africa This all-female West African band aim at empowering girls in debut album Rusty Blazenhoff

music A Japanese promoter has launched Kasotsuka Shojo, a cryptocurrency-themed all-woman "cryptopop" group Cory Doctorow

1980s In 1980, 300 children collapsed at a marching band competition and no one knows why Ellsworth Toohey

music Machine Girl's show promised chaos and delivered a demolition Lux Sparks-Pescovitz

books Slop Hurl: horror novel Shy Girl withdrawn after it turns out AI wrote it Rob Beschizza

music Self-proclaimed "PETSMART Truther" asks the tough questions: It is "Pet Smart"? Or "Pet's Mart"? Jennifer Sandlin

books John Shirley's guide to wrecking your career in science fiction John Shirley

racism Canada's contradiction: Progressive laws, regressive provincial acts Séamus Bellamy

ska Jedi Master Kelleran Beq and his sister talk about ska Thom Dunn

bruce springsteen The enduring power of Bruce Springsteen's music: a fan's journey Mark Cerulli

television Ain't it Fun: new graphic novel reveals the untold story of Cleveland's punk music scene Lee Keeler

rick astley Rick Astley and Blossoms cover The Smiths in secret set at Glastonbury Festival Rusty Blazenhoff

A book about the rebellious history of the banjo Elías Villoro

tabloids China attacks America, and Democrats gun for Biden, in this week's dubious tabloids Peter Sheridan

music 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia, celebrates the 40th anniversary of debut R.E.M. EP Chronic Town Jennifer Sandlin

movies The Hunt looks like a thrill ride Devin Nealy

A kid painted a nice mural at her high school. Angry parents called it witchcraft and left her in tears at a "hate fest" school board meeting Rob Beschizza

Comic Books Love and Rockets gets a documentary after 40 years of being the best comic book ever made Mark Frauenfelder

wikipedia Wikipedia's list of "long-term abusers" reads like a roster of pathetic supervillains Mark Frauenfelder

music May 10, 1986: Rock Me Amadeus hit number on the UK Pop charts Devin Nealy