While promoting her role in the upcoming film adaptation of the Broadway hit “Wicked,” singer Ariana Grande made a podcast appearance that left many of her fans befuddled and concerned. In the…
Tag: Pop music
How AI is shaping the music listening habits of Gen Z
For four years, we’ve been teaching a class on music and the mind. We’ve asked the students at the start of each semester to complete a short, informal survey on their music…
Billy Joel is back for an encore − but why did he wait so long to turn the lights back on?
With the flip of a digital switch, Billy Joel fans have their first new song in 15 years, “Turn the Lights Back On.” It has all the markers of a classic Joel…
Astrud Gilberto spread bossa nova to a welcoming world – but got little love back in Brazil
Astrud Gilberto didn’t set out to be an ambassador of bossa nova, the laid-back Brazilian musical genre with rhythms recognizable to music lovers around the world. According to Gilberto, who died on…
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is a potent reminder that the internet is not real life
In the weeks leading up to June 16, 2023, when I attended the Pittsburgh leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, the online chatter about the 33-year-old singer had become draining. The internet…
The beautiful pessimism at the heart of Jimmy Buffett’s music
With the death of Jimmy Buffett, the feathers of his loyal network of fans – affectionately known as Parrot Heads – collectively drooped. Over the course of his career, Buffett earned their…