Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

[READER]( This morning the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its [new class of inductees]( which I suppose means something if your love of a band such as the Foo Fighters is legitimized by a body of record industry figures. I don't need a pop museum that celebrates the most well-known figures in rock history to tell me that, say, the Go-Go's are important. Sure, a big institution can successfully argue that a form of art once considered no more than froth has a rich cultural heritage, but the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame infrequently fulfills these grand ambitions. Its canonizing lags behind, well, everything—David Rowell's 2013 [Washington Post Magazine feature on the push to get prog-rockers Yes]( inducted highlights the tension between the voting body and culture more broadly—and the Cleveland museum that celebrates its inductees offers little in the way of a thoughtful dive into the art it is meant to celebrate. I've gotten more out of perusing the music books and LPs available on the eighth floor of the Harold Washington Library than I ever did from my one visit to the Cleveland museum, which felt like walking through rock history's yard sale after it had been picked over. I saw the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announcement with zero effort. The news landed in my inbox, and it has sporadically animated my social media feeds this morning. Mostly, I wish I could receive stories about musicians I'm unfamiliar with as easily as I managed to catch the same news blast from so many different angles. I often find myself faced with a buffet of stories about emerging musicians written by journalists and critics with the insight and skills to get me excited about whatever they're covering; I wonder how many people who could love a new artist or album never find the story that would light a spark in them. And I just hope I can encourage anyone out there to find some new music they can love today. Sincerely, ["How Chicago Label Hausu Mountain Became a Home for Oddball Experimentalism,"]( by Philip Sherburne (Pitchfork) ["Ska-Core, the Discourse, and More,"]( by David Anthony (Former Clarity) ["After Helping West Side Kids Learn The Art Of Audio Recording For 15 Years, Que4 Radio Is Losing Its Home]( by Hannah Alani (Block Club Chicago) Big $ilky, [Big $ilky, Vol. 3]( Unknown Me, [Bishintai]( Risque III, [Essence of a Dream]( Cornerian Flight Academy & badgalriedy, [Red Star City EP]( The second annual #SaveChicagoMedia fundraiser is NOW LIVE. Go to [savechicagomedia.org]( to give to your favorite outlet, or split your donation among all participants. CIMA is a partnership of independent, local, and community-driven media entities coming together to create a self-sustaining media ecosystem in the city, with the goal of better informing and serving Chicago and all of its diverse citizens. [Learn more.]( [After a 16-year wait, Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Matt Sweeney resurface as Superwolves]( By [Shannon Nico Shreibak]( [@essenness]( [Pixel Grip celebrate the club as a sacred queer space]( The Chicago goth trio’s new album, Arena, invites you to dance on straight white capitalism’s grave. By [Micco Caporale]( [@miccoslays]( [Facs light a beacon with a new album of dark postpunk]( Plus: Equity Arts hosts a talk about nurturing community cultural spaces, and electronic trio Purelink drop an ambient EP. By [J.R. Nelson]( [@JR1Nelson]( and [Leor Galil]( [@imLeor]( [Pivot Arts Festival offers reflection after a year of upheaval]( "Reimagining Utopia" focuses on multidisciplinary artists and visions of a better future. By [Sheri Flanders]( [@SheriFlanders]( [Live at the Goodman offers three views on loss and reinvention]( Plays by Adam Rapp, Adrienne Kennedy, and Ike Holter make a livestream connection with audiences. By [Melissa Perry]( [@melissaperry99]( [Issue of April 29 - May 12, 2021 Vol. 50, No. 16]( [Download Issue]( (PDF) 1971 Chicagoans have relied on the Reader for trusted alternative coverage of our city. The Chicago Reader is now a 501c3 nonprofit organization which means our survival is in your hands. In order to continue to be your trusted alternative voice of Chicago, we need your help. If you can donate just $5 today, we can show the world that community funded, independent journalism is the future. [DONATE TODAY!]( [View this e-mail as a web page]( [@chicago_reader]( [/chicagoreader]( [@chicago_reader]( [Chicago Reader on LinkedIn]( [/chicagoreader]( [chicagoreader.com]( [Forward this e-mail to a friend](. Want to change how you receive these e-mails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © 2021 Chicago Reader, All rights reserved. You are receiving this e-mail as an opted-in subscriber via our website, Facebook, or event to one or more of our newsletters, memberships, or e-mail lists. Our mailing address is: Chicago Reader 2930 S. Michigan Ave. Suite 102Chicago, IL 60616 [Add us to your address book](