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Defector

Books

Defector At The Movies

Music

Arts And Culture

Albert Burneko

I Demand A Goth-Sludge Chipmunks Cover Of Every Great Pop Song, Immediately

Luis Paez-Pumar

Mitski releases Laurel Hell, her sixth album.

Mitski’s Most Formidable Opponent Is Still Herself

Dave McKenna

ATLANTA - FEBRUARY 8: Singer 'Meatloaf' performs at the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk Contest during the 2003 NBA All Star weekend at Philips Arena on February 8, 2003 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

If It Weren’t For Meat Loaf, I Might Not Be Here

My Long Lost Pedal Returned At Just The Right Time

Defector Staff

Year In Review

The Best Things We Heard In 2021

Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99

Diana Moskovitz

Concert-goers watch BTS perform onstage during iHeartRadio 102.7 KIIS FM's Jingle Ball 2021 presented by Capital One at The Forum on December 03, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

You Don’t Need Permission For Joy

Amos Barshad

Capital

These Musicians Are Angry, Organized, And Coming For Spotify

Titus Andronicus Made Me Feel At Home In The Mosh Pit Again

Kelsey McKinney

Taylor Swift Confronts Her First Draft

<a href="https://twitter.com/ericnus">Eric Nusbaum</a> is a writer based in Tacoma, Washington. He is the author of the book <a href="https://bookshop.org/books/stealing-home-los-angeles-the-dodgers-and-the-lives-caught-in-between-9781541742222/9781541742215">Stealing Home: Los Angeles, the Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between</a>. He is also a former editor at Vice.

Eric Nusbaum

Illustration of Chris Ballew, performing as Caspar Babypants, by Adam Villacin

Dadfector

Chris Ballew Went Platinum On The Way To Becoming Caspar Babypants

Fran Hoepfner is a writer and teacher.

Fran Hoepfner

We All Came To See Each Other At The Harry Styles Show

Tom Ley

‘Dave’ Is Too Sad To Redeem Lil Dicky

MUNICH, GERMANY - JUNE 4: Drummer Charlie Watts Perform at the opening night of the European leg of The Rolling Stones Forty Licks Tour at the Olimpiahalle Spiridon on June 4, 2003 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Getty Images)

Charlie Watts Knew It’s Not The Drummer, It’s The Song

Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

I Miss My MTV

Triptych of McGruff, an ad promoting McGruff's album, and McGruff again

History

This McGruff Drug Album Might As Well Be By Weird Al

BTS performs during Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2020 on December 31, 2019 in New York City. All seven members are standing on a lighted staircase and smiling after their performance.

At Bang Bang Con 2021, BTS Told Its Own Story

Maitreyi Anantharaman

CFDA Fashion Icon Award recipient US singer Jennifer Lopez and fiance former baseball pro Alex Rodriguez arrive for the 2019 CFDA fashion awards at the Brooklyn Museum in New York City on June 3, 2019.

A-Rod Handles Breakup With J.Lo In A Normal And Human Way

circa 1945: Elvis Presley (1935 - 1977) standing between his parents outside of their home in Tupelo, Mississippi. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

When Elvis Presley Was A Shabbos Goy

Carman Tse is a Giants fan living among Dodgers fans in Los Angeles. He was the former editor of LAist and his writing has also appeared on Hyperallergic.

Carman Tse

Feeding Your Record Collection In A Pandemic Always Comes With A Cost

Lauren Theisen

SOPHIE performs at Mojave Tent during the 2019 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival

SOPHIE Was The Future

Musician Ariel Pink goes on Tucker Carlson's show to talk about his cancellation

Ariel Pink Has Always Been This Boring And Stupid

Billy Haisley

Rapper MF DOOM performs at a benefit concert for the Rhino Foundation at Central Park's Rumsey Playfield on June 28, 2005 in New York City.

The Infinite Gifts Of MF Doom

Michael Buble walks a red carpet for 'Tour Stop 148' during the 11th Rome Film Festival at Auditorium Parco Della Musica on October 14, 2016 in Rome, Italy.

Do Not Ever, Not Even For One Second, Think That Michael Bublé Wants Anything Other Than A Platonic, Heterosexual Relationship With Santa

The Song Remains The Same: Led Zeppelin, Spirit, And Me

LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 17: Guitarist Eddie Van Halen of Van Halen performs during the 2015 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 17, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)