John Seabrook
John Seabrook has been a contributor to The New Yorker since 1989 and became a staff writer in 1993. He has published four books, including, most recently, “ The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory.”
Read more on The New Yorker →12 picks · 1993–2022
Featured Picks
tools of the trade ·
The space cowboy on finding a home for his four hundred and fifty guitars. John Seabrook writes.
the musical life ·
The pair on touring together and on their new album, “Everybody Knows.” It’s a collaboration fifty years in the making.
profiles ·
John Seabrook on the rise of the hip-hop producer who has created hits for Miley Cyrus, Jay Z, Kanye West, Rihanna, and Beyoncé.
a reporter at large ·
John Seabrook on the Herculaneum scrolls, which have stymied papyrologists for centuries. Can a particle accelerator make them all readable?
annals of disaster ·
John Seabrook on crowd studies, human crushes, and the effort to prevent stampedes and deaths in places where large groups gather, such as stadiums and festival grounds.
a reporter at large ·
Why did the World Trade Center buildings fall down when they did?
letter from skywalker ranch ·
John Seabrook visits George Lucas’s Skywalker Ranch, and reflects on the lasting power—both mythical and commercial—of Star Wars.
the world of television ·
John Seabrook on the cultural influence of MTV and its music videos, which over time have moved from featuring musicians such as Culture Club and Madonna to Kurt Cobain and Snoop Doggy Dogg.
brave new world dept. ·
Writing in 1994, John Seabrook describes the novel experience of being insulted by a stranger on the Internet.
a reporter at large ·
Writing in 1994, John Seabrook profiles Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft.
annals of invention ·
Bob Kearns and his patented windshield wiper have been winning millions of dollars in settlements from the auto industry, and forcing the issue of who owns…