The hottest Artist analysis Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Why Taylor Swift, the Beatles, and Nirvana are overrated

The Rubesletter by Matt Ruby (of Vooza) | Sent every Tuesday • 356 implied HN points • 01 Dec 24
🎶 Music Music history Music Criticism Artist analysis Cultural Commentary Live performance
  1. Some popular musicians like Taylor Swift, the Beatles, and Nirvana might not be as great as people think. It's okay to have different opinions about music.
  2. Drummers have a unique way of creating many sounds with just a few basic elements, similar to how Taco Bell mixes its ingredients.
  3. The experience of listening to music has changed over time, especially with DJs taking a more prominent role in performances. Now, people often watch the DJ instead of just dancing with each other.

The Common Listener

Dada Drummer Almanach • 120 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🎶 Music Music journalism Artist analysis Cultural Commentary Music history
  1. Music recommendations can be a fun way to explore new sounds. They don't have to follow a strict 'best of' list; just enjoy what you like.
  2. Listening to music should be for your own enjoyment, not just what critics or charts say is popular. Everyone has different tastes.
  3. You can connect music to your personal experiences and moments in life, like what you were cooking or doing at the time.

don’t want no other shade of blue but you

Notebook • 196 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🎶 Music Artist analysis Collaborations
  1. Taylor Swift's love songs are romantic but also pessimistic, focusing on derailment, need, and wreck in relationships.
  2. Taylor Swift's collaboration song 'Snow on the Beach' with Lana Del Rey stands out for its sense of total security and reciprocity, which is unique in Taylor's love songs.
  3. Loneliness is a significant theme in Taylor Swift's songs, often intertwined with love, portraying a stable but unpleasant solitude when relationships end.

Rick Beato on The Carpenters

Disaffected Newsletter • 579 implied HN points • 24 May 23
🎶 Music Music theory Artist analysis Cultural impact
  1. Watching young people react to old music can be joyful because they feel real emotions. It's great to see their surprise and connection to genuine artistry.
  2. Rick Beato brings a mature understanding of music, especially The Carpenters, and helps people see the beauty in their chords and melodies.
  3. You don't have to be a music expert to appreciate music; learning a bit about music theory can deepen your enjoyment and understanding of what you love.
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