The hottest Music Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Culture Topics

Water in the well

Austin Kleon • 1898 implied HN points • 05 Aug 22
🎭️ Culture Art Music Literature Film Photography Media
  1. It's important to keep your creative well full so you can keep making good work. Think of it as filling up a water tank; you need it to be full to use it.
  2. Creativity often faces resistance, and overcoming that resistance can lead to better creative outcomes. Embrace the challenges as part of the creative process.
  3. Finding joy in what you read or watch can inspire and refresh your creativity. Explore new books or films to keep the ideas flowing.

Best of 2023

Obvious Bicycle • 657 implied HN points • 30 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Music Movies Books TV Quotes
  1. The post shares a list of the author's favorite things from 2023, including music, live events, essays, art & photography, movies, books, TV shows, and quotes.
  2. The author appreciates music as their favorite art form, sharing a ranked list of songs they discovered in 2023.
  3. The author also highlights their experiences of attending live events like cricket and football matches, a marathon, and a Taylor Swift concert, making these a memorable part of their year.

Warp & Weft

Austin Kleon • 1718 implied HN points • 06 Sep 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Music Creativity Literature Tradition
  1. Weaving has two main threads: the warp, which is the tense thread on the loom, and the weft, which moves over and under it. This can symbolize how we create things from both old ideas and new ones.
  2. The concept of warp and weft is often used in writing and art to describe how we all borrow from traditions and influences. Nothing is completely original because we all build on what came before us.
  3. Anni Albers' work connects weaving to creative expression, showing how different materials can inspire and shape our artistic processes. Learning about materials can open up new creative possibilities.
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Labor and wait

Austin Kleon • 1758 implied HN points • 26 Aug 22
🎭️ Culture Art Music Literature Movies Communication
  1. Patience is key in the creative process. Sometimes, you just have to put in the work and wait for the results.
  2. Art and creativity can often be inspired by what we experience in life and what we consume, whether it's books, movies, or music.
  3. Sharing and discussing what you love helps you connect with others. There’s value in sharing your thoughts and favorites with friends.

Data arithmetic

benn.substack • 536 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Fashion Influencers Media Celebrities Music
  1. In analyzing data, focus on simple steps like observing trends, hypothesizing causes, and adjusting actions.
  2. Data interpretation doesn't have to be complex; sometimes, a straightforward approach is enough.
  3. In the world of marketing, brands can face challenges when unexpected people endorse their products.

Get Tickets for Bet on Love!

Above The Fold • 275 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Romance Music
  1. Bet on Love is a professionally produced live dating show with betting happening on Manifold.
  2. The event will take place in San Francisco at the Brava Theater Center, with a livestream available.
  3. Contestants can still participate and the show will feature live music by Tim Blais and Bashu.

A heavy canceling by asteroid

Austin Kleon • 1938 implied HN points • 01 Jul 22
🎭️ Culture Art Music Literature Comics Sports
  1. Access to health care, including abortion, is super important for artists and everyone else. Supporting established organizations can really help with this big issue.
  2. Experiencing live music, like a Kraftwerk concert, can be a fantastic family outing and create lasting memories.
  3. Enjoying a good book or watching lighthearted shows can be comforting when you're feeling unwell; it's a nice way to relax and escape.

Jim Morrison's End

Litverse • 219 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Music Literature Art
  1. Jim Morrison's art was more like possession than process, often acting beyond his own spirit and becoming a product for the audience.
  2. Morrison's legacy teaches the importance of balancing performance, poetry, personality, and product in one's life to create authentically and without self-consciousness.
  3. Morrison's journey shows the impact of not conforming to societal expectations and the struggle between conscious creation and unconscious artistry.

Notes On Thankfulness

Slack Tide by Matt Labash • 160 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Literature Art Music Philosophy Personal Reflection
  1. Being grateful for the simple things in life, like family and pets, can really brighten our days. It's important to take a moment to appreciate those who walk beside us, both literally and metaphorically.
  2. Finding joy in nature and small moments can help us feel connected and hopeful. Whether it's watching birds or spending time by the water, these experiences can lift our spirits.
  3. Humor and friendship are valuable, especially during tough times. Even in darkness, sharing laughter and support with friends can make a big difference.

No Direction Home

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 8 implied HN points • 15 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Art Music Film Literature Philosophy
  1. China is thinking about selling TikTok in the US to Elon Musk, which could be bad for free speech and user privacy.
  2. Having a group of people control TikTok, rather than just one person like Musk, would be a better idea for users.
  3. Artistic geniuses mix different styles and cultures in a way that brings something new, like how Picasso combined African art with European influences.

Welcome to Jann Wenner's Wonderful White World of Wonder!

Look What You Made Me Do • 471 implied HN points • 24 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Music Race Gender Media Art
  1. Establishment music coverage can often be biased and exclude genres deemed not commercially viable.
  2. Gatekeepers like Jann Wenner may have reinforced exclusion of Black music and non-male artists in media coverage.
  3. Calls for more diversity and inclusion in mainstream media and music industry are necessary to challenge and change historical biases.

Here was a magic

Austin Kleon • 1418 implied HN points • 28 Oct 22
🎭️ Culture Art Literature Music Film Education
  1. Celebrating milestones, like a child's birthday, can create special memories and moments of joy. Sharing experiences with others can be fulfilling, such as speaking to a class about something you love.
  2. There are valuable lessons in both historical and modern ideas, like exploring Darwin's diagrams or discussing how technology impacts creativity. These discussions can inspire new thoughts and perspectives.
  3. Art and creativity are personal journeys worth sharing, whether it’s showing how a book cover was designed or reflecting on the value of literature. Engaging with different forms of art can enrich our lives.

Man vs Machine

Sunday Letters • 59 implied HN points • 16 Jun 24
🎭️ Culture Music Art Philosophy Literature Creativity
  1. Paying close attention to small details can help you understand the bigger picture. When you focus on one thing, you can see connections to the whole world.
  2. Creativity is in everything we do, whether it's making music, writing code, or having conversations. Each act of creation holds lessons and reflections of our lives.
  3. Failures are not just setbacks; they're opportunities to learn and grow. By examining our mistakes closely, we gain insights that can lead us to future success.

Links and Thoughts (Feb '24)

Secretum Secretorum • 454 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
📚 Literature Quotes Conspiracy Theories Conference Music
  1. Beautiful video pairings like "Wings of Desire" with Linda Perhacs' song; "Breathless" with "Time Moves Slow" by BADBADNOTGOOD evoke haunting beauty.
  2. The origin of "tree hugger" is surprisingly hardcore, stemming from the Khejarli massacre in 1730, where villagers protected sacred trees at all costs.
  3. Discover the word of the day - "Cacoethes" - an irresistible urge to do something inadvisable, along with an intriguing quote about presuming improvement.

Hidden Open Thread 352.5

Astral Codex Ten • 206 implied HN points • 23 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Art Literature Music Philosophy Faith
  1. This is an open thread for subscribers, meaning only paid members can participate. It's a space for sharing thoughts and discussions.
  2. The post includes links for sharing on social media, showing that it encourages interaction and connection.
  3. The thread is part of a series, indicating a continuing conversation or topic that interests the community.

Trashy mementos

Austin Kleon • 1678 implied HN points • 29 Jul 22
🎭️ Culture Art Literature Music Media Creativity Photography
  1. A trashy memento journal is a fun way to keep little things that you might not want to throw away. It helps capture special but not overly significant memories.
  2. Two book recommendations include one about autism that offers a fresh perspective and another by an author known for her creative storytelling.
  3. Playing chess can be great for quality time and learning. A clever chess book design can also make the learning process more engaging and fun.

Beach Body Horror

Momspreading • 216 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Literature Music Podcasts Fiction
  1. The female body is complex, often not believed or controlled, but also a product of our own will.
  2. The books discussed tell diverse stories of female bodies facing trauma, imperfections, and longing.
  3. The fear of needing people to believe what's happening in your own body can be overwhelming, leading to bureaucratic challenges in seeking medical help.

Gaussian Pop: 14 Theses

Cybernetic Forests • 119 implied HN points • 14 Apr 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Visual art Sound Text AI Music
  1. Gaussian Pop music is generated by AI models prompted by user searches, aimed to reduce streaming service costs and drive profits through listener engagement.
  2. Gaussian Pop creates music that satisfies the urge to consume quickly and easily, tailored for inattentiveness and quick skips.
  3. The rise of Gaussian Pop represents a shift in music consumption towards AI-generated content, leading to concerns about economic impacts on musicians and the potential alienation of shared music experiences.

A cool alt-history noir set in a Native American city, a great conspiracy documentary, and ... Bruce Hornsby doing Brazilian leftfield house?

Read Max • 395 implied HN points • 10 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Books Movies Music Recommendations
  1. A cool detective novel set in an alternate 20th century St. Louis with indigenous American culture dominating.
  2. An excellent documentary delving into one of the most baffling conspiracies of the 20th century.
  3. Bruce Hornsby ventures into Brazilian leftfield house music on a unique EP.

Spring Festival Gala Review by Chinese Doom Scroll

ChinaTalk • 429 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Entertainment Music Comedy Traditions Dance
  1. Many people found the 2024 Spring Festival Gala to be enjoyable and a hit among the past few years' shows.
  2. The performances included a variety of acts showcasing traditional Chinese arts like drums, dancing, opera, martial arts, and folk songs.
  3. Despite some controversial comedy skits, overall the Gala featured high-quality, impressive performances and a mix of propaganda and entertainment.

Pop über alles

Banana Peel Pirouette • 197 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Music Youth culture Pop culture Social Commentary Artistic expression
  1. The evolution of music criticism, the rise of poptimism, and the shift towards commercial pop music have reshaped the music scene and challenged traditional ideas of authenticity and subcultural affiliation.
  2. The collapse of the middle ground in the music industry mirrors broader economic shifts, with mainstream pop stars dominating the landscape and influencing youth culture.
  3. Poptimism and hustle culture celebrate a pragmatic acceptance of commercial success over traditional values like originality and authenticity, reflecting a broader cultural trend driven by economic realities and the digital age.

Sing us a song, Piano Man

Variations on a Theme • 79 implied HN points • 16 May 24
🎭️ Culture Music Arts Events
  1. Orchestral performances post-pandemic had strict protocols like mandatory masking and limited seating, creating a surreal experience for attendees.
  2. The experience of attending a classical music ensemble's show with limited audience and upgraded seats was a stark contrast to the previous Kafkaesque experience.
  3. The power of music lies in its ability to evoke emotions and memories, as shown by the comparison between 'Kafka Fragments' and 'Piano Man.'

The Monday Media Diet with Geoff Rickly

Why is this interesting? • 361 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Music Literature Perfume Travel Books
  1. Geoff Rickly reads voraciously, including magazines, newsletters, and novels, with a preference for publications with a strong physical presence.
  2. Rickly recommends John Fosse's 'Septology' as a transformative read that had a profound impact on him as an artist, blending modern and eternal spirituality.
  3. Rickly fell into a deep rabbit hole exploring perfumes, starting from wanting to smell good to seeking unique and even repulsive scents, mentioning various indie perfume brands and his personal favorite, MeM by Antonio Gardoni.

The Superette

Justin E. H. Smith's Hinternet • 725 implied HN points • 01 Oct 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Writing Music Speaking Events Collaboration
  1. A Superette is a unique word that combines aspects of a supermarket and convenience store, with some preliminaries and follow-ups.
  2. The author discusses the challenge of evolving as a writer while staying true to their own style, without being influenced by readers' preferences.
  3. The essay delves into the author's critical views on music genres like rock and rap, exploring the cultural and racial dynamics of different musical movements.

Links & What I’ve Been Reading, November

By Reason Alone • 46 implied HN points • 14 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Media Literature Art Philosophy Music Science
  1. A lot of interesting media is highlighted, like books, podcasts, and films. There's something for everyone to explore and enjoy.
  2. The author encourages youth, especially those aged 16 to 19, to join programs focused on rational thinking and education. It’s a great chance for learning and growing.
  3. Several recent scientific papers and discussions are mentioned, showing ongoing debates and research that can spark curiosity. Staying informed can lead to deeper understanding of complex topics.

Going wherever it leads

Austin Kleon • 1398 implied HN points • 02 Sep 22
🎭️ Culture Literature Music Art Film Media
  1. Redacted documents are becoming a major topic in the news, which led to some funny comments about blackout poetry. The creator finds humor in how this art form connects to current events.
  2. Reading tough books can be a real challenge. Sometimes, you find a book that hooks you, but also drives you a bit crazy, making you wish it was shorter.
  3. Interesting documentaries and profiles about musicians can offer new insights and perspectives. Watching these can be a great way to appreciate the history and creativity behind the music we love.