Maura Johnston

We debate the pros and cons of being an “earbud person” (gym rats and rugrats) and a “headphone person” (DJs and wannabe DJs). Mark Katz, author of "Capturing Sound: How Technology Has Changed Music," explains the evolution of ear wear. And music writer Christopher Weingarten and Maura Johnston, writer for Popdust, defend their preferred mode of listening in a Soundcheck Smackdown.

All week, we’ve cheered on the best – now for the rest. Music critics Maura Johnston and Chris Weingarten join us in the Soundcheck studio to talk about their picks for a VillageVoice.com series called “The 20 Worst Songs of 2010.”

Last week, the Billboard charts met their first real challenger. The Ultimate Chart is a list that ranks artists and singles not just by sales and airplay, but also by their status on streaming services and social networks. Eric Garland, chief executive of the Ultimate Chart’s parent company BigChampagne, joins us to explain the chart’s genesis. Then: in a Soundcheck Smackdown, critics debate whether any pop chart can quantify success in the digital age. Guests include Maura Johnston, music writer and blogger, and Bill Wyman, editor of the blog Hitsville and former arts editor of NPR and Salon.com.

With 2010 halfway over, Soundcheck's music critics have selected the top 10 must-listen recordings of the year so far. Joining us to look at the period from January through June are Maura Johnston, freelance music writer, and Steve Smith, music editor of Time Out New York.

Dormant rock acts like Pavement, Soundgarden and Faith No More are reuniting for summer tours. But as music writer Michael Azerrad explains, not all fans want their favorite musicians...

The current No. 1 album in America is the work of an elfin youth barely old enough to shave. Today, we hear about the Justin Bieber juggernaut from Los Angeles Times staff writer Amy Kaufman. Then, we look at the history of teen idols in pop music with Howie Dorough ...

Lady Gaga's new music video for "Telephone" is raising product placement to a grotesque degree: Ten brands appear in the 9-minute video, including Virgin Mobile, Hewlett Packard, and Chevrolet. While that may be an extreme example, many artists are increasingly selling their image and songs to products. Some say these ...

Google is poised to become a major player in the music industry. But the company with the “don’t be evil” motto is drawing criticism for its relationship with major labels and copyright detectives. Jon Healey of the Los Angeles Times explains Google’s rapid expansion into music. Then, writer Maura Johnston ...

Lampooned and celebrated in equal measure, Super Bowl halftime shows are a lightning rod. Some of the biggest stars in music take the stage -- but not without controversy. Performances can be underwhelming, predictable and even censored. (Or not, in the case of Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction in 2004.) As ...

The music industry hit a peak in the '90s, but never quite recovered from the advent of mp3s and online filesharing. Yesterday, Nielsen, the company that keeps tabs on physical and di...

He died in June, but Michael Jackson is still selling lots of music. Early this morning Michaeljackson.com went live with the new single, "This is It." How long will Michael Jackson's...

Oprah Winfrey is kicking off her show's fall season with sit-down interviews with pop stars like Jay Z, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. Another talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres, will determine the fate of contestants on the next season of American Idol. Today, a look at how media celebrities outside ...

The world's four biggest music companies are set to face off with Apple in a war of competing "digital album" formats. But Radiohead's Thom Yorke, leader of one of the most influential bands in rock, says making albums can be "creative hoo-ha." Today: Maura Johnston of music blog Idolator and ...

In the last 20 years the music industry has changed a lot: from vinyl to tapes to CDs and now streaming. Streaming is free music available online, but it is not downloaded so you don'...

Hip-hop and R&B magazine Vibe shut down last week, the latest victim in a series of music magazines like Blender, Harp, No Depression and Jazz Times that have folded in recent months. Some say that is a huge loss for in-depth music writing. Others argue they became dinosaurs in a ...

Not long ago, MTV and major labels dropped music videos. Now, videos are experiencing a renaissance online as artists -- and their fans -- take control of the medium. In our second broadcast from the Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, we debate the state of music videos with Rik ...

One of the best things about summer in New York City is the music. Blonde Redhead (pictured) are just one of the many acts playing free concerts in the city in the coming months. We preview don't-miss concerts, including festivals like River to River, Celebrate Brooklyn, and Central Park's SummerStage ...