Dear Kay,
OK, I just spent a cool hour wandering around this thing:
25 Songs That Tell Us Where Music Is Going.
It’s so so interesting—The New York Times Magazine has created a multimedia piece that combines a playlist, profiles, and images in a way I haven’t seen before. It takes advantage of the possibilities that the internet allows: blending media to create an experience, not a static list. It layers all these things so that you can quickly scroll down the 25 songs, with a sliver of each song spontaneously erupting as you go—a variety of genres and voices. When you hear something intriguing, you can stop and read a profile about the artist who continues to sing while you read.
Immersive and addicting.
I know, I know: maybe you’re thinking that none of this music resonates. It’s what the young folk are listening to. I don’t get it. I don’t want to get it.
Well, I’ve had a swell time dipping into this music, which does include some geezers (Rufus Wainwright, the late Leonard Cohen, Charles Bradley, Shirley Caesar). I hope you’ll take a scroll down the list if only to see what has made the list.
If you’re still clinging to your British Invasion playlist like I am, this article/event/experience is pretty astonishing. My 17-year-old son tells me about Frank Ocean, Future, Ka, Lil Yachty, A Tribe Called Quest, but this is the first time I’ve had a way to get a window into them. Maybe I’m not going all in on this music, but it’s a huge part of popular culture, and some of it is powerful, affecting, and beautiful—once I get past my preconceived notions of what it is.
The comments on this New York Times Magazine piece are a classic example of what happens when anybody sets out a list, of any kind, about any topic. Fodder for heated discussion, strongly held opinion, rantyness. Not even knowing who most of these artists are, I’m just grateful for the cheat sheet.
Love,
Ann
I remeber that in last year’s edition (which I only encountered in hard copy) their culture writer Wesley Morris chose “Say No to This” from Hamilton …
I loved hearing those snippets. And while it’s true I didn’t recognize but a handful, I always want to know what the kids are up to. Also,ther was a pretty fascinating profile of Jack White in The New Yorker recently/ Did you see it?
Interesting format. Still prefer Led Zeppelin to anything else labeled heavy metal
Fantastic! Here’s the playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/nytmag/playlist/4FrPqvd2eD17G3slCaIAYG
Thank you Vicki! This list is amazing but I can’t read fast enough and run out of song….
Rufus Wainwright is 43 – a geezer? You must be confusing Rufus Wainwright with his father who is in his 70’s. . That’s younger members of A Tribe Called Quest. Phife Dog, who died last year, was 45. Q-Tip is 47. The others are probably about the same age.