Also found Sturgill's latest stifling and silly, an unwelcome pivot from the tender first Johnny Blue Skies project, but happy it means we get to read Chris on it:

I don’t know who needs to hear Jesse Jackson leading the kids on Sesame Street in this beautiful call-and-response reminding them that every child is somebody, but here it is

I'm looking to interview some non-American musicians or bands who've decided not to tour in the U.S. this year because of ICE. Please hit my DMs if you are willing to chat about this decision.

Why rap megastar J. Cole is trying to sell CDs out of his trunk For his self-proclaimed final album, the North Carolina rapper showed up at Howard University as part of his Trunk Sale Tour.

In writing about J. Cole's Truck Sale Tour stop in DC, I heard from Maryland Gov. Wes Moore's team that his favorite Cole songs include Wet Dreamz and Ville Mentality. I also spoke to Ciera Lindsey, who drove around with Cole listening to his new album. For @washingtonpost.com: wapo.st/4kKtrUL

Donate to Washington Post 2026 layoff fund, organized by Rachel Siegel On Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, The Washington Post laid off hundreds of journalists. We ar… Rachel Siegel needs your support for Washington Post 2026 layoff fund

Support the staffers who were laid off today

Graceless pivot to survival: I’m launching

THE FUTURE IS OURS TO MAKE

A music newsletter of reccos, rants, illumination, shade, endangered forms (concert/album reviews, human interviews), formless dangers (trash talk, love lore, bespoke illos) — an expansion of my work as your critic + co-listener

I’ve been laid off by The Washington Post

Serving as this newspaper’s pop music critic for the past 16-plus years has been my privilege, my joy

Endless solidarity to my righteous colleagues, endless gratitude to our faithful readers

Today Show host Savannah Guthrie’s mom is missing, treated as a crime, police say The 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie’s home is being treated as a crime scene, according to local law enforcement. She was last seen on Jan. 31.

Today Show host Savannah Guthrie’s mom is missing, treated as a crime, police say

w/ @ethanbeck2003.bsky.social

www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/0...

Nate Ruess set the pop music world on fire. Then he walked away. In the 2010s, Ruess wrote megahits like “We Are Young.” More than a decade later, the erstwhile fun. front man is returning to the spotlight with the Format.

I profiled Nate Ruess, who was briefly a major popstar as the frontman for Fun. before leaving the music industry entirely. He's returned with his earlier indie pop group The Format, who put out their first album in 20 years today. For @washingtonpost.com: wapo.st/45s9sUr

Fashion giant Valentino Garavani, who dressed Hollywood and royalty, dies at 93 Valentino dressed movie stars and first ladies while building his brand.

I wrote an obituary for fashion giant Valentino Garavani today at @washingtonpost.com: www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2...

I wrote this piece for Public Source about what it means that the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and City Paper are gone, along with where you can find news in the Burgh:

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette journalists are sharing a petition for readers to support potential next moves: different ownership of the Post-Gazette, a new daily news publication in Pittsburgh, restarting Pittsburgh Union Progress, their strike publication: actionnetwork.org/forms/pledgi...

On A1 today: Our obit for gospel star Richard Smallwood, whose song “Total Praise” became a church choir staple and was covered by Stevie Wonder and Destiny’s Child. By @ethanbeck2003.bsky.social

🎁🔗 wapo.st/4q11s5d

Richard Smallwood, a soaring voice in gospel music, dies at 77 He became one of the country’s biggest names in gospel, with songs that were covered by Destiny’s Child, Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder.

Our Richard Smallwood obituary. www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2...