Rihanna’s Anti and the Lost Technical Artistry of the 2010s

The 2000s laid the technical foundations for a new musical moment in human history. The 2010s opened with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West, hosting rising stars Nicki Minaj and Rihanna as well as old greats like Jay-Z and indie act Bon Iver. This marked an artistic culmination of modern music akin to … Continue reading Rihanna’s Anti and the Lost Technical Artistry of the 2010s →

Kanye West, Taylor Swift, and the 2010s moment of artistic transcendence in popular music

The headlines about Kanye West and Taylor Swift are deceptive. We learn about them through their controversy, which, when it finally fades from view, reveals two musicians locked in artistic combat and collaboration. Country music and Chicago hip hop are contrasting locations for the artistic birthplace of these two popular musicians. Kanye is older and … Continue reading Kanye West, Taylor Swift, and the 2010s moment of artistic transcendence in popular music →

The vocal artistry of Rihanna

Rihanna is known as a singer on a colossal range of popular music tracks. She has collaborated with so many producers and fellow artists that it would seem almost offensive to try to mention them all by name. But for the purposes of this piece, I must try, if only to illustrate the artistic significance … Continue reading The vocal artistry of Rihanna →