Steven Hyden
{{Short description|American music critic (born 1977)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Steven Hyden
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|9|7}}
| birth_place = Appleton, Wisconsin, U.S.
| alma_mater = University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
| occupation = Music critic, podcast host
| employer = Uproxx
| notable_works = Your Favorite Band Is Killing Me
Twilight of the Gods
Hard to Handle (with Steve Gorman)
This Isn't Happening
}}
Steven Hyden (born September 7, 1977) is an American music critic, author, and podcast host. He is the author of the books Your Favorite Band Is Killing Me (2016, on rivalries in pop music history), Twilight of the Gods (2018, on the history of classic rock), Hard to Handle (2019, co-authored with Steve Gorman about The Black Crowes), This Isn't Happening (2020, about Radiohead's Kid A) and Long Road (2022, about Pearl Jam's influence on a generation). He co-hosts the podcasts Indiecast (with Ian Cohen) and 36 From the Vault (with Rob Mitchum) and previously hosted the podcasts Rivals, Break Stuff: The Story of Woodstock '99, and Celebration Rock. He is a critic for Uproxx and previously served as staff writer at Grantland and an editor at The A.V. Club.
Early life
Steven Hyden was born on September 7, 1977{{Cite news|url=https://twitter.com/Steven_Hyden/status/905778201103912960|title=It's my son's 1st day of kindergarten and my 40th birthday.|last=Hyden|first=Steven|date=September 7, 2017|work=Twitter|access-date=2018-07-12|language=en}} in Wisconsin. He graduated from Appleton East High School,{{Cite news|url=https://www.postcrescent.com/story/entertainment/2016/05/13/beatles-stones-answer-may-say-lot-you/84019090/|title=Beatles or Stones? Answer may say a lot about you|last=Nyman|first=Shane|date=May 13, 2016|work=Post-Crescent Media|access-date=2018-07-12|language=en}} then the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire{{Cite web |url=http://www.uwec.edu/CJ/news/devroy/fellows.htm |title=Ann Devroy Fellows, Scholarships, Academics, Communication and Journalism, UW-Eau Claire |access-date=September 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131123134742/http://www.uwec.edu/CJ/news/devroy/fellows.htm |archive-date=November 23, 2013 |url-status=dead }} in 2000.
Career
Hyden began his career with The Post-Crescent in 1993; then 15 years old, he contributed to a weekly section for teenagers (his first submission, hand-written, was a review of the 1993 album Zooropa by U2). He continued working for the paper as an intern while in college, and then joined the staff as a full-time reporter when he graduated in 2000.
He joined UPROXX as a cultural critic in July 2016.{{Cite web|url=http://uproxx.com/author/steven-hyden/|title=Steven Hyden|website=UPROXX|language=en-US|access-date=2018-07-12}} He previously worked at Grantland as a staff writer and at The A.V. Club as an editor. His music criticism has been published in several other outlets including Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Slate, American Songwriter and Salon.com.{{Cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/staff/|title=Masthead {{!}} Pitchfork|website=pitchfork.com|language=en|access-date=2018-07-12}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.milwaukeemag.com/author/Steven_Hyden|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911132112/http://www.milwaukeemag.com/author/Steven_Hyden|url-status=dead|title=Milwaukee Mag.com|archive-date=September 11, 2014|access-date=November 9, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.americansongwriter.com/tag/steven-hyden/|title=Steven Hyden Archives « American Songwriter|website=American Songwriter|language=en-US|access-date=2018-07-12}}{{Cite web|title=Steven Hyden's Articles at Salon.com|url=https://www.salon.com/writer/steven_hyden|access-date=2021-09-10|website=www.salon.com}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/contributor/steven-hyden|title=Steven Hyden|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|access-date=2018-07-12}}
=Podcasts=
==''Celebration Rock''==
From January 2016 - December 2018, Hyden hosted the Celebration Rock podcast.{{Cite web|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/celebration-rock/id1078374288?mt=2|title=Celebration Rock by Westwood One on Apple Podcasts|website=Apple Podcasts|language=en|access-date=2018-07-12}} A new episode debuted weekly on Monday afternoon and usually ran about 50–60 minutes in length. Hyden and his guests covered topics ranging from "Best Rock Albums of the '10's (so far)" to hour-long interviews with artists (Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, Deftones) and hosting other critics to discuss their famous works. The podcast mostly emphasized the current rock scene, but also dove into the past with episodes and interviews about The Replacements, Cheap Trick, and others.
==''Break Stuff: The Story of Woodstock '99''==
From July 9, 2019 to August 27, 2019,{{Cite web|url=https://luminarypodcasts.com/listen/the-ringer/break-stuff-the-story-of-woodstock-99/708febba-17a8-4f4b-a81f-63b1a53e7135?country=US|title=Break Stuff: The Story of Woodstock '99|website=Luminary|access-date=2022-04-25|language=en-US}} Hyden hosted an eight episode podcast about the Woodstock '99 festival on the subscription podcast network Luminary. He later appeared as an expert on the HBO documentary Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, And Rage.
==''Rivals''==
From February 6, 2020 to January 27, 2021, Hyden co-hosted Rivals, a podcast about rivalries between band-mates and contemporaries in rock, with Jordan Runtaugh.{{Cite web|title=Rivals: Music's Greatest Feuds on Apple Podcasts|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rivals-musics-greatest-feuds/id1494336314|access-date=2021-09-10|website=Apple Podcasts|language=en-US}}
==''Indiecast''==
In July 2020, Hyden began co-hosting Indiecast, a podcast about indie music news and trends, with Ian Cohen.{{Cite web|title=Indiecast on Apple Podcasts|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/indiecast/id1524940951|access-date=2021-09-10|website=Apple Podcasts|language=en-US}}
==''36 From the Vault''==
In January 2020, Hyden began co-hosting 36 From the Vault, a podcast about the Grateful Dead's live album series Dick's Picks, with co-host Rob Mitchum.{{Cite web|title=36 From the Vault|url=https://www.osirispod.com/podcasts/36-from-the-vault/|access-date=2021-09-10|website=Osiris|language=en-US}}
==''Never Ending Stories''==
In 2023, Hyden began co-hosting Never Ending Stories, a podcast about Bob Dylan's Never Ending Tour and other live recordings, with the hosts of Jokermen, an initially Dylan-themed podcast. {{Cite web|title=36 From the Vault|url=https://jokermen.substack.com/about/|access-date=2024-06-06|website=Patreon|language=en-US}}
= Books =
==''Inventory''==
In 2009, Hyden was a co-author of the book Inventory: 16 Films Featuring Manic Pixie Dream Girls, 10 Great Songs Nearly Ruined by Saxophone, and 100 More Obsessively Specific Pop-Culture Lists,{{Cite web|title=Comet Branding - We Talk about Brands|url=https://cometbranding.com/|access-date=2021-09-10|website=Comet Branding|language=en-US}} a collection of lists from The A.V. Club.{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121358884|title='Obsessively Specific': The A.V. Club's Book Of Lists|date=December 11, 2009|work=Weekend Edition|access-date=2018-07-12|publisher=NPR|language=en}}
== ''Whatever Happened to Alternative Nation?'' ==
In 2011, Hyden published the e-book Whatever Happened To Alternative Nation?, a critical analysis and personal reflection on 1990s alternative rock that originally ran as a 10-part series at The A.V. Club.{{Cite news|url=http://dangerousminds.net/comments/steven_hydens_whatever_happened_to_alternative_nation|title=Steven Hyden's 'Whatever Happened To Alternative Nation?'|date=2011-03-19|work=DangerousMinds|access-date=2018-07-12}}
==''Your Favorite Band Is Killing Me''==
On May 17, 2016 Hyden released Your Favorite Band Is Killing Me, published by Back Bay Books.{{Cite news|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-316-25915-6|title=Nonfiction Book Review: Your Favorite Band Is Killing Me: What Pop Music Rivalries Reveal About the Meaning of Life by Steven Hyden. Back Bay, $16.99 trade paper (304p) ISBN 978-0-316-25915-6|date=February 8, 2016|work=Publishers Weekly|access-date=2018-07-12|language=en}} It is a collection of essays on famous pop music rivalries throughout rock history, including Oasis versus Blur, Beatles versus Rolling Stones, and Madonna versus Cyndi Lauper.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/05/books/review/your-favorite-band-is-killing-me-and-your-song-changed-my-life.html|title='Your Favorite Band Is Killing Me' and 'Your Song Changed My Life'|last=Light|first=Alan|date=June 1, 2016|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-07-12|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/what-do-pop-music-rivalries-reveal-about-the-meaning-of-life/2016/05/02/7e531b22-0f95-11e6-8967-7ac733c56f12_story.html|title=What do pop music rivalries reveal about the meaning of life?|last=Klimek|first=Chris|date=May 2, 2016|newspaper=Washington Post|language=en|access-date=2018-07-12}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/book-reviews/review-beatles-or-stone-steven-hydens-your-favourite-band-is-killing-me-explores-musical-rivalries/article30502164/|title=Review: Beatles or Stones? Steven Hyden's Your Favourite Band is Killing Me explores musical rivalries|last=O'Kane|first=Josh|date=June 17, 2016|work=The Globe and Mail|access-date=2018-07-12}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/3-great-rock-books-to-read-this-month-72630/why-pop-rivalries-matter-26299/|title=3 Great Rock Books to Read This Month|last=Hermes|first=Patrick Doyle,Will|date=2016-04-25|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=2018-07-12|language=en-US}}
==''Twilight of the Gods''==
On May 1, 2018,{{Cite news|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-265712-1|title=Nonfiction Book Review: Twilight of the Gods: A Journey to the End of Classic Rock by Steven Hyden. Dey Street, $25.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-06-265712-1|date=April 23, 2018|work=Publishers Weekly|access-date=2018-07-13|language=en}} Hyden published Twilight of the Gods: A Journey to the End of Classic Rock.{{Cite news|url=https://www.avclub.com/the-lily-white-twilight-of-the-gods-plays-a-requiem-for-1825530509|title=The lily-white Twilight Of The Gods plays a requiem for the giants of classic rock|last=Fertel|first=Rien|date=May 7, 2018|work=The A.V. Club|access-date=2018-07-12|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/05/was-classic-rock-a-sound-or-a-tribe/561188/|title=What Was Classic Rock?|last=Kornhaber|first=Spencer|date=2018-05-28|work=The Atlantic|access-date=2018-07-12|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/2018/06/01/fiction-non-fiction-best-books-summer-reading-940892.html|title=Our list of 2018's best fiction and non-fiction (so far) adds up to 50 books to read before Labor Day|date=2018-05-23|work=Newsweek|access-date=2018-07-12|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestranger.com/books/2018/05/10/26162594/rock-n-roll-requiem-steven-hydens-twilight-of-the-gods|title=Rock 'n' Roll Requiem: Steven Hyden's Twilight of the Gods|last=Lannamann|first=Ned|date=May 10, 2018|work=The Stranger|access-date=2018-07-13|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.thecurrent.org/feature/2018/05/01/steven-hyden-twilight-gods|title=Rock and Roll Book Club: Steven Hyden's 'Twilight of the Gods'|last=Gabler|first=Jay|date=May 2, 2018|work=The Current|access-date=2018-07-13}} The 19-chapter book is structured to resemble a double-LP, with "tracks" divided among four "sides".{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/can-classic-rock-survive-the-death-of-classic-rock-stars/2018/05/09/b49f6c7a-53be-11e8-abd8-265bd07a9859_story.html|title=Review {{!}} Can classic rock survive the death of classic rock stars?|last=Klimek|first=Chris|date=May 10, 2018|newspaper=Washington Post|language=en|access-date=2018-07-12}}
==''Hard to Handle: The Life and Death of the Black Crowes''==
On September 24, 2019,{{Cite news|url=https://www.postcrescent.com/story/entertainment/2019/03/06/black-crowes-book-appleton-author-steven-hyden-debuts-hard-handle/3078751002/|title=Appleton native author's next big gig: Telling the rock 'n' roll saga of the Black Crowes|date=March 6, 2019|work=Appleton Post-Crescent|access-date=2022-04-25|language=en}} Hyden published Hard to Handle: The Life and Death of the Black Crowes with co-author Steve Gorman about the latter's time as the drummer in the American rock band The Black Crowes.
==''This Isn't Happening: Radiohead's "Kid A" and the Beginning of the 21st Century''==
On September 29, 2020,{{Cite news|url=https://badfeelingmag.com/2020/09/24/review-steven-hydens-this-isnt-happening-contextualizes-the-impact-of-radioheads-landmark-kid-a-album/|title=Review: Steven Hyden's This Isn't Happening contextualizes the impact of Radiohead's landmark Kid A album|date=September 24, 2020|work=Bad Feeling Magazine|language=en}} Hyden published This Isn't Happening: Radiohead's "Kid A" and the Beginning of the 21st Century about Radiohead's 2000 album Kid A and its broader cultural context and influence.{{cite book |last1=Hyden |first1=Steven |title=Radiohead book announcement |url=https://www.hachettebooks.com/titles/steven-hyden/this-isnt-happening/9780306845697/ |website=HachetteBooks.com |date=January 7, 2020 |publisher=Hachette Books |isbn=9780306845697 |access-date=August 23, 2020}}{{Cite web|last=Hogan|first=Marc|title=How Radiohead Struggled to Reinvent Themselves While Making Kid A|url=https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/radiohead-kid-a-book-this-isnt-happening-excerpt-steven-hyden/|access-date=2021-01-02|website=Pitchfork|date=September 24, 2020 |language=en-us}}{{Cite web|last=Sigler|first=Gabriel|date=2020-09-24|title=Review: Steven Hyden's This Isn't Happening contextualizes the impact of Radiohead's landmark Kid A album|url=https://badfeelingmag.com/2020/09/24/review-steven-hydens-this-isnt-happening-contextualizes-the-impact-of-radioheads-landmark-kid-a-album/|access-date=2021-01-02|website=Bad Feeling Magazine|language=en-CA}}{{Cite web|last=Kingsley|first=Brock|date=2020-10-02|title=To Be Excited and Confused in "This Isn't Happening"|url=https://chireviewofbooks.com/2020/10/02/this-isnt-happening/|access-date=2021-01-02|website=Chicago Review of Books|language=en}}
==''Long Road: Pearl Jam and the Soundtrack of a Generation''==
Hyden's Long Road: Pearl Jam and the Soundtrack of a Generation, was published by Hachette Books on September 27, 2022.{{cite book|url=https://www.hachettebooks.com/titles/steven-hyden/long-road/9781668610916/|work=Hachette Books|isbn=9781668610916 |language=en|title=Long Road |date=January 8, 2022 }} AllMusic interviewed Hyden about his publication and enquired about Pearl Jam's decision to release a number of 2000 live shows.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/blog/post/pearl-jams-long-road-and-live-albums-with-steven-hyden|title=Pearl Jam's Long Road and Live Albums with Steven Hyden|website=AllMusic|access-date=November 9, 2022}}
Personal life
Hyden is married{{Cite news|url=https://uproxx.com/music/steven-hyden-your-favorite-band-is-killing-me/|title=UPROXX 20: Steven Hyden Still Reads Websites Even After They've Insulted Him|last=Dykes|first=Bretty Michael|date=2016-05-18|work=Uproxx|access-date=2018-07-12|language=en-US}} and lives in Minneapolis.
References
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Category:Writers from Wisconsin
Category:American music critics
Category:University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire alumni
Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers