CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

<div id="message-list_1754580289.636299" class="c-virtual_list__item" role="listitem" data-qa="virtual-list-item" data-item-key="1754580289.636299">
<div class="c-message_kit__background c-message_kit__background--hovered p-message_pane_message__message c-message_kit__message" role="presentation" data-qa="message_container" data-qa-unprocessed="false" data-qa-placeholder="false">
<div class="c-message_kit__hover c-message_kit__hover--hovered" role="document" data-qa-hover="true">
<div class="c-message_kit__actions c-message_kit__actions--default">
<div class="c-message_kit__gutter">
<div class="c-message_kit__gutter__right" role="presentation" data-qa="message_content">
<div class="c-message_kit__blocks c-message_kit__blocks--rich_text">
<div class="c-message__message_blocks c-message__message_blocks--rich_text" data-qa="message-text">
<div class="p-block_kit_renderer" data-qa="block-kit-renderer">
<div class="p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper--first">
<div class="p-rich_text_block" dir="auto">
<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>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="message-list_1754580598.595269" class="c-virtual_list__item" role="listitem" data-qa="virtual-list-item" data-item-key="1754580598.595269">
<div class="c-message_kit__background p-message_pane_message__message c-message_kit__message" role="presentation" data-qa="message_container" data-qa-unprocessed="false" data-qa-placeholder="false">
<div class="c-message_kit__hover" role="document" data-qa-hover="true">
<div class="c-message_kit__actions c-message_kit__actions--default">
<div class="c-message_kit__gutter">
<div class="c-message_kit__gutter__left" role="presentation" data-stringify-ignore="true"></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>


Puja Patel

Mods Asleep

Months, Ranked

Brandy Jensen

Joni Mitchell posed in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1972

A Playlist For Being Chill About Your Crush

The Cringiest Love Songs That Make Us Cry

<p>Amy Phillips is the former Executive Editor of Pitchfork. She has written for The New York Times Magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Village Voice, and many other publications. A Philadelphia native, she currently lives in Brooklyn.</p>


Amy Phillips

Amy at 14 in her childhood bedroom (L) / Amy's daughter as a baby in that same room (R).

Living Through This, Again

<p>Bobby Finger is the co-host of Who? Weekly and the author of the novels <i>The Old Place</i> and <i>Four Squares</i>. His third novel will be released next summer.</p>


Bobby Finger

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift talk on a podcast.

Two Showgirls In Love: Travis Kelce And Taylor Swift Have A Chat

Defector Staff

The Worst Songs We Love So Much

<p>Marian Bull is a writer, editor, and potter living in Brooklyn. She writes <a href="https://marianbull.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://marianbull.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1755179401925000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1fEbhNoXERVRom7SEmVfSn">Mess Hall</a>, a cooking newsletter, and is at work on her first book.</p>


Marian Bull

Patrons dance during weekly line dancing lessons

Stud Country, Queer Line Dancing,  And The Joys Of Being In Sync

Just A Tip

Israel Daramola

2 small boys playing Street Smart video game

A Playlist Of Pop That Sounds Like My Gamer Youth

<p>Tommy Craggs is an editor and writer, late of Game Theory With Bomani Jones on HBO, Mother Jones (no relation), HuffPost, Slate, Gawker Media, and Deadspin. He&#8217;s part of the <a href="https://flaminghydra.com/">Flaming Hydra</a> cooperative of independent writers and artists, and one of the many founders of the <a href="https://www.oaklandreviewofbooks.org/">Oakland Review of Books</a>.</p>


Tommy Craggs

Are We Playing It All Wrong?

Dave McKenna

Fans of Elvis Presley (1935-1977) gather to celebrate his memory during an impersonator contest in Memphis.

Remembering My Elvis Death Week Pilgrimage, 35 Years Later

<div>Jaime Brooks is a writer, musician, and poster who lives in Astoria, Oregon. She has written for <a href="https://thenewinquiry.com/blogs/streaming-services/">The New Inquiry</a> and has a Substack called <a href="https://jaimebrooks.substack.com/">The Seat of Loss</a>.</div>
<div></div>


Jaime Brooks

What Caused The Current Country Boom?

Kathryn Xu

(L-R) Lisa, Jisoo, Rosé and Jennie of BLACKPINK perform onstage at the 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Has The World’s Biggest K-Pop Group Already Come And Gone?

Kelsey McKinney

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

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>
<div class="yj6qo ajU"></div>


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>
