design

Lorde fans are clearly struggling to play the CD version of her new album. Customers who purchased the special edition of Virgin released on a transparent plastic disc are reporting on Reddit and TikTok that many CD players, car stereos, and other sound systems they’ve tried are unable to play it.

Designers are burnt out, disillusioned, and constantly joking that design ruined their life – but underneath the memes lies a deeper reckoning. Our US editor-at-large explores how irony became the industry’s dominant tone, and what it might mean to care again.

Not all borrowing is the same. From public domain illustrations on book covers to AI’s data hoarding, who really owns culture – and who gets away with taking it?

The potential of technology to empower is being subverted by tyrannical user interface design, enabled by our data and attention.

Record labels are increasingly opting for AI-generated visuals over collaborating with creatives – and it’s dividing opinion among artists and listeners.