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Features Culture Featured: Top of Home Page Television

Can Comedy Be an Antidote to Authoritarianism’s Poison?

By

Iain Ellis / 15 October 2026

Politically, the opposite of authoritarianism is democracy; cognitively, it is humor. Comedy may indeed be the best medicine for our seriously unwell era.

FEATURES

Jazz Saxophonist David S. Ware Never Played It Twice

Jazz Saxophonist David S. Ware Never Played It Twice

By

Tony Aramini / 15 October 2026

Gilbert O’Sullivan Is ‘On the Record’ and Being Irish

Gilbert O’Sullivan Is ‘On the Record’ and Being Irish

By

Eoghan Lyng / 14 October 2026

Thin Screens of Violence: ‘American Doctor’ and the Authority of Images

Thin Screens of Violence: ‘American Doctor’ and the Authority of Images

By

Richard Stimac / 14 October 2026

Aaron Sorkin and the Politics of Being Right

Aaron Sorkin and the Politics of Being Right

By

R.A. Davis / 13 October 2026

ME. Invite Us to Do the Hard Thing on ‘All Good Things’

ME. Invite Us to Do the Hard Thing on ‘All Good Things’

By

Alyssa Charpentier / 13 October 2026

Nine Albums In, Russian Circles Are “Opening the Marriage”

Nine Albums In, Russian Circles Are “Opening the Marriage”

By

Brice Ezell / 12 October 2026

Venice Film Festival Comes with a Hammer to Crack Open Political Discourse

Venice Film Festival Comes with a Hammer to Crack Open Political Discourse

By

Ana Yorke / 12 October 2026

“Who’s Punk? What’s the Score?” On Authenticity, Subcultural Capital, and Scene Cops

“Who’s Punk? What’s the Score?” On Authenticity, Subcultural Capital, and Scene Cops

By

R.A. Davis / 8 October 2026

BEST NEW SONGS

Music Reviews

Music Events Features Music Features Music Reviews

Jack White Takes San Francisco with a Dynamic Double Feature

By

Greg M. Schwartz / 14 October 2026

Music Music Reviews PopMatters Picks Reviews

Girl Ultra Makes Sensual Electrofunk with Chromeo

By

Adriane Pontecorvo / 14 October 2026

Music Music Reviews PopMatters Picks Reviews

Brandon Locher Visits Strange Musical Worlds on Thrilling LP

By

Chris Ingalls / 14 October 2026

Wynonna Returns with the Best Album of Her Career

Love Is Noise Distill Atmosphere and Heaviness on New EP

Flora Hibberd Takes a Turn with Latest Art Pop Record

Ohana Festival 2026: Grooving in the Sun with Pearl Jam

Sulaf Pays Poignant Tribute to Home and Family on ‘ABA’

Archgoat Don’t Change Their Sound on New LP, Which Is Good

Alt-Pop’s SOFY Really Knows ‘How to Perform Magic’

Ibibio Sound Machine Nuance the Dancefloor Superbly

Embla and the Karidotters Subvert Country Music Conventions

John Prine’s ‘Found Dogs’ Offers More Than Leftovers

Film

The Unbearable Heaviness of Buildings: ‘The History of Concrete’

The Unbearable Heaviness of Buildings: ‘The History of Concrete’

By

Richard Stimac / 15 October 2026

Thin Screens of Violence: ‘American Doctor’ and the Authority of Images

Thin Screens of Violence: ‘American Doctor’ and the Authority of Images

By

Richard Stimac / 14 October 2026

Aaron Sorkin and the Politics of Being Right

Aaron Sorkin and the Politics of Being Right

By

R.A. Davis / 13 October 2026

Venice Film Festival Comes with a Hammer to Crack Open Political Discourse

Venice Film Festival Comes with a Hammer to Crack Open Political Discourse

By

Ana Yorke / 12 October 2026

‘Tuner’ Recalibrates the Disability Narrative

‘Tuner’ Recalibrates the Disability Narrative

By

Shanna Seesz / 12 October 2026

Howard Hughes Makes [Lewis] Milestones in Hollywood Silent Movies

Howard Hughes Makes [Lewis] Milestones in Hollywood Silent Movies

By

Michael Barrett / 7 October 2026

‘Hedda’ and the Erotics of Refusal

‘Hedda’ and the Erotics of Refusal

By

Darius Ahmadi / 6 October 2026

‘Late Fame’ Makes Clear That Dreams of Ambition are Just Dreams

‘Late Fame’ Makes Clear That Dreams of Ambition are Just Dreams

By

Richard Stimac / 6 October 2026

‘Digger’ Clings to Life Like Grim Death

‘Digger’ Clings to Life Like Grim Death

By

David Pike / 5 October 2026

Books

Calum Marsh Looks Behind the Scenes of Reality TV

By

Maria Lockard / 7 October 2026

Books Comics Feature Sub Head Features Interviews

Conversations with Drew Lerman About ‘Conversations with Don DeLillo’

By

Jesse Kavadlo / 5 October 2026

Books Culture Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features PopMatters Picks

Not Every “Monstrous Bitch” Is a Feminist Victim

By

Jeremy McDonagh / 29 September 2026

Albert Camus’ Anti-Ideology Message for Our Times

Get Rid of All the Pesky Humans: An AI Fantasy

Stephen Greenblatt’s Distinctly Modern Sir Walter Raleigh

Barbara Kingsolver’s ‘Partita’ Captures Dreams Deferred

Music Features

Music Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features Interviews Music Features

Jazz Saxophonist David S. Ware Never Played It Twice

By

Tony Aramini / 15 October 2026

Music Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features Interviews Music Features

Gilbert O’Sullivan Is ‘On the Record’ and Being Irish

By

Eoghan Lyng / 14 October 2026

Music Events Features Music Features Music Reviews

Jack White Takes San Francisco with a Dynamic Double Feature

By

Greg M. Schwartz / 14 October 2026

ME. Invite Us to Do the Hard Thing on ‘All Good Things’

Nine Albums In, Russian Circles Are “Opening the Marriage”

Ohana Festival 2026: Grooving in the Sun with Pearl Jam

“Who’s Punk? What’s the Score?” On Authenticity, Subcultural Capital, and Scene Cops

Television

Can Comedy Be an Antidote to Authoritarianism’s Poison?

Can Comedy Be an Antidote to Authoritarianism’s Poison?

By

Iain Ellis / 15 October 2026

Why Can’t I Stop Watching ‘Love Island’?

Why Can’t I Stop Watching ‘Love Island’?

By

Racheal Fest / 1 October 2026

Lists

ElectroMatters: Best Electronic Music of September 2026

ElectroMatters: Best Electronic Music of September 2026

By

J. Simpson / 6 October 2026

MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of September 2026

MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of September 2026

By

Spyros Stasis / 28 September 2026

The 10 Best Pop Music Books of the 2000s So Far

The 10 Best Pop Music Books of the 2000s So Far

By

Josh Friedberg / 21 September 2026

Dolly Parton’s Greatest Movie Role

Dolly Parton’s Greatest Movie Role

By

Guilherme Quireza / 1 September 2026

Interviews

Music Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features Interviews Music Features

Jazz Saxophonist David S. Ware Never Played It Twice

By

Tony Aramini / 15 October 2026

Music Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features Interviews Music Features

Gilbert O’Sullivan Is ‘On the Record’ and Being Irish

By

Eoghan Lyng / 14 October 2026

Music Feature Sub Head Features Interviews Music Features

ME. Invite Us to Do the Hard Thing on ‘All Good Things’

By

Alyssa Charpentier / 13 October 2026

Nine Albums In, Russian Circles Are “Opening the Marriage”

Conversations with Drew Lerman About ‘Conversations with Don DeLillo’

Keb’ Mo’: The Breakdown and the Long Way Home

Edie Brickell and Matt Chamberlain Look Forward to World Famous Pets

Pop Past

The best of our archive [subscriber exclusive]

Who Put the Pop in Gen Z’s Pop Punk?

Featured: Top of Home Page

Who Put the Pop in Gen Z’s Pop Punk?

By

Iain Ellis / 17 October 2022

Fighting the Hand that Feeds You the Digital Music

Featured: Top of Home Page

Fighting the Hand that Feeds You the Digital Music

By

Axel Bruns / 19 November 1999

Publish with PM

PopMatters Seeks Book Critics and Essayists

PopMatters Seeks Book Critics and Essayists

By

Karen Zarker / 24 January 2024

Submit an Essay, Review, Interview, or List to PopMatters

Submit an Essay, Review, Interview, or List to PopMatters

By

PopMatters Staff / 26 July 2023

PopMatters Seeks Music Writers

PopMatters Seeks Music Writers

By

PopMatters Staff / 28 September 2022

PopMatters Seeks Film Critics and Essayists

PopMatters Seeks Film Critics and Essayists

By

Karen Zarker / 28 September 2022

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