As 2012 draws to a close, CJR writers brainstormed the year’s best reads in their beats.
Grizzly Bear Members Are Indie-Rock Royalty, But What Does That Buy Them in 2012? — nymag.com
The Song Machine: The hitmakers behind Rihanna — The New Yorker
How not to write about female musicians: a handy guide — The Village Voice
A Sorry State: Pop Marketing and Rihanna’s Apologetic — The Quietus
Jack Outside The Box: Jack White is the coolest, weirdest, savviest rock star of our time — New York Times Magazine
Investigation: ATP — The Stool Pigeon
Interview: Bobby Womack: ‘I can sing my ass off, better than I could before’ — The Guardian
Did he feel good? James Brown’s epic life and career — City Journal
Hazel Sheffield is a journalist and filmmaker based in London. She is a former CJR fellow and business editor of the Independent.