Chrissie Hynde Sets a New Standard Chrissie Hynde Sets a New Standard
Valve Bone Woe uses Tin Pan Alley classics, musical theater numbers, jazz tunes, and more to show the Pretenders singer as the top of her game
Oct 11, 2019 / David Hajdu
A Haitian Music Oral History That Bends Space and Time A Haitian Music Oral History That Bends Space and Time
Nathalie Joachim’s debut album, Fanm d’Ayiti, bridges vast expanses, bringing together the sounds of Haitian folk music, Western classical music, electronic, and hints of pop.
Sep 18, 2019 / David Hajdu
An Essential Primer on Punk’s Feminist History An Essential Primer on Punk’s Feminist History
Vivian Goldman’s latest book looks at the gutsy and rebellious female-fronted punk bands that changed the course of the genre.
Aug 12, 2019 / David Hajdu and Karen Oberlin
Caroline Shaw and the Shock of the New Caroline Shaw and the Shock of the New
The Pulitzer Prize–winning composer turns the history of the string quartet upside down, turning a once fusty form into something adventurous.
Jul 18, 2019 / David Hajdu
A Short History of Country Music’s Multicultural Mishmash A Short History of Country Music’s Multicultural Mishmash
Or everything that came before Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus walked down that “Old Town Road.”
Jun 7, 2019 / David Hajdu
Billie Eilish’s Radically Quiet Pop Billie Eilish’s Radically Quiet Pop
The LA musician is the pop star made for AirPods.
May 3, 2019 / David Hajdu
Listening to Michael Jackson Will Never Be the Same Listening to Michael Jackson Will Never Be the Same
What it means to listen to Jackson’s music after HBO’s Leaving Neverland.
Mar 22, 2019 / David Hajdu
Jeremy Denk Explains the History of Western Classical Music (Yes, All of It!) Jeremy Denk Explains the History of Western Classical Music (Yes, All of It!)
The pianist’s new album, c. 1300–c. 2000, gives a listener a lesson in seven centuries of composition, from Monteverdi to Stockhausen and beyond.
Mar 15, 2019 / David Hajdu
Julia Wolfe’s Haunting Elegy to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Julia Wolfe’s Haunting Elegy to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
A monumental achievement in high musical drama, Wolfe’s new piece Fire in my mouth is already one of the year’s best performances.
Feb 14, 2019 / David Hajdu
The Best Albums of 2018 The Best Albums of 2018
A striking number of this year’s most potent albums give voice to the disorientation, anxiety, and rage that infuse the human experience today.
Dec 21, 2018 / David Hajdu