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Music Featured: Top of Home Page Features Lists Music Features

Where Should Billy Joel Sit at the Pop and Pop Rock Table?

By

Brian Chander Wiora / 14 April 2026

Inconsistent in his music and notoriously ornery, it’s difficult to figure out where, amongst his contemporaries, to seat Billy Joel at the Pop and Pop Rock table. We give it a try.

Features

The Afghan Whigs’ ‘Black Love’ Is an Underappreciated Masterpiece

All Things Reconsidered

The Afghan Whigs’ ‘Black Love’ Is an Underappreciated Masterpiece

By

Brian Stout / 13 April 2026

Why Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work” Is the Ultimate Screen Song

Why Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work” Is the Ultimate Screen Song

By

Timbray Shafer / 13 April 2026

Stephen King’s Nightmares are Personal and Real

Stephen King’s Nightmares are Personal and Real

By

Chris Barsanti / 13 April 2026

Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ and the Three Ghosts of Subjectivity

Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ and the Three Ghosts of Subjectivity

By

Mike Cormack / 9 April 2026

When the Door Nearly Closed on Evanescence

When the Door Nearly Closed on Evanescence

By

Matthew Ellis / 8 April 2026

ElectroMatters: Best Electronic Music of March 2026

ElectroMatters: Best Electronic Music of March 2026

By

J. Simpson / 8 April 2026

Music Reviews

Music Music Reviews Reviews

Joe Jackson Settles Scores on ‘Hope and Fury’

By

Jeremy McDonagh / 14 April 2026

Music Music Reviews PopMatters Picks Reviews

Flore Laurentienne Masterfully Blend Strings and Synthesizers

By

Chris Ingalls / 14 April 2026

Music Music Reviews PopMatters Picks Reviews

Drivin N Cryin Keep the Spirit of Rock ‘n’ Roll Alive

By

Steve Horowitz / 14 April 2026

Juni Habel Presents the Perilous Beauty of Nature

Tigers Jaw Deliver a hooky, emotionally-charged LP

Daryl Groetsch Takes a Stunning Oceanic Voyage

Ashley Monroe Pens a Love/Hate Letter to Music City

Emma Harner’s Debut ‘Evening Star’ Is Remarkable

The Sylvie Courvoisier Trio Balance All the Elements

Pop Past

Albums released 20 years ago

Gnarls Barkley Take Us to ‘St. Elsewhere’

Gnarls Barkley Take Us to ‘St. Elsewhere’

By

Zeth Lundy / 9 May 2006

The Coup Call for Change with ‘Pick a Bigger Weapon’

The Coup Call for Change with ‘Pick a Bigger Weapon’

By

Dave Heaton / 25 April 2006

Goo Goo Dolls’ ‘Let Love In’ Is a Mixed Bag

Goo Goo Dolls’ ‘Let Love In’ Is a Mixed Bag

By

Mike Joseph / 20 April 2006

Film

Sound of Falling’s Slow Exhaustion of Memory

Sound of Falling’s Slow Exhaustion of Memory

By

Guilherme Quireza / 14 April 2026

Why Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work” Is the Ultimate Screen Song

Why Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work” Is the Ultimate Screen Song

By

Timbray Shafer / 13 April 2026

‘I Swear’ Is Carried by Robert Aramayo’s Performance

‘I Swear’ Is Carried by Robert Aramayo’s Performance

By

Guilherme Quireza / 13 April 2026

Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ and the Three Ghosts of Subjectivity

Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ and the Three Ghosts of Subjectivity

By

Mike Cormack / 9 April 2026

‘Palestine 36’ and the Limits of a Settled History

‘Palestine 36’ and the Limits of a Settled History

By

Guilherme Quireza / 7 April 2026

‘Broken Voices’ Records the Sound of Institutional Abuse

‘Broken Voices’ Records the Sound of Institutional Abuse

By

Guilherme Quireza / 6 April 2026

‘Hold That Blonde!’ Hilariously Attempts Hysterical Slapstick

‘Hold That Blonde!’ Hilariously Attempts Hysterical Slapstick

By

Michael Barrett / 2 April 2026

Music Features

Music Featured: Top of Home Page Features Lists Music Features

Where Should Billy Joel Sit at the Pop and Pop Rock Table?

By

Brian Chander Wiora / 14 April 2026

All Things Reconsidered Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features Music Music Features

The Afghan Whigs’ ‘Black Love’ Is an Underappreciated Masterpiece

By

Brian Stout / 13 April 2026

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

Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ and the Three Ghosts of Subjectivity

By

Mike Cormack / 9 April 2026

When the Door Nearly Closed on Evanescence

ElectroMatters: Best Electronic Music of March 2026

Detroit 1967: From Uprising to Amplification

10 Synthwave and Ambient Songs for Swimming

MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of March 2026

Morrissey Returns to the Wilde

Books

Books Feature Sub Head Features

Stephen King’s Nightmares are Personal and Real

By

Chris Barsanti / 13 April 2026

Reviews Books Comics Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features Music PopMatters Picks

‘The Midnight: Shadows’ Renders Nostalgia’s Dangers in Neon

By

Alyssa Charpentier / 31 March 2026

Books Feature Sub Head Featured: Top of Home Page Features

Edmund White’s Longing for Being and Nothingness

By

Mike Cormack / 24 March 2026

The Black Dahlia Is a Victim of Time

‘Rock of Pages’ Argues for the High of Literature in the Low of Heavy Metal

Television

Why Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work” Is the Ultimate Screen Song

Why Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work” Is the Ultimate Screen Song

By

Timbray Shafer / 13 April 2026

‘Drops of God’ Drinks Wine with a Proustian Sensibility

‘Drops of God’ Drinks Wine with a Proustian Sensibility

By

Adit Chandrachud / 30 March 2026

Interviews

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

Javier Nero Blends Modern Elements with Big Band Jazz

By

Will Layman / 2 April 2026

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

Jorge Drexler Performs His Homecoming Dance

By

Marty Lipp / 1 April 2026

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

Sweet Pill on Burning It Down and Finding the Glow

By

Brian Stout / 30 March 2026

The Cosmic Tones Research Trio Create “Great Black Music”

Kula Shaker’s Crispian Mills Discusses the Creative Life

Lists

Where Should Billy Joel Sit at the Pop and Pop Rock Table?

Where Should Billy Joel Sit at the Pop and Pop Rock Table?

By

Brian Chander Wiora / 14 April 2026

ElectroMatters: Best Electronic Music of March 2026

ElectroMatters: Best Electronic Music of March 2026

By

J. Simpson / 8 April 2026

10 Synthwave and Ambient Songs for Swimming

10 Synthwave and Ambient Songs for Swimming

By

Alyssa Charpentier / 7 April 2026

MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of March 2026

MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of March 2026

By

Spyros Stasis, Antonio Poscic / 6 April 2026

The Best Performances of 2026’s Love Rocks NYC

The Best Performances of 2026’s Love Rocks NYC

By

Sachyn Mital / 25 March 2026

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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