A Gay Old (and New) Time: What do “gay music” and “women’s music” mean now?
Vincent StephensQueer music, LGBTQ music, divas, Johnnie Ray, Frank Ocean, Johnny Mathis, Liberace, Sam Smith, Chely Wright, Ty Herndon, Billy Gilman, Cris Williamson, women's music, Margie Adams, Holly Near, Jimmy Somerville, Pet Shop Boys, Christopher Nealon, Foundlings
The Best Years in popular music?
Vincent Stephens1984, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Van Halen, The Cars, Hall and Oates, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Bruce Srpingsteen, Don Henley, RUN DMC, Popular music, R&B, rock
The other great musical of 2016: Hamilton can’t get all the buzz this year
“Contagious in His Enthusiasms”: Part 2: Pop, Rock, Country, and R&B edition
Vincent Stephenscountry muisc, Blues, Popular music, singer-songwriter pop, gospel, R&B, hip-hop soul, punk music, New wave, Motown, Stax, Philly Soul, Memphis Blues, Electric blues
“Contagious in his enthusiasms”: A personal list of essential music (Part 1)
Vincent StephensFrank Bruni, Pomfret Street Books, Holly Cole, Eva Cassidy, Linda Ronstadt, Maria Muldaur, Aaron Neville, Ella Mae Morse, Nina Simone, Charlie Rich, Jennifer Warnes, Ronnie Milsap, Susannah McCorkle, Laura Fygi, Janis Siegel, Gregory Porter, Tierney Sutton, Diane Schuur, Rene Marie, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dianne Reeves, Janis Mann, Patricia Barber, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, Chris Connor, Bobby Short, Mildred Bailey, Carol Sloane, Shirley Horn, Andy Bey, Johnny Mathis
Is your music cool enough? Reconsidering notions of ‘indie’ and ‘alternative’ music
Sassy gets her due!
Gender and genre at the Grammys
Vincent StephensGrammy Awards, Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey, Barbra Streisand, Adele, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Lauryn Hill, Carole King
Pop singer deaths—you’re killing me: On the deaths of pop musicians and our fragile personal canons
The Art of Independence: A Riffs, Beats, & Codas interview with jazz vocalist Karen Marguth
The music you heard growing up: Some notes on "neo-classic" singers
Vincent StephensAnita Baker, Paul Buchanan, Shemekia Copeland, Terence Trent D'Arby, Dobie Gray, Alison Moyet, Stuart Staples, Tanya Tucker, The Blue Nile, The Tindersticks
2015’s Raves & Faves
Vincent StephensBest of 2015, Bruno Mars, Kacey Musgraves, Tony Bennett, Karen Marguth, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Irvin Mayfield, Alabama Shakes, Margo Jefferson, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Mat Johnson, Paul Beatty, Todd Decker, John Szwed, Angelique Kidjo, Gregory Porter, Amy Winehouse, Brian Wilson
“My” music and theirs: On the last 38 years of pop music from a (nearly) 39 year old
What I saw this summer: Music at the movies
Not Ms. Congeniality: Kacey Musgraves the country rebel
RIFFS, BEATS & CODAS celebrates six months!
100-ish Most Influential Female Vocalists in 20th century popular music
Staying alive: Blues in the modern world
More than a novelty: Black girls "rock" too!
Now and Forever: Celebrating a century of Billie Holiday