12 Under-the-Radar Obsessions We Wish More People Knew About
These wide-ranging recommendations from The Persistent contributors may not be mainstream–yet–but they definitely deserve to be.
There was a time, not so long ago, when our media choices were much more limited. The upside of that was that millions of people had the same cultural reference points. The downside was that we were exposed to only a few (not so diverse) forms of entertainment. But now that news and entertainment are so fragmented, figuring out who or what to follow, watch, read or listen to can feel overwhelming. There are now over 4 million podcasts, hundreds of thousands of newsletters and over 2 million streaming shows and movies.
Wouldn’t it be nice if someone could narrow it down a bit? That’s why, for this week’s You Might Like, we asked The Persistent contributors for their favorite under-the-radar picks. Their suggestions include newsletters about fashion and politics; a podcast about writing; and musicians whose songs deserve a lot more airtime. Once you’ve read, listened, and absorbed enough, you can tune in to a quirky TV show about a time traveling kid and relax.
The artist Jill Scott has just released “To Whom This May Concern,” her sixth studio album, and I can’t get enough of it. I’ve been a huge fan of her soulful, poetry-infused music for decades, but she never quite got the attention of comparable artists like Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill, even though, in my opinion, Jill is better. “To Whom This May Concern” brings all the strength and energy Scott is known for, but adds some eclecticism. To fully appreciate her brilliance, listen to her first album, 2000’s “Who Is Jill Scott?” More than 25 years after its release, it's still my favorite album of all time.
– Emma Haslett, managing editor
I love Dr. Julie Gurner’s short, snackable posts on how to succeed at work and perform at your highest level. The executive performance coach (and psychology PhD) spins out daily nuggets of wisdom on her Substack while somehow managing to also sound like a beloved aunt reminding you of things you already know, but just need someone to give you a good kick in the pants about.
– Liza Boyd, contributing writer
Everyone in my family, including my 10- and 12-year-old, absolutely loved “Time Bandits” on Apple TV. It’s a sci-fi adventure about a history-loving boy who joins a group of thieves traveling through time. I haven't heard a lot of people talking about it and, unfortunately, it didn’t get renewed for a second season, but we thought it was so fun that we were inspired to read more about some of the historical eras they visited, so it was educational, too!
— Molly Dickens, contributing writer
My current favorite Substacks from photojournalists and documentary photographers are Piera Moore, Hannah Yoon, and Laurence Philomene. They're all skilled at sharing unique, personal perspectives on their work, the photography industry, and in some cases their family lore and histories, and their posts always brighten my inbox!
—Daniella Zalcman, photojournalist
I read every edition of Lindsey Stanberry's newsletter “The Purse.” She's a former CNBC and Refinery 29 editor who started Money Diaries (we also happened to meet in 2016 through a group for Brooklyn moms). The Purse covers money in a straightforward and relatable way while also giving readers a peek inside the division of labor, household budget calculations and so much more from a diverse group of women across the country. – Kathleen Davis, executive editor
Heather Cox Richardson’s substack “Letters from an American” is my go-to read every day. She says her goal is to help future historians make sense of the news, but she is also my primary source for understanding the horror of today’s news in the context of history. — Deborah Copaken, contributing writer
I still remember when my husband and I first heard the singer-songwriter Heather Maloney, in a tiny little coffee house in rural Connecticut, where the number of the people in her band outnumbered the people in the crowd. We weren’t expecting much but her soaring Joni Mitchell-esque soprano and quirky-yet-soulful vocals about love, loss, family and impermanence instantly converted us into groupies. She hasn’t reached arena-level fame–yet–but she’s now playing to much bigger crowds and we are waiting for the day when we can tell everyone we discovered her first! —Paula Derrow, features editor
I love the podcast “How to Survive the End of the World” by the activist sisters Autumn Brown and adrienne maree brown. As a writer, I really love learning about other writers' rituals, and in a recent episode, they talked about how they find inspiration by creating physical altars to the creative process. I’m also obsessed with rites and rituals because I researched them for my new book "Seeking Sexual Freedom: African Rites, Rituals and Sankofa in the Bedroom,” so now I've created a writing altar for myself, too. — Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah, contributing writer
Lindsey Louise's “The Official Nancy Drew Newsletter” on Substack combines fashion and political commentary. I love that because the two subjects are so often related but so infrequently commented on in tandem. — Han Goldstein, social media manager
What under the radar media do you love? Send your recommendations to hello@thepersistent.com. We’ll be back with more recommendations next Friday!
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