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Defector

Books

Defector At The Movies

Music

Arts And Culture

Kelsey McKinney

screenshot from the movie barbie of margot robbie with the text "do you guys ever think about dying"

Mods Asleep

A Playlist To Escape The Summertime Blues 

<p>Clover Hope is a Brooklyn-based writer and author of the award-winning book <a href="https://store.abramsbooks.com/products/the-motherlode"><i>The Motherlode: 100+ Women Who Made Hip-Hop</i></a>. Her writing has appeared in <i>Esquire</i>, <i>Men&#8217;s Health</i>, <i>Elle</i>, ESPN, <i>Billboard, </i>and <i>GQ</i>, among others.</p>
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Clover Hope

Screenshot from Hulu's tv series remake of 'High Fidelity'

The Trials Of Finding Love As A Music Snob


<p>charismatic megafauna (they/them)</p>


Sabrina Imbler

How Climate Change Is Transforming The Soundtrack Of The Natural World

Billy Haisley

Boy in a pedal car. Driving his pedal car on the pavement outside his house.

A Playlist Of Ear-Splitting Brazilian Funk Ideal For A Long Drive

Lauren Theisen

Taylor Swift performs onstage during "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour"

Taylor Swift Turned Me Straight

<p>Jordan Sargent is a writer and music industry professional living in Brooklyn. His work has appeared in Gawker, Pitchfork, Slate, and more.</p>


Jordan Sargent

There Has Never Been A Better Time To Be A White Rapper

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<div class="p-rich_text_section">Puja Patel is a writer, editor, and curator who has served as the Editor-in-Chief of Pitchfork and <em>Spin</em>, a culture editor for Deadspin, and a columnist for MTV and the <em>Village Voice</em>. Her work has appeared in publications such as the <em>New Yorker</em>, <em>Harper&#8217;s Bazaar</em>, and <em>Rolling Stone,</em> among others. She serves on the advisory board of NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music and Building Beats, a nonprofit organization that provides music education to underserved youth across New York City and Los Angeles.</div>
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Puja Patel

Huddle Up, Take A Knee: It’s Puja Week

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


Nicholas Russell

Lady Gaga performs onstage during The MAYHEM Ball Tour at The Kia Forum on July 28, 2025 in Inglewood, California.

No Journey With Lady Gaga Is Ever Wasted

Israel Daramola

In Pursuit Of Personal Taste

Dave McKenna

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - AUGUST 08: Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath performs during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony at Alexander Stadium on August 08, 2022 on the Birmingham, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

I’ll Never Stop Bragging About Seeing Ozzy On The Most Metal Tour Of All Time

Barry Petchesky

Ozzy Osbourne Was The Frontman Of The Future

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<p>Robert Rubsam writes fiction and nonfiction. His work has appeared in the NYT Magazine, the Atlantic, the Washington Post, the Baffler, and Liberties. He is a contributing writer for Commonweal Magazine.</p>
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Robert Rubsam

Craig Finn attends "A New York Evening With Margo Price" at The Greene Space on June 16, 2023 in New York City.

Craig Finn Can Write A Great Song, But Can He Write A Good Short Story?

<p>Former Defector intern, now freelancer.</p>
<p>For professional inquiries or tips please write lucybl00m@protonmail.com or yuck.20 on Signal.</p>
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Lucy Bloom

Bills Week

Billie Marten’s Music Makes Loneliness A Thrill

David Roth

Singer and pianist Billy Joel rests on an airline flight between Austin and Dallas during a tour promoting his "57th Street" album. | Location: Above Texas, USA.

You Should Never Argue With A Crazy M-M-Music Club

How Leaks Became The Last Vestige Of Communal Music Discovery

Image from the music video of Halc DJ's "Tamborzada do Submundo."

Halc DJ’s Brazilian Funk Album Fights A Righteous War Against The Algorithms

<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

James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich of Metallica perform during the M72 World Tour at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on June 03, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Metallica Is Forever

Brian Wilson, along with the Beach Boys perform at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California on January 1, 1987 .

Brian Wilson Was The Sound Of Something Just Out Of Reach

LOS ANGELES - 1966: Singer and mastermind Brian Wilson of the rock and roll band "The Beach Boys" directs from the control room while recording the album "Pet Sounds" in 1966 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Brian Wilson Was A Sad Genius Who Brought Joy To The World

Is This An Era Of Cultural Stagnation?

Rick Derringer performs at Oakland Stadium in Oakland, California - July 23, 1977

Rick Derringer Made Rock And Roll Fun

Slayer, Tom Araya, Clash of the Titans, Genk, Belgium, 22nd September 1990.

Are We Human, Or Are We Slayer?


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

Ray Ratto

The two Eurovision hosts are surrounded by dancers holding giant fondue sticks.

Can You Do Racism Against Italians? A Eurovision Roundtable

Niko Stratis

Jakob Dylan, in 1997, singing in front of a microphone. He has short curly hair, maybe has a little beard, and he's in a long sleeve collared button-front shirt. He's playing guitar. In the corner there's an image of a book cover: The Dad Rock That Made Me A Woman, by Niko Stratis