Taylor Swift calls out sexist joke in latest Netflix series
Swift publicly called out Netflix’s new show Ginny & Georgia for its ‘deeply sexist’ joke regarding her personal life. It is not the first time a female musician has been vilified within mainstream media. If you’ve perused Netflix over the last few weeks, you’ve no doubt seen advertisements for Ginny...
Current in Media
Spotify’s speech tech to recommend music based on your mood
Spotify could soon recommend new songs and artists based on analysis of its users voice data. Is there reason to be concerned for our privacy? Whether you’re feeling glum, upbeat, pensive, or perhaps just a little bored, Spotify will soon recommend music to match your exact mood. Freaky eh? After a...
Exclusive – ZEBEDE on navigating the music industry in 2021
We spoke with up-and-coming band ZEBEDE about the trials of pursuing a music career, how they've stayed resilient during the pandemic, and even managed to garner some advice for Gen Z on successfully navigating a creative passion in the 21st century. A neo-soul band that blends a mixture of modern...
Netflix is striving for ethnicity and gender equality in 2021
Netflix has revealed its first ‘inclusion report’, a handy roadmap outlining how the company will be improving ethnicity and gender diversity for 2021 and beyond. 2020 was a challenging year for film and theatre. Hollywood productions were being upended and cinemas closed across the board, yet TV subscription services reaped...
New study indicates more women directing top Hollywood films
More women were directing in 2020 than ever before, but still only accounted for a measly 16% of the top 100 highest grossing films. How can the industry change? Last year was a particularly challenging time for films and theatre. The pandemic forced nearly everyone indoors and caused worldwide cinema...
Juice WRLD sells 1 million units for two albums in 2020
The late rapper and singer is the only artist of 2020 to sell over 1 million units for two albums, cementing emo-rap and trap as the defining Gen Z musical genre. It’s been over a year since Juice WRLD’s untimely passing, but he’s continued to dominate the mainstream charts...
Mental health metaphors ‘doubled’ in hip-hop over last 20 years
New research shows popular hip-hop and rap songs of this century reference mental health and suicide twice as much as older tracks. It’s the result of a long and steady cultural shift. Anxiety, mental health, and suicide have become more prominent themes in the most popular rap songs of the last two decades, according to a new report from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Researchers analysed...
Bon Iver’s campaign to end domestic violence
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to threaten gender equality across the globe, Bon Iver is taking a stand against sexual and domestic violence by donating royalties to supporting charities. The pandemic may have forced indie folk sensation Bon Iver to scrap a world tour in 2020, but it’s been a huge year for Justin Vernon and co regardless – especially when it comes to advocating for social justice. Despite it...
Spotify reportedly paying less than £200 annually to most musicians
A new survey has found that Spotify gives eighty percent of all musicians less than £200 a year, as artists call for fairer financial pay-outs. The popular streaming service Spotify is facing renewed scrutiny for not paying artists enough in royalties. Despite being the world’s biggest music platform that has earned record labels over £3.3 billion in revenue so far this year and boasts over 144 million paying subscribers, the actual...
How music festivals plan to make a comeback in 2021
Live music companies are having to make big changes to survive unpredictable lockdown measures, mixing virtual options with physical ones for a staggered return next year. If you’re a festival lover or music fan, you’ve probably been missing the thrill of live concerts and gigs this year. The pandemic has obliterated the live entertainment industry, so much so that the UK is now at risk of losing its status as...
