Video Game Music: A world to escape to

Video game music is more than just one of the greatest forms of escapism. It’s a medium that has borne melodic masterpieces from the minds of world-class musicians. It’s an artists’ alley uniting an impassioned community. It is a grand avenue for a great escape.

Why can’t my mom stop rewatching ‘Friends’?

At the intersection of familiarity, nostalgia and personal connection, I’ve found myself moved to replay so many movies and games and albums. I’m starting to think that the revolutionary first experience is a little overrated. It’s a means to an end, a voyage into the unknown to find something precious and replayable. And when we find that show, that book, that movie that brings us comfort when we go back to it, it’s something special to be cherished.

How pop culture fetches a price for Greek life merchandise

You can’t step foot on campus without seeing at least one person clad in Greek life apparel inspired by pop culture. Hoodies in the vein of Travis Scott’s Astroworld merchandise, but with “Alphaworld” instead. Bape-inspired T-shirts that say “A BATHING AEPI.” Sometimes Greek Letter Organization (GLO) apparel is so smoothly designed that at a glance, you can’t tell it’s not the original — what I thought was a Champion reverse weave hoodie actually said “Delta” on the left-chest logo.

Kero Kero Bonito is wholesome and full of heart in Detroit show

Much of the band’s charm comes from the glossy twinkles and chimes peppered throughout their production that are difficult to replicate live, but this does not stop KKB. The band is as faithful as could be to their quirky sample-filled sound. They even recreate the cacophonous noise breakdown of “Only Acting.” It speaks to their creativity and the strength of their relationships with their instruments.

Twitter stans and celebrity superfans of the University of Michigan

To stan means to love and support an artist in everything they do. It can take the form of supporting their music doing well on the charts, or feeling happy when they see their favorite artist do anything, down to the most innocuous activities. Stan communities exist for virtually every popular artist, and they even have their own demonyms. Justin Bieber stans are Beliebers, Taylor Swift stans are Swifties, Harry Styles stans are Stylers and BTS stans are ARMYs, just to name a few.

Horrorcore is hip hop’s fearsome freakshow

Marked by harsh, aggressive beats and over-the-top depictions of taboo subjects, horrorcore is hip hop’s foray into the supernatural. Often it was an outlet for their twisted fantasies. Drug abuse, slasher-style murder, mental derangement and satanic messages all found a home in horrorcore. Starting in the late ’80s and early ’90s, the genre began to take shape, and its influence would run deep in hip hop for years to come.

ManBearPig: ‘South Park’ on climate change

Trey Parker and Matt Stone, co-creators of “South Park,” never apologize. Even after getting banned in China last week for satirizing Chinese censorship on the episode “Band In China,” the duo tweeted a mock apology. “We too love money more than freedom and democracy,” the statement reads. “We good now, China?” (South Park and China are currently not good).