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This week, we explore the life and legacy of Billie Holiday, the jazz icon whose birthday is Tuesday. Then, we dig into the brief but impactful grunge movement in honor of the anniversary of the death of Kurt Cobain, the talented frontman for Nirvana, the genre's biggest band. Finally, we prepared a primer on opera, the theatrical form that is still very much alive.
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—Kevin Kearney, 1440 Society & Culture Section Editor |
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An introduction to Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was a singer who is considered one of the most important artists in jazz history. One of her most famous songs, 1939's "Strange Fruit," presented a horrifying picture of the racially motivated lynchings taking place across the United States. It would go on to sell over a million copies and would eventually be considered one of American music's most significant protest songs. (See a beginner's guide to her music.)
Holiday was born Eleanora Fagan in Philadelphia but moved to Baltimore at a young age. Her time there would set the course for her life. That was where she first heard jazz greats like Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith, but also where she experienced several traumatic events, which many biographers believe led to substance abuse issues years later.
Holiday's singing style was both innovative and impactful, with many major pop artists—including Frank Sinatra, Joni Mitchell, Diana Ross, and Amy Winehouse—citing her as a major influence.
... Explore everything else we learned about Billie Holiday.
Also, check out ...
> The schoolteacher who penned the poem that became "Strange Fruit." (Read)
> Why federal agents pursued (and eventually arrested) Holiday. (Read)
> Lady Day's screen debut from 1935, alongside Duke Ellington. (Watch)
> Holiday's spellbinding 1957 performance on CBS' "The Sound of Jazz." (Watch) |
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A beginner's guide to grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of rock 'n' roll that emerged in the American Pacific Northwest in the 1980s and became a cultural phenomenon in the early 1990s. The music blended punk rock, heavy metal, and pop to create a sludgy but melodic sound, evident in early records from Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Pearl Jam, and more. (View a list of the best grunge albums.)
Nirvana's 1991 album "Nevermind" brought grunge to the mainstream, eventually selling over 30 million copies. The album's success led major labels to pursue similarly alternative-minded acts, changing the sound of American music for the better part of the decade. The music's aesthetic was also co-opted by Hollywood films and fashion designers, who were eager to package what they saw as an exciting new youth culture.
By the mid-1990s, most artists distanced themselves from the genre, believing that it was more of a marketing term than an accurate descriptor. Grunge's sound and style are still evident today, with several of the genre's records cited among the most influential in rock history.
... Explore everything else we learned about Grunge.
Also, check out ...
> The magazine feature that introduced grunge to the world. (Read)
> How Kurt Cobain's death changed how the media covered suicide. (Read)
> The Seattle scenester who pranked The New York Times with grunge "slang." (Read)
> Why Neil Young is sometimes called "the godfather of grunge." (Watch) |
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Opera, 101
Opera, derived from the Italian word for “artistic work,” is a storytelling art form that shares narratives through singing and music. The style was born in 16th-century Florence at the end of the Italian Renaissance. In the 1600s, it spread to other parts of Europe and took different shapes and styles for centuries. (See the most performed operas of the 21st century.)
Operas and musicals are often incorrectly conflated. Operas emphasize music, rather than lyrics and dialogue, to serve the storytelling. The message transcends language in opera, exemplified by how operas are often performed in languages foreign to their audiences.
In February, actor Timothée Chalamet suggested opera was no longer commercially popular, a claim that is, for the most part, backed by the data. Still, the comment sparked a backlash from opera fans and performers, who argued the art form was more relevant than ever.
... Explore everything else we learned about Opera.
Also, check out ...
> A step-by-step guide to attending the opera. (Watch)
> Walking through opera's varied singing styles. (Watch)
> The story behind "Euridice," the world's oldest surviving opera. (Watch)
> Breaking down opera's many genres. (Read) |
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Beyond our weekly deep dives, we love finding great takes on the culture currently shaping our lives. Here are some of the best reactions, profiles, and think pieces we encountered this week.
> How Ryan Gosling Became This Generation's Tom Hanks
Inside Hook | Bonnie Stiernberg. Stiernberg argues that the box office success of Gosling's "Project Hail Mary" is further proof that its leading man has become Hollywood's quintessential everyman. She makes her case by comparing his filmography to Tom Hanks, illustrating how both subtly played to their strengths. (Read)
> Middle School Athletics' 'Reclass' Trend
WSJ | Harriet Ryan. Across the country, parents are voluntarily having their sons repeat eighth grade to gain competitive advantages in their chosen sports. Ryan investigates the ascendant trend, including the private schools catering to the growing market. (Read | More on Private Education)
> Critics Hate the Biggest Band of the 2010s
Can't Get Much Higher | Chris Dalla Riva. Imagine Dragons is the bestselling band of the previous decade by a long shot, with almost twice as many streams as the second-place group, One Direction. But while the fandom might be massive, Dalla Riva argues it's also casual, something the data seems to support. (Read)
> Do You Actually Have to Finish That Novel?
The Yale Review | Michel Chaouli. Is there any virtue in trudging through a novel you're not enjoying? Chaouli, a professor and literary critic, explores why stopping before the last page, despite its practical purpose, can still feel like a moral shortcoming. (Read)
> Comedy's Most Manipulative Shot
NY Times | Jason Zinoman. Images of audience members laughing have been a part of the stand-up special since the hourlong format emerged in the mid-1970s. Zinoman analyzes how the shot has been used for a variety of purposes over the decades, including cheap cues and self-referential jokes. (Read | More on Stand-up Comedy) |
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"No two people on earth are alike, and it's got to be that way in music or it isn’t music." |
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