Person

Lester Bangs

Bylines

How Long Will We Care?

A music critic assesses Elvis Presley's influence on popular culture.

by Lester Bangs via Village Voice on August 29, 1977

Viewing 1–4 of 4

A hand draws a smiley face on a vinyl.

How Music Criticism Lost Its Edge

Music writers were once known for being much crankier than the average listener. What happened?

by Kelefa Sanneh via The New Yorker on August 25, 2025

Lou Reed with sunglasses on. A glare reflects off of the sunglasses.

The Least-Known Rock God

A new biography of the Velvet Underground founder, Lou Reed, considers the stark duality of the man and his music.

by Will Hermes via The Atlantic on October 8, 2023

Ollie Brown holding Rolling Stone magazine.

What Was the Music Critic?

A new book exalts the heyday of music magazines, when electric prose reigned and egos collided.

by John Semley via The New Republic on November 18, 2022

Yoko Ono looking pensive.

Yoko Ono’s Art of Defiance

Before she met John Lennon, she was a significant figure in avant-garde circles and had created masterpieces. Did celebrity deprive her of her due as an artist?

by Louis Menand via The New Yorker on June 8, 2022

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