
You get the impression that most musicians consider stan culture to be a necessary evil, because stans move product like musical drug mules. Of course, some stans are just super enthusiastic sorts, but there’s a good percentage of them that are over-zealous lunatics who want to prove they’ll go above and beyond, like supporting an…

There’s a difference between hearing a song that’s new to you and new music. Unless you’re actively seeking out new stuff like a massive nerd (hi there!) and tailoring the algorithm to give you the new good stuff, Spotify is generally quite bad when it comes to promoting new music from smaller acts with little…

Georgia has been making some great music over the past couple of years with loads of promise. It’s been R&Bish pop, but now, jjst before hitting the road with Kim Petras, there’s clearly one eye on the dancefloor. The track starts moodily before making way for some glorious doof doof action, and it’s very fun.…

Look, it’s fine that Beyonce is going country and anyone can do whatever they want. We don’t have to write about it though, because we’re just not that bothered. It might be great, it might be average – it’s just not that interesting, regardless of the endless ‘MOTHER!’ comments and people insisting on the re-use…

Hey! We have a new radio show out! It features music from all corners of the world, including something from the Fonteyn and Pat’s Soundhouse we’ve raved about recently, as well as the peerless Dina Ögon, and the new one from The Lemon Twigs. And there’s stuff from Lebanon, Turkey and more! Get stuck in!

Many bands aim for Pet Sounds when they’re trying to make ambitious pop, but a lot of groups miss out on the pure, inventive, playful joy when they’re channelling Brian Wilson, Curt Boettcher & Co. There’s a shed pop, ramshackle feeling to when these things work best, like someone’s tripped over a box of classroom…

A Tory MP has attacked the whole of Drill music, because she thinks it is the reason that young people carry knives. Nickie Aiken says there’s a “direct link” and wants the government to look at record labels that release music that is found “celebrating gang culture.” At the House of Commons, the Cities of…

There’s something about golden era rap that just loves a fancy action figure, to place on your shelves next to your collected essays from hip hop journalism, tchotchkes, rap comics and high-end record middles and the like. It’s very wholesome, honestly. Well, Doom’s ‘Mm… Food’ is getting a reissue for its anniversary on November 15th,…

Once upon a time, music retreated away from the bombast of Britpop and US rap-rock, and all over the place, more introspective bedroom producers were making tricky electronic music and singer-songwriters gravitated toward the acid-folk of the ’70s, focusing more on cottage industries and community. Tunng managed to straddle both worlds, with critics dubbing their…

Look, most bands put a song out to let you know new things are coming, but not 2nd Grade. The power poppers from Philadelphia have chucked THREE whole songs at our ears and mercifully, they’re all really fun and filled with skuzzy pop hooks and jangly guitars. The revival of power pop is very welcome…

Today is John Lennon’s birthday – he would have been 84 – and to celebrate this, we’ve been treated to something rather surprising. While a lot of repackaged music from musicians can feel a little exploitative at times, churning out old stuff without much new going on, that’s not the case with this latest Lennon…
THERE’S NO MONEY IN THIS GAME ANYMORE, BUT IF YOU WANT TO WRITE SOMETHING FOR THE POP CORPS, YOU ARE WELCOME TO GET IN TOUCH. HAPPY HUNTING.
POP CULTURE IS WORTH TALKING ABOUT.
CONTACT: HOWDYPOPCORPSATGMAILDOTCOM