| April 11, 2026 
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As MTV has consistently marched away from music, it can be easy to forget what a critical role the network played in bringing young people new artists decades ago. In the ’90s, one of its stars was Matt Pinfield, who hosted the late-night alt-rock show “120 Minutes” (among other programs) and solidified his role as an amiable, knowledgeable tastemaker. Post-MTV, Pinfield never stopped discovering and cheering on musicians, but in January 2025 everything came to a halt: He suffered a stroke, and then slipped into a coma. Over the past year, he’s been recovering and getting back to what he does best. Brian Raftery met up with him (for a hike!) in Los Angeles to hear about this journey. Hank Shteamer profiled a singular musical scholar this week: the bassist Melvin Gibbs, whose new book, “How Black Music Took Over the World,” reflects his lifelong work “mapping a musical route that mirrored the trans-Atlantic slave trade and birthed nearly all of the popular music that we now take for granted, including rock ’n’ roll and hip-hop,” as Hank writes. And as the Live Nation antitrust trial nears its end (closing arguments came Thursday), Ben Sisario unpacked an episode that provides a wider look at the issues at play: Irvine, Calif.’s plan to work with the giant concert company to build a new amphitheater — and what went wrong. Plus: Jon Pareles on eight songs we’re talking about this week (featuring returns by Kelela, the Strokes, Alabama Shakes and more), a conversation with the reggae star Protoje, a guide to Detroit jazz and more. |
