Hi, Rookies!

This month’s theme is Consumption: foooood, consumerism, materialism, processing ye olde popular culture. Inspirations: The Queen of Versailles and the rest of Lauren Greenfield’s work, Spring Breakers, The Bling Ring, Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. Rich Kids of Instagram. Madonna’s “Material Girl.” Kanye’s “All of the Lights.” So much Kanye. Like this basically ancient video of a basically fetal Kanye performing part of “All Falls Down”:

He’s done so many great songs about the complexities of materialism and status that it was hard to pick just one for this playlist. Here, I give you 14 songs about money, cars, substances, le secks, and other pleasures/necessities/indulgences:

Photo: Jackie Siegel, from Lauren Greenfield’s documentary “The Queen of Versailles,” by Lauren Greenfield/Institute.

Illustration by Minna.

Illustration by Minna.

Many of these songs are neither entirely celebratory nor altogether scornful, as this stuff is so, so complicated. That’s what we’ll be exploring this month, and if you have a written piece or photo album or illustration set that does the same, send it our way at [email protected]. If you wanna get a head start on next month’s theme, it’s Lost and Found—all about solitude and self-discovery.

Thank you, as always, for being here.

Tavi