six recommendations for keeping keep cool at the Austin music festival — for first-timers, veterans and those following along at home.
Listening In Reel Life: The Pop Music Inside The Oscar Nominees
Original songs and scores aren’t the only music worth paying attention to on Oscar night. Pop music is woven deeply into the performances and plots of many of the year’s best movies.
Computer Love: Beats Music Wants To Be Your Everything
Ann Powers says that for the music lover searching for an immersive streaming service, newcomer Beats Music comes close to offering the complete package.
Collaborations And Congratulations: Navigating The Grammy Crossover
On the Grammy stage, winners and performers had to deal with the sometimes-uncomfortable will of the show’s mainstream tastes. Questions of appropriation and access dogged the show, but a few times, meaningful alliance shone through.
Hurray For The Riff Raff’s New Political Folk
The New Orleans-based bandleader Alynda Lee Segarra talks about the wide range of political and musical inspirations — from her Puerto Rican background to the Occupy movement and women’s rights in India — behind her band’s new album, Small Town Heroes.