28 March 2008

Exploring the Web: Related Sites of the BdBent Blog

When exploring the World Wide Web, I came across ten more sites that readers may enjoy. Each one takes a different stance on entertainment news, relaying the best information in their given subject matter, and also fulfilling the Webby and IMSA criteria. The first of which is Ain't It Cool News, a witty, no holds barred review of film and movie happenings. Combined with it's comic book-style layout and breaking news stories (though some may be deterred by its excessive use of exclamation points), Ain't It Cool stands out above and beyond all the other movie sites. Similarly, there is CHUD (an acronym for Cinematic Happenings Under Development), which directs its focus toward more macabre films, but has seemingly endless reviews of myriad movies. They boast their extensive message board which, though daunting, is incredibly fun and interactive. Equally interesting, but much sleeker than CHUD is Switchblade Comb, a blog devoted to indie music, movies, and comedy. With its beautiful design and minimalist approach, Switchblade's short posts bring light to little known gems from the far corners of the entertainment industry. Also writing for the indie crowd, but with a touch of mainstream culture, is the Any Given Tuesday blog over at SenBaltimore.com. The articles exhibit excellence in journalism and provide readers with a full and complete analysis of the latest entertainment news, particularly music. On the other hand, Arjan Writes, an extremely popular blog, chooses to draw attention to new and emerging music acts, as opposed to the mostly established ones in Any Given Tuesday. Arjan has been at the forefront of the sonic revolution, prominently featuring acts that are not in the mainstream yet, but very well could be in the near future. Constantly and consistently updated, it revels in its ability to be focused, innovative, and refreshing.

Inverse is another music blog, showcasing rap and hip hop culture. The content is passionate, thought-provoking, and features hip hop that is not about cars and diamond grills, but about social movement and powerful messages. The blog posts may be short, but they always bring new ideas to the table. Speaking of substance in entertainment, the site andPop advertises just that. Featuring the very best in bubblegum culture, the online magazine seeks to find the heart (and humor) in its seemingly shallow content. It has so much information pertaining to music, entertainment, technology, and gaming that there is something for everybody. Marketing Pop Culture is another interesting take on the industry, weighing the successes and failures of pop culture peddlers. It is probably one of the most compelling and intelligent critiques of the entertainment industry that I've ever seen, and the author, thankfully, does not shy away from controversial topics such as the war in Iraq or illegal file sharing. Controversy is not a foe of Truthdig either, a political blog of which I am particular proud because it was started by my beloved and world-renowned professor, Robert Scheer. This 2007 Webby Award-winning blog does not just speak about politics; it speaks about life and the issues that are important to our everyday lives. With over thirty years of journalistic experience behind it, Truthdig provides an honest and eye-opening account of the world. Finally, there is my favorite website, Nylonguys.com. Starting as a supplement to Nylon Magazine in 2005, the web-based appendage to the printed bimonthly highlights progressive movement in fashion, technology, and the entertainment industry. Cool and colorful, its forward-thinking photography (see above) pops off the page showcasing the already stellar articles. Their ability to think differently, but act globally is what sets this entertainment magazine apart from the rest.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You did an awesome job on your blog. The links are very interesting and insightful in the different aspects of pop culture. I found it interesting how you covered multiple styles of musical blogs from indie to political. I was not aware of all these pop culture websites and blogs and had no idea that it was getting so big. It is also very cool that you have a professor with a world renown site that you can talk to for advice on the subject. Do you think that these sites are going to take over the way we hear and know about all music and up coming artist in the future? On top of this has there been a movement away from people reading the critics in newspaper and just relying on what these websites have to say? Just from looking at them it seems so much more interesting and in depth with some of the interactiveness qualities that they have. I like how you tell which one's are your favorite and the reasonings behind that. Such as having good and insightful blogs or most update on new music or movies. The only suggestions I could make are maybe suggesting which one's are the easiest to use and most reliable. Besides that you have an outstanding blog and very intriguing. I also liked your usage of the picture to show how that site uses colorful images to draw attention to their site. I look forward to using these sites in the future to gain knowledge about our up and coming pop culture. Keep up the good work as it has already informed me on a field I had no idea about.

 
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.