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Defector

Books

Defector At The Movies

Music

Arts And Culture

Israel Daramola

Quincy Jones on stage at The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz and The Recording Academy Los Angeles chapter honoring Herbie Hancock all star tribute concert at the Kodak Theatre

Quincy Jones Was Greater Than Any One Era

Lauren Theisen

The Dream Of The 1980s Is Alive And Unwell On Atlantic City Playlists

Soraya Roberts

In Communion With MJ Lenderman

Barry Petchesky

UNITED STATES - MAY 01: Photo of MEGADETH (Photo by Michael Uhll /Redferns)

Megadeth’s Big ‘Risk’ Did Not Pay Off

<p>Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.</p>


Nicholas Russell

The new Alchem-E Gold Ex drum set, made by Zildjian.

Life Lessons

Tom-Tom C’est Moi

Luis Paez-Pumar

Sunset Rubdown’s Spencer Krug Doesn’t Want To Live In The Past Forever

Billy Haisley

The artist Brunderr (L) performs during the filming of a music video at the Baile Funk of the Heliopolis favela in the south of Sao Paulo, Brazil, on April 20, 2024. Born in the impoverished favelas, Rio de Janeiro funk music has emerged as a global phenomenon, embraced by superstars like Anitta and Beyonce and starring in museum shows, though it still faces stigma in Brazil.

A Washed American’s Guide To The Boundless Underworld Of Brazilian Funk

Rich Homie Quan performs onstage at The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre on September 01, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan.

Rich Homie Quan Got To The Top Of The Mountain

Kelsey McKinney

Chappell Roan on stage in a blue outfit, her hair blowing behind her, with one arm outstretched, pointing.

Chappell Roan Confronts The Sickness Of Modern Fandom

Should I Die For Orville Peck?

<p>Annie Howard is a journalist and historian based in Chicago. She is currently at work on her debut manuscript, <em>The City Made Me Trans</em><i>.</i></p>


Annie Howard

Los Campesinos concert stage - two fists surrounded by a ring of shards pointing at them

A Small Catalog Of Reflections On Aging Made Possible By Los Campesinos!

Brandy Jensen

Patrick Redford

Wings Week

Wait By The Door, Light A Cigarette, And Listen To Miranda Lambert With Defector Music Club

People during the concert before the meeting with Franklin Graham in Krakow, Poland on April 13, 2024. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto)

Why Are So Many Concert Tours Getting Canceled?

The Year’s Best Rap Album Wants To Take You To The Future

Greenfinches and Goldfinches on and around a bird feeder.

Birdfector

You’re A Birder, James Hetfield

Alex Sujong Laughlin

The words "girl's girl" appear in the Charli XCX Brat font, on a Brat-green background.

Charli XCX, Lorde, And The Trap Of The “Girl’s Girl”

Kendrick Lamar at Life Is Beautiful 2023 on September 23, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Kendrick Lamar Gets His Curtain Call

It’s Pop Girl Summer

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<div><a href="http://lillianstone.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://lillianstone.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1718218980346000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2u5kEh7Ge04YvIIiNqdkoU">Lillian Stone</a> is a culture writer and the author of the humorous essay collection <i>Everybody&#8217;s Favorite.</i></div>
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Lillian Stone

Los Angeles Kings music director, Dieter Ruehle, plays a 1941 Wurlitzer organ during the ribbon cutting and reopening of the LA Kings Iceland at Paramount on October 26, 2022 in Paramount California.

The Stadium Organ Is Alive And As Goofy As Ever

<p>Columnist. Author of many <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Drew-Magary/e/B001JS8R52/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1">fine works of literature</a>, including <em>Point B</em>. Handsomest man in the world.</p>


Drew Magary

Funbag

What Makes A Power Ballad?


<p>Corey Atad is a freelancer writer based in Toronto with an unhealthy Air Bud obsession.</p>


Corey Atad

Mods Asleep

The Decemberists Take Me Back And Forth

<p>Mitch Therieau is a writer living in Virginia.</p>


Mitch Therieau

American singer Rob Thomas, of the American rock band Matchbox Twenty, sings on stage during a concert in Los Angeles, California, circa 1996. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images)

In Defense Of That Whole Weird ’90s Rock Marble-Mouthed Thing

<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400">Dan Brooks writes essays and fiction from Missoula, Montana.</span></i></p>


Dan Brooks

Taylor Swift performs onstage during the Taylor Swift reputation Stadium Tour at MetLife Stadium on July 21, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Culture Needs More Jerks

Two characters from I Saw The Tv Glow sit side by side