Douglas McLennan
Doug is the editor of ArtsJournal
Spotify Defends Itself: We’ve Helped Make The Music Business Healthy!
"It’s a misconception that Spotify ‘doesn’t pay well’ – as we’ve proved time and time again. The $10B we paid out in 2024 and...
Remembering The CIA’s Elaborate World War II Book Smuggling Operation
What some in the east suspected, but very few knew for sure, was that the uncensored literature flooding the country wasn’t reaching Poles by...
The Science Of Optimism? How, In A Frightening World?
Optimism is, after all, by its nature delusional; ‘realism’ or outright pessimism might seem more justifiable given the troubles of the present and the...
Universal Studios Is Expanding Like Crazy
When it opens on May 22, Epic Universe will become Florida’s first major new park in a generation — and, Universal hopes, a property...
Reimagining How To Program Traditional Concert Halls
“I think of it as inviting this so-called ‘main stage’ to go outdoors and inviting the education programming to be ‘main stage’ in the...
The Crushing Cost Of Trying To Be Special
The effort spent trying to impress others; the dazzling meals I was too tired to cook but cook I did; the Guardian column that...
Michael Tilson Thomas Says His Final Concerts Will Be In April
“A coda is a musical element at the end of a composition that brings the whole piece to a conclusion. A coda can vary...
Our Escapist TV Reality Shows Are Losing The Plot
Escapism is more tempting than ever in the digital age and is often associated with guilt or laziness. But some are unlearning those narratives,...
As AI Gets Better At Influencing Us, Our Decision-Making Will Change
As conversational AI agents become more interactive and personalized, they will surpass human influencers in their ability to shape our decisions without us realizing...
Larry Gagosian On Art As A Blood Sport
I asked Gagosian about the comments of one of his former rivals, Arne Glimcher of Pace Gallery, who said five years ago, "This market...
The Arts Are Under Stress. Time For Some Rethinking?
I believe we need to blow up the outdated, embedded public stereotypes of art and culture, and fashion a wholesale public reimagining of what...
What Last Week’s AI Copyright Ruling Could Mean For Copyright
The outcome could have implications for the more than 39 copyright-related AI lawsuits currently working their way through U.S. courthouses. That said, it’s not necessarily a...
Is Spotify Making Me Boring?
Am I stuck in an AI-curated loop, feeding the same preferences back into the system until my tastes become a closed circuit? Is Spotify’s...
Kennedy Center’s First Programming Announcement: Celebrating Christ!
“How crazy is it to think that we’re going to celebrate Christ at Christmas with a big traditional production, to celebrate what we are...
This Is What It Looks Like When Local News Dies
While some politicians no doubt celebrated the disappearance of pesky journalists, others are lamenting their absence, because municipalities must now work harder and spend...
FCC Trains Its Sights On PBS, NPR
Since taking over as chairman, FCC Chair Brendan Carr has revived bias complaints against CBS, ABC and NBC over their 2024 presidential campaign coverage after the...
Couldn’t We Use AI Music Generators To Express A More Perfect Music?
All of these songs have really strong sentiments, but they aren’t quite the same as expressing your unique thoughts and feelings for your intended...
These Literary Criticism Debates Are Not So Fun Anymore
Debates about the value and function of literary criticism today are, it seems to me, both constant and evergreen—always seeming new, urgent, specific to...
The Oscars Are More International Than Ever. So Why Is The “Best Foreign Film”...
The Academy Awards’ marquee category for international cinema, best international film, has been continually criticized as unjust, outdated and subject to political interference. -...
Report: Live Nation Booked $23 Billion In Revenue In 2024
Some 151 million people attended nearly 55,000 Live Nation events in 2024, an increase of 4% year-on-year, the events and ticketing company said in its full-year...
Cambodia’s National Museum Is Overflowing With Treasure
Foreign institutions and collectors are returning artifacts with deep spiritual meaning for Cambodians. Where and how to display them remain open questions. - The...
In Praise Of Self-Publishing
I have made a beautiful book, but to complete my book biz journey, I will go on the road again, a box of books...
Expand Copyright To AI? Not A Great Idea. Here’s A Better One
AI is a category of general-purpose tools with myriad beneficial uses. Requiring developers to license the materials needed to create this technology threatens the...
Brooklyn Academy Of Music Chief Steps Down After Only Three Years
Gina Duncan was the first person of color to lead the academy, which operates several stages and a cinema, and has an annual operating...
Does Opera On A Screen Really Work?
Seeing the seams is part of live performance’s charm—it asks the audience to actively participate in the suspension of reality, as opposed to having...
