Yes, we are another music website.

Founded by Sarah Lay Popoptica aims to provide thoughtful music writing, supportive of independence and diversity, and giving as much cultural context as it does opinion. We explore what it means to be a musician and how the music industry is changing.

We specialise in long form writing and themed pieces across each month. We support unsigned as a choice, and independents being the new Majors. Genres can be helpful but we place no boundaries on what we cover.

Our focus is on slower reading from slower writing, pieces you can sink into and explore. But above all the popoptica way is respect for reader and artist, and critique before clicks.

Contribute / write or photograph for us

If you’d like to get in touch about contributing you can do so here.

Submissions for coverage

We don’t carry music news, we don’t publish exclusives or premieres, and we don’t do reviews. Our specialism is features, interviews investigative and opinion pieces.

We are always interested in coverage of local or genre scenes, and investigative pieces about the music industry and issues affecting musicians. We’re also interested in hearing from musicians about their work away from music and how creativity is supported and challenged by different roles.

Planned themes 2019

We’re particularly interested in hearing pitches around the following themes:

• introversion / extroversion and creativity
• social media and identity
• mental health and music
• influence of other art forms and culture.