Longform
City of Dreams: Music and Politics Meet in the Border Community of McAllen, Texas
A DIY scene finds itself on the front lines of progressive activism, fighting to be heard.
Chris Cornell, Searching for Solitude
Read this 1996 Details profile of the Soundgarden frontman, published online for the first time.
The Definitive Oral History of Jawbreaker’s 24 Hour Revenge Therapy
Following the announcement of the cult punk act’s reunion, here is the tell-all tale of their classic 1994 album.
Soundtrack to Salvation: How Elevation Church Uses Rock’N’Roll to Get Closer to God
Sunday mornings at this evangelical mega-church in North Carolina can look—and sound—more like a rock concert than a typical service.
How to Buy the Best Home Recording Studio Equipment: A Beginner’s Guide
With an endless amount of gear out there, setting up your first home studio can seem like a daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be.
The Rap Pact: How Jay Z and Hot 97 Combined Forces to Take Over Hip-Hop
In the ’90s, the alliance between New York’s most influential rap radio station and the ultimate hustler paid off handsomely for both.
Does College Radio Even Matter Anymore?
How left-of-the-dial stalwarts are fighting to stay alive.
Save the Last Dance: The Fight for London Club Culture
Caught in a web of gentrification, police crackdowns, and dangerous drugs, the UK capital’s once-thriving nightlife scene is in serious jeopardy.
The Doctor Is In (Your Pocket): How Apps Are Harnessing Music’s Healing Powers
A new crop of startups are combining science and sound to help people to self-medicate with music on an unprecedented scale.
I Voted: Artists Remember Casting Their First Ballot
On the eve of Election Day, musicians including Against Me!’s Laura Jane Grace, Heems, Eleanor Friedberger, and Krist Novoselic offer stories about voting for the first time.
The Presidential Suite: A Look Back at Obama’s Musical Milestones
From poking fun at Kanye West, to curating playlists, to singing with Willie Nelson, to hosting the recent South by South Lawn festival at the White House, President Obama has taken advantage of his musical know-how in unprecedented ways.
The Discomfort Zone: Exploring the Musical Legacy of David Lynch
The visionary director has not only changed how we see movies across the last four decades, he’s changed how we hear them too. Collaborators including Trent Reznor and composer Angelo Badalamenti—along with the man himself—talk about the secrets to unsettling soundtrack success.
Keep It Alive or Die: The Ongoing Evolution of Live Electronic Music
Technological and creative advancements are currently rearranging the very idea of live music, offering exciting new possibilities for electronic performance in the process.
Punk, Disco, and Silly Love Songs: Revisiting the Explosive Summer of 1976
Connecting the dots between Pink Floyd, the Ramones, Patti Smith, Judas Priest, Kraftwerk, and more at a time when everything seemed to be happening at once
What It Takes for an Independent Record Store to Survive Now
Even as legacy music shops continue to shutter across the country, Midwestern institution Used Kids has managed to stay afloat for the last 30 years and counting. How do they do it?
Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys: The Story of Pioneering Interracial Rock Band the Equals
In the late ’60s, the London quintet were one of the first music groups to embody the idea that blacks and whites—and natives and immigrants—belonged together.
The Holdouts: An Exploration of Vinyl-Only Labels in the Digital Age
By trying to keep their music exclusively on wax, are underground electronic music’s vinyl devotees being righteous or elitist?
Still Got It 4 Cheap: Clipse and the Rise of Online Mixtapes
How rap mixtapes evolved from a humble regional format to a worldwide phenomenon
Rhythm in Your Blood: Meet the Young Artists Keeping Cuba’s Traditional Music Alive
With Cuba on the brink of a new, less cloistered era, a group of like-minded musicians are aiming to preserve the essence of their country’s native sounds while pushing them forward at the same time.
Is the Era of Free Streaming Music Coming to an End?
With streaming services asserting their market dominance, the music industry must now try to convince an entire generation raised on free to start paying up—without scaring them off.
The Dark Art of Mastering Music
Shedding light on the elusive studio practice that’s all but necessary to make music sound great.
Internet Explorers: The Curious Case of Radiohead’s Online Fandom
For a band that’s viewed technology with a skeptical eye, Radiohead have often appealed to people who aren’t afraid to live their lives online.