The Rise and Fall of Boy Bands
(02/03/23 12:59am)
Boy bands. You either love them or you hate them.
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Jhené Aiko Covertly Rejects Cultural Escapism On ‘Trip’
(01/29/23 11:18pm)
After R&B singer Jhené Aiko lost her older brother Miyagi in 2012, she spent the next five years losing herself. Whether it was abusing controlled substances, immersing herself in meaningless relationships, or jetting across the world to escape her feelings, there wasn’t much she wouldn’t do to find solace from her pain.
The Damaging Effects of the Femme Fatale Trope in Rap
(01/27/23 12:24am)
“I can take your man if I want to … ”
Your 2023 Valentine's Day Soundtrack
(01/31/23 10:00pm)
Everyone asks for different things when it comes to sex. Whether you’re into candlelight and rose petals, or just prefer a flat surface, I think we can all agree that the backing track can make or break the moment.
Songs That Can Make You Climax
(01/25/23 2:00pm)
‘Songs About Sex’ are prolific enough to get their own category in "Pitch Perfect” Riff Offs. Think of any list of popular songs from the last 50 years and at least 25% of it will be about intercourse in some capacity. But let’s be real—there’s a reason that you don’t see “WAP” on many unironic masturbation or sex playlists despite being a great song about that subject matter. Songs that truly feel orgasmic often contain either a moody, sensual beat or a soaring climax, whether the lyrics are about the rawness of sex or not. Anything can set you in the mood if the feeling’s right.
Hip–Hop is Not the Problem
(12/02/22 6:50pm)
The American epidemic of gun violence has infiltrated the increasingly popular genre of hip–hop. In the past few years, it seems as if the hip–hop community has been hit with endless tragedy. In the late 1990s, the deaths of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur were a devastating anomaly. Now, since 2018, at least one big hip–hop name has died a gun–related death each year, leading fans and celebrities to call for gun reform across the country. But unsurprisingly, the media continues to blame the hip–hop genre itself for the senseless murders, rather than the true culprit: guns.
“Meet Me in the Bathroom” Is An Ode To The Early 2000s NYC Alt Music Scene
(11/21/22 3:43am)
7:30 p.m. on a Tuesday night, I found myself sitting in a sea of tortoise shell glasses frames and beanies. I have the same conversations over and over with fellow moviegoers. “How do you order?” “I don’t know it’s my first time here” “Me too.” White millennials flocked to the closest “underground” theater they could find in Philadelphia, Studio Movie Grill. Without a doubt, I was the youngest person in the theater. I sat in a sticky seat as everyone else ordered drinks because they were old enough to. Together we watched the coveted documentary, which came out in NYC and LA on Nov. 4 and was released in a small batch throughout the country on Nov. 8.
Rihanna Re-enters the Music Scene in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’
(11/18/22 3:20am)
Warning: this article contains spoilers for 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.'
Street's Favorite Albums of 2022
(12/01/22 4:00am)
2022 has been a year for rebirth. Not just for us, but also for music.
Britpop Band Pulp To Reunite For The First Time In 11 Years
(11/27/22 9:58pm)
“What exactly do you do for an encore?” You go on tour for the first time in over a decade. Legendary English rock band Pulp, whose songs span topics from perverse and frustrating sex to the UK class system, first split up in 2002 after their release of We Love Life. They reunited in 2011, releasing only one single, “After You.” The last time the band performed was in February of 2013. Now, they are teaming up, once again, to tour 11 cities in Summer 2023.
‘Y’all Means All,’ Except in Country Music
(11/10/22 11:42pm)
Country music has been a staple of American culture for decades. Stars like Blake Shelton, Garth Brooks, and Tim McGraw have made names for themselves in this genre, singing about blue–collar life and the lifestyles of the American South.
Upcoming Indie Musicians, Beware of TikTok
(01/18/23 1:53am)
TikTok is the powerhouse driving today's cultural trends. Artists of all kinds flock to the platform to kick–start their careers, and musicians are no exception. Indie musicians are eager to blow up on TikTok by posting short videos teasing lyrics and upcoming releases. However, success on the platform proves elusive for many, and those that attain it face troubles transforming TikTok views into a sustainable music career. After reaching their desired level of exposure, musicians on TikTok often struggle to separate their professional identity from the app.
Ride Along with Arctic Monkeys’ ‘The Car’
(11/07/22 3:57am)
Tumblr aficionados rejoice, everyone else beware: The early 2010s are back. The bountiful recent album releases, from The 1975’s Being Funny in a Foreign Language to Carly Rae Jepsen's The Loneliest Time has been a nostalgic reckoning for OG fans, introducing new fans to the indie sleaze glory that was 2013. Arctic Monkeys joined the rankings with the release of The Car, their seventh studio album, on Oct. 21, 2022. But don’t expect AM, though many fans wistfully do. The band is maturing, and the album is self–aware of that fact.
Returning Her Calls: It’s Time to Pay Attention to Carly Rae Jepsen
(10/31/22 11:21pm)
A decade ago, Carly Rae Jepsen asked us to call her, maybe. And since then, we’ve left her on read, sent her to voicemail, and effectively ghosted her from the cultural consciousness. Now, ten years later, Jepsen’s new album, The Loneliest Time, is here, and it’s time for all of us to pick up the phone and give her a call.
Ibibio Sound Machine Is the Coolest Band Ever, and They Know It
(11/07/22 5:00am)
Eno Williams dances around the stage, her sleeves whirling as her arms reach with steadfast determination toward the disco ball on the ceiling, her feet stepping to the demanding beat. An audience member beckons her closer, and gives her a present in the form of a Philadelphia Phillies jersey. She puts it around her shoulders, signaling the love she’s expressed for her Philadelphia audience all night long. The party on stage is almost rivaled by the absolute riot of a time people are having in the crowd. “I’m gonna show it to my mum!” she proclaims. Williams locks eyes with individuals in the World Cafe Live audience, and dedicates a song to the City of Philadelphia, just one stop of Ibibio Sound Machine's (ISM) Electricity Live Tour on Oct. 20.
To Alan Light, Hallelujah Is Not Just A Song—It’s A Movement
(01/19/23 6:36pm)
On a crisp fall afternoon at the Kelly Writers House, Penn students and faculty joined in the Locust Walk–facing seminar room to meet renowned music journalist Alan Light. Light sat across from Anthony DeCurtis, a fellow music writer and 20–year–long faculty member of Penn’s English Department. The two men spoke for an hour, sipping on watered–down iced coffee. Light discussed his fascination with Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” the digitization of music consumption, and his experiences in the ever–changing world of music journalism.
Taylor Swift is an Anti–Hero in ‘Midnights,’ but a Mastermind at 3 a.m.
(10/28/22 1:33am)
“I know that I have a habit of dropping cryptic clues and easter eggs when giving you information about new music … I am here to defy that,” Taylor Swift announced through her TikTok series, “Midnights Mayhem.” Indeed, with nine prior albums and her re–recordings project, the pop veteran sure has surprised the public with her sporadic ways of teasing new music.
Escape to ‘Within the Depths Of A Darkened Forest’ for Its 20th Anniversary
(10/31/22 1:57am)
Autumn's Grey Solace is the dream pop duo of your Twilight fantasies. The band effortlessly combines shoegaze’s characteristic lush instrumentals with ethereal wave’s airy vocals, but its mystical imagery sets them apart from other bands in those genres. They released their first album, Within the Depths of a Darkened Forest, in October 2002. On its 20th anniversary, the debut album proves its longevity, making for a perfect background track for your next afternoon stroll.
Sometimes a Fantasy, Sometimes the Real Thing: In Conversation with Soccer Mommy
(11/01/22 4:00pm)
Since her earliest Bandcamp recordings, Sophie Allison has been painting her songs in increasingly vibrant colors. As the songwriter and lead singer of her band Soccer Mommy, Allison produced the autumn–hued Clean, and released Color Theory, with its sickly tones of yellow, blue, and grey, weeks before the COVID–19 pandemic hit. The palette for her new album, Sometimes, Forever, has the most depth and shade of any Soccer Mommy record to date—thanks in part to a team–up with producer Oneohtrix Point Never—but it hasn’t been an easy road to get there.
Alex G Creates a World of Intrigue on ‘God Save The Animals’
(11/03/22 1:00pm)
After 12 years of producing his own music, Alex G had high expectations to meet for his first album made in the studio. Alex Giannascoli, who records music under the stage name Alex G, started his music career in his bedroom, uploading songs on Bandcamp. Today, he's amassed a sizable following among the indie community and has enjoyed his 15 (or so) minutes of fame on TikTok for his 2011 single “Treehouse.”
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