Person

Jack Hamilton

Bylines

The Lost Idealism of Heartland Rock

The genre of Bob Seger and John Mellencamp reached across the ideological spectrum in a way that seems unimaginable today.

by Jack Hamilton via The Atlantic
This publication restricts nonsubscriber access to some or all of its articles.
on April 28, 2026
Is “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” Really a Pro-Confederate Anthem?

The answer may lie in the ear of the beholder.

by Jack Hamilton via Slate
This publication restricts nonsubscriber access to some or all of its articles.
on August 13, 2020
Reaganland Is the Riveting Conclusion to a Story That Still Isn’t Over

Rick Perlstein’s epic series shows political history and cultural history cannot be disentangled.

by Jack Hamilton via Slate
This publication restricts nonsubscriber access to some or all of its articles.
on August 3, 2020
The Most Important Album of 1968 Wasn’t The White Album. It Was Beggars Banquet.

It saved the Rolling Stones, altered the trajectory of music history, and turns 50 this week.

by Jack Hamilton via Slate
This publication restricts nonsubscriber access to some or all of its articles.
on December 6, 2018
Aretha Franklin Was the Defining Voice of the 20th Century

No one else sang as well as her, and no other singer changed popular music as much as her.

by Jack Hamilton via Slate
This publication restricts nonsubscriber access to some or all of its articles.
on August 16, 2018
Sgt. Pepper Came Out 50 Years Ago This Week. The Timing Was As Perfect As the Album.

The Beatles released Sgt. Pepper at the exact moment that the world was ready to take a rock album seriously as art.

by Jack Hamilton via Slate
This publication restricts nonsubscriber access to some or all of its articles.
on May 24, 2017
How Rock and Roll Became White

And how the Rolling Stones, a band in love with black music, helped lead the way to rock’s segregated future.

by Jack Hamilton via Slate
This publication restricts nonsubscriber access to some or all of its articles.
on October 6, 2016

Jack Hamilton

Bylines

The Lost Idealism of Heartland Rock

Is “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” Really a Pro-Confederate Anthem?

Reaganland Is the Riveting Conclusion to a Story That Still Isn’t Over

The Most Important Album of 1968 Wasn’t The White Album. It Was Beggars Banquet.

Aretha Franklin Was the Defining Voice of the 20th Century

Sgt. Pepper Came Out 50 Years Ago This Week. The Timing Was As Perfect As the Album.

How Rock and Roll Became White