By “the best” I mean “the best in things I happen to have stumbled across, mostly about artists I listen to/in publications I regularly read,” so if there’s anything you think I should have read by now, by all means send me the links.
M.I.A.: Behind the Backlash to the Backlash
I tried to avoid including articles that were really holdovers from 2010 subjects, but Vicki Leekx came out, and this was a great response.
What It Feels Like to be Kanye West is What It Feels Like to be American
USA! USA! USA!
Slow And Steady: Vinyl Survives
Odd Future, Hip-Hop, Misogyny, and the Internet
Like many other people, I read quite a lot about Odd Future over the past six months, and this piece stood out for its resounding sensitivity.
Joe Chip, What’s on Your iPod?
Nine Short Pieces on the Smiths
Review: Jessie J – Who You Are
An excerpt from this earned #1 Harshest Pitchfork Diss from SF Weekly, and for good reason. Jessie J’s album was deservingly panned all over the place, but this is the review that brought out the greatest sense of schadenfreude in the best way possible.
Death is Not the End: David Foster Wallace, James Murphy, and the New Sincerity
Out of all of the things I read about LCD Soundsystem, this was hands down the best.
Release The Pressure: The Weight of Great Expectations
The latest Arctic Monkeys album has a song called “Love Is A Laserquest” on it.
Everything You Know About This Band Is Wrong
I guess maybe I should pay more attention when I read press releases.
Every Time I Hit The Ground, I Bounce Up Like Roundball
I don’t know anything about sports, but I can recognize what an impressive effort this is, especially considering it’s just a blog post.
Why Miley Cyrus’s ‘Party in the U.S.A.’ Became the Osama Bin Laden Death Anthem
By the title, it kind of seems like it shouldn’t have even been an article at all, but it had to be.
Is hip-hop homophobia at a tipping point?
This is pretty high up on the list of best things I have read all year.
Tyler, the Creator: Visionary Rapper or Obnoxious Teenager?
Sometimes it’s necessary to analyze the existing analysis.
The Worst Thing About The New Generation Of “Raunch Pop” Is The Way It Makes Sex Utterly Boring
Lady Gaga’s Fame Ball Rolls On
What Cheryl Cole’s X Factor Dismissal Means For British Pop In America
Pulp matter more than ever in today’s cowed pop cultural landscape
I wasn’t born in the right place or time to enjoy Pulp at the height of their career, but I’ve always enjoyed reading about them. This is no exception.
Warning: Someone, Somewhere, Might Be Faking Something
This is mostly not about Kreayshawn.
Introducing the Queen of Pop
There’s always something about applying concrete numbers and statistics to pop music.
Giving Up The Gun 