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25 votes
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Cosmo Sheldrake - Stop The Music (2024)
17 votes -
Rethinking the ‘gay best friend’
28 votes -
What makes a video essay good?
Youtube channels like CGP Grey, Kurzgesagt, Vsauce and Nerdwriter are all incredibly popular. They bring up interesting topics, explain them fairly well, and have high production quality. But to...
Youtube channels like CGP Grey, Kurzgesagt, Vsauce and Nerdwriter are all incredibly popular. They bring up interesting topics, explain them fairly well, and have high production quality. But to me, something is missing. I'm not sure how to formulate my criticism, since it has nothing to do with the quality of their videos.
It feels like the mentioned channels lack depth. They give off an uncomfortable "pop-science" vibe. Pop-science isn't wrong, I have nothing against it. But they feel too "poppy". They provide sources, but the commentary is directed to people who don't read. They don't dare to use precise words, in case the audience won't understand them. I get the feeling that they make their videos for the lowest common denominator: persons who doesn't read, persons who can't google and persons who want to make no effort to actually learn.
I'd feel bad to only mention bad examples, so here is a list of high-effort video-creators with (in my eyes) good content:
Lindsay Ellis: Long-form film reviews that actually go into the details.
Every Frame a Painting: Very high-quality analyses of film directors and their styles.
3Blue1Brown: Beautifully animated math visualizations explaining multiple areas of mathematics.
Captain Disillusion: Critically debunking and deconstructing fake videos.
Historia Civilis: In-depth historical videos about Rome.
Bliss Foster: A hidden gem, with only 1000 subscribers, analysing runway shows.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on what makes a good video essay. I'd also really like some suggestions for more creators to follow.
26 votes -
Rebecca Black - Friday (10yr Anniversity Remix) (2021)
21 votes -
I don’t want to be the strong female lead
21 votes -
Marc Benno - Speak your Mind (1971)
6 votes -
Britney Spears' conservatorship nightmare: How the pop star's father and a team of lawyers seized control of her life - and have held on to it for thirteen years
14 votes -
Het Goede Doel - Een Eigen Huis (An Own House) (1988)
5 votes -
Taylor Swift adds fifteen songs to ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ with surprise release ‘The Anthology’
20 votes -
Windows95man – No Rules! (2024)
10 votes -
Miaoux Miaoux - Luxury Discovery (2015)
4 votes -
Pomplamoose ft. Sarah Dugas - Sweet Dreams + White Stripes Mashup (2019)
15 votes -
Johnny Cash - Barbie Girl (2023)
35 votes -
David Byrne - Hard Times (Paramore cover, 2024)
9 votes -
Fiona Apple - Fetch The Bolt Cutters (2020)
11 votes -
The Top Ten Worst Hit Songs of 2018 (Pt. 1)
8 votes -
Knuckle Puck - Double Helix (2017)
5 votes -
Tokyo Police Club - Feel the Effect (2014)
5 votes -
What's being added to your Summer 2018 playlist right now?
Looking for those jams, pop earworms, and party playlist songs that you have on repeat!
10 votes -
GUNSHIP - Empress of the Damned (feat. Lights) (2023)
17 votes -
Daði Freyr – Bitte (2023)
11 votes -
Cee Lo Green - F*ck You (2010)
10 votes -
Taylor Swift - Folklore (2020)
16 votes -
Dominic Fike - Don't Forget About Me, Demos
5 votes -
Lil Dicky - Earth (2019)
12 votes -
311: Tiny Desk Concert (2024)
6 votes -
Daði Freyr - I'm Not Bitter (2024)
15 votes -
Lil Dicky - Harrison Ave (2024)
4 votes -
Billie Eilish - What was I made for? (Barbie soundtrack, 2023)
10 votes -
Swedish singer Loreen has won the Eurovision Song Contest – only the second performer to take the prize twice
11 votes -
Britney Spears posts 22-minute audio addressing conservatorship
7 votes -
Kero Kero Bonito - It’s Bugsnax (2020)
7 votes -
NETTA - Nana Banana (2019)
5 votes -
The Roop - Discoteque (Lithuania’s Eurovision 2021 Grand Final Performance)
8 votes -
Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al (1986)
12 votes -
SOPHIE has died
26 votes -
The most popular songs today are sadder than they were fifty years ago: can cultural evolution explain this negative turn?
11 votes -
Clouseau - Daar Gaat Ze (There She Goes)
6 votes -
Sophie - Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides (2018)
9 votes -
Laufey - Tiny Desk Concert (2023)
10 votes -
K.Flay - Hustler (2023)
11 votes -
Has modern pop music lost its generational aspect?
"Generational" might not be the correct word. What I mean is that pop1 music from the 20th century transitioned from one style to another in a way where decades could have pretty distinctive...
"Generational" might not be the correct word. What I mean is that pop1 music from the 20th century transitioned from one style to another in a way where decades could have pretty distinctive sounds. 50s music was different than 60s was different than 70s was different than 80s. What I'm wondering: what is your perspective on pop music style change from 2000s to 2010s to today?2 Has it changed or does it sound the same as it did 10-20 years ago?
The reason I ask is that I listened to a pop station recently and it seems barely different than when I was in high school pre-2010. Taylor Swift is still incredibly popular, and listening casually to other songs, I had no guess on what year they were actually produced. It could have been 2012 or it could have been last year. I don't know if I'm just getting old and I've lost my ability to keep up on the nuance of current trends or if it's that pop music has stagnated the same way Hollywood movies have - art that is analyzed and meticulously designed to appeal to the widest audience possible.
[1] - I'm defining "pop" as Billboard Top 40 or equivalent.
[2] - I think this only applies to "pop" songs. I haven't noticed the same trend in sub genres such as country, rap, latin, or metal. I am also sure the extent of style variation over time depends on the country.
12 votes -
Aurora – Pink Moon (2023)
6 votes -
Olivia Rodrigo - vampire (2023)
10 votes -
The intense and dangerous training to be a K-Pop star
7 votes -
Röyksopp & Robyn – Do It Again (2014)
4 votes -
Shingai - Echoes of You (2020)
3 votes -
Dermot Kennedy - Lost (2019)
4 votes -
Cosmo Sheldrake - Wriggle (2019)
7 votes