German Police Investigate Roger Waters Over Concert Wardrobe
Laws against displaying Nazi-esque iconography are well-intended, but they pose a threat to free speech and the principles of a free society.
Music
Supreme Court: Andy Warhol's Prince Prints Not 'Transformative' Enough for Fair Use
The case could have long-term implications for how broadly fair use can be applied.
Review: Everything I Need I Get from You Gives a Fangirl's View of the Internet
Author Kaitlyn Tiffany offers a history of fandoms.
Stefan Sagmeister: An Artist Who Believes 'Now Is Better'
The legendary graphic designer juxtaposes 18th- and 19th-century paintings with visualizations of how much life has improved over the centuries.
A Fake Drake Song Shows the Potential for A.I.'s Future
Meanwhile, content creators and corporations want copyright regulations for artificial intelligence.
Farewell to the Motherland: A Song of Departure
"Flattery is toxic to love / So why, tell me, do you drink poison?"
Ohio Cops Sue Afroman for Using Video of Them Raiding His House in Music Videos
Seven sheriff's deputies say the rapper subjected them to "embarrassment, ridicule, emotional distress, humiliation, and loss of reputation" after a drug bust on his house came up empty.
Ayn Rand Would Hate the New Spotify Video Feed
Turning every streaming service into TikTok is bad for the internet. It'll be disastrous for music.
Meet the Students Pushing Back Against Socialism
"It's very easy for politicians to legislate freedom away," says Northwood University's Kristin Tokarev. "But it's incredibly hard to get back."
Remy: Learn To Fly (Foo Fighters Parody)
Asian adversaries aerially admire American angst and apathy.
Kat Rosenfield: Why It's Important for Novelists To Speak Freely
The mystery writer and cultural critic is an outspoken defender of free thinking and cultural appropriation.
Homeland Security Wants To Protect Us From Foreign Bands
A new proposal to more than triple visa entry fees for performers will harm American audiences and culture.
Concert Organizer Bows to Politicians' Demands, Cancels Pantera Show
The Vienna Green Party had demanded a scheduled performance of the reunited heavy metal band be canceled because of a 2016 incident in which singer Phil Anselmo threw out a Nazi salute.
Ticketmaster's Taylor Swift Glitch Doesn't Require a Congressional Hearing
The site crashed because Swift is very popular, not because antitrust enforcement is too weak.
Review: 'Me So Horny' and 59 Other Songs That Explain the '90s
Podcaster and music critic Rob Harvilla reminds us of the debts we owe to the tunes of that often cringeworthy decade.
Beyoncé, Lizzo, and Taylor Swift Give In To the Speech Police
"It's stories and songs and films cut apart and written over, leaving no trace and no remnant of whatever used to be," writes novelist and cultural critic Kat Rosenfield.
Stop Spazzing Out About 'Spaz'
Social media, streaming, and a new era of digital self-censorship
Conservative Cancel Culture Comes to Kurdistan
Religious Kurds used social media to shut down a rap concert—and they're swinging their weight around politics, too.
The Best Ever Libertarian Gift Guide
Until next year's, because capitalism is always making things better.
Should Rap Lyrics Qualify as Evidence in Criminal Trials?
The music industry objects to the use of rap lyrics by prosecutors.
Review: Corporate Rock Sucks Covers the Slow Decline of Punk's Most Important Label
Perhaps boutique businesses with hip tastes can be as bad for bands as the biggest corporation.
BTS's Military Conscription Is a Reminder That Mandatory 'Service' Is Servitude
The South Korean government brings the country's greatest cultural export to heel.
"Face to Face": Dave Stewart's, Boris Grebenshchikov's, Serhii Babkin's, and Stevie Nicks's Ukraine War Song
Stewart (of the Eurythmics), Grebenshchikov (a Russian singer-songwriter, and one of “the ‘founding fathers’ of Russian rock music”), and Babkin (a Ukrainian singer-songwriter) put out a trilingual song, with harmonies by Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac).
Review: With Depictions of Politician Beheadings and Plunger Abortions, How Has GWAR Not Been Canceled Yet?
Joe Biden, MAGA fans, and Xi Jinping all fall victim to the band's violent displays on its current tour.
Cardi B Delivers Perceptive, Profanity-Laced Analysis of High Home Prices, Rents
The rapper blamed a lack of "motherfucking inventory" for high home prices and rising rents in low-income neighborhoods. She's not the only one.
The FBI Closely Tracked Aretha Franklin's Appearances at Civil Rights Events
The FBI used a network of snitches to spy on entertainers and activists, and the Queen of Soul was no exception.
After 2 Years of Silent COVID Compliance, Rage Against the Machine Returns
So much for “fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me.”
Netflix Files Copyright Lawsuit Against Creators of Unofficial Bridgerton Musical
The company alleges the composers ignored multiple warnings to cease commercial production of the musical.
U.K. Rapper Zuby: 'When I'm in the U.S., My Mind Is Blown by the Opportunities Here'
The rapper, podcaster, and author talks about "freedom, liberty, and all of that good stuff."
Beyoncé, Under Fire for Using an 'Ableist Slur,' Chooses Self-Censorship
"Spazzing on that ass" does nothing whatsoever to harm people with cerebral palsy.
Shakira Going to Trial in Spanish Tax Evasion Case
The Colombian singer faces up to eight years in prison and a hefty fine after rejecting a plea deal offered by Spanish prosecutors.
Review: Marta Kubišová Challenged Czechoslovak Communism
Her 1969 Songy a Balady (Songs and Ballads) was yanked from shelves, only to reappear after the 1989 Velvet Revolution.
"He Is Right Who Is Defending His Home"
"Our generation always understood each other without borders and passports / There, where we sang about friendship, today people dream only of complete revenge / All that normal people built over the years—all is obliterated."
NPR Tries To Cancel Stoner Metal Legend Matt Pike
An exhaustive profile of the Sleep and High on Fire frontman focuses almost entirely on his "dangerous" affinity for David Icke's lizard people conspiracy theories.
