RECOMMENDS
OUR TOP POPCULTURE PICKS OF THE MONTH
MINISERIES
1. ‘Impeachment: American Crime Story’
Ryan Murphy got Monica Lewinsky herself to help produce this retelling of the Clinton affair in the most Murphy-esque way possible: from the POV of Lewinsky, Linda Tripp, and Paula Jones.
COFFEE-TABLE BOOK
2. ‘Nirvana: Never Mind the Photos’
Photographer Kirk Weddle offers an in-depth view of Nirvana’s October 1991 poolside promo shoot, as well as the iconic Nevermind- cover session a few months earlier.
PODCAST
3. ‘33 1/3: The Podcast’
Host Prince Paul uses the long-running Bloomsbury book series to shape conversations with celebrated artists (starting with De la Soul’s Posdnuos), offering deep dives into some of the most influential albums of our time.
ALBUM
4. Sturgill Simpson’s ‘The Ballad of Dood and Juanita’
From Nashville’s wildest card comes a concept album about an 1860s soldier seeking revenge on the guy who shot him, all set to hillbilly bluegrass.
DOCUMENTARY
5. ‘Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James’
This Showtime doc chronicles James’ wild life, from a band with Neil Young and a near-brush with the Manson family, to fame, fortune, addiction, and imprisonment. James’ distinct funk gets its due, but you end up sad that his superfreakiness came with a big helping of self-destruction.
MULTIMEDIA BOX SET
6. ‘Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap’
Chuck D and Bill Adler penned essays for this wide-ranging package that also includes 300 pages of photos and 129 tracks, from Run-DMC’s “It’s Like That” to Drake’s “Started From the Bottom.”
COMPILATION
7. ‘The Metallica Blacklist’
With stunning renditions by everyone from Miley Cyrus to Weezer, this LP proves Metallica’s Black Album — now celebrating 30 years — has transcended genre and generation.
MOVIE
8. ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’
Jessica Chastain dons a fake jaw and a whole lot of eyeshadow to become the famed televangelist, flanked by a dead-on cast, including Vincent D’Onofrio as Jerry Falwell.
TV SHOW
9. ‘The Premise’
B.J. Novak is back with an absurdist anthology series. Each 30-minute episode satirizes modern life, from viral sex tapes to online stardom.
PODCAST
10. ‘Love Is a Crime’
Filmmaker Vanessa Hope teams up with podcast great Karina Longworth, Cadence 13, and Vanity Fair to tell the true-crime tale of Hope’s grandparents — noir producer Walter Wanger, accused of murder, and actress Joan Bennet — enlisting A-listers like Jon Hamm and Zooey Deschanel.