Contents Pioneers on a Final Mission


Caroline Polachek Wants You to Feel Something • Inside the globe-trotting, rave-going, expectation-defying sessions for the avant-pop star’s new LP


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TAKING THIS THING OF THEIRS ONLINE


Argentine Star Paulo Londra Is Ready to Play • The rapper returns to music after a two-year hiatus that included a lawsuit and a pandemic


Urban Exploration Meets Crypto Art at the Very Edge • How artist Isaac Wright brought a daring, defiant, and illegal rebel spirit to the world of NFTs


A Comic Guru Plays It Straight • How the alt-comedy genius Michael Showalter reinvented himself in Hollywood


Say Hello to the Next Great New York Band • Some folks say rock is dying. OK, sure — but have they heard Hello Mary?


‘I Was Doing the Right Thing’ • Alan Foster spent years advocating for Black music at the Grammys — then he was fired


Margo Price • She’s never been one to hold her tongue, and her new memoir and album are her realest statements yet


Party Starters • From grills to guitars, everything you need to throw the ultimate holiday bash


10 Days in Hell: Our Russian Hostage Nightmare • Desperate to escape Ukraine, we were captured, questioned, and held in a bunker. Then our teenage son tried to save us


Selena Gomez Is Going Through It • She’s wrestled with bipolar disorder, life-threatening illness, and tabloid hell. Now, she’s opening up about it in incredible ways


Faking the Funk • HOW A BOOTSY COLLINS IMPERSONATOR — OR TWO — GOT AWAY WITH ONE OF THE WILDEST SCAMS IN MUSIC HISTORY


A Kidnapping. A Mutilation. A Global Manhunt. • Inside the twisted tale of one of the most gruesome crimes ever committed


Your Rolling Stone Bucket List • Life is short. You only have one chance to seek adventure, laugh too loud, make big messes, fall in love, chase your dreams, do stupid shit, and live to tell the tale. Don’t sit on the sidelines, scrolling your time away. When you’re 90 and wearing sensible shoes, you’ll be glad you embraced these foolhardy missions while you could.


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T.V.


Jennifer Coolidge • The ‘White Lotus’ star on late-in-life fame and being like a security guard

Contents Fletcher Gets Her Moment in the Sun


Lil Durk’s Dizzying Ascent • The Chicago rapper faced unimaginable grief on his way to superstardom


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A Tale of Love, Apps, And Divorce


Ice Spice: NYC Drill’s New Queen of Pop • She took the world by storm with ‘Munch’ — a hit so catchy, it could be the genre’s future


The ‘Weird Al’ Biopic Is Weirder Than You Think • Co-writer Yankovic and star Daniel Radcliffe on telling the very not-true story of the singer’s life


The Pope of Pop Art • A new exhibit shows how photographer David LaChapelle’s art blends visual excess with religious devotion


Alex Turner • The Arctic Monkeys frontman on big rock guitars, evolving as a band, and revving up for their latest album, ‘The Car’


The General Who Went MAGA — And Retreated • How did Don Bolduc, a straight-shooting war hero, become the GOP Senate candidate in New Hampshire by embracing the big lie and calling Democrats the ‘enemy’?


RM & Pharrell Williams • Two guys who’ve changed the sound of pop sit down for an incredibly honest conversation about music, responsibility, and fans


Karen O & Michelle Zauner • The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Japanese Breakfast frontwomen on the power of ‘no,’ growing up Korean American, and the joys of smashing stuff


Trueno & Nicki Nicole • Argentina’s favorite couple sit down in Buenos Aires and talk about everything that has connected them personally and artistically


Finneas & Rick Rubin • Two groundbreaking producers on how they made their biggest hits, keeping their ears fresh, and the importance of beautiful surroundings


Latto & Flo Milli • Two of 2022’s hottest MCs worked hard to prove themselves in the music industry — and now, they want to share the love and support


Yungblud & Roger Daltrey • On staying fashionable in music, how ego ruined social media, and saying ‘no fucking way’ to ‘The Voice’


Pink Pantheress & Kaytranada • Two of dance music’s best young artists on avoiding sunlight, weird collaborations, and having the confidence to work with your heroes


Rina Sawayama & Shania Twain • On loving their queer fans, the challenges of autobiographical songwriting, and what they learned from difficult childhoods


Chloe x Halle & the Isley Brothers • Two of pop’s great sibling acts on finding inspiration and trying not to annoy each other


The DJ and the War Crimes • Thirty years after an infamous death squad massacred civilians in Bosnia, none of Arkan’s Tigers have stood trial for their alleged part in those crimes. And for the past few decades, one of them has been spinning trance records at European festivals and clubs


The Generous Life and Tragic Death of Young Dolph • The Memphis rapper’s family and friends remember an artist of intensity and passion, cut down in his prime


Music


Movies


Angela Bassett • The iconic actress on the lessons of marriage and the power of saying no

Contents Taylor’s Staying Up All Night This Fall


The Redemption of Farruko • The Puerto Rican star opens up about why he traded ‘Pepas’ and partying for a new spiritual chapter


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The Coolest Gear of 2022 • From the sleekest new smartphone to the best wireless cans, and beyond


16 Faces of Cate Blanchett • In this month’s ‘Tár,’ the Oscar winner plays a classical-music conductor caught in a downward spiral — another entry in her stable of complicated women, which we’ve charted from kindly Earth mother to Goddess of Death. By David Fear


Inside the Making of ‘Andor,’ the Rebel Star Wars Series • The showrunner and cast reveal why the latest Disney+ show is like no other


Ozzy: Back From Hell • Severe health issues had the Prince of Darkness worried he’d never go onstage again. Inside his latest comeback


Babyface Is Back to Help Us Exhale • Nobody does sad love songs like Babyface — and after years in the wilderness, he’s enjoying the pop moment he predicted


Maya Hawke • The ‘Stranger Things’ star on her new album, wanting to die (onscreen), and which of her parents’ movies she hasn’t seen


Michael Fanone Is Not Your Fucking Hero • He almost lost his life defending the Capitol on Jan. 6. Now, he’s a #resistance star — and he hates it


The Climate Bill Finally Passed. The Fight Has Just Begun • What was once a dream is now a law. But its effectiveness depends on a successful defense against the coming onslaught of fossil-fuel lobbyists and lawmakers


Stephen Curry Is Putting It All on the Line • The NBA superstar has changed the game of basketball for the better. Now, can he help change America?


The 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time


What Happened in Vegas • Survivors of the Route 91 massacre are haunted by a lack of answers. Even the death toll is up for debate


Michelle Phillips Is Ready to Talk About It • She spent her youth redefining the sound of pop with the Mamas and the Papas — and the next 50 years looking for something she could call her own. Now, she’s finally telling her whole story, on her own terms


‘I’d Drive That Tesla Down to the Factory. And I’d Burn It.’ • Seven women are alleging abusive behavior and suing Tesla — adding to a growing list of legal problems for Elon Musk-run companies


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Movies


Jamie Lee Curtis • The Hollywood legend on ‘Halloween,’ working out, and why advice is ‘hostile’

Contents Willow’s Wide-Open Mind Keeps Expanding


Heavy Is the Hand That Holds the Mic • Doechii has a big spotlight on her as TDE’s first female rapper. She couldn’t be more ready


Decades of Hip-Hop Decadence


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A TRANS SKATER FINDS NEW FREEDOM


Twista: Master of Puppets • A SERIES IN WHICH ARTISTS SHARE THEIR NONMUSICAL PASSIONS


The Tao of David Bowie • How Brett Morgen’s Bowie doc nearly killed him — and then gave him new rules to live by


The Podcast Queen of Hollywood’s Golden Age • Chasing silver-screen ghosts and Los Angeles’ forgotten secrets with Karina Longworth, the brilliant mind behind ‘You Must Remember This’


Carly Rae Jepsen • On her new album, facing down loneliness, a decade of ‘Call Me Maybe,’ and why she’s ‘the grandma of TikTok’


The Battle for ‘Cop City’ • Activists and anarchists have united to fight development in an Atlanta forest — by any means necessary


THE WORLD’S MOST WANTED MAN • Harry Styles has become a global pop icon. Now, he has his sights set on Hollywood. How does he make all of it look so easy — even when it definitely isn’t?


THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF AN O'JAY • Musician Frankie Little Jr. disappeared in 1979. It took 40 years to find out what happened.


BEING THERE • Live music has changed in some unfathomable ways in the past two years — but the best things about the concert experience remain the same. America’s top Cities & Venues can be found everywhere from Montana to Mississippi


JOHN, YOKO, AND ME • In an excerpt from his new memoir, ‘Rolling Stone’ founder Jann Wenner reveals John Lennon’s history with the magazine and how he helped make it a success


Fort Bragg's Hidden Crisis • A staggering total of 109 soldiers assigned to Fort Bragg died in 2020 and 2021. Dozens have lost their lives there to drug overdoses. Now, their families are demanding answers — and accountability


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Movies


Robert Plant • On success, critics, and what ‘Stairway to Heaven’ means to him now

Contents Aussie Punks Invade New York


King Princess’ Wild Life • The most outrageously quotable rock star of her time is determined to be herself


Ethan Coen Takes on Jerry Lee Lewis • He thought he was done making movies. Now, he and his wife-collaborator, Tricia Cooke, are back with the story of the Killer


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Back to the Future With Bachata’s Superstar • Romeo Santos made the music industry come to him. Now he’s got the ‘Formula’ to do it again


Say Sue Me: Sweet Indie Rock from the Seaside • Close-knit South Korean band aims for ‘bright energy rather than sadness’ on their great new album


Billy Eichner’s Big Gay Hollywood Rom-Com • The co-writer and star of ‘Bros’ explains how he made a landmark same-sex comedy for the ages


The Coolest Summer Gear • Stretch out, plug in, and rock out with these products to let the great times roll


We Are Living Through the Worst Eighties Reboot • Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is bringing back Cold War anxiety — for the MTV generation, it’s a nightmare that never went away


PJ Harvey • On her surreal new novel, loving Elvis, reconsidering her early work, and the irresistible allure of darkness


From Hockey Goon to Psychedelics Guru • Over four years in the NHL, Riley Cote pushed his body to its limit. After his playing days, he expanded his mind


Planet Hunger • Putin — and greedy CEOs — are already putting 20 million people on the brink of starvation. If we don’t make big changes now, we will face a global food crisis


‘They’re Wiping Us From the Earth’ • A trip to the front reveals Russia’s ‘scorched earth’ strategy and Ukrainian troops trying to hold on


YOU CAN’T KEEP A HOT GIRL DOWN • MEGAN THEE STALLION is reigning over rap while reeling from loss, betrayal, and violence. Here, the superstar opens up like never before about all of it


ZORA • A Black trans singer, rapper, and producer who makes edgy, joyful club anthems for a dark and frightening world


MÚSICA MEXICANA • How a new generation is reinventing traditional Mexican sounds in thrilling new ways


KENZIE • She helped invent the sound of K-pop, and she’s far from finished


SUPREME • In a moment of social upheaval, the clothing brand managed to become a bona fide cultural institution


QUINTA BRUNSON • The actress and writer behind the hit series ‘Abbott Elementary’ is quietly revolutionizing television


HATE5SIX • Tireless YouTuber Sunny Singh is bringing hardcore to the masses


STILLZ • The 23-year-old music-video director, who got his start as a photographer for artists like J Balvin, has helmed some of the most striking videos over the past couple of years. Here, he talks about some of his key projects so far


ROCK IN NIGERIA • A maligned genre makes a comeback


ADAMMA & ADANNE EBO • Identical-twin filmmakers make their feature debut


DRUM-AND-BASS • The U.K. dance genre could be ‘the new Motown’


CONAN GRAY • Pop’s oversharing next-big-thing on his rough childhood, buddy Olivia Rodrigo, and getting the hell off the internet


BORING TIKTOK • Showing love to the mundane things in life


GRILLZ • Flashy mouthwear is entering its most artful era yet


MOM ROCK • The alt-power-pop wizards are the best band you’ve never heard of


BLONDE • The forever-in-the works...

Contents Jhayco’s Jewels


Afrobeats’ Humble Hero • Fireboy DML is one of the biggest names in Nigerian pop, but he values staying grounded


What’s in the Bag? Good Memories


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A ROCK STAR OF NEW JOURNALISM GETS HIS DUE


Pop Punk’s Long, Weird Legacy • Thanks to Olivia, Willow, and a new generation, the genre is back from oblivion and all grown-up — sort of


Jerrod Carmichael Is Finished Hiding • With his startlingly confessional special ‘Rothaniel,’ the comedian transcended the form — and changed his life


The Rapper Who Wants to Run His Country • In the 1990s, Shyne was a rising rap star. Then he went to prison and found God. Now, he’s on the campaign trail


Soccer Mommy • The indie rocker on her experimental new album, feeling like Sylvia Plath, and the joys of being off social media


MAGA Law: How the Trump Judges Twist U.S. Justice • They’re overwhelmingly young, white, male, and extreme. And they’ll be in power for a generation


The Satanist Neo-Nazi Plot to Murder U.S. Soldiers • A rogue G.I.’s trial exposes the depths of a murderous far-right ideology — and the FBI’s complicity in spreading hate


All-American Extremism • With an array of hate groups forming in recent years, the threat of far-right violence has never been greater. But not all share the same goals and methods. A guide to the country’s most dangerous militants


Blackpink • From Strangers to Sisters to Pop Supernovas


The Giant Dreams of Bartees Strange • HE’S BECOME ONE OF THE BUZZIEST ACTS IN MUSIC IN JUST TWO SHORT YEARS — AND HIS ENDLESS CREATIVE AMBITIONS ARE JUST WARMING UP


Are Concerts Safe? • AFTER THE TRAGEDY AT ASTROWORLD, THE LIVE-MUSIC INDUSTRY IS GEARING UP FOR ITS BIGGEST SEASON IN YEARS, EVEN AS QUESTIONS CONTINUE TO LOOM ABOUT SAFETY AT CROWDED EVENTS


Truth and Dare • TOKISCHA HAS BECOME THE MOST PROVOCATIVE SUPERSTAR IN DOMINICAN DEMBOW BY MAKING SONGS THAT PULL NO PUNCHES ABOUT SEX, DRUGS, AND QUEERNESS. SHE WANTS TO GO EVEN FURTHER


The New ABBA • TO CAP OFF ONE OF POP’S BIGGEST COMEBACKS, THE SWEDISH SUPERSTARS ONLY NEEDED TO BUILD A VENUE AND DIGITALLY REPRODUCE THEMSELVES. INSIDE THEIR GROUNDBREAKING LONDON RESIDENCY


Omar Apollo Frees His Mind • THE MEXICAN AMERICAN GEN Z HEARTTHROB PROUDLY REPRESENTS HIS CULTURE. BUT FIRST HE HAD TO LEARN TO BE TRUE TO HIMSELF


Brooklyn on Fire • NEW YORK’S DRILL SCENE IS PRODUCING SOME OF THE HOTTEST ANTHEMS IN THE WORLD. CRITICS INCLUDING THE CITY’S MAYOR BLAME THE MUSIC FOR VIOLENCE. LEADING ARTISTS SAY THAT’S ALL WRONG


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Movies


Joan Jett • The rock legend on aging gracefully and owning her bad reputation

Contents Benito’s Excellent Adventure


New York’s Scrappiest Rock Band Glows Up • For the three musicians in Sunflower Bean, the pandemic unlocked a new sense of freedom


Euphoria on the Dance Floor


Anitta: Brazil’s Fearless, Fun Superstar


Lucky Daye: Exquisite Taste and Soul for Days


Welcome to the Great Pinocchio Revival of 2022 • IT’S NO LIE: Somehow, there are three new adaptations of Pinocchio, the 1883 Italian novel about a wooden puppet who just wants to be a real boy, hitting the big screen this year. Which is for you? Take your pick.


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MEET THE FUTURE OF MUSICA MEXICANA


Inside the Metaphysical Mind of Natasha Lyonne • Her show ‘Russian Doll’ plumbs the depths of existence. Here’s what it’s taught her about life


Sam Raimi Conquers Marvel’s Multiverse • The director who helped turn superhero movies into pop mythmaking returns — and he’s ready to start his second act


The Heartbeat of the Foos • He was one of the 21st century’s most beloved drummers and a flag bearer for the spirit of rock & roll. Then it all ended, way too soon


Becky G • The ‘reverse crossover’ star on empowering women, singing at the Oscars, and working with another ‘G’


Wrestler, Rapper, Right-Wing Troll • Online, you can become a star by rapping conservative talking points, even if you probably don’t believe in them


How Joe Manchin Walked Away From Saving Democracy • Biden promised to fix voting rights. The only problem was the senator from West Virginia had other ideas


‘We Are Tired of Killing’ • A journey to the front lines with an elite unit of Ukrainian marines willing to sacrifice everything


Mr east • How a gawky kid from small-town North Carolina built a YouTube empire on pranks, do-gooding, and mountains of cold, hard cash


Why’s it so Hard for Black Creators to Get Their Due? • A year after the TikTok ‘dance strike,’ Black creators looking for credit and compensation face a complicated landscape


Meet Social Media’s Next Wave • Six young creators who go beyond ‘influencing’ to bring knowledge, humor, compassion, and perspective to our world


The Scuba Sleuths of YouTube • What started as treasure hunting turned into an obsession with solving cold cases, one submerged car at a time


Bella Poarch vs. the World • From a painful childhood to military service to global pop stardom, the TikTok sensation keeps defying the odds


Don't Like the VIP List? Go Cry About it • As the VIP List, Meg Radice and Audrey Jongens became TikTok’s most notorious aspirational food bloggers, but by leaning into their fake rich-girl image, they hit it big


The Guide to Being a Himbo • TikTok ushered in a himbo renaissance, bringing self-aware hunks onto our phones — and into our hearts. We asked four how they felt about this newfound role, and how to join the movement


Not Just Benny Drama • Benito Skinner found his voice as Benny Drama. But the sketch comedian and celebrity impersonator — whose Kardashian take landed him a visit from Kris Jenner — is just getting started


The Cringe Matrix • A breakdown of the most awkward online trends


The Last Treasure Hunt • HUNTER LEWIS GREW UP AN ADVENTURE-LOVING KID IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. FOR TWO YEARS HE PLANNED AN ELABORATE OUTDOOR QUEST FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. AND THEN HE WENT MISSING

Contents ‘Fuck Putin. I Hope He Dies Soon’


R&B’s King of Warmth • Giveon broke through by singing with an unforgettable voice all his own


A Viewers’ Guide to the Daniels • The directorial duo break down their best-known music videos and two very WTF movies


Residente’s Mission to Change ‘America’ • The most outspoken, unfiltered artist in Latin music takes on his biggest fight yet: pushing a nation to reimagine itself


Jack White • On his pandemic-era rebirth, making mysterious furniture, and feeling hopeful about rock’s future


The A-Team’s Ukraine Resistance Academy • A chef, a novelist, an actor, and a Yalie are training Ukrainian civilians to fight Putin’s invading army


Ladies Love Cool Jack • JACK HARLOW IS A RISING SUPERSTAR AND A LEADING ZOOMER SEX SYMBOL. NOW, ALL HE WANTS IS TO BECOME THE GREATEST RAPPER OF HIS GENERATION


10 Ways to Save the Planet • The clock is running on the climate crisis, but we have the tools, knowledge, and political skills to fight it


Flying the Electric Skies • Air travel is one of the worst polluters of the atmosphere, but carbon-free, battery-powered flight is finally ready to take off


Eat for Free. Find Food • Alexis Nelson, a.k.a. the Black Forager, cooks delicious meals with the ingredients she finds outside — so can you


Stop the War on Wolves • In Montana, the radical governor changed the rules of the annual hunt, endangering a great rewilding success story


Fossil Fuel Gangster • Putin’s war is financed by Russia’s vast oil-and-gas wealth, but the conflict may signal the endgame for the carbon mafia


Bad News • How the media titan’s thirst for power fueled bad actors and brought America to a new low


Her Own Kind of Country • One of this century’s best artists goes deep on putting out whatever she wants, her new LGBTQ+ anthem, and why she’s proud to be a “shit show”


The Lavish, Top-Secret World of Private Gigs • These days, everyone from Pitbull to Beyoncé will play for hire — for the right price


The Rescue • As America withdrew from Kabul and the Taliban moved in, two Afghanistan-born U.S. soldiers risked everything in the fight to get their families out alive


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Movies


Yusuf / Cat Stevens • The folk-rock seeker on songwriting, spirituality, and climate hope

Contents Look Sharp! Here Comes Wet Leg


Earthgang Float Above the Chaos • Two years into a pandemic, the Atlanta rap experimentalists find something stronger than fear


A Rap Icon’s Unseen Archive


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SURFBORT HIT A HALF-PIPE IN ‘LOTLIZARD 93’


Sasami’s Furious Music for Soft Souls • The “satanic Brian Wilson” talks about how metal riffs and pure rage helped unlock her potential


Upgrade Your Sound for 2022 • The best new audio tech for audiophiles, gamers, and everyday listeners


Charli XCX • The pop star on her evil alter ego and why she won’t watch her new documentary again


The MAGA Laboratory for Autocracy • How Wisconsin became ground zero for Donald Trump and the radical right’s plot to steal the next election


‘I Just Said Fuck It’ • How Jennifer Lopez Broke All the Rules


Portraits • A fearless documentary producer, a tireless keeper of Afro-Colombian musical tradition, and an electrifying film and TV star are among the women who are changing culture today


Tributes • Ten of today’s top artists on the pioneering women who have shaped their sound, provided an example, and inspired them to break down barriers


Nothing Could Ever Silence Ronnie Spector • HER STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE WERE AS LEGENDARY AS THAT VOICE. REMEMBERING THE SPANISH HARLEM INCIDENT WHO BLASTED INTO THE WORLD AND FUCKED IT UP FOREVER


Meat Loaf • THE FINAL TESTAMENT of ROCK’S BIGGEST UNDERDOG


A Raging Civil War. 1,200 Tons of Chemical Weapons. Nine Months to Destroy Them. • How four women you’ve never heard of helped avert a global crisis and saved untold lives


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T.V.


Movies


Marisa Tomei • The actor on nude scenes, playing moms, and the tao of Spider-Man

Contents Wizards of Hyperpop


A Fighter Chooses Radical Joy • Hurray for the Riff Raff’s Alynda Segarra is a powerful activist voice, but don’t call them a savior


L.A. Punk’s Riotous Beginnings


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EMPATH FIND A SURREAL NEW WORLD OF SOUND


The Moody-Vampire Matrix • As Marvel’s ‘Morbius’ hits theaters — starring Jared Leto as the tortured scientist turned vamp — we take a look at some of Hollywood’s most famously brooding bloodsuckers


Myke Towers Makes the World Listen Up • After proving he can go pop, the Puerto Rican star recommits to his roots as an unstoppable lyrical MC


Afrobeats Is Everywhere • For more than a decade, musicians and fans from Africa have been diligently constructing the sound of the future


Questlove • On ‘Summer of Soul,’ his upcoming Sly Stone doc, the future of the Roots, and devastating feedback from an ex-president


Joe Manchin and the Coal Cartel’s Last Score • The senator from West Virginia is bought and paid for by Big Coal. With his help the dying industry is pulling one final heist — and the entire planet may pay the price


Reggaeton’s Game-Changing Superstar • Rauw Alejandro is the dancing, feuding, lingerie-dodging new face of the genre. But it took unshakable will — and some heartache — to get there


The 25 Most Stylish Musicians Now


Mitski Had to Quit Music to Love It • HER VULNERABLE SONGWRITING MADE HER A STAR. MAKING HER PEACE WITH WHAT THAT MEANT WAS HARDER


The Undercover Nazi • For decades, he infiltrated biker gangs and white-supremacist groups. Now, he’s telling his story to sound the alarm about the threat of far-right extremists in America


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T.V.


Movies


Slash • The guitar god on finding his identity and keeping the peace in GN’R

Contents Celebrating 2021’s Best Pop Smash


Big Thief Get Even Realer • With a new double album recorded in a pandemic, indie rock’s most dogged seekers are still looking for some truth


BTS’ ARMY Assembles Once Again


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NEW BOOK PUTS THE READER ON DEATH ROW


The Original Valley Girl • How P.T. Anderson turned Alana Haim into a big-screen star with ‘Licorice Pizza’


Mick Rock


Bourdain’s Secret Diaries • For years, the chef and TV star posted anonymously to a martial-arts forum on Reddit — but he couldn’t go undetected for long


Meet the Young Wizard of Michigan Hip-Hop


Earl Sweatshirt • The rapper on growing up in public, becoming a father, and why he scrapped the first draft of his new album


Doja Cat DGAF If You Read This*


Dr. Frankensteins’s Musical Revue • How a ’70s mastermind used plastic surgery to stage rock’s weirdest-ever resurrection


The Lost Gospel of DMX • In the late 2000s, DMX went to the Arizona desert to make an album that he hoped could save him


Our Ladies of the Perpetual High • HOW A NEW AGE ORDER OF FEMINIST NUNS IS REIMAGINING SPIRITUAL DEVOTION AND TRYING TO HEAL THE WORLD — ONE JOINT AT A TIME


Delta Force’s Dirty Secret • She accused a Special Forces operative of rape. He was quietly court-martialed and acquitted. Then the Army erased all record of the trial testimony. Now she demands answers


Elvis Costello • The master songwriter on his back catalog and why he’s a ‘freak of nature’

Contents Tragedy in Texas • A concert turns into a nightmare we’ll be processing for years


The Truth About Snail Mail • Three years after becoming a teen phenom, she’s fresh out of rehab with a blazingly intense album


Secrets of Radiohead’s Dream World


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TIKTOK’S NEW FACE OF FOOD FORAGING


How Latto Cracked the Code to Success


The Year of the Black Queer Revolution • The insurmountable rise of Lil Nas X, Billy Porter, and other artists represents a paradigm shift in the culture


‘Star Wars’ Builds a New TV Empire


Azealia Banks • The rapper opens up about her upcoming music and cancel culture (and dunks on Kanye)


Inside the VIP Ticket Hustle • A company called Confirmed360 sells access to some of the world’s biggest stars — but it doesn’t always deliver


Holiday Must-Haves • The coolest tech, music, books, fashion, and more this season


‘It Fucking Devastated Me’ • How Adele turned heartache over divorce into a personal journey and her most honest album yet


Welcome to Guillermo Del Toro’s Nightmare • Inside the twisted mind of Hollywood’s horror auteur


Where the Taliban Rule • The conquering militants govern by fear. Poverty deepens, and behind closed doors journalists are beaten and rumors of executions spread. A portrait of a country on the edge


The Monster Hiding in Plain Sight • Marilyn Manson was a provocative media darling for decades. Offstage, exes allege, he was a cruel abuser who made their lives hell


LeVar Burton • The actor on losing the ‘Jeopardy!’ gig and what ‘Star Trek’ gave him

Contents Tems Is the Future • Drake, Rihanna, and Wizkid all agree: The Nigerian singer-songwriter is a serious talent


Rap Legends’ Wild Styles


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Ask Croz • Real-life advice from a guy who’s seen, done, and survived just about everything


Adele’s Sleeper Smash • After taking off on TikTok, 2015 deep cut ‘Love in the Dark’ has emerged as one of her most popular songs


Latin Grammys Preview 2021 • Ahead of this year’s show on November 18th, a guide to the top snubs and surprises


The Original Ride or Die • With ‘The Harder They Fall,’ writer-director Jeymes Samuel delivers a 21st-century remix of a classic film genre


Rapper’s Delight • Moneybagg Yo is savoring the fruits of his success


Kumail Nanjiani • The ‘Eternals’ star on getting ripped, being objectified, and freaking out over Obi-Wan Kenobi


The Trials and Tragedy of a Trump-Era Whistleblower • He exposed Scott Pruitt’s corruption. So why has the disgraced former EPA chief escaped justice while Kevin Chmielewski’s life is ruined?


Olivia Rodrigo & Alanis Morissette • On becoming a superstar at an early age, the power of anger, and life in the public eye


Thundercat & Flying Lotus • A pair of West Coast visionaries discuss their enduring creative kinship


Willow & Travis Barker • On shattering expectations, pop-punk therapy, rock’s resurgence, and the sweet surprises of collaboration


Alicia Keys & Kehlani • On staying real in a fake world, spirituality, writing love songs, and the lessons of motherhood


Mickey Guyton & Miley Cyrus • On breaking down historic barriers— and why being the first person to do something is not enough


Gunna & Ludacris • Two Atlanta superstars on making it big, giving back, and why their city puts on like no other


Lorde & David Byrne • On fighting stage fright, the secret to writing a deep pop song, and life without social media


CL & Jhené Aiko • On breaking free of other people’s expectations, finding inspiration in family, and the future of pop music


Wizkid & Damian Marley • The Afropop star and the reggae scion connect on a deep level


Madonna & Maluma • On late nights, long rehearsals, and the unexpected benefits of the pandemic slowdown


The Dark Side of ‘God’ • Eric Clapton went from setting the standard for rock guitar to making ‘full-tilt’ racist rants to funding anti-vaxxers. Did this Sixties icon change? Or was he always like this?


QAnon’s Deadly Price • Church-loving surf instructor Matthew Taylor Coleman fell into online conspiracy theories, then allegedly admitted to killing his kids to save the world. How did no one see it coming?


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Movies


Jeff Goldblum • The acting legend on self-trust and the secret to a happy film set

Contents Love Letters & Advice


The Joyful Return of Amber Ruffin


Searching for Joy in America • Singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun has captured Nashville’s attention with her songs of hard-won happiness and truth


Photos From the Front Lines


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Ask Croz • Real-life advice from a guy who’s seen, done, and survived just about everything


Another Side of ‘Let It Be’ • A new deluxe box set revisits the Beatles’ 1969 back-to-basics studio sessions and illuminates an often misunderstood era


Rick Ross, Luxurious Landscaper


Keeping Bond Alive • From Connery to Craig, why the man with a license to kill has stayed a pop-culture icon for 60 years


Jhay Cortez • On making hits with Bad Bunny and Skrillex, breaking barriers for reggaeton, and the show he can’t wait to play


Lindsey Goes His Own Way • Split from Fleetwood Mac and recovering from a major health scare, he’s still making noise


Kevin McCarthy’s Extreme MAGA Makeover • When you follow the trail of dark money behind a push to get the top House Republican into Donald Trump’s good graces, things get weird — and reveal much of what’s wrong with our politics


Everlonger • Born out of tragedy, they’ve mastered the art of survival — and become rock’s most fervent ambassadors. Inside the admittedly uncool, life-affirming, loud-as-hell world of Foo Fighters


The Indestructible Groove of Charlie Watts • The heartbeat of the Rolling Stones was a quiet man who shunned the spotlight and became the ultimate rock drummer


The Jazz Drummer • In a previously unpublished interview from 2013, Watts went deep into the music that made him and the meaning of the Stones


The 100 Greatest Songs of All Time


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Brandi Carlile • The singer-songwriter on self-care and why she never wants a hit song

Contents Love Letters & Advice


Orville Peck’s Human Touch“


Little Simz’s Beautiful Clarity • One of the hottest talents in London rap is unafraid to tangle with deep emotions


The Noisy Utopia of Eighties NYC


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Pom Pom Squad’s Unruly Realness


Todd Haynes’ Notes From Deep in the ‘Underground’ • The director’s new documentary on the Velvet Underground summons the band’s rebel spirit


Interview With the Vampires • Inside the insanely goofy world of FX’s ‘What We Do in the Shadows,’ the smartest silly show on television


Beanie Feldstein • The ‘Impeachment: American Crime Story’ star on playing Monica Lewinsky and reconsidering Hillary


Washington, D.C.


New Orleans, Louisiana • Dawn Richard had to leave her hometown when Hurricane Katrina hit just as her career was getting started. Now, more than a decade later, the R&B futurist has returned — and she’s making her most daring music yet by tapping into local history even as she imagines bold new ways forward


Austin, Texas • Live music is this city’s heart and soul. After a very hard year, it’s finally coming back


Chicago, Illinois • The Windy City has produced some of rap’s most vital acts


Nashville, Tennessee • A disastrous tornado and a global health crisis couldn’t stop one of Music City’s most beloved venues, the Basement East, for long


The Soothing Sounds of Silk Sonic • Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s ‘feel-good’ music comes from hard times and real pain. Inside the duo’s deep friendship and quest for the perfect throwback jam


The Devil You Know • Why were two teens in Carmel, New York, locked up for murder, while a local criminal with a mile-long rap sheet was never even questioned?


The Confessions of David Chase • The ‘Sopranos’ godfather on his prequel film, ‘The Many Saints of Newark,’ the series’ enduring legacy, and how he really feels about Hollywood


How Alessandro Nivola Got Made • The star of ‘The Many Saints of Newark’ has been grinding it out in Hollywood for 25 years — finally, he’s poised to break big


Stevie Van Zandt’s Long Walk Home From E Street • In an exclusive excerpt from his new memoir, Springsteen’s best friend recounts for the first time why he quit the band, and his big return


No Hero, No Villain, Noname • Fatimah Warner is one of the best rappers alive — and perhaps the most outspoken. In the face of vitriol, she’s backing her words with a remarkable program of action and education


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Ronnie Wood • The Stones guitarist on the value of honesty and how to keep Mick happy

Contents Love Letters & Advice


Capturing the Joy of Billie Eilish


Black Pumas Celebrate the Return of Live


Clairo’s Heart of the Country • Her early success gave her millions of fans but left her feeling adrift, so she headed to the Catskills and dug deeper


The Dark Glamour of Depeche Mode


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Ask Croz


A Jewel From Prince’s Vault • How an album that he recorded and shelved in 2010 made its way out to the world


A Festival Dream Deferred No More • How Questlove brought the Harlem Cultural Festival back to the screen after 50 years


BIG-SCREEN BALLERS • As ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ hits theaters on July 16th, we look back at some of the all-time great cinematic performances by NBA stars … and a few that bricked


The Righteous Anger of Annie Murphy • The ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star pivots to comedy’s dark side in a new role as a stifled housewife


RS Charts • This could be the first time in a decade that a woman has the biggest song of the year


The Season’s Best Outdoor Gear • From tents to grills, games, and more, everything you need for summer fun


Yola Rises Up for a New Day • After a life full of trials, the British singer is ready to meet her moment


Liz Phair • On her first album in 11 years, the lessons of ‘Exile in Guyville,’ and why she identifies with Britney Spears


The Forever-Trump Movement Has Won • The 45th president lost an election and incited a failed insurrection, but his grip on the GOP is absolute. What’s next for a party at war with democracy — and the future?


Tax the Rich! Also the Very Affluent! But Mainly the Rich! • Republicans say tax cuts pay for themselves. They never do. How about we try something that actually does work?


Shakedown in the Amazon • How Brazil’s president is trying to hold the rainforest hostage and profit off the climate crisis


Billie Eilish and the Pursuit of Happiness • The pop superstar’s new album is a stunner. But she had to walk a dark road to get there


JAZMINE SULLIVAN • Houston’s resurgent rap scene, Hollywood’s new breakout star, vape alternatives, the Travis Barker-aissance, and more


HOT SOUND AMAPIANO • The genre is ruling South Africa — and coming to a dance floor near you


Hot Reboot Gossip Girl • NYC’s sexiest, scheming-est prepsters are back


Hot Author Torrey Peters • Detransition, Baby is the subversive read of 2021


Hot Post-Vape On-the-Go Edibles • WEED EDIBLES are more popular than ever. That’s because they’ve overcome a notorious problem: When marijuana goes through the digestive process, it can be hard to tell how high you’ll get or how long that high might last. Thanks to advances in weed technology (and years of nanotechnology R&D), brands across the country are releasing products that offer targeted highs that come on quickly and wear off by the time you need to drive home. Here, five different types of new weed tech and how they aim to get you high.


HOT GENRE CLI-FI • Everyone’s writing about the end of the world. Go figure


Hot Cross-Generational Pop-Punk Ambassador Travis Barker • Blink-182’s drummer is loving his second life as an in-demand producer for Gen-Z stars


Hot Director John Lee • A filmmaker who’s known for twisted humor pivots to surreal horror


Hot Mindset Post-Trump Brain Freedom • The Orange One is gone (sort of) but not forgotten. How America...

Contents Sam Jay’s Comedy of Compromise • With her new HBO late-night show, the stand-up is aiming to bring Americans together


The Many Faces of Kansas City’s Music Scene • Get to know a few of the people and places that make KC a premier live music destination


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Ask Croz • Real-life advice from a guy who’s seen, done, and survived just about everything


Looking for an Adventure? Explore Six of Missouri’s Top Outdoor Attractions


It’s Olivia Rodrigo’s World • ‘Drivers License’ is an instant classic — but chances are that’s only the beginning for a songwriter in full command of pop’s history and future


This Trendy St. Louis Museum Is Reimagining the City’s Local Art Scene


The Fire Behind ‘Sparks’ • In a new documentary, director Edgar Wright gives a cult band its due


Five of Missouri’s Must-Visit Barbeque Hotspots


Syd’s World of Vintage Trucks • A SERIES IN WHICH ARTISTS SHARE THEIR NONMUSICAL PASSIONS


Dan Auerbach • The Black Keys’ singer-guitarist on getting to record with his blues heroes and missing John Prine


What Joe Manchin Wants • A guide to the Blue Dog Democrat who can make or break President Biden’s agenda


The Triumph of BTS • How seven young superstars rewrote music-biz rules and became the biggest band in the world


K-Pop Now


Future of Music


Future 25 • Where others see hurdles, they see runaway opportunity. Meet the fearless leaders of tomorrow’s music business.


Magical Mystery Tours • Aided by the Great Pause, concert tech is growing by leaps and bounds. The next wave of live music will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen


Everybody Wants Some (Hits)! • Indie artists dwarf label-signed artists by sheer numbers — but the onslaught of DIY music hasn’t yet killed the record label. It’s complicated, and thrilling


The Classic-Rock Gold Rush • As the giants of the genre contemplate retirement, companies are dreaming up increasingly innovative ways to bring new value to older sounds


What Could Be Music’s Next Spotify? • The new era of business is all about democratizing hitmaking. Beloved by big-money investors and sharp-eyed entrepreneurs, here are the music industry’s rising powers


What’s a Good Record Deal? • Superstars like Kanye West and Taylor Swift have bashed lopsided label deals — and a new generation of artists is vying to recalibrate music’s balance of power


Sounds of the Future • Data has shown that U.S. listener taste is going more global with each passing year. So when looking at the genres that are seeing the highest velocities on streaming, it’s no surprise that many come from outside our borders — from South Africa and Mexico, and even 1980s Japan.


Glossary to the New Era


The Enemy Within • Race and White Supremacy in American Policing


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Lyor Cohen • The veteran music mogul on the pitfalls of viral hits and what defines success

Contents A Time of Reflection


Love Letters & Advice


Kehlani’s New Vision • She helped reimagine modern R&B while navigating major heartache. After getting sober, she’s got brighter music on the way


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Ask Croz • Real-life advice from a guy who’s seen, done, and survived just about everything


RS Charts • THE BIGGEST ARTISTS, ALBUMS, AND SONGS OF TODAY


Dreaming R&B’s Future in Denmark


Lady Sings the Blues Again • How ‘The United States vs. Billie Holiday’ retells the singer’s story for the BLM era — and brings Billie back to life


Cynthia Erivo • The Tony, Emmy, and Grammy winner on playing Aretha Franklin and recording an album during a pandemic


How the Anti-Vaxxers Got Red-Pilled • What happens when a global pandemic, a vaccine resistance movement, and the age of conspiracy collide? A black hole of misinformation that poses a grave threat to public health


Kacey Musgraves • The queen of ‘galactic country’ is following up a career-defining album (and a divorce) with a little help from Bach, Greek tragedy, and magic mushrooms


Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Willow Smith, and Jada Pinkett Smith • The generations-spanning ‘Red Table Talk’ hosts have the realest roundtable on TV


Nandi Bushell • The 10-year-old who Dave Grohl calls “best drummer in the world”


Michelle Zauner • One of indie rock’s finest songwriters pens a moving memoir about loss and food


Koffee • Making reggae hits powered by deep cultural roots and hope for a post-quarantine world


Yamiche Alcindor • How the PBS correspondent went toe-to-toe with Trump, demanding answers for a country in crisis


Elizabeth Diller • She questioned the very concept of architecture, and became one of the most sought-after designers of her generation


Keisha Lance Bottoms • How the mayor of Atlanta and rising star in the Democratic Party led her city through a tumultuous year


Garrett Bradley • With her shattering and intimate documentary ‘Time,’ the filmmaker is pushing the boundaries of what the art form can be


Paloma Mami • One of 2021’s most exciting new pop voices is a Chilean American who’s blending R&B, reggaeton, and her own unique style


Ayo Edebiri • As a writer and actor on ‘Big Mouth,’ the comedian is bringing a fresh perspective to the fore


Suzy Shinn • A rising rock engineer and producer who’s had to fight to be respected for her talent in the studio


Marisa Acocella • With her latest book, the cartoonist brings history’s forgotten women back into the picture


Anna Konkle & Maya Erskine • The co-creators of ‘Pen15’ have shown that girls can be just as gross and weird as boys — and that our inner 13-year-old never dies


Kim Ng • MLB’s first female GM brings her street smarts to the front office


Emily Oster • The economist and bestselling author helps families find answers amid Covid


Deja Foxx • The Gen Z activist and social media maestro is fighting for a pro-choice world


Kathy Sullivan • A scientist whose expeditions in space and at sea have taken her where few others have gone before


Marielle Heller • The uncompromising writer-director-actor has built a career on sticking to her guns


Julia Garner • In a world where young stars are shouting for attention, the Ozark actress says it all with a glance

Contents Love Letters & Advice


Dua’s Disco Defiance


An Indie Talent Rethinks Everything • After two acclaimed LPs, Julien Baker slowed down and wrestled with sobriety


RS Charts • THE BIGGEST ARTISTS, ALBUMS, AND SONGS OF TODAY


Chloé Zhao’s Long Road to Hollywood • With her lyrical film ‘Nomadland’ and Marvel’s upcoming ‘The Eternals,’ the director has arrived


D.C. ROCK CITY


Joan Baez’s Portraits of Peace


The Ballad of Justin Townes Earle • He was a brilliant songwriter who built his own legend, but couldn’t outrun the darkness that came with it


Bad Bunny • On his string of historic successes, fusing reggaeton with alt-rock, and why he’s looking for a new hobby


How the Democrats Can Save Themselves • Despite big victories, there are signs of trouble for Team Blue. What is the party’s best path forward?


Forgiving Student Debt Alone Won’t Fix the Crisis


Dancing in the Dark • How Dua Lipa ignored the trends, turned herself into a ‘female alpha,’ and became the breakout pop star of the pandemic era by delivering the modern disco classic we didn’t know we needed


Artists to Watch • Ten new musicians who are blazing paths, scoring big hits, and reshaping pop, hip-hop, Latin, punk, country, and more in 2021


The Spirit of Neil Peart • Rush’s virtuoso drum hero lived by his own rules, to the very end. For the first time since Peart’s passing, his bandmates and widow discuss his legacy and his final years


The Revolutionary Vision of David Fincher • The boundary-pushing director reflects on his career, Hollywood’s golden past, and its perilous future


Highway to Hell • The $300 million Kabul-Kandahar road was meant to be a symbol of the new Afghanistan. But a dangerous trip down it today reveals everything that has gone wrong in America’s longest war


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Nancy Sinatra • The singer-actor on Elvis, Black Lives Matter, and what her father taught her

Contents Love Letters & Advice


Cosmic Dancers • First, Greta Van Fleet became classic rock’s new hope. Now, they’re thinking even bigger


Bedroom Musicians Bring It All Back Home


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Ask Croz • Real-life advice from a guy who’s seen, done, and survived just about everything


Dancing With Ourselves • 2020 was the year fandom went underground: Public spaces vanished, isolation became a fact of life, and pop music responded in kind


RS Charts • THE BIGGEST ARTISTS, ALBUMS, AND SONGS OF TODAY


New Grammy Voices • The Best New Artist nominees for the 2021 awards, to be held on January 31st, include pop stars, critical favorites, and a few curveballs


Saweetie’s Glamorous Dreams Come True • The ‘Icy Girl’ and ‘My Type’ rapper went from playing in Bay Area talent shows to owning one of hip-hop’s hottest careers


Live Music’s Lost Workers • As concerts vanished in 2020, roadies, truckers, and other crew have seen their lives upended


Welcome to the Year of the Blockbuster • So many releases were pushed back last year due to the pandemic, 2021 is overflowing with movie magic. We help you decide what to see


Angus Young • The AC/DC guitarist on his band’s new album, life with Axl Rose, and why ‘Back in Black’ will never die


The Power Broker • Georgia flipped blue for the first time in almost 30 years, in no small part due to the work of Stacey Abrams. What the Democratic Party can learn from the ‘relentless’ voting-rights advocate’s success


Trump’s Gone, So What’s Next for the Democrats?


Building a New Protest Movement • A generation found its voice in 2020, harnessing social media to lead the fight for change in their communities


Inside Operation Gideon, A Coup Gone Very Wrong • Why did three American ex-Special Forces soldiers try to overthrow the Venezuelan government?


Miley’s Rock & Roll Heart • After two tumultuous years, Cyrus emerges with a wild new album, a fresh outlook, and a lot to say about her heroes, sobriety, and getting the respect she deserves


The Year in Music • In one of the worst years in history, music guided us through it — from Taylor Swift’s cathartic intimacy to Dua Lipa’s disco escapism and Bad Bunny’s revolutionary reggaeton


Photographer of Rock’s Golden Age • From Janis Joplin to Jimi Hendrix, Baron Wolman captured the revolution and changed music photography


Deadly Climate • Covid-19, Zika, Nipah virus, Ebola, dengue: How the climate crisis is ushering in a new pandemic era, and why we’re woefully unprepared for what’s to come


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Werner Herzog • The filmmaking legend on inspired madness and the enduring power of ‘Winnie the Pooh’