Amanda Petrusich
- ️@NewYorker
Justin Vernon on His “Cycle of Heartbreak”
From the daily newsletter: an interview with the man behind Bon Iver. Plus: chaos and conspiracies in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene; making phone photography dumb again; and a vet who helps people say goodbye to their pets.
October 16, 2024
Bon Iver Is Searching for the Truth
The artist Justin Vernon discusses his new EP, “SABLE,” the dream of a happy adulthood, and his worry that he’s purposely repeating a “cycle of sorrow.”
October 16, 2024
Coldplay’s Self-Help Pop
Chris Martin, the band’s front man, discusses reading Rumi, making music like an apple tree grows apples, and the band’s new album, “Moon Music.”
September 30, 2024
With “143,” Katy Perry Is No Longer in on the Joke
The artist once made songs that were dexterous and funny. Her latest album includes tracks that sound like they should be in the background of a deodorant commercial.
September 23, 2024
MJ Lenderman Keeps It Raw
The artist discusses resisting the neutering effects of technology, his breakup with a bandmate, and his new album, “Manning Fireworks.”
August 29, 2024
What Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Took from the Tornado
The legendary folk artists discuss rescuing their tapes from a catastrophic storm, singing as if they have one mouth, and making music that’s like a pebble tossed in a river.
August 25, 2024
Clairo Believes in Charm as an Aesthetic and Spiritual Principle
The artist discusses her new album, moving upstate, and the wallop and jolt of romantic connection.
July 11, 2024
Lizzy McAlpine Wants to Go Offline
The artist, who got famous by going viral, discusses refusing to play the TikTok game with her new record, turning to a life of slowness and privacy, and maybe auditioning for a musical.
June 17, 2024
The Anxious Love Songs of Billie Eilish
Much of the artist’s new album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” is about wanting a relationship but failing, in some fundamental way, to sustain closeness with another person.
May 17, 2024
The Beautiful Rawness of Steve Albini
The producer was uncompromising in his opposition to the commercialization of music. That might seem today like a Gen X relic—or it might seem kind of awesome.
May 11, 2024
Dua Lipa Devotes Herself to Pleasure with “Radical Optimism”
In an era of postmodern, self-referential music, there’s something refreshing about the artist’s new album—short songs, big hooks, and a celebration of delight.
May 3, 2024
The Tortured Poetry of Taylor Swift’s New Album
“The Tortured Poets Department” has moments of tenderness. But it suffers from being too long and too familiar.
April 19, 2024
Olivia Rodrigo’s Relatable Superstardom on the Guts Tour
The pop star appears to revel in pleasure—even when she knows that whatever it is she’s thirsting after will probably get her into trouble.
April 15, 2024
Maggie Rogers’s Journey from Viral Fame to Religious Studies
The singer-songwriter’s sudden celebrity made her a kind of minister without training. So she went and got some.
April 8, 2024
Vampire Weekend Doesn’t Want Your Defeatist Grousing
The band’s new album, “Only God Was Above Us,” is a treatise on inheritance, decay, generational dissonance, and the delicate idea of choosing optimism.
April 1, 2024
How Noah Kahan Went from Vermont to TikTok to the Grammys
The musician behind the Billboard mainstay “Stick Season” discusses small-town life, using social media too much, and the loneliness of fame.
February 19, 2024
Finding a Home Among the Punks
Gail Butensky’s photographs of alternative and punk rockers find poignancy in the scene’s dissonance.
February 8, 2025
Remembering Garth Hudson, the Man Who Transformed the Band
The organist will be remembered for his singular style—erudite, but teasing.
January 24, 2025
Songs to Get Through the Winter Holidays
From the daily newsletter: a playlist for short days. Plus: Richard Brody’s best movies of 2024; essential works of Native American history; and Houston’s thriving West African food scene.
December 5, 2024
The Best Albums of 2024
It’s possible that I listened to more music this year than any other. I lost interest in podcasts. I lost interest in silence. There was too much extraordinary work out there.
December 2, 2024
Justin Vernon on His “Cycle of Heartbreak”
From the daily newsletter: an interview with the man behind Bon Iver. Plus: chaos and conspiracies in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene; making phone photography dumb again; and a vet who helps people say goodbye to their pets.
October 16, 2024
Bon Iver Is Searching for the Truth
The artist Justin Vernon discusses his new EP, “SABLE,” the dream of a happy adulthood, and his worry that he’s purposely repeating a “cycle of sorrow.”
October 16, 2024
Coldplay’s Self-Help Pop
Chris Martin, the band’s front man, discusses reading Rumi, making music like an apple tree grows apples, and the band’s new album, “Moon Music.”
September 30, 2024
With “143,” Katy Perry Is No Longer in on the Joke
The artist once made songs that were dexterous and funny. Her latest album includes tracks that sound like they should be in the background of a deodorant commercial.
September 23, 2024
MJ Lenderman Keeps It Raw
The artist discusses resisting the neutering effects of technology, his breakup with a bandmate, and his new album, “Manning Fireworks.”
August 29, 2024
What Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Took from the Tornado
The legendary folk artists discuss rescuing their tapes from a catastrophic storm, singing as if they have one mouth, and making music that’s like a pebble tossed in a river.
August 25, 2024
Clairo Believes in Charm as an Aesthetic and Spiritual Principle
The artist discusses her new album, moving upstate, and the wallop and jolt of romantic connection.
July 11, 2024
Lizzy McAlpine Wants to Go Offline
The artist, who got famous by going viral, discusses refusing to play the TikTok game with her new record, turning to a life of slowness and privacy, and maybe auditioning for a musical.
June 17, 2024
The Anxious Love Songs of Billie Eilish
Much of the artist’s new album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” is about wanting a relationship but failing, in some fundamental way, to sustain closeness with another person.
May 17, 2024
The Beautiful Rawness of Steve Albini
The producer was uncompromising in his opposition to the commercialization of music. That might seem today like a Gen X relic—or it might seem kind of awesome.
May 11, 2024
Dua Lipa Devotes Herself to Pleasure with “Radical Optimism”
In an era of postmodern, self-referential music, there’s something refreshing about the artist’s new album—short songs, big hooks, and a celebration of delight.
May 3, 2024
The Tortured Poetry of Taylor Swift’s New Album
“The Tortured Poets Department” has moments of tenderness. But it suffers from being too long and too familiar.
April 19, 2024
Olivia Rodrigo’s Relatable Superstardom on the Guts Tour
The pop star appears to revel in pleasure—even when she knows that whatever it is she’s thirsting after will probably get her into trouble.
April 15, 2024
Maggie Rogers’s Journey from Viral Fame to Religious Studies
The singer-songwriter’s sudden celebrity made her a kind of minister without training. So she went and got some.
April 8, 2024
Vampire Weekend Doesn’t Want Your Defeatist Grousing
The band’s new album, “Only God Was Above Us,” is a treatise on inheritance, decay, generational dissonance, and the delicate idea of choosing optimism.
April 1, 2024
How Noah Kahan Went from Vermont to TikTok to the Grammys
The musician behind the Billboard mainstay “Stick Season” discusses small-town life, using social media too much, and the loneliness of fame.
February 19, 2024