What’s trending on Shelf and what does that say about the culture? Each month, we mine Shelf’s data to uncover the TV, film, music and books that Gen Z can’t get enough of — and why.

Cast of Love Island USA Season 8, Courtesy of Peacock

Parasocial attachment doesn’t look like just one thing. These one-sided relationships individuals form with characters from television and other media (NIH) change shape depending on what you're consuming, and this month's Shelf data shows us two extreme versions happening at the same time. One is communal, carrying real consequences, and the other is solitary, operating at a scale most artists only dream of achieving.

Let’s start with Love Island USA. The past three summers, the show has dominated the cultural zeitgeist, and this June, it dominated Shelf charts too. If you've been anywhere near the discourse this season, you’re likely familiar with the names Titi, Aniya and KC. After five weeks of edited footage doled out over a few minutes a night, the audience is certain it knows exactly who these contestants are — and more importantly, what they deserve. That's what reality TV does: it doesn't just ask you to imagine a relationship with someone, it hands you the materials to build one yourself, clip by clip, and convinces you the result is observation rather than invention.

The more interesting and dangerous part of this season is that the parasocial loop isn’t specific to the audience experience — it’s also bleeding into the Villa. The Casa Amor women’s comments towards Kenzie and Aniya weren’t the result of anything that happened between them face to face. Their opinions were formed the exact same way ours were: through edited footage, watched from a distance, before any of them had actually met. The Villa has quietly become a place where contestants do to each other what the audience does to all of them: mistake a few seconds of footage for the full picture of a person, then treat that false certainty as permission to weigh in on a person’s character in public. 

@loveisland.shenanigans

#loveisland #loveislandusa #loveislandseason8

Not all parasocial attachment plays out this visibly. Olivia Rodrigo's chart takeover (on Shelf and Billboard) runs on different logic. Fourteen of the top 50 trending tracks on Shelf this month are hers, and each one is from her latest album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love. But unlike Love Island USA, there is no communal experience driving it. The intimacy Rodrigo sells is built for exactly one listener at a time, with headphones in, and the feeling that she's speaking directly to you and no one else. You seem pretty sad for a girl so in love is parasocial attachment at an industrial scale, except the scale is invisible to the person experiencing it. You don't know there are a few hundred thousand other people having the same moment with the same songs (until they post about it).

Where Rodrigo's intimacy is invisible, Love Island USA's is anything but — and that's exactly why the show performs so well in culture. The danger and the pleasure come from the exact same place. Love Island USA isn't watched, it's ritualized. Group chats light up in real time and takes are traded over office lunch tables all because an audience of millions are moving through the same beats at the same pace. In a media landscape that's mostly algorithm-fed, Love Island USA might be one of the last shows left that functions like a shared clock. Everyone's watching simultaneously, which is what makes it possible for an audience to feel like it collectively "knows" someone — and precisely what makes that knowing so risky.

Both Love Island USA and you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love are forms of imagined closeness. They ask the listener or viewer to believe they know someone they've never met — they just cash in on that belief differently. For Love Island USA, it’s largely shared, and for Rodrigo, it’s largely private. But the shape never mattered as much as the feeling underneath it. People will find a way to feel close to someone they've never met, and they always have. We've just gotten better at building things that let them, and less careful in some cases about remembering that there are real people on the other side of the screen when we do.

Top Olivia Rodrigo Songs Trending on Shelf

1. stupid song

2. honeybee

3. my way

4. maggots for brains

5. u + me = <3

What’s trending on Shelf and what does that say about the culture? Each month, we mine Shelf’s data to uncover the TV, film, music and books that Gen Z can’t get enough of — and why.

Sweet Boy by Malcolm Todd

What do Lady Gaga and Malcolm Todd have in common? On paper, not much — one is a pop icon, and the other an indie artist most people outside of bedroom-pop circles have never heard of. But both became the soundtrack to economic anxiety for their respective generations.

In 2008, as the financial world was actively collapsing, the cultural response was to turn the music up. Cue Kesha, Lady Gaga, the Black Eyed Peas, and a generational run of pop music you’ll never forget, all designed to help you forget. The sounds of the pop music listed before became known as “Recession pop”. As economic hardships unfold for a new generation, critics have already identified the Gen Z version in artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx, and most recently, Drake. But Shelf trends reveal something much more nuanced.

Right underneath the mainstream layer of escapist pop is a months-long wave of soft-indie and bedroom pop sitting near the top of the charts. Malcolm Todd, whose debut album is packed with hushed vocals and guitar loops that sound like they were recorded in an actual bedroom, attracted more listeners on Shelf last week than almost anyone (outside of Drake and Sabrina Carpenter). Globally, we're facing nearly the same economic anxieties as 2008, but these artists — Clairo, beabadoobee, The Marías, PinkPantheress, Cigarettes After Sex — represent a completely different, nearly anti-dance pop response. The question worth asking is why?

The first part of the answer lies in the sound of the music. In our previous trend report, we learned that Gen Z is choosing media filled with yearning — and their bias for the personal extends to wanting proof that music is human made. In a world of AI-generated everything and algorithmic content optimized for scale, a slightly imperfect recording that sounds like it came from someone's apartment isn't just aesthetically pleasing; to some artists, it's a form of resistance.

Bedroom pop, by definition, sounds handmade: close-mic'd vocals that feel like the artist is right next to your ear, production that retains the warmth of its own imperfection, a sense of intimacy that hyper-polished major-label releases are literally incapable of replicating. There's growing research that listeners are increasingly opposed to AI-generated music. So naturally, the genre most antithetical to LLM-made sound would carry a particular gravitational pull right now. But while sonic texture explains part of why Gen Z is drawn to bedroom pop as a grounding mechanism, the more documented reason is simpler, if not sadder: loneliness.

We all know social media has made Gen Z more isolated, especially when you compare the data to millennials. Coupled with the rise of parasocial relationships, "one-sided relationships individuals form with characters from television and other media" (NIH), you get millions of people who don't socialize enough, leaning on music that closes the gap between technology and art, rather than widening it. Bedroom pop artists don't feel like recession pop stars, they feel like someone you know. I’m not sure how often I’ve thought while listening to Clairo, “we’d probably get along” — and I doubt I’m the only one.

It becomes less and less surprising that our generation — regardless of who's topping the charts that week — refuses to let go of the artists that actually make them feel something. I wouldn't either. It's comforting to know that in the face of so many artificial things, and the relentless consolidation of taste online, we're still holding onto the art that moves us — and maybe even inspires us to make something of our own.

Soft-Indie & Bedroom Pop Albums Trending on Shelf

1. Malcolm Todd Sweet Boy

2. Clairo Charm

3. The Marías Submarine

4. Cigarettes After Sex Cigarettes After Sex

What’s trending on Shelf and what does that say about the culture? Each month, we mine Shelf’s data to uncover the TV, film, music and books that Gen Z can’t get enough of — and why.

Why is Gen Z So Obsessed With Yearning?

The heaving chests and sweaty pecs in Wuthering Heights and ‘Heated Rivalry.’ The heart-stopping reveal of Nic Vans’ secret admiration for Olandria on 'Love Island USA.’ The Summer I Turned Pretty’s hot-ass “Dress scene,” which shows Belly and Conrad Fisher’s connection crescendo after a years-long passionate build. It’s been impossible to miss — yearning is everywhere in pop culture right now. We’re talking music, film, television, and books (according to Shelf global trends) with no signs of relenting. 

RAYE’s “WHERE THE HELL IS MY HUSBAND!”

Why can’t we get enough? Shrinks may say it has something to do with our need to connect to others. (As psychologist Diana Hill, Ph.D. writes in Psychology Today, “we yearn for belonging and understanding; for meaningful relationships, intimacy, and inclusion; to be part of the group.”)

For Gen Z (and in a world that feels more splintered by the minute), this can be particularly potent. A 2025 Teens and Screens report shows more than 60% of those surveyed want to see more romantic relationships that are, “more about the friendship between the couple than sex.” It takes meaningful connection sustained over time for friendships to build, and yes, plenty of yearning for some of these friendships to progress into romance. Some say Gen Z is in a “sex recession.” But we see something far more nuanced: a generation whose horniness has soul. Ready to feel the burn? Check out the top trending media, below:

Does Gen-Z Crave the Analog Era, or Just Its Soundtrack? 

Yearning may have captured Gen Z’s playlists, reading lists, and watch lists, but not every trend hits so deep. We’re talking about going analog. It’s something that media outlets like Fortune and CNBC report as rebooting an economy of physical things, as we seemingly covet point-and-shoot cameras, vinyl records, notebooks and other tactile objects over digital versions. Here at Shelf HQ, we’re finding users are on board, but in a far more specific — and practical — way.

“I'd be lying if I said physical [media] was my overall preference, because I'm aware of everything I'd lose in the switch,” says Seli, a 24-year old Shelf user. Another user, Ananya, 26, agrees, saying, “Gen Z is def used to digital convenience (Netflix, ebooks, music streaming, etc.) and personally it’s something I love having access to.” So it’s not exactly a shocker that Shelf data shows users' trend toward analog is rooted in audio only. Who among us would trade the ease of streaming TV and movies for that DVD life?

But here’s the kicker: the appeal of throwback audio isn’t only about wax as a format. “It’s more of a symbol of fandom rather than the actual sound,” says 25 year-old Shelf user Asia. “By purchasing a vinyl, you are not only monetarily supporting an artist, but [you’re getting a] physical symbol that says, ‘hey, I’m more than just a casual listener of this artist.’” 

As it turns out, vinyl as a flex can carry even more clout when showing a sonic taste for the analog era, too. Massive bands of the ‘90s (the kind found on the era’s essential film and TV soundtracks like Mallrats, The Crow, Wayne’s World, and Beverly Hills, 90210) are all over the Shelf charts in 2026, including those below:

Blame it on billionaire-tech bros and longevity experts, wellness obsession and biohacking breakthroughs: the pursuit of immortality has never felt more zeitgeist-y — or possible. But what would actually become of us if we were able to live forever? It’s something that author Casey Scieszka explores in her debut novel, The Fountain, which releases March 17, 2026.

The book is centered around an immortal woman who, after 200 years of life, returns to her birthplace (a New England farm town) to find the source of her eternal existence — and stop it. Of course, corporate fat cats have their own plans. Though the story is steeped in magical realism, it doesn’t feel too far off from actual pursuits of the obscenely wealthy.

“Peter Thiel has reportedly secured his spot with Alcor,” she says. “It’s a company that promises life extension by cryonically freezing your body and brain until you can be reanimated and brought back to a world that clearly still needs you???” In contrast, The Fountain grounds the highfalutin pursuit of endless youth by exploring questions like “What makes a meaningful life?” 

As for the art that helped give life to Scieszka’s novel, it’s a combination of moody jams that conjure the Catskills, books with bizarre plot points, and the assigned reading from her fifth-grade English class that she still can’t shake.

Courtesy of HarperCollins

Long Lost by Lord Huron

“The author Marie-Helene Bertino was once asked about writing techniques or hacks and she talked about using music as the most straightforward way to get back into a headspace — and that's something I do. 

For me, playing this album was like a writer’s version of an athlete’s pump-up music after halftime. I’ve listened to this album, on repeat (in particular, the song, “Mine Forever,” which I’ve probably listened to 14,000 times). After getting the kids on the school bus and answering emails, I can play this album to get me back into the mood because it sends me straight back to this valley in the Catskills — whether it was the 1800s or 2000 and teens — where the story takes place. There’s something about Ben Schneider’s voice that evokes moods across time.”

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

“This book is basically why I wrote The Fountain. Babbitt’s book is about a 10 year-old girl named Winnie, who stumbles upon a magical eternal spring. The immortal family who guards it kidnaps her because they don't know what else to do with her, and meanwhile, all of them are chased by this mysterious man in a suit who wants to bottle up the source for his own profit. 

I read it in fifth-grade English class and it has stuck with me for decades. It’s the best discussion book ever, because it has these great questions, like: Would you choose to live forever? What would you do if you knew the source of immortality? This book just turned 50 last year and it’s still just as powerful. Despite all these huge developments in longevity, the essential questions are still totally the same.”

Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder

“A mom sets aside her art to parent her toddler and ... becomes a feral dog at night?? This book reminded me to not be afraid to get weird when writing. When working on a first novel, it can be tempting to keep something palatable — and we all know that can lead to pleasing no one. A book like Nightbitch shows if you’re willing to go into deeply personal and bizarre places, and trust your reader, they will come with you.”

Killing Eve

“Such a great show about a serial assassin, the MI6 agent trying to hunt her down, and their obsession with each other. I like a moral gray area and this features fascinating female characters with questionable morals. I think we live more of our lives in that space than we like to admit to ourselves. Characters who are often described as unlikable can make a viewer uncomfortable, but for me, it’s an exciting uncomfortable that puts me in a dark, but fascinating hypothetical space where I’m asking myself: Would I do that? Maybe if I was pushed to the brink.

I also like that they're both the hero in their own story — both the assassin and this struggling American MI6 agent — and in a bizarre relationship. It feels good and icky. That’s the kind of dynamic I was thinking about when writing my own book. We all love a classic love story, but what if a sibling has a significant other that a parent doesn’t like? What does that relationship look like 200 years in?”

The Georgia Review

“I wound up getting a subscription to this literary journal after doing Jami Attenberg’s 1000 Words of Summer writer’s challenge; My goal was to finish with a short story to submit to The Georgia Review and what I ended up writing was the first chapter of The Fountain. This journal has become a favorite of my subscriptions because it exposes me to people who are completely new to me versus those I would find on the internet or skimming off the top of more mainstream media. When I find a new author I like, I end up going through their whole back catalog and they  become a part of my new reading canon.”

Cupid Deluxe by Blood Orange

“When writing, maybe you’re standing up and stretching every once in a while or taking a break to get a snack, but most of the time you’re sitting down, trying not to hunch. I’ve found that taking dance breaks is a really important part of the process for me — and I play this album a lot while taking dance breaks. I find that getting my heart beat up in a fierce way helps shake the ideas out differently. I don’t know what the magic is, but something that’s stuck can become undone once I'm moving my body. Even the vibey, slow songs on this album get me moving. It becomes a modern dance kind of thing.”

Hanna Muskantor

On Jan. 23, ahead of a historic snow storm, 50 friends and strangers cozied up in Shelf HQ, where Sofar Sounds transformed the West Soho office into an intimate venue. Encircled in fairy lights and piles of parkas, performers and music lovers braved the cold for authentic artist discovery and refreshing gin cocktails. 

Leading only with the promise of live music rather than names, Sofar attracts fans devoted to sharing the experience of live music with their community, amid a world of digital distractions.  

Since their beginning in 2009, Sofar Sounds has introduced music lovers to a secret bill of artists—including alumni Billie Eilish, Leon Bridges, Chappell Roan, Olivia Dean, and more—at undisclosed locations. 

“The community is the best part about Sofar—it attracts people that care. And the secrecy is magic: it proves at any given moment there’s a music community thriving around the corner,” said performer and Sofar Bronx organizer, July Quin. 

With the magic of live music in the air, it was apt that the house was serving Hendrick’s Gin. The delightfully unique botanicals of Hendrick’s paired perfectly with the promise of Sofar discoveries: a curiosity for new art and new friends. 

“I’m not usually a gin girl, but whatever they’re pouring has me feeling right,” said host KAYMARS, proving it’s never too cold for the unusual joy of Hendrick’s on ice. 

Peyton Guthrie

She lead the crowd emboldened with the authentic spirit of Hendrick’s, informing us that Sofar has but a few (perhaps contradictory) rules:

1. Tag the artists online 

2. Be present 

Like the sophisticated eccentricity of Hendrick’s, the evening’s lineup was an assorted ride of original performances, with each artist bravely trying something new. 

Instagram post

Performer-host-producer-composer-improvist Kayla GC kicked off the night using a brand new loop station. She warmed up the crowd with a set of percussive breaths and soulful cries. The sounds layered by her loop visibly surprised the audience, with folks sharing nods and grooving in their seats. Her only input other than her voice? A maracas iPhone app. 

“There’s nothing like this—where people are here to focus on the humans, the music in front of them. You never know what you’re going to get,” said GC. 

Then, coming to New York by way of Montenegro and Berklee School of Music, Maša introduced a classically-inspired vibe. Accompanied by a lutist and a crop-topped cellist for the first time, her songbird tones captivated the room. 

Instagram post

“I always come back to the classics—Dionne Warwick, Ella Fitzgerald—mixed with random influences, recently Madison Cunningham and Lewis Cole,” Maša said of the tastemakers inspiring her. True to her wild card inspirations, Maša sang the spectrum — from a traditional Bosnian mourning song to Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” 

Quin closed out the night epitomizing the thrill of live music, beckoning the audience to dance and leading a call and response: “Turn to the person you love—or make a new friend—and sing, Who gonna love you like I do?” 

The icy wind outside foretold a once-in-a-lifetime blizzard, but inside the Sofar crowd was warm with true connection, new artist discovery, and a good drink or two.

What else is Peyton into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/rivercitycowgirl.

Courtesy of TJ Maxx

Since wrapping starring roles in Pretty Little Liars and To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, Janel Parrish has become something of a Christmas authority. She’s starred in a succession of holiday films for Hallmark (the newest of which, Christmas on Duty, is out now) that not only tap into our innermost homecoming fantasies but seem to be single-handedly saving rom coms. 

Parrish caught up with us while prepping for the holidays (which, as a TJ Maxx partner, includes store hopping aboard a double-decker bus) to share her latest obsessions, including Galinda’s high notes and a sentimental Stranger Things connection.

Wicked: The Soundtrack

“I'm a musical theater girly and Wicked is the Holy Grail of theater. I could talk to you about Wicked for hours. I’ve seen the film five times since it came out and I’ve cried five times. We all either want to be a Galinda or we want to be an Elphaba. I’ve had different eras of my life where I've wanted to be both. Right now I'm in my Galinda era. So whenever I am blasting the soundtrack, I'm trying to hit the notes that Ariana Grande is hitting. The music is so powerful, the story is so beautiful and the performances are incredible — it just brings me so much joy.  And every time I rewatch it, I discover something new that I love about it. Jon Chu, as an AAPI filmmaker is paving the way for Asian American filmmakers. I just am so in awe of him, and would love to work with him one day.”

”House Tour” by Sabrina Carpenter

“My musical taste is kind of all over the place. I listen to a lot of musical theater, but I also love a pop moment, so I'm listening to all the pop divas. I just love anything with a good beat. I’ve been singing this song at the top of my lungs while touring TJ Maxx. I think Sabrina is so smart, so witty, and her voice is beautiful. Her lyrics are funny, but also have such emotionality tied to them. She's so fun, and I feel like she's so authentically herself, and I really, really love that, and think that’s such an important message to send.”

Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell

“I went to see this musical and found the music to be like poetry, with the most beautiful lyrics you've ever heard. The orchestration of the music is just so powerful and stunning. It’s a singer's dream to sing, and the way that it's staged is just so moving. I would love to be a part of it one day — it’s a dream piece for me.”

My 21st Century Blues by Raye

“Her voice is so powerful and her songwriting is so raw and honest, it's like reading her diary. I feel like she's so vulnerable, and she just lets the audience in so you get to go on an emotional journey with her. You can rock out to this album if you're feeling sassy. You could also cry to her song, “Ice Cream Man.” It's such a beautiful ballad about what it means to be a strong woman — and I love that.”

XO, Kitty

“This is such a fun show. I was part of the To All The Boys I've Loved Before movies on Netflix, but the spin-off features my on-screen little sister, Anna Cathcart, and I'm just so proud of her, she's such an amazing lead. This show still very much gives a To All The Boys I've Loved Before feeling. I got to go do a cameo in season two in Korea, which was so much fun. But I also am genuinely such a fan. I have to keep watching to find out what's going on and who's dating who. It's just joyful.”

Stranger Things

“Oh, I have to mention Stranger Things. I had just started dating my husband when the show first came out and it's a big part of our love story. I think we were on our third date, and I was like, ‘have you watched Stranger Things yet?’ He hadn't and I got to show him season one. We remember those early dating years, snuggling up on the couch and watching Stranger Things together. Recently, I've been away filming in Canada, and my husband has been waiting for me to come home to watch the newest season together. We will be binge watching that immediately when I get home tonight, I love that!”

What else is Janel Parrish into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/janelparrish.

Respective Collective

Annabelle Kline has built a serious reputation for her taste. 

Through her work as a curator, journalist and DJ, she’s become a golden ticket to many up-and-coming artists. Her platform, That Good Sh*t (TGS), introducers followers to new talent through semi-chatotic interviews, FOMO-inducing branded events, and high-stakes Discord “aux battles.” 

But in between turning up NYC crowds with fellow Shelf-obsessed DJs and interviewing stars like Rayvn Lenae, Kline tells ShelfMAG from her Bushwick apartment that she still finds time to indulge in all things cunty and surrealist. 

We caught up with the Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree to find out what exactly is on her Shelf these days.  

hooke’s law by keiyaA

“I'd been familiar with keiyaA for a while, from her earlier work. I have a lot of friends and peers in music who just love her. She did a show with us in September of 2024 that was really amazing, and that's when I actually got to meet her and talk with her. I started hearing about a new project she was working on through the team at XL Recordings, which is her label, and when the album came out I went to the listening party at the Telfar store a couple weeks ago. It was phenomenal listening to it, and seeing her not necessarily performing it, but standing in the room and dancing along. I just think it's such a cool album, and I feel like her production is so forward-thinking. Her voice is so gorgeous, and I love everything that she talks about in her songs, too. The subject matter is really intelligent, unique, and cool. 

Abbott Elementary

“I love a giggle. That's my main thing — I really love wholesome media in general. I don't really like violence, I don't really like scary stuff, I like very happy-go-lucky, joyful media. Abbott Elementary is a top favorite for sure. I love all the guest stars they have, and all the kids are so freaking cute. I love Janine and Gregory's relationship, and all the jokes are so relevant and funny. I feel like [with] a lot of TV shows, the humor will feel a little bit old just because it takes them time to write it, produce it, and put it out, but Abbott Elementary is so quick with it. And on top of it, their references are just hilarious. It's such a good show.”

Deadbeat by Tame Impala

“Tame Impala has been a pretty electronic artist, but this leans way more into house music and club electronic music. I feel like a lot of the Tame Impala fanbase is divided on whether they like this new era, but I'm obsessed. My partner is the biggest Tame Impala fan in the world, so from the moment this album came out, it's been on repeat in our house non-stop. It's the album I've definitely heard the most this year. 

My partner and I actually went to see him two nights in a row in Brooklyn this year — the first two nights of the tour for this album. Seeing him perform was so sick. I love that project. Off the first listen, my favorite track was this song called ‘Piece Of Heaven.’ But now I think my favorite track is ‘Not My World,’ which I feel is the most deep house, drawn-out song on the project, and I just think it's really cool.”

Feline’s Return by Natanya

“[Feline’s Return] is by this artist named Natanya, who I'm deeply obsessed with. She's from London and I've actually been familiar with her for a long time because she used to join these Instagram livestreams I did back in 2021, 2022. She would submit her music, and I was aware of her for a while, but then she started dropping this series of singles earlier this year. She dropped ‘Daydream’ with this really cunty music video, and I was super intrigued, and eventually she dropped this project, Feline’s Return.

I feel like it's such a strong shift for her as an artist. She has this super locked-in choreography, really cool aesthetic — stripes, red, and this feline-esque makeup with this wing — and all the songs are so addictive. It's very pop, R&B. But she has a really fun Jersey Club song and all the melodies on it are super sticky and addicting. Every time I listen, I just fall deeper in love with it. It's so good. She’s very much a true artist.” 

The Vince Staples Show

“I really love shows that lean into surrealism. I really loved Atlanta, especially when it got super fucking weird — like the last episode is so crazy. I feel like The Vince Staples Show sits in a similar world, where things just feel a little off, and something weird could happen at any time. I remember watching the episode in the first season where he's at the amusement park, and he goes to find the forbidden chicken, and he goes into this back room, and it feels like he entered another world. And this new season is even more chaotic.

My partner and I were talking about this when we were watching it. His mannerisms and his energy in the show — he kind of has a straight face and very blank energy the whole time, but there's so much chaos happening around him. It's cool how he builds that world around him even though he's kind of monotone. On some Magic School Bus shit, I would love to become tiny and jump into [Vince Staples’s] brain and explore what's going on in there, because it's crazy.”

Remarkably Bright Creatures 

“I got recommended this book in the cutest way. I was at a bookstore in Wisconsin because I was visiting my grandparents out there, and one of the bookstore ladies came up to me and [asked] ‘what are you looking for?’ And I was like, ‘I like fiction books that switch between multiple perspectives, books written by women, and I really like books that involve nature — animals, plants.’ And she immediately went to this book and handed it to me. She was like, ‘this is a book written by a woman, and it's about this woman's relationship with an octopus.’ And I'm sold.

Without giving away too much because you should totally read it, it's basically this old woman who's about to go through retirement. Her son died a couple years in the past, and she's working at an aquarium where she cleans at night, and there's this giant Pacific octopus in the aquarium. And the book goes from her perspective to the perspective of this octopus and also the perspective of other characters whose storylines kind of intertwine throughout the book. The octopus knows something about her son's death and is trying to communicate it to her before it's too late. It's really interesting seeing how that all plays out, and I didn't really understand when I first got into it, but the way it all unfolds is cool. I just learned they're making a movie about it next year, and I'm really excited.”  

What else is Annabelle Kline is into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/annabelleklinee.

Asulprusia

When GALE started promoting her sophomore album Lo Que Puede Pasar earlier this autumn, she kept thinking back to the two transformative summer months she spent in Spain. When the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter wasn’t onstage at Boombastic, Morriña Festival, or Pirineos Sur, she was hitting up every bookstore and library she could find, stopping only to look for the best matcha.

Even over Zoom, GALE’s enthusiasm — the same level of passion that flows through every frame of the music video for her sultry single “Perspectiva” — comes through, though this time, it’s directed toward a quick and dirty literary hit and a couple of zero-skip records. (She’s calling from L.A., where she goes to Erewhon for matcha: “hot, almond milk, and just a little bit of honey.”) And just like “Perspectiva,” GALE’s Shelf, seen below, also reflects a kicking-your-legs-while-texting-on-your-bed type of dreaminess.

Spanish Leather by Guitarricadelafuente

“I love the metaphors behind it, how sexy and sensual it is, how beautiful and poetic yet raw it is. And the musicality — every song is a no-skip for me, and I feel like it marks the soundtrack of my two months in Spain. So I have it close to my heart for that reason. But I was already obsessed when it came out. I'm very intense when I like something.”

El accidente by Blanca Lacasa

“It's short, it's quick. It’s invigorating and spicy. I read it in a day. This summer, I had six [festival] dates in Spain. It was amazing. One thing I feel I don't have in Miami is amazing libraries of all kinds. So my purpose when I was living in Spain for two months was to find good matcha and go to every library and bookstore possible. And I always try to find literature from authors from the place. So I bought 15 books, and I’m reading them little by little. And that was one of them.”

The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins

“I heard about this book because it's everywhere, but, actually, my therapist recommended I read it. I sometimes spend so much time thinking about things and trying to be careful around people. And this book says it's OK if people are uncomfortable. It's OK if they're mad about something. You just have to let them experience their feelings, and you also need to let yourself say what you need to say, or set your boundaries. I feel like, at the end of the day, I always set my boundaries, and I end up doing the thing that is good for me. And I love that about myself, but it's so hard, and it consumes me. So this book is helping me with that.”

The Perfume Room 

“Emma Vernon talks with experts or with other fragrance noses, and it's about their story and how they did it, and the chemistry of perfumes, and it's just beautiful. I have to shout out my friend Steph Jones, who's a beautiful sunshine angel/songwriter/queen, who cowrote ‘Espresso’ for Sabrina [Carpenter]. Three years ago, I was in search of a signature scent, and she was studying for a certificate in fragrance, and she gave me this love for perfume. So I became obsessed after that. I always travel with a little scent-sample bag everywhere.”

Who’s the Clown?

“[Audrey Hobert] cowrote a lot of the songs with Gracie Abrams for The Secret of Us. I also learned she directed the music video for ‘I Love You, I'm Sorry.’ She just put out her first album, and it's like my teenage self’s dream: singing in my room with my hairbrush, practicing every move in front of the mirror. That's how that album makes me feel. It's also a no-skip.” 

Se Regalan Dudas 

“It's two best friends from Mexico, and they invite experts on different topics, like psychologists and authors. And it's very inspiring. It's called Se Regalan Dudas because they have so many questions. They bounce between all these different topics like love or an open relationship, or psychology, or family, anything. And they're really good. And I'm obsessed, OK?”

What else is GALE into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/GALE. 

Ally Chen

What does a kid actor do after starring in a litany of Disney shows? If you’re Genevieve Hannelius, swap the soundstage for civilian life. “I don't think there's anything to write about if you don't have experience,” she tells Shelf. 

After college and moving to New York City, the now-26-year-old actor and singer has reemerged with Girlhood, a six-track EP (out Jan. 16) that joins her own narrative with the canon of early-2000s pop girls. “I grew up listening to Hilary Duff [and] Aly & AJ,” she says. “For the production of ‘Reckless’ and ‘James,’ specifically, that was definitely intentional.”

On purpose or not, a string of powerful women also populates Hannelius’s Shelf. Among her picks, below, find a coming-of-age film by way of Sofia Coppola and a mindfulness podcast for fellow go-go-goers.

Twilight

“I saw Twilight when it came out but just rewatched it. What I forgot — or maybe just never realized — was just how experimental the film is. The shots are so unique, like tipping the camera on its side, and the soundtrack is so good. It's not what you see in these cookie-cutter, young-adult movies. Catherine Hardwicke really took a lot of risks in the actual directing and with the cinematography that made it a really special movie with a raw edge. Plus, I love that the person who directed Thirteen directed this movie. This is somebody who understands teenage girls, who they are, and what they want to see.”

Foxes (1980)

“Sofia Coppola does screenings at the Cherry Lane Theatre called Sundays with Sofia, where she picks a movie that inspired her, and this was one of them. Foxes is about a group of girlfriends and has a lot of shots of young girls lying around their rooms, just kind of sprawled out and talking, which is a very Sofia Coppola kind of thing. There are close-ups on beauty products and details of girlhood — it really is girlhood encapsulated. It's actually directed by a man, which is so shocking, because you really feel like he gets girls, and he doesn't sexualize anything. It’s also really cool to see this kind of time capsule of the late-’70s San Fernando Valley, which is where my dad grew up.”

Heart the Lover by Lily King

“Lily King is just an incredible storyteller. This is somebody who really understands young women and what we go through in a really realistic way that I find super relatable. All her books do such a good job of capturing the kind of strange feeling of being on the cusp of adulthood. I also loved her other book, Writers and Lovers. I highly recommend that as well.” 

Tara Brach

“Tara Brach is a mindfulness teacher. For her podcast, she does hour-long philosophical and spiritual talks. I love listening to it because it’s a great way to ground yourself, reconnect, and remember what is actually important. She also does meditations, which I highly recommend. I'm a very foot-on-the-gas-pedal type of person, so I really have to dedicate time to slow down. I've been doing meditation and yoga for many years. I need these practices to be the best version of myself, but also to reconnect with my inner life. I think it's really great for any artist to be in stillness.”

Mount Pleasant by Kelsea Ballerini 

“Kelsea Ballerini releases EPs between her albums, and I just always feel like they're really personal. With this one, her lyrics and storytelling are so poetic. I just really like the way she blends country music into a little bit of a pop feel, but one that’s really grounded. She's just so vulnerable and honest, and I just respect the hell out of it.”

All Her Fault

“I'm usually big on rewatching old stuff, like One Tree Hill and Gilmore Girls, so I don’t watch a lot of super-current television, but this show got me hooked. It’s majorly bingeable, with an insane performance by Sarah Snook, who I'm obsessed with. I saw her one-woman performance of The Picture of Dorian Gray on Broadway. It was unbelievable. I did my first play last year off Broadway, and it's so exhausting, physically, but that was not even close to the level of what she did. She was onstage by herself for hours doing monologues. She's a superhuman. You see her at the end of the show and she's dripping in sweat — that is how much she put into the performance. She’s a powerhouse, and she’s great in this show. If you want a fun mystery show to watch over the holidays, this is the one.”

What else is Genevieve Hannelius into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/ghannelius. 

Annabel Snoxall

Blue May, executive producer on Lily Allen’s West End Girl, helped hone one of the year’s most unexpected, culturally resonant, and, for lack of a better term, gag-worthy records. But when he’s not helping artists like Allen, Suki Waterhouse, and Jorja Smith create their most vulnerable works, the Angeleno by way of London doesn’t consume a ton of media — although, as he tells ShelfMAG, he is fascinated by the endless West End Girl TikTok discourse, even if he is still a bit overwhelmed by its critical and commercial success. 

Below, he shares the reality show that prepped him to be Allen’s sounding board, the pop bible that sharpened his ear for production, and his “dry” (but wholesome) comfort watch.

Music by Madonna

“That album came right at the moment when I was starting to be aware of what music production is. I remember thinking, ‘This is such a fresh sound.’ [It’s] a pinnacle of the end of the ’90s, the high point [for] technology before it went too far and gave everyone too many options. It feels like the culmination of that era, concentrated into this amazingly stylistic, cohesive record that I love so much. Madonna is so good at picking the producer of the moment. With Music, it was Mirwais [Ahmadzaï]. I was starting to understand what a mixer does on records, and Spike Stent, who mixed Music, became such a big influence for me. ‘What It Feels Like For a Girl’ is, sonically, one of the most perfectly made records of all time.”

Prince: Sign O’ the Times

“That film was massively important to me as a kid. My mom recorded a few concerts [on videotape]. From the age of like 5 or 6, I watched them religiously. It gave me the notion there were these incredible artists that lived and breathed different air and floated on clouds. That’s how I saw Prince. When I saw that it was showing in the IMAX in Los Angeles, I was like, ‘I have to go and see that. I haven't seen that film in probably 20 years.’ And it blew me away again. 

I think life forces you to come to terms with the fact that our heroes are people at the end of the day. But it's like [Peter Pan] and Tinker Bell. If you say you don't believe in fairies, the fairies die. I have that feeling about believing in pop stars and celebrities. If we give up thinking they breathe different air, even though we know they are humans [like] the rest of us, I think the fairies die a bit. I can apply that to Lily. I think she is one of the greats, an icon. If I didn't have that belief that people need to be absolutely supported and helped to create amazing things, I don't think I'd be a very good producer.”

Crazy, Stupid, Love.

“It’s just escapism. When you live in a lot of intensity, [you] really feel quite delicate when [you] finish what [you’re] doing. In the time between my work, I don't want to invite too much anxiety, and I can feel really awkward when I watch films that have a lot of tension in them or things that are hurtful. Whether it's Crazy, Stupid, Love. or Edge of Tomorrow, it's just entertainment. I can enjoy it and zone out of the heavier thoughts I exist in most of the time.”

LUX by Rosalía

“My whole nervous system has been in a heightened place since the Lily record came out. When [LUX] came out, I was lying in bed at my friend's house in London. I put my headphones on in complete darkness and listened back-to-front. It felt so fucking grounding to hear something so bold from [an artist] on her own level. I think about Madonna, Björk, and people who pushed so hard in the ‘90s; Rosalía is, to me, that now. I think it's really interesting to hear how prominently she talked about it being an anti-AI record. It's not that we had that in mind with Lily's record, but, on a core level, as we adapt to what we're being told is the next wave, I haven't experimented with that stuff within music. I just think AI is really fucking dumb and not capable of creativity at all. So that being an important part of [Rosalía’s] motivation to do something, I think that's powerful.”

Couples Therapy

“[Co-producer] Kito was the first person I brought in to work on Lily's record with me. We went through really horrific breakups before [West End Girl] and became much closer friends supporting each other through these traumatizing relationships. One time, we were meant to go out for a drink, and I came to her house, and she had Couples Therapy on. We never left. I think [Dr. Orna Guralnik’s] ability to let people talk it out but enter the conversation at the right time offered a lot of relief. I think there was some serendipity [in] us working on West End Girl, having been through what we've both been through. I'm still none the wiser as to whether I think I'm worthy of a functional relationship, but at the very least, I gained some belief that, fundamentally, most problems exist in miscommunication. If we could learn how to listen to each other a bit more, we might stand more of a chance, you know?”

Perkins Builder Brothers

“My main hobby, not that I have time to do it, is to make things out of wood and build furniture and fix things. I come from a hands-on, capable family where, if something breaks or you need something, you build or fix it. So I find anyone making stuff or fixing things to be deeply relaxing. This is so dry, I feel like I'm exposing myself, but the Perkins Builder Brothers are these two all-American brothers who build houses. I find their houses to be aesthetically offensive. But they really show every part of what they're doing, and they've got this funny team of builders around them. I just like hearing them talk and hammer shit.”

What else is Blue May is into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/bluemay. 

Jason Renaud

Composer, producer, and DJ Hayes Bradley is excited by a lot of things: geeking out about scoring indie films, long runs in L.A. fueled by podcasts, and memorizing every line of dialogue from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. 

But as he tells ShelfMAG over Zoom, right now, he’s most looking forward to walking over to Amoeba Music and buying his new record Audience, the soundscapes of which are informed by a chaotic mix of influences, like the intense movie he’s almost scared to recommend and formative works in the California canon. Below, he also shares the paperback that inspired a song on his new album, the surprisingly dark podcast that gets him in a creative flow, and the action thriller too good for the Hollywood reboot machine.

Mare of Easttown

“I was born in Philly, and my grandparents and cousins are out there. Spending Thanksgiving and Christmas in the suburbs, it’s that kind of mindset of grinding at a pretty shit job all day, everyone's family is super-tight, and the second you come home, you grab a beer. A lot of these shows, nowadays, don't do a lot of research into what the actual place is like, [but this] was spot on. When I'm missing my grandparents, even though it's a pretty gnarly show, I like rewatching it. The dewy leaves and the smell, there's not a lot going on, just going to the bar with your friend, and there's a show at a coffee shop. It’s the opposite of what my life is now, but I really miss it. I hope one day my job allows me to live anywhere, so I can move to the woods.”

Heat

“The best movie of all time. The ending song [‘God Moving Over the Face of Waters’ by Moby] is probably my favorite song. The ending scene with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, he's like, ‘I told you I'd never go back.’ They're at LAX, and I'm from L.A., so the whole movie is very important in my day-to-day life. De Niro and Pacino are kind of the same guy. Their demeanors, their values, their morals are very similar. I'm kind of bummed they're remaking it. That doesn't need to be touched.”

Play It as It Lays by Joan Didion

“An ex-girlfriend gave me that book, and it's incredible, I just find myself opening random pages a lot and going back to it. One of the songs on the album is named ‘Play It As It Lays,’ and I remember I had this [bass] loop. It was always on my computer, and I kept going to studios trying to finish it, and I could never really dig into it. Then I remember being on a plane, and for some reason, I had Play It as It Lays in my bag. I was flipping through some pages, and it got me feeling like, ‘I should finish that song.’ I started working on it, got home, [went] straight to the studio, and I was like, ‘This song has to be called ‘Play It As It Lays.’”

S-Town

“If Netflix was smart, they would just do every single story. [S-Town episodes are] always these killer kinds of [stories]. But I go to Idyllwild a lot to do writing trips. I always listen to it driving up there, and it sounds dark, but it gets me in the right zone to shut my brain off and work on music.”

Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis

“I grew up in the Palisades and went to school in the Valley. There wasn't a lot of outside influence; I would go to track and field practice and then come home. Reading that book made me feel like there's more shit out there. I knew some of it was based on things that actually happened. [It inspired] me and my friend to be like, ‘Let's take the Route 9 bus downtown and go to a punk show’ junior year.”

Irreversible

“There's one of the gnarliest scenes in cinematic history in it. It's Gaspar Noé, who did Climax and Love, and it's just a movie about a night out, but it's backwards. So it starts off very bad and it ends very beautifully. I found out about this movie because I was DJing at this random warehouse in Chicago named Club Rectum. I'm like, ‘What the fuck is that name?’ And they're like, ‘Oh, it's from this movie Irreversible.’ Then I watched the movie at 5 a.m. when I got home, and it was the craziest thing. A cool way of finding out about a movie, and [Thomas Bangalter from Daft Punk] scored it.”

What else is Hayes Bradley is into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/hayesbradley. 

Tom Tuong

Don’t be fooled by Mary Houlihan’s soft-spoken demeanor — the host of a just-launched eponymous podcast isn’t afraid of getting on your nerves when it comes to discussing social issues.

In the span of 20 minutes, the Ziwe collaborator and Comedy Central writer manages to unpack the subtle similarities between Gaza and the Catholic Church, and name-check the abolitionist who inspired her zine. Ahead, Houlihan reveals what’s on her potentially contentious, eccentric Shelf.  

The Wire 

“I watched the whole thing last year and became totally Wire-pilled. To me, the overarching message of The Wire is that in every single industry, whether it's news, police, selling drugs, or teaching, there are good apples and bad apples. You can go in with the best intentions, but you might realize ‘I have to play politics to move up in this,’ and it's kind of depressing. But I find it weirdly encouraging because accepting that those are the rules helps me. It also gets rid of that fantasy of ‘I hate what I'm doing. I wish I could just go do something else.’ Because ‘something else’ is also going to have conniving, power-hungry people, no matter where you work.”

Spotlight

"Spotlight is about the scandals in the Catholic Church. My family's culturally Catholic. We don't really go to church, but I remember as a kid hearing grown-ups talk about the scandals and the people in real life who worked on the stories for The Boston Globe. All of them were culturally Catholic — had grown up with it, but maybe didn't still practice — and I think that's a really interesting thing, because they exposed all this stuff even though it would maybe upset their parents or grandparents. And in a way, they were more reputable and able to write about this because they had grown up in it.

I think the same thing is happening now with Gaza. [For] a lot of Jewish writers, it's so important for them to get the story out because people listen to them, and they're not going to be accused of being antisemitic. Well, they will be, but they can say that's not true. I think the Catholic Church scandals is a good lesson about holding your own people accountable instead of just rounding the wagons and keeping it a secret.”

There’s a Riot Goin’ On by Sly & the Family Stone

“A lot of their early stuff was party music that had a message but was fun and dance-y. And then There’s a Riot Goin’ On, I think most or all of it is recorded solo, [Sly] doing everything. And it's like an emo album. It's sad, kind of hard to dance to, kind of slow, and more radical. It's him being overtly pissed about what's going on in the world instead of trying to sneak it into these pop-y dance songs. And I like both, so it's fun to be able to compare.” 

Harry’s House by Harry Styles

“Everything I've mentioned to you is an allegory for social justice. And for this, I just think the music is good. And whoever is running [Harry Styles’s] brand, I think they're doing a great job. I want more people to check out his music because I think they would like it.”

Walden by Henry David Thoreau 

“I used to write and distribute zines through a Patreon. I moved into a cabin in New Jersey, and you know the book Walden by Henry David Thoreau? He writes about being a writer in the big city and moving to this cabin as a social experiment. So I started incorporating that into my zines, and I would title them ‘Walden, but Good.’ And it would just be stories about crazy neighbors, interactions I had, or little tasks fixing up my cabin.

I think Henry David Thoreau is a very interesting guy. He was an abolitionist, and people who write about him say, if you could picture this happening in contemporary times, people probably would think he's annoying and virtue signaling. So maybe it's OK to be a little bit annoying about this kind of stuff because, obviously, he was on the right side of history. And then the Civil War happened two years after the book was published. I think he's very interesting.”

The Boondocks 

“I really like The Boondocks because I relate to Huey. I think that's the kind of kid I was and still am. Kind of like Henry David Thoreau — being very annoying about social issues, and everyone is kind of like, ‘Can you just shut up about it?’ I find that really relatable. Anytime I see a clip of [Boondocks creator] Aaron McGruder just ranting about something, I always have to watch.”

What else is Mary Houlihan is into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/maryhoulihan. 

Marcus Maddox

Fresh off the release of Suspend earlier this autumn, singer-songwriter Nikita Lev has been busy promoting her second EP, which takes a tough look at loss and heartbreak through introspective lyrics and wistful melodies. And just like how the record spans sad and sexy, funny and serious, she’s also drawn to art that contains multitudes.  

Lev tells ShelfMAG over Zoom that she’s behind on movies — One Battle After Another is still on her list — and she’s comfort-watching Gilmore Girls. But ahead, she shares some crucial Yorgos Lanthimos intel and a timely novel she compares to a Yorkshire beefcake (complimentary).

Without You I’m Nothing

“Sandra Bernhard is brilliant. I've seen her in some other things, and then I watched this movie — it's just showmanship. It's a bunch of scenes of her performing in fabulous outfits. And it's kind of Lynchian in its abstractness. I recognize that her audience isn't reacting much while she is doing these performances, and it makes no difference to her — which is so funny to me as a performer, because the audience reaction is hard. You can't just ignore it, and you feel obligated to respond to whatever they're reacting to or not reacting to. She's just there to do it for her own sake. She's so powerful in her weirdness.”

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

“It's so romantic and so beautiful. I recently started rereading it because I saw that they’re doing a movie. It's got such beautiful language and such beautiful characters. It's also rough and rugged and romantic. I don't know if there's anything new I can say, because I've only just started rereading it … but it's like a romantic, rugged man.” 

Details by Frou Frou

“I have been obsessed with that album recently. I've loved Imogen Heap for a while. I've known about her for a couple of years, and then I watched Garden State, and there was the end scene where they play ‘Let Go.’ I think that album is so unique, so moody and delicate and silly and fun. She's such a character.”

Paradigmes by La Femme

“I love French New Wave and synth-y sounds. They've got horns in the title track, and they've got horse hooves. The way that the album flows is so cool, coherent, and evocative. It's nothing like I've ever heard before. A lot of the time when I'm listening to music, I'm just walking down the street, so it's just a great scene.”  

Dummy by Portishead

“I resonated with Portishead so much because they're so soft but hard, and the arrangements are so interesting and so perfect. They pull it together, and it feels like that's the only way that it works. It's so emotive and nuanced. All these albums have a similar theme in my head: groovy, but sad and thoughtful.”

Bugonia

“I recently watched the new Yorgos Lanthimos, which was insane. I don't want to spoil it, but I think the arc is so perfectly done. If it hadn't ended the way it did, I would've been disappointed. My friend recently was in Greece, and I went to see it with her. She told me she was having her nails done, and the woman who was doing her nails was like, ‘Yorgos Lanthimos grew up in this town.’ And she was like, ‘No one here is like that. He's the only one that's like that.’” 

What else is Nikita Lev is into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/nikitalev. 

Tyler Wu

Please welcome to the stage... Mood Board, a new ShelfMAG series highlighting need-to-know creative people with new projects — and all the books, films, shows, and more that went into the making of them. It's not procrastination if it ends up in the final draft.

Nobu Woods has built a universe, and he’s named it CHIMERA. The mixtape, out Nov. 14, details a deeply poisonous relationship while drawing inspiration from an obscure Scottish rock album, DC Comics’ Gotham City, and ”Toronto’s signature dark R&B sound.” Ahead, Woods reveals to ShelfMAG what influenced his most experimental project to date. 

Trilogy by The Weeknd 

“I listened to a lot of his music growing up, and I still listen to that album now. I try to take inspiration from that sound because it was such a pivotal time for R&B. It's very different from everything else that was dropping at that time, and he changed the sound forever with that. With this project, I'm also trying to fill [the genre] with that dark R&B.  

[The Weeknd] has this specific way he balances his voice being so hauntingly calming and the instrumentals being so dark. It gives this contrast I really love, and I try to bring that same kind of contrast into my music.”

Mezzanine by Massive Attack

“That’s another classic. This project is a year in the making, I would say, and I was listening to that a lot. That Mezzanine project has a lot of very dark, very deep production. I take inspiration from that production with CHIMERA for sure.”

Heaven or Las Vegas by Cocteau Twins

“I was listening to Las Vegas and Mezzanine by Massive Attack a lot while creating this album. The euphoric feel from Las Vegas made me feel like I was in a different place. It puts me in a different world, and I try to do that with my music as well — create a space when you listen to it that just feels like that project.”

The Batman (2022)

“Being that the movie is really dark, there were a lot of moments where the reds really stood out, even with the logo. The contrast with the black and the red was very important for me for this project, but for me, it's kind of a different approach. The red symbolizes romance, passion, and those highs. And the black, the darkness and how things change and shift within that.” 

The Penguin

“I was watching it throughout [the writing and recording process] as well, and it was one of my favorite shows. The outfits inspired a lot of the outfits I've been wearing for this rollout and videos. There's also that red theme that spoke to me.”

Batman Beyond 

“Batman Beyond is one of my favorite things to watch. As you can see, I'm a big, big Batman fan. It's based in the future, and during this project, I had it on a lot in the background. I think it inspired a lot of the production or helped me build that world. My production on this project feels more electronic in a way — like synth-y. I think it definitely played a big part.”

What else is Nobu Woods into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/nobuwoods. 

Copper Taylor-Bogaar

You really get to know a person on tour — so much so that, if you had to name your bandmates’ most up-to-date film, TV, music, and book preferences, you could deduce them methodically and with minimal clues in under 20 minutes.

Folk Bitch Trio did exactly that when ShelfMAG recently stopped by their label’s office for a lightning round of “guess what’s on one another’s Shelves.” To be fair, Heide Peverelle, Jeanie Pilkington, and Gracie Sinclair had a heavy advantage given that they met in high school, but the three-piece outfit still displayed remarkable insight — and, dare we say, true friendship — in their answers, which spanned handsome men, dream ponies, and Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

As Folk Bitch Trio continue playing across North America, Australia, and Europe, see some highlights from their highly efficient game, after which you’ll find their fully revealed Shelves.

The Album That Elicited Multiple Rounds of Giggles (Insert Your Own Giggles Just About Anywhere)

Jeanie Pilkington: You’ve got a record on your Shelf?

Heide Peverelle: I do.

JP: Are you listening to it a lot right now? Or back in the day?

HP: It’s current … The camera can’t see this, but I’m giving Jeanie bug eyes right now.

JP: …a man?

HP: Yeah, a man.

JP: A gorgeous man?

HP: A gorgeous man, yeah.

JP: Marlon Williams … Our friend, who’s also gorgeous.

The Now-TikTok-Famous Book That’s Also a Miniseries

Gracie Sinclair: I actually have been talking about it.

JP: Yeah, it’s the one you were watching on Tubi, with the horses. I knew you would do it, and I felt like a bad friend because I couldn't remember what it's called, and then I forgot to check. Pony? Something Pony? Dream Ponies, Horses. Dream Daisies?

GS: Would I ever watch something called Dream Pony? It’s called Lonesome Dove — fantastic. That’s my one TV show.

The Sun Also Fiestas

GS: It’s a book I have with me, and a book I’m actually reading.

JP: The Hemingway one. Fiesta?

GS: A Moveable Feast. Fiesta is one I did bring last time. [The other book] is actually referenced in a Folk Bitch Trio song. It’s in [“God’s a Different Sword”].

JP: Oh, it's The Body Keeps the Score.

GS: Yeah, I actually started reading it, and it's so much more personable and palatable than I thought it was going to be. I thought it was going to be a little bit academic. I started crunching it because it's so easy to read.

A Record Technically Named After the Midwest, But That’s OK

JP: I don’t really know what you’d say for this.

HP: Can you shake ass to it?

JP: You can't really shake ass to it, but you could do some whimsical…

HP: Have we listened to it together?

JP: I don't know if we've listened to it together, but you asked me what I was listening to in the van the other day, and I told you this album. So it's a good test of whether or not you were actually listening.

HP: [head in hands]

JP: I think Gracie might have been asleep, so there’s a chance you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about… I’ll give you a big clue: The [title track] of this record is somewhere we're going in a few days.

GS: Montreal, Portland … East Coast or West Coast?

JP: East Coast.

GS: Saskatchewan.

JP: It’s in America … It’s the Sufjan Stevens record Illinois.

What else are Folk Bitch Trio into? Get real-time updates at

shelf.im/graciesinclair

shelf.im/jeaniepilkington

shelf.im/heidepeverelle

Peter Quinn

If music be the food of love, then Aaron Elliott’s love of food would be soundtracked by King Tubby and Scratch Perry.

The punk-drummer-turned-chef and the founder of Meal Ticket — a perpetually-sold-out delivery service in L.A. — tells ShelfMAG that he prefers cooking to reggae and dub supplied by the NTS Radio show Blood & Fire. But on the days he’s operating out of a shared kitchen, there’s only one rule: “no dance, no techno, and no house music.”

Elsewhere on Elliott’s Shelf, the theme of self-discipline runs through both his book pick and a film so intense he can only watch it sporadically. (Hint: He does liken learning jazz as a punk drummer to staging at Noma as a vegan chef.) Below, he also shares the retro cookbook his wife found at an estate sale, the show that inspired a restaurant concept, and a beloved podcast episode in which a culinary legend reminisces on bartering a coffee machine for a controlled substance.

Whiplash

“I remember seeing it, and as soon as we got out, I was like, ‘That's my No. 1 favorite movie.’ It's such a stressful movie that it's not something I can watch [more than] once a year. I hear a lot of chefs compare coming up in kitchens to that sort of toxic relationship with the conductor; luckily, I dodged that on both ends. But Miles Teller’s work ethic was so cool and how he became like, ‘nothing else matters other than perfecting the craft.’ I can definitely relate to that. I remember when I first started, I was working two jobs, and I really wanted to learn how to bake, so I took the graveyard shift at a bakery. And I just remember thinking — I'm not proud of this — ‘Oh, I can't have a relationship right now. I need to get better, and nothing can get in the way.’ But now I'm all about balance.”

“This Is My Dinner” by Sun Kil Moon

“I used to have a Spotify playlist called ‘12-minute songs I wish were 13 minutes.’ There was a Kamasi Washington, a War on Drugs song, and that Sun Kil Moon song. Every December, my wife and I go really hard on Christmas movies and music, and that song references Christmas. So it's not something I listen to year-round, but it has the energy of the weather right now.”

Zen Macrobiotic Cooking by Michel Abehsera

“I've always been obsessed with macrobiotic food and that lifestyle. And I feel like whenever I look through the book, I think I should modernize macrobiotic cooking. And then the more I think about that, the more I'm like, ‘Oh, that is how I cook.’ It didn't really have anything to do with clients — it just fell more into ‘This is how I want to eat.’ It gets a bad rap of being bland and too simple, but as far as the seasonality and cooking with a lot of sea vegetables goes, that's why I compare what I'm doing to a modernized version of that.”

How Long Gone

“[Nancy Silverton] is my favorite chef, so that's why I was drawn towards that episode. Clearly, she's worked in restaurants for decades because you can tell she can hang with anybody. She tells a story about how, in her early days of cooking, she traded a coffee machine for cocaine. And hearing her — I think she's in her 70s now — tell this story is just so funny. [If I had to cook for her], for Meal Ticket, I've been making a a Job's tears salad lately. It was all summer veg, and now it's pumpkin and sunchokes. The salad showcases what's best at the farmers market. And it has a mint yogurt dressing. I think that would be it.”

Stay Fanatic!!! Vol. 4 by Henry Rollins

“Henry Rollins is one of my idols, and he’s an obsessive record collector. It's basically journal entries of his journey through collecting vinyl. And in that, he talks about his work. His work ethic is very inspiring — he’s one of those people that, no matter how hard you're working, makes you feel like you're not doing enough. I've been reading the fourth book slowly for months because I [thought] there wasn’t anything after this. But now that there's a fifth one, I have no problem finishing it. But I'm very, when a show comes out, even if this show releases all the episodes, I have a rule that I'm only watching one a week. It drives my wife insane.”

Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories

“I think a lot of chefs romanticize having a 10-seat restaurant and being the only one that works there, so I have it in my head that I want to do a Midnight Diner-style restaurant. There’s a huge parallel [between the show and what I do]. I don't submit menus to my clients; I've been with them for so long that I know. But they'll come home at 4:30 p.m. and say they want something. And I always love that challenge of having an hour and a half before dinner and trying to pull it off. Because I only cook vegan, around Thanksgiving or Christmas, someone will say, ‘This is a cake my mom used to make. Can you make a vegan version?’ That's always really high-pressure but also a lot of fun. It just feels really cool to to be asked to do that.”

What else is Aaron Elliott into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/aaronelliott.

Mark Ambor is on the come up. Since dropping his album Rockwood last year, the New York-based singer’s made a name for himself with a spot on the Billboard Hot 100; more than 25 global platinum certifications, according to a press release; and that unforgettable raspy voice. 

“Closer to Me,” the first single from Ambor’s upcoming album, is out Nov. 7, and judging by its head-banging tempo, the singer-songwriter seems to be experimenting with his signature folkie pop sound. Ahead, Ambor tells ShelfMAG about the magic of Billy Joel and how he’s taking cues from Olivia Dean and Rod Stewart.

Ryan Falcoa

"It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" by Billy Joel

“I've been listening to a lot of Billy Joel and music from that era because his songwriting is really inspiring. The way he weaves in such specific characters and builds a world around him vividly is so cool, and I am striving for that in this next thing I'm making. ‘It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me’ really sticks out. Sometimes when lyrics are too specific, I find myself getting detached, but there's something about it that pulls you in. The lyrics are very specific in an interesting way where you're not turned off.”

“So Easy (To Fall in Love)” by Olivia Dean

“I've known about Olivia Dean — I've seen ‘Dive’ and ‘The Hardest Part.’ But I dove deep when The Art of Loving came out. I listened top to bottom, and there's just an effortlessness about ‘So Easy (To Fall in Love)’ that is so inviting. I think it's her vocal delivery. Everything's perfect. The production's perfect, everything just feels right. 

I've been inspired by her visuals and creative direction around the album, but also the songs and how, from my understanding, she's consistently putting out things that are authentic to her. And slowly, she's found success doing that.”

And The Writer Is…with Ross Golan

“I've always been someone who loves hearing how people have found their success. I feel like I've learned a lot about music-industry stuff and also songwriting sessions through [the podcast]. You get this overall life story to where [the guest artists] are right now. You hear about their struggle, and then you hear about their big success, and you hear about their lull, and then you hear about their headspace. I feel like it gives you a more complete picture of success.”

“Bless the Telephone” by Labi Siffre

“So 'I’ve Seen It’ by Olivia Dean... I really liked that song. I sent it to my brother and he was like, ‘Oh, this reminds me of this song.’ And he sent me ‘Bless the Telephone’ back, which is an older song. It's very minimal and acoustic, but the chords feel similar. It's a great when-you-wake-up kind of song to ease you into your day. It's so simple and easy to listen to.”

“Maggie May” by Rod Stewart

“I'm inspired by basically one thing about this song: the structure. It starts off very instrumental, where you've kind of have no idea what's happening. It just feels good. Then it kicks into the song, then it goes into this other instrumental part that's really catchy, and then it goes back into the song. That defines, I feel, a lot of music from that era that I'm also inspired by and pulling from [on my upcoming album]. It's just ‘We're going to make stuff that feels good, and we're going to see what happens,’ which I love.”

“Charlie’s Garden” by djo

“That's another one I randomly found recently. Obviously I've seen him a lot because of 'End of Beginning.’ I recently tried to dive in on his album and there are a bunch of cool songs that feel are not necessarily conventional, but good, exciting to listen to, and interesting. Clearly I'm in this phase of finding inspiration in things like that.”

Curious about what else Mark Ambor is into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/markambor.

In between preparation for her new album Ur An Angel I’m Just Particles, out Nov. 7, and keeping that Pink Pantheress collab under wraps, BENEE still finds time to play Catan with her friends. 

But even while the “Supalonely” artist chats with ShelfMAG over Zoom about the role-playing game, resurrecting Doechii’s “Spookie Coochie” for her Halloweekend DJ set, and her love for “strange, wack, hilarious, and terrifying” films, she’s not afraid to get existential with her literary picks. Tap in to find out everything keeping BENEE entertained. 

Jorge Rico

Essentials by Erika de Casier

“I think she is such a cool artist. Her melodies and her voice stand out to me. It's just so soothing and sexy and cool. I love listening to her music — it's a great vibe anywhere you go.” 

“DEATH COMES FROM THE SKY” by Unknown Mortal Orchestra

“I love Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and this is a standout on their latest EP, which speaks to me. It's so beautiful and so sad. I love the instrumentation on all their songs. The whole EP is really good, but I just think the concept of death comes from the skies — I've never heard that before. I think it might be a sign of the times. It feels pretty existential, and that is a big theme in my album, so maybe that's why I'm so drawn to it — I have been asking those really big questions lately.”

King of the Hill

“I remember first trying to watch it a year or so ago, and I was not getting it. I was like, ‘This is so redneck.’ But now I'm like, ‘This is genius!’ It's so freaking funny. I watch it with my boyfriend, and we’re just laughing because it's so silly and entertaining.”

Weapons

“I love Weapons. It's so freaking weird. I think that when a film or a series is so wack that you can't even guess what it's about — when you're kind of laughing and then you're equally terrified. I think that's genius.”

Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking

“I'm not a huge reader because I am pretty dyslexic, but this was one I read recently-ish, where I found myself so fixated on finishing it, which is unlike me. I found myself so lost in the ideas he was talking about. And it is just brief answers to big questions. I think it is probably just my frontal lobe developing fully now that I'm 25, but I'm like, ‘What are we doing on this rock? What is out there, you know?’ And I think it was really nice to read the perspective of a scientist. I love hearing what scientists have to say, or anyone who's studied something for a long, long time.”

Catan

“Catan is on my list because I'm obsessed. I've been playing it with a bunch of friends, and it's such a nerdy game, but it's so addicting. When I bring people over who haven't played it, they get pretty hooked. It builds community. It's a good vibe.”

Curious about what else BENEE is into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/beneemusic

CJ Harvey

There’s been much discourse around showgirls (and even more high-kicking imitators teetering down the streets this Halloween), but Katie Schecter says she thinks of herself as a “Swinging Sixties pop” devotee. The artist has the Bardot fringe to show for it — which she fluffs from time to time when she calls ShelfMAG from her Nashville home — and a vintage-y new album titled Empress, produced by her husband, Cage The Elephant guitarist Nick Bockrath.

A sense of the handmade and time-worn comes through on the record, as it does on Schecter’s André 3000- and Beatles-referencing Shelf. Below, see the obscure track she says everyone in the world should know, a “gem” of a release that’s also an Empress crossover event, and the paradigm-shifting podcast featuring her dream collaborator (if you’re reading this, Mr. 3000…).

McCartney 3, 2, 1

“When that came out, it felt like a gift directly to me because I’ve always wanted to hear certain Beatles tracks isolated. Paul McCartney is just the coolest person on the planet, and he was talking about those songs as though he’s still an up-and-coming artist. But to think about these guys recording and all the intricacies and how even going about an edit could blow the entire project is so magical to me. I'm an analog girl, so I'm just like, ‘Wow.’”

Broken Record

“Full disclosure: I'm not a big podcast girly. I feel like my life is a podcast. But my husband is the one who put that on, and we ended up listening to the entire thing. And I specified the André 3000 episode because I thought the interview was so honest. I like when artists tell you why they do what they do. OutKast — they were on top of the freaking world, and they could have kept pushing. And he was like, ‘But I wasn't there anymore. It felt phony.’ And to then come out with a flute record, I'm like, ‘This guy just follows his creative heart,’ and I found that really inspiring.

My Home Is Not in This World by Natalie Bergman

“This is a dear friend of mine, and she is a wonderful, wonderful artist. This recent record is incredible, and there are a lot of crossover musicians [on Empress], which is cool to hear them in a different light. She made a song for her son called ‘Song for Arthur’ that is absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful. But I’m a Swinging Sixties pop girly, so I love the song ‘Gunslinger.’ It's got a little nod to Link Wray’s ‘Fire and Brimstone.’ The chorus is great, and you're just hooked the second you turn it on.”

“Can’t Stop the Want” by Sandy Sarjeant

“I have a deep obsession with finding amazing recordings. My husband is a very avid vinyl collector, and he found me the 45 for this song, but I found that track. I was listening to a compilation that led me to something that then led me to finding this tune that somehow no one's heard of, even all my music friends who know everything. The second I pressed play, I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is the best song ever.’ And I went to YouTube, where there's a video of her performing it live. She had an Edie Sedgwick tragicness about her — that's the vibe I get. But this song is, out the gate, an earworm. And it's just like, how does everyone in the world not know this song?”

The Shieldbreaker Saga by Thomas Clark Schecter

“My big brother wrote a book. He’s always been a great writer and a great musician. I grew up with him blasting Stone Temple Pilots and Alice In Chains in the next room, so we could always hear what each other was working on. And when I finally wanted to start making music, he was like, ‘Let me get you set up.’ He was a really good big brother in that way. And I just never know what he's going to come out with next. Out of the blue, he was like, ‘I'm thinking about writing a book.’ And then it was like, voilà. It's a thriller — and it's violent. If you complain about nowadays being violent, you should go back — the year 12 sounds like shit was really crazy.”

Empress

“I feel really proud of this record because I got a lot of, ‘Oh, now that you're a mom, are you still going to do music?’ So this record is for all those cats. And, yeah, I'm still going to do music — I didn't get a lobotomy.

When we went to New York to record the bulk of the songs live-to-tape at the Diamond Mine, I had my daughter in my belly. I was just waddling about, and we made that whole record in less than a week. And then, when we were back in Nashville, my husband was doing overdubs. When it got to the very end of that process, I had the idea to put a video of me when I first heard my daughter's heartbeat in one of the tracks. Ultimately, I felt like the final track of the album was the perfect spot for that, and my husband perfectly laid it into the intro. So it's sort of like the journey of recording: I was cooking her, and then she came to life, and I came to life, and the record closes. And that’s when my new existence began, in a strange way. So it feels like a full-circle moment.”

What else is Katie Schecter into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/katieschecter.