Fanfiction But Make it Gay: From the Emo Scene to Larry Stylinson
If you grew up as a teen on the internet, odds are you came across fanfiction of your favorite band – whether by accident or on purpose. And if you dove even farther in, you woun
Pete Wentz To Harry Styles: How Assumed Queerness Has Changed
Harry Styles is not the first straight man assumed to be queer. Years before Harry Styles was praised for carrying a rainbow flag around on stage and ignoring questions about his s
When Record Labels Take Advantage of Artists
Why do labels sign artists but not allow them to release an album for years? Why do labels control an artists’ image or ghost them when they’re ready to drop music? Record lab
The Gamification of Music: History of the Billboard Charts
What’s all this talk about fans “gaming” the Billboard Charts? In recent months, music critics have argued that BTS’ “Butter” is not the biggest song in America, despit
The Fight for Women to Own Their Sexuality: Objectification vs Empowerment
Can women ever truly own their sexuality? How do we empower ourselves in the face of objectification? What does empowerment even look like? The fight for women to own their sexuali
Kpop, Capitalism and the Illusion of the American Dream
Why are kpop fans considered crazed consumers? Why are kpop idols undermined for “not writing their music”? Outsiders often use shock-value criticisms to diminish the Korean mu
Maligned Women of the 00s: From Your Screen to Your Stereo
Who remembers Paris Hilton’s “Stars are Blind” or Heidi Montag’s “Superficial”? While these mid-00s bops turned into flops at the time of release, they are certified cu
Like a Virgin: When Pop Stars Become Women
The rise of the internet in the early 2000s ushered in a new era of pop stars – one where teen girls like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera were suddenly available for mass c
The Music Industry’s Problem with Women in Rock
What exactly is the music industry’s problem with women in rock? And why do they insist on relegating female musicians into this mythical “female fronted” genre? There
The Fight for Intersectional Feminism in Country Music
What comes to mind when you think of country music? Ah yes, the sweet twang of the guitar and good ole southern accent. Dolly Parton and two-stepping. Misogyny and white supremacy&