The hottest Pop culture Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Culture Topics

At least five interesting things to start your week (#28)

Noahpinion • 13588 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Pop culture Philosophy Education
  1. Pop culture has shown signs of stagnation with more recycled content, indicating a shift towards fewer big hits alongside a long tail of indie content.
  2. Contrary to common belief, heavier cars are not the main cause for the increase in pedestrian deaths in the U.S. Factors like smartphone distractions play a role.
  3. Education's value is debated, with a recent study suggesting minimal impact, but the methodology is criticized for not considering the value of logarithmic returns in the analysis.

Selena Gomez’s 18 Hour Social Media Break

Hung Up • 5444 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Celebrity Culture Social media Entertainment Fashion Pop culture
  1. Selena Gomez announced a social media break but only lasted 18 hours, showing that celebrities can be just like us in not sticking to resolutions.
  2. Julia Roberts' recent British Vogue cover shoot captures her glamour and self-assuredness, reminiscent of '90s icons.
  3. Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def) commented on Drake's music being suitable for malls, sparking thoughts on how certain artists and genres naturally align with specific environments.

The great silent majority of American basicness

Garbage Day • 3341 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Trends Social media Pop culture Music Internet culture
  1. The rise of the Stanley Quencher cup as a popular item is a result of savvy marketing and internet buzz
  2. Short-form videos like TikTok are influencing the way content is created and shared online
  3. The concept of monoculture in media is evolving, with Spotify playlists reflecting carefully constructed branding rather than true diversity

Conspiracy Theorists and Coincidence Cultists

Contemplations on the Tree of Woe • 1425 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Conspiracy Theories Pop culture UFOs Ancient History Quantum Mechanics
  1. The term 'conspiracy theory' was created to mock critics of the Warren Commission's report on JFK's assassination.
  2. There is a divide between conspiracy theorists who see hidden cabalistic actions in major events and normies who believe in coincidences.
  3. Conspiracy theorists face the challenge of choosing which theories to believe and often entertain contradictory ideas.
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Ride With The Mob

HIDDEN.RSRCH • 687 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture TV shows Pop culture Entertainment
  1. The Sopranos, created by David Chase and HBO, made television history 25 years ago with the iconic character Tony Soprano.
  2. The series by Chase introduced a new breed of anti-heroes and redefined the glorified image of gangsters.
  3. The world-building and character development in The Sopranos set a new standard in television storytelling.

MEDIEVAL SUPER BOWLS

History, etc • 628 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
💾 History Pop culture Celebrities Tournaments
  1. The Super Bowl is not just about football, but also a big pop concert, reflecting America's influence on global popular culture.
  2. Celebrity relationships and events like the Super Bowl mirror medieval tales of love, adventure, and chivalry.
  3. The medieval concept of tournaments bears resemblance to modern glitzy celebrity-sporting events.

Award Shows and Other Human Things

The Bottom Feeder • 242 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Awards Entertainment Art Pop culture Movies
  1. Awards shows are fun, even if they're silly and trivial. It's enjoyable to argue about them and engage in the social experience of celebrating achievements.
  2. Awards fulfill various human needs like celebrating excellence, reflecting on the past year, and providing recommendations for the future.
  3. Creating a successful award show requires scale, respectability, and seriousness in a lighthearted way. Video game awards may struggle to find this balance.

Culture is fragmented and so are we

Read, Watch, Binge • 569 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Pop culture Connection Streaming platforms Social media
  1. Culture is becoming more fragmented, making it harder to find shared experiences with others.
  2. The abundance of entertainment options and personalized content leads to decision fatigue and hinders connection.
  3. Despite fragmented pop culture, bad news and politics have become universal topics for connection, although they can also contribute to polarization.

How Woke Led to Cultural Decadence

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 3438 implied HN points • 14 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Film Gender Race Art Pop culture
  1. Cultural critics are concerned about the decline in original storytelling in movies, with studios relying more on established franchises.
  2. The influence of 'woke' ideology on art can limit the creation of compelling works by disregarding the natural differences and gendered characteristics between men and women.
  3. Wokeness has impacted art in areas like race representation in fantasy worlds, creating challenges for new storytelling while established franchises remain unaffected.

The Links guide to newsletters

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 838 implied HN points • 25 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Internet Art Technology Youth culture Pop culture
  1. The author shares a list of personal favorite newsletters, including ones on internet culture, technology, and youth trends.
  2. The post includes a request for reader feedback through a survey to shape future content and projects.
  3. The newsletters recommended cover a range of topics from internet treasures to big-picture cultural analysis, providing readers with varied insights and perspectives.

Looking Back, Track by Track

JoeBlogs • 3341 implied HN points • 02 May 23
🎶 Music Pop culture Baseball Athlete
  1. The author is reminiscing on the songs and athletes that were popular in their life, starting from 1973.
  2. The post offers a 30-day free trial for paid subscriptions to JoeBlogs.
  3. The author shares personal anecdotes related to specific songs and athletes from different years.

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.

The Work of Writing About Taylor Swift

Oliver Bateman Does the Work • 137 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Music Pop culture Critique Social Commentary Celebrity
  1. In a world of cultural commentary, perspectives on public figures like Taylor Swift can vary widely.
  2. Public figures like Swift are often appropriated as symbols for different causes, regardless of their personal beliefs.
  3. Swift's broad appeal allows for numerous and often conflicting interpretations, leading to a commodification of opinions in pop culture.

A re-cap of 2023...

Default Wisdom • 244 implied HN points • 23 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Internet Identity Pop culture Media Technology
  1. The author reflects on the concept of 'main character syndrome' and the importance of narrative in life.
  2. The author highlights various pieces of their writing from 2023, covering topics like AI, digital culture, and more.
  3. The author provides predictions for 2024, discussing shifts in culture wars and emerging societal trends.

⬜ Connecticut is a trend

One Thing • 296 implied HN points • 28 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Influencers Pop culture Internet culture
  1. Influencers are shifting towards embracing the suburbs, with Connecticut becoming a trending location due to its appeal for content creation and lifestyle aesthetics.
  2. Connecticut's evolving image is influenced by pop culture references, creating a mix of traditional suburban ideals and modern internet-driven content.
  3. The state's suburban towns offer an attractive alternative to city living, with proximity to urban areas like Manhattan and a blend of capital dreams with references to other fictional or real places.

Timescale Is Everything

Counting Atoms • 78 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Pop culture Social media Music Policy
  1. Culture has always been viral in nature, with songs and trends spreading through word of mouth and influence.
  2. The time scale of how quickly viral trends grow and fade has been accelerated by internet technology, causing disorientation for many.
  3. There is a disconnect between the pace of forming opinions on social media and the actual process of implementing political changes, leading to frustrations and unrealistic expectations.

Numlock Sunday: Matty Merritt on the rise and fall of the Disney Channel Original Movie

Numlock News • 78 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Movies TV Pop culture Entertainment
  1. High School Musical was a game-changer for Disney Channel Original Movies, making billions and shifting towards more sequels.
  2. Disney Channel Original Movies started as small-budget experiments and grew into huge money-makers.
  3. The success of DCOMs like High School Musical led to a shift in Hollywood towards more franchises and less risk-taking in filmmaking.

Ode To Curb

Sounds Good! • 78 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture TV shows Comedy Celebrity Entertainment Pop culture
  1. The TV show 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' is celebrating its final season after being on air for 25 years.
  2. Larry David's comedic series, 'Curb Your Enthusiasm', is known for its improvisation, real-life cameos, and satirical humor.
  3. The show has faced criticism for recent episodes but still has a loyal following eagerly anticipating each new season.

The Work of Stagnation

Oliver Bateman Does the Work • 98 implied HN points • 09 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture TV shows Pop culture Entertainment Satire Cultural Commentary
  1. Shows like 'The Simpsons' and 'Saturday Night Live' have become ingrained in American pop culture but need to evolve to stay relevant.
  2. Even long-running shows like 'The Simpsons' can adapt to modern societal expectations and remain fresh and engaging.
  3. Paid subscriptions to content creators like Oliver Bateman support critical discourse and thoughtful analysis of various topics.

Introducing Mr X

How To Measure Ghosts • 19 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture History Television Entertainment Media Pop culture
  1. The appearance of The Beatles and Arthur C Nielsen Jr. on TV on the same night marked a significant moment in television history.
  2. Arthur C Nielsen Jr.'s influence as the President of the Nielsen Service was substantial, impacting television ratings and advertising decisions with a small sample size of 'Nielsen families'.
  3. The emergence of television as a dominant medium led to the critical need for metrics like TV ratings, which shaped programming, advertising, and the business of television in the 20th century.

How fascism is hijacking our pop culture coping mechanisms

Teniade Topics • 137 implied HN points • 01 May 23
🎭️ Culture Pop culture Media Literacy Artistic expression Youth culture Ethics
  1. Pop culture is being used as a coping mechanism in the face of fascism.
  2. There is a shift towards valuing plot efficiency over art and depth in movies and media.
  3. Debates about on-screen sex scenes involve discussions about consent, relevance to the plot, and the balance between moral complexity and protection in a neofascist era.

The Museum of Sauce

Kneeling Bus • 117 implied HN points • 24 May 23
🎭️ Culture Social media Aesthetics TikTok Pop culture
  1. TikTok has become a powerful force in shaping aesthetics and design in contrast to Instagram's influence.
  2. TikTok's native aesthetic is described as baroque, tactile, kinetic, and loud, setting it apart from other platforms.
  3. TikTok's impact extends beyond the digital realm, influencing physical environments and incentivizing creativity in a way that differs from Instagram.

From Beatlemania to Taylor-mania

SatPost by Trung Phan • 74 implied HN points • 08 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Music Entertainment Social media Pop culture Celebrity
  1. Taylor Swift's 'Eras' tour is set to be the first ever to gross over $1B, with massive demand and $200+ ticket prices.
  2. The hype around Taylor Swift's tour draws comparisons to the rise of Beatlemania in 1963, with similarities in audience psychology and social context.
  3. Swift's tour success highlights the significant role of luck and timing in creative endeavors, emphasizing the importance of effort and strategy while acknowledging external factors.

[57] Pokemon: Fad That Never Fades

Life in Color • 98 implied HN points • 21 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Pop culture Community Nostalgia Entertainment Arts
  1. Pokemon is one of the most successful media franchises in history, with a value of over $90 billion.
  2. The success of Pokemon can be attributed to its creator Satoshi Tajiri's innovative monster-catching concept and strategic partnerships for global expansion.
  3. The Pokemon universe's focus on collecting, social engagement, and continuous innovation through new products has helped it create a lasting and iconic cultural impact.

"Courtcore" and the obsession with eras and cores

The Digital Native • 78 implied HN points • 23 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Subcultures Fashion Internet Pop culture Trends
  1. The obsession with 'core' aesthetics encompasses various human experiences and moods.
  2. Corecore involves random video editing, often with snippets commenting on shared human experiences.
  3. Courtcore refers to a niche style of dressing for high-profile trials, reflecting societal perceptions and the importance of fashion in conveying messages.