This Month
‘A bouncy castle of idiocy’: The top political TikToks reviewed
We asked two advertising veterans to review the major parties’ highest performing TikToks. Here’s their verdict.
Spotify denies it’s directing users away from Aussie music
The streaming giant has put a new hub for local music on its Australian homepage, as it claims its algorithm is not to blame for the lack of local hits on the charts.
February
‘I made smart decisions, I didn’t want to be poor’: Rachel Griffiths
The actor did her time in Hollywood and now calls her own shots, including producing a new series that looks at brothel life in a uniquely lighthearted way.
View to a killing: can Jeff Bezos be trusted with James Bond?
A scheming billionaire has once again put the British agent in peril. Fans are hoping Amazon won’t milk the living daylights from the 007 franchise.
Thinking inside the box: How Camilla cashes in on The White Lotus effect
In the age of streaming, television has proven to be a powerful sales tool for local fashion brands.
December 2024
Lin-Manuel Miranda on Mufasa and the secret to a Disney hit
The Hamilton creator, who crafted the soundtrack for the new prequel to The Lion King, reflects on writing songs that have universal appeal.
The best TV shows of 2024
The New York Times picks English Teacher, My Brilliant Friend, Shogun, Babylon Berlin and Somebody Somewhere among the series that stood out this year.
The podcast all of federal parliament is obsessed with
Australia’s political leaders have ambitious reading and streaming plans for the summer break, but one audio program is winning bipartisan support.
Five streaming Christmas movies that are so bad, they’re good
“Brain rot” was the Oxford English Dictionary’s word of the year. Here’s some holiday drivel to help you join the trend.
It’s the end of Eras: How Taylor Swift changed pop forever
After 149 shows over almost two years, the singer’s blockbuster, career-defining show has come to an end. She could be music’s last truly monocultural figure.
November 2024
How a cute Japanese icon turned into a $6b industry
The Japanese icon, celebrating her golden jubilee, is emblematic of a global craze for child-like things that has grown in troubled times.
September 2024
The 10 most culturally powerful people in Australia in 2024
What does it mean to be Australian right now? These 10 people made the biggest mark on our national culture this year.
August 2024
The weird, weird world of Japanese cosplay
If you thought break dancing was an odd sport, it turns out being a superfan is also competitive.
July 2024
Why people are still solving Rubik’s Cube, 50 years on
On the 50th anniversary of the bestselling toy’s invention, there is still a passionate fan base for Erno Rubik’s magical and mathematical cube.
May 2024
How this comedian built a career while working for PwC
His bosses thought he’d just popped out for a moment, but he was actually working at the ABC.
April 2024
As graffiti moves from eyesore to amenity, landlords cash in
From Berlin to London to Miami, graffiti is attracting developers and companies looking for hip neighbourhoods, as well as brands keen to spruik their products.
February 2024
From Barbie to Baby Yoda: why we’re trapped in the cult of cute
Anything that reminds us of a baby triggers intense emotions and a willingness to spend money.
Kylie Minogue’s ‘Padam Padam’ delivers her first Grammy win since 2004
The Australian singer’s song has been described as a “hypnotic electro”-inspired dance pop.
January 2024
How retailers adapt to the crunch
Charles-Eddy Vitry shut down his record store’s physical shopfront in December to go online only after sales plummeted and his rent increased by 20 per cent.
The building of the decade is a giant blob in Vegas
Sphere is the building of the year, the decade, possibly the century – an inescapable gravity well of viral content, vivid imagery and vast sums of money.