Street’s Favorite Albums of 2021
(12/10/21 2:25am)
It’s been an odd year for music.
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Penn, Interrupted
(12/07/21 8:05pm)
Pandemic, Protest, and Philly: Returning and Remembering in 2021
As Performing Arts Groups Examine Their Histories, Progress Remains Uneven
(12/07/21 3:28am)
It should come as no surprise that Penn’s founding as an all–white and all–male university still reverberates in its culture today. Two of the University’s oldest performing arts groups—the Penn Glee Club and Mask and Wig—are examples of how these traditions persist even centuries later.
COVID–19 Forced CSSP Programs Out of Philly Schools. Students Still Found Ways to Show Up.
(12/07/21 2:06am)
Penn’s role in West Philadelphia has always been complicated—existing both within it and yet distinctly apart from it.
A Look Back on Stephen Sondheim's Finest Works
(12/09/21 7:19pm)
On Nov. 26, 2021, legendary composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim passed away. The quintessential voice of the American musical, the 91–year–old writer had seemed like an impenetrable force. Nobody was prepared to lose one of theatre’s most revered figures, and he left Broadway devastated in his wake.
Universities Are Recognizing Their Role in the Climate Crisis. Penn’s Policies Remain Outdated
(12/07/21 6:29pm)
In the early hours of a warm Thursday morning, Philadelphians woke up to submerged roads, flooded sidewalks, and a brand new canal. What started as a typical late–summer thunderstorm became a billion–dollar disaster and major harbinger of a world, and city, rattled by the effects of climate change. Penn even canceled classes and suspended operations as a result of the unprecedented damage.
On Being Black @ Penn: What Has Changed Since Summer 2020?
(12/07/21 5:00am)
On June 18, 2020, the @BlackatUpenn Instagram account appeared. It came after a wave of private secondary schools and colleges created their own “Black at” pages for alumni and current students to anonymously express instances of anti–Blackness experienced at their predominantly–white educational institutions. The brief testimonies on Penn’s page showed evidence of classism, discrimination, and even fetishization of Black students on Penn’s campus. Though it amassed a large following in a brief time, the account made its ninth and final post just three weeks after its creation.
A Year Through My Headphones
(12/07/21 1:47am)
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: that’s right, December, the month of being assaulted by Spotify Wrapped Instagram stories from every single person you follow. Since I have Apple Music, I thought I’d toss my own music taste in the ring, relating each song to the impact it's had on my life this past year. Feel free to judge my taste, ignore it, or take it as a recommendation.
Labor Organizing is on the Rise—and Philly Workers are Taking a Stand
(12/11/21 7:18pm)
2021 was a year for workers. COVID-19 affected nearly 22 million people who were laid off in the first few months of the pandemic, simultaneously giving rise to the label “essential worker”—individuals who risked their lives to keep our economy and society running. While this population was designated to be economically necessary, corporations failed to translate their "appreciation" into tangible support. Workers were continued to be paid low wages, denied hazard pay, and even in the midst of a pandemic, not given proper access to personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks or face shields.
Police Free Penn: Toward an Abolitionist Future
(12/07/21 3:18am)
Police Free Penn wants more than just the abolition of the Penn Police.
'Red (Taylor's Version)' is Not Just A Sad Girl Autumn Album
(12/09/21 5:00pm)
In Oct. 2012, when I was 12 years old, my aunt gave me a gift: a copy of Red by Taylor Swift. By late Nov., my mom had limited the amount of times I could play it in the car during the week, leaving me no option but to download it on my iPod and replay it incessantly. I’m not exactly sure why I treasured it so much at the time—I definitely couldn't relate to many of the experiences she sang about. Nevertheless, I lived vicariously through her music. I listened and daydreamed about being “happy, free, confused, and lonely in the best way.” Now that I’m actually 22—well, almost—listening to Red (Taylor’s Version) feels like a gift all over again. It allows me to relive the emotions I once experienced nine years ago—backed by an arsenal of new memories and life experiences.
Vinyl Sales Are at an All–Time High. Manufacturers Can’t Keep Up.
(12/05/21 6:28pm)
CDs and cassettes are quickly going out of style, but vinyl sales have skyrocketed. Resurgence in this music format seems at odds with the simultaneous explosion in streaming service popularity, but vinyl holds a special place in the hearts of music enthusiasts and represents a nostalgic artifact from the twentieth century. The combination of renewed interest and supply chain issues resulting from the pandemic has led to demand far exceeding supply. As a result, major artists have a monopoly on vinyl supplies, resulting in limited opportunities for smaller artists.
TWICE Has, Indeed, Found the Formula of Pop Perfection
(12/11/21 5:00pm)
There is great debate on Twitter about who the biggest girl group is right now. For some, it's the K–Pop giant BLACKPINK, who captivated the world following their 2019 Coachella set and 2020’s THE ALBUM. For others, it might be the British group Little Mix, who has had consistently solid showings with their past few albums and is arguably at the height of their fame.
The War on Drugs Reveres The Rock of Old on 'I Don't Live Here Anymore'
(11/28/21 10:18pm)
Most artists might not be compelled to change their approach to music right after earning a Grammy. Adam Granduciel, the frontman of the band The War on Drugs, didn’t follow this notion—opting to depart sonically from the band’s last project, the award–winning A Deeper Understanding. Instead of moving their style forward into new territory, however, he decided to scale it back, shedding modern and neo–psychedelic elements and further embracing the sounds of heartland rock. While the aged genre has always been on the periphery of the group’s direction, it comes into clear view on I Don’t Live Here Anymore. The result is an album that, despite its cold and snowy cover, is warm and uplifting.
College Fuels Our Worst Sleeping Habits—Can We Change That?
(04/25/22 7:23pm)
It’s four in the morning and you have to wake up for a recitation in six hours, but the essay you’re working on just isn’t getting done—not to mention the quiz material you’re simultaneously attempting to cram into your head. Though your eyes are slipping shut, you push through to finish these assignments now, because tomorrow’s Friday and you’ve already made plans. It’s perfectly healthy to function on an hour of sleep and three Red Bulls, right?
Formula 1, Human Rights, and You
(11/29/21 1:07am)
Formula 1 will have its inaugural Qatar Grand Prix this coming Sunday, which means that the Twittersphere is abuzz with hot takes galore. Fans mock F1’s various attempts at social justice initiatives: “we race as one except if there’s money, in which case f**k you” or “#WeRaceForMoney,” and so on. Whenever F1 takes place in a nation such as Qatar (other examples include China, the UAE, Russia, etc.), there is a common rallying cry: what about human rights?
The “Sassy Black Woman” Shouldn’t Be Your Online Persona
(11/29/21 12:04am)
If you haven’t heard it already, the viral TikTok sound of influencer Ari Fletcher saying “When it comes to a drink, I’mma have it” has become a staple of many users’ For You pages. Ari Fletcher is a Black woman, but many of the people who have used the audio are white—using the audio as a way to mimic stereotypically Black expressions. In an Oct. 7 video, TikTok user @tylamadeit called attention to the imitation of Black women through this TikTok audio by creating her own version of the sound—but this time, without the emphatic pronunciation that prompted non–Black people’s exaggerated imitations. “Let’s just stay in our lanes from here on out,” her caption reads. “You’re welcome.”
Why You Hear “All I Want For Christmas Is You” Weeks Before Dec. 25
(11/28/21 10:30pm)
Let me set the scene: It’s a November morning, and after a candy high, you get out of bed and head towards class. You stop by a coffee shop, in need of caffeine, and patiently wait in line for a peppermint mocha latte when you hear the speaker playing that oh–so–familiar song, with its diva vocals, jingling instrumental, and never–ending sense of Christmas joy.
YouTuber Apology Videos: What Does It Mean to Be ‘Held Accountable’?
(11/16/21 11:00pm)
The viral Youtuber apology video has become its own niche genre on the Internet. After an influencer is exposed for a scandal or otherwise heinous action, viewers can expect to see a cookie–cutter apology video posted a few weeks later, equipped with a solemn–faced thumbnail picture and a cliché about how this is the hardest video they've ever had to make. While most YouTubers talk about being better and taking accountability, what do they actually mean? In these apology videos, the term “accountability” is used haphazardly, reduced to a buzzword rather than a meaningful action to address harm.
Are Therapeutic Robotic Pets Replacing Live Pets?
(11/28/21 11:59pm)
More than sports, coffee, or even TikTok, Americans share one collective obsession: pets. In 2020 alone, about 68 percent of American households owned at least one pet. Pets bring so much joy to households that they have even been used as a form of emotional support and therapy for mood disorders.
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