{{Short description|International online pop culture magazine}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox magazine | logo = frameless|class=skin-invert | website = {{URL|popmatters.com}} | language = English | founder = Sarah Zupko | editor_title = Managing Editor | editor = Karen Zarker | based = Chicago | founded = {{start date and age|1999|10}} | oclc = 1122752384 }}
'''''PopMatters''''' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ideas.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/did-zach-braff-kill-american-music/|work=The New York Times|first=Chris|last=Milam|date=2009-11-17|access-date=December 19, 2016|title=Did Zach Braff Kill American Music?}}</ref> television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater, visual arts, travel, and the Internet.<ref name="popmatters">{{cite web |date=8 April 2018 |title=About |url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/about |website=PopMatters}}</ref>
== History == ''PopMatters'' was founded by Sarah Zupko, who had previously established the cultural studies academic resource site PopCultures.<ref>{{cite web |last=Flaska |first=Barbara |title=Sarah Zupko: Why Pop Matters |url=http://rockcriticsarchives.com/interviews/sarahzupko/sarahzupko.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826213357/http://rockcriticsarchives.com/interviews/sarahzupko/sarahzupko.html |archive-date=Aug 26, 2012 |access-date=2012-08-13 |publisher=RockCriticsArchives.com}}</ref> ''PopMatters'' launched in late 1999<ref>{{cite web |date=26 March 2009 |title=Decade-Dense: The 60 Most Memorable Films of 1999 |url=https://www.popmatters.com/72107-72091-decade-dense-the-60-most-memorable-films-of-19991-2496037835.html |access-date=2018-10-23 |work=PopMatters}}</ref> as a sister site providing original essays, reviews and criticism of various media products. Over time, the site went from a weekly publication schedule to a five-day-a-week magazine format, expanding into regular reviews, features, and columns. In the fall of 2005, monthly readership exceeded one million readers.
From 2006 onward, ''PopMatters'' produced several syndicated newspaper columns for McClatchy-Tribune News Service.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.editorandpublisher.com/PrintArticle/Partnership-for-McClatchy-and-PopMatters-com|title=Partnership for McClatchy and PopMatters.com|work=Editor & Publisher|date=2006-09-25|access-date=2012-08-23|archive-date=2015-09-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923233952/http://www.editorandpublisher.com/PrintArticle/Partnership-for-McClatchy-and-PopMatters-com|url-status=dead}}</ref> By 2009 there were four different pop culture related columns each week.
The PopMatters Book Imprint published ''Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion'', edited by Mary Money, with Titan Books in May 2012. The imprint also published four books in a series with Counterpoint/Soft Skull<ref>{{cite news |date=12 January 2006 |title=Soft Skull and PopMatters Sitting In A Tree |newspaper=Booksquare |url=http://booksquare.com/soft-skull-and-popmatters-sitting-in-a-tree/ |access-date=2012-08-13}}</ref> in 2008{{ndash}}2009 including ''China Underground'' by Zachary Mexico, ''Apocalypse Jukebox: The End of the World in American Popular Music'' by Edward Whitelock and David Janssen, ''Rebels Wit Attitude: Subversive Rock Humorists'' by Iain Ellis, and ''The Solitary Vice: Against Reading'' by Mikita Brottman.
== Staff == ''PopMatters'' publishes content from worldwide contributors. Its staff includes writers from backgrounds ranging from academics and professional journalists to career professionals and first time writers. Many of its writers are published authorities in various fields of study.<ref name="popmatters"/><ref>{{cite web |date=Feb 6, 2006 |title=Michael E. Ross |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna10913650 |publisher=NBC News}}</ref>
Notable contributors include David Weigel, political reporter for ''Slate'',<ref name="David Weigel">{{cite web |title=David Weigel |url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/29/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213202339/http://www.popmatters.com/archive/contributor/29/ |archive-date=Dec 13, 2013 |access-date=25 March 2013 |work=PopMatters}}</ref> Steven Hyden, staff writer for ''Grantland'' and author of ''Whatever Happened to Alternative Nation?'',<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Hyden |first=Steven |authorlink=Steven Hyden|title=An Interview with Doug Martsch |url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/martsch-doug-021015/ |magazine=PopMatters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102234524/http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/martsch-doug-021015/ |archive-date=Nov 2, 2012 |access-date=25 March 2013}}</ref> writer, author and film producer J.C. Maçek III,<ref name=KR>{{cite web|work=Kirkus Reviews|title=Cargo|archivedate=May 24, 2019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524180654/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jc-macek-iii/cargoQ/|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jc-macek-iii/cargoQ/|date=November 20, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|website=PopMatters|archivedate=April 1, 2026|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20260401193521/https://www.popmatters.com/author/j_c_macek_iii|url=https://www.popmatters.com/author/j_c_macek_iii|author=Maçek III, J.C.|title=J.C. Maçek III}}</ref> documentarian and writer Rodger Jacobs<ref>{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101030171950/https://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2010/09/roger_jacobs_los_angeles_write.php|date=September 1, 2010|archivedate=October 30, 2010|url=http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2010/09/roger_jacobs_los_angeles_write.php|title=Rodger Jacobs, writer, Stuck in Vegas And Near Homeless, Gets Some Help – From L.A.|author=Coolican, Patrick J.|work=LA Weekly|access-date=December 1, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|work=PopMatters|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919081745/http://www.popmatters.com/archive/contributor/316/|archive-date=September 19, 2016|title=Rodger Jacobs|url=https://www.popmatters.com/author/rodger_jacobs|author=Jacobs, Rodger|access-date=November 20, 2010}}</ref> and Rob Horning, executive editor of ''The New Inquiry''.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Rob Horning |url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/68/ |magazine=PopMatters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124093310/http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/68/ |archive-date=Jan 24, 2013 |access-date=25 March 2013}}</ref> Karen Zarker is the managing editor.<ref>{{cite web|title=Masthead|website=PopMatters|archivedate=March 18, 2026|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20260318194545/https://www.popmatters.com/masthead|url=https://www.popmatters.com/masthead}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|40em}}
==External links== * {{official website}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:PopMatters}} Category:American entertainment websites Category:Online magazines published in the United States Category:Magazines established in 1999 Category:1999 establishments in the United States Category:American music websites