The 10 Best Jazz Albums of 2005
Jump back 20 years, listen to the best jazz albums of 2005, and hear the state of the art. It was an era of brilliant veterans and bold, new innovators.
Lists
These lists highlight the best in music, film, books, television, and games.
MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of February 2025
In February’s best metal, Pissgrave produce laser-focus disgust, Retromorphosis dazzle with technical prowess and Sleep Paralysis blur the lines between genres.
Music/Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Lists/Music Features/Pop Past/PopMatters Picks/The Best Music of 2005
The 10 Best Electronic Albums of 2005
Jump back 20 years, listen to the best electronic albums of 2005, and hear the era’s state of the genre’s art. It was a highly innovative and influential time.
15 Breakup Songs That Are Vicious, Painful, and Bitter
A friend requested a hopeful, forward-thinking breakup playlist to help soothe their pain. We send these 15 bitter breakup songs instead.
10 Legendary Dance Rock Albums
Dance rock is so intricately involved with the two genres that it almost seems beside the point to mention their pairing. Yet, the style has been massively influential.
10 Brilliant Music Books on the Art & Industry
From rock to hip-hop to country to punk to emo, here’s a list of superb music books to deepen the education for you or the music lover in your life.
Music/Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Lists/MetalMatters/Music Features/Music Reviews/PopMatters Picks/Reviews
MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of January 2025
In January’s best metal, Dax Riggs unexpectedly returns, Sacrifice’s thrash shows no signs of rust and Necromaniac invoke proto-death/black nightmares.
MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of December 2024
In December’s best metal, Blackdeath explore off-kilter black metal, Misanthropy open gateways in death metal, and An Axis of Perdition make a return.
15 Awe-inspiring Rock Guitar Solos You Might Not Know
Guitar solos are an intrinsic highlight of rock history. Here we turn over some stones to discover 15 performances lacking the plaudits they deserve.
Music/Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Lists/Music Features/PopMatters Picks/The Best Music of 2024
The 30 Best Polish Albums of 2024
The best Polish albums featured intriguing new projects, greater stylistic diversity, along with superb post-punk and diffusion jazz.
What If Donald Trump’s Cabinet Picks Really Were Looney Tunes?
Many of Donald Trump’s 2025 cabinet picks came from Fox News. Would the nation be better served if he binged Looney Tunes instead?
5 Great Books That Reinvent Music Criticism
This is by no means a comprehensive survey of contemporary music criticism, but these five books all point a way forward for the field.