In part two of this episode, we discuss Spears’ conservatorship, and the public discussion around it as well as disability rights in general. Then, we look at stan culture and the influence of (social) media on celebrity and vice versa and how social media has changed since this album was released, looking at its impact on stars like Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift, plus what Britney Spears’ Instagram looks like today. Take a listen.
In part one of this episode, we discuss Britney Spears’ 2007 album Blackout, which was released at a harrowing time in Spears’ life. We discuss the album in relation to Spears’ personal life as well as in relation to popular culture. Then, we look at the album’s production and the public response to it, including backlash to Spears’ vocal fry and the impact Spears’ literal and figurative voice has had on popular music. Take a listen.
Live Through This is an album about girlhood and motherhood; desire and disgust; self-destruction and survival. There have been few rock albums before or since so intimately concerned with female experience. It is an album that changed lives – so why is Courtney Love’s achievement as a songwriter and musician still not taken seriously, two decades on? In part two of this episode, we continue our discussion of how Courtney Love both challenged and parodied ideals of womanhood, the gendered connotations of fandom, Hole’s influence on the music of today, and more.
Live Through This is an album about girlhood and motherhood; desire and disgust; self-destruction and survival. There have been few rock albums before or since so intimately concerned with female experience. It is an album that changed lives – so why is Courtney Love’s achievement as a songwriter and musician still not taken seriously, two decades on? In part one of this episode, we explore Hole’s origin and influences, their glam 90s LA image, and the 3rd wave feminist backlash against Courtney Love as she challenged every preconceived notion of “good” womanhood.
A Black female artist fighting to control her career, her body, and her life, Janet Jackson was a 20th century icon. As a part of our minicast on politics, Ayanna Dozier – author, filmmaker, and performance artist – shares her experience writing about The Velvet Rope for our 33 1/3 series, while tackling Black women’s sexuality and bodily autonomy, technophilia, online structures of oppression, and much more. This episode is for anyone wondering about Janet Jackson’s life and legacy and the influence she still has on artists today.
D’Angelo is an artist with endless emotion and honesty, one who seems to literally put the soul in soul music. In this episode, author Faith Pennick discusses why so many are entranced by his work and how his songs inspired her to write D”Angelo’s Voodoo. We go beyond his music, analyzing his career, the strong messages of mental health in his lyrics, his experience as a Black musician, the release of his “Untitled” music video, and more. For R&B fans looking to explore the meaning behind D’Angelo’s music and discover what has everyone so captivated.
Born out of 1970s Britain, The Raincoats were a band formed from the ashes of experimental punk and rebellion. In this episode, author and journalist Jenn Pelly transports you back to a world of indie record stores, feminist ideals, DIY music, and a fight against capitalism as she discusses four independent, talented women, their work as artists, and their impact as a group. Explore their history, songs, opinions, and culture with someone who traveled to London to speak with The Raincoats themselves.
Having grown up in northern Florida, Tom Petty had a distinctly narrow view of America—something that is apparent in his album, Southern Accents. In this interview, author Michael Washburn analyzes these songs and Petty himself, commenting on the prevailing racial prejudices that still exist in the south today. Covering everything from 80’s rock ‘n’ roll to white nationalism, this episode discusses a music legend while also revealing some of the vital southern culture that he was misconstruing.
May 8th 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ Let It Be album—the recording sessions for which might be the most dramatic, creative, and chaotic of their career. In celebration, author Steve Matteo gives a behind-the-scenes look into the Beatles themselves, the story of Let It Be, and the many interviews he had with people close to the band.