Subscribe
Sign in
Home
Album Reviews
BLAST
Blackpolitan
Lists
Milestones
Soulpolitan
Wednesday Roundups
bmr
Words Past da Margin
Guides
Latest
Top
Discussions
The Handguide to ‘90s Hip-Hop/R&B Soundtracks
Hollywood paid the bill for rap and R&B’s best A&R work all decade. Year by year, these are the comps that came out of the deal.
May 23
•
Shatter the Standards
,
Brandon O'Sullivan
, and
Phil
16
2
2
The Appeal of the Storied Label Loved by Soul Fans the World Over
Based in Jackson, Mississippi, Malaco has delivered timeless songs alongside Dorothy Moore, King Floyd, and others. A label that shifted its menu with…
May 18
•
Blackpolitan
,
Brandon O'Sullivan
, and
Imani Raven
1
1
The Handguide to Muscle Shoals: Southern Soul (‘70s Edition)
The Muscle Shoals region in Alabama—centered around the city of Florence—became a powerhouse in its own right.
Apr 14
•
Shatter the Standards
and
Brandon O'Sullivan
8
3
The Lineage of Michael Jackson (Vocal Groups)
Each guide is based on this run of albums, believed to be part of Michael Jackson’s roots. It then branches out into post-1995, drawn from that tree…
Apr 3
•
Shatter the Standards
,
Brandon O'Sullivan
, and
Phil
2
The Handguide to Lucky Daye
David Brown left a cult at eight, got cut from American Idol at nineteen, and starved in LA at thirty. Lucky Daye is what happened after all of it…
Mar 17
•
Shatter the Standards
and
Janelle K. Moore
4
There Is Only One Chaka Khan
Since the mid-seventies, Chaka Khan has been a colorful chameleon on and off the stage. She is widely known for her spontaneity and has constantly found…
Mar 16
•
Blackpolitan
and
Raya Sinclair
12
1
5
The Lineage of Michael Jackson (Kids / Young Stars)
Each guide is based on this run of albums, believed to be part of Michael Jackson’s roots. It then branches out into post-1995, drawn from that tree…
Feb 27
•
Shatter the Standards
,
Brandon O'Sullivan
, and
Phil
5
2
Falling in Love with Bruno Mars All Over Again
A world-class superstar who needs no introduction enters a new chapter in romantic mode. The biggest release of 2026, an overwhelmingly entertaining…
Feb 26
•
Shatter the Standards
and
Darryl Keyes
7
1
The Jackson 5 Follower Groups Before 1994
The Jackson 5 template proved too profitable to retire. Family harmony meets youth marketing. These nine albums trace the Jackson 5’s afterlife in…
Feb 20
•
Shatter the Standards
,
Brandon O'Sullivan
, and
Phil
5
1
Revisiting 2006 in Rap Music
The South had been knocking on the door for years. In 2006, it kicked the door off the hinges. Mainstream success meant compromise for most artists…
Feb 14
•
Shatter the Standards
,
Brandon O'Sullivan
, and
Phil
8
2
2
The Lineage of Michael Jackson (R&B Roots)
A young genius studied the masters before becoming one. MJ absorbed Jackie Wilson’s screams, Smokey Robinson’s falsetto, etc. Sixteen albums that shaped…
Feb 13
•
Shatter the Standards
,
Brandon O'Sullivan
, and
Phil
8
4
Singers Painting R&B in the Colors of Heart-Flutters
After “So Sick” conquered the charts, a wave of melodic R&B singers found their audience in Tokyo. These Ne-Yo disciples built careers on falsetto and…
Feb 6
•
Shatter the Standards
,
Brandon O'Sullivan
, and
Phil
6
2
This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please
turn on JavaScript
or unblock scripts
