The Everything Index: Nationalism and Nearly Nude Celebs
Welcome back to Rolling Stone‘s “Everything Index,” our weekly ranking of pop culture’s power players.
This week, our charts are flush with national pride, following the United States’ big win at the World Cup. But once again, our advanced algorithms also recognized the power of nearly naked celebs and finales of navel-gazing TV shows, both of which are well represented this week. Plus, a whole lot of baseball for some reason. Hey, you can’t argue with science.
The Everything Index: We Bow Down to Lil’ Kim’s Royal Reign
Here’s our pop-culture power rankings for the week ahead.
1. The U.S. Beats Ghana at the World Cup: John Brooks’ late goal gives Americans the victory. It’s nice to win an international competition that doesn’t involve obesity or incarceration rates.
2. “‘Cause My Life is Dope, and I Do Dope Shit:” Kanye West’s mantra, as revealed by Dave Chappelle. We miss old, crazy Kanye … new Kanye just does angry shit.
3. The Fourth Season of Louie: Regularly brilliant, occasionally revelatory, slightly self-gratifying, oft-frustrating. Oh, and not funny. Louis C.K. went for broke on the just-completed fourth season of his show, and while opinions may vary on its quality, perhaps we can all agree on one thing: Manic Pixie Dream Girl overload.
4. Kendall Jenner: Keeping Up with the Kardashians Rated Rookie “goes commando” on the red carpet of the Much Music Awards, then co-hosts with her sister. See? Literacy is overrated.
5. X-Men: Apocalypse Set in 1983: Finally, an era where Gambit’s hairstyle makes sense!
6. Jessie Ware‘s “Tough Love:” Breathy Brit’s new single is the soundtrack to our summer nights, slow-motion dreams that somehow always involve Capezios.
7. One Direction Fan Fiction: “Author” signs six-figure publishing deal after her Harry Styles fan fic garners more than 800 million reads online. Meanwhile, our steamy Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young tome goes unappreciated.
8. The Fargo Finale: We have no idea what will happen tonight, but we bet Billy Bob Thornton will haunt our dreams.
9. Starbucks Offers Employees Free Tuition: Coffeemonger partners with Arizona State University to give workers access to online education. Hey, with a degree from ASU, you’ll be churning out half-caff lattes in no time!
10. Powerpuff Girls to Return: Cartoon Network announces reboot of beloved Girl-Power Group, and just in time; we hear Blossom, Buttercup and Bubbles have been hanging out with Miley Cyrus.
11. The Los Angeles Kings’ Stanley Cup Parade: Sun’s out, guns out.
12. Harrison Ford injured on Star Wars Set: Han Solo breaks his ankle during filming of Episode VII. Lets hope his insurance covers emergency room visits on Tatooine.
13. First Aid Kit’s Stay Gold: Windswept harmonies as wide as the Heartland, strummy melodies that glisten like dew in a California canyon, songs about waitresses named Stacey, disappearing lovers and the lure of the open road, complete with Tennessee twang. Why, of course they’re Swedish.
14. This Cool Dead Woman: New Orleans mother greets mourners at her own funeral, chills with menthol cigarette and can of Busch beer. In lieu of flowers, family asks you send more cold ones.
15. George R.R. Martin Throws Out First Pitch: A Song of Ice and Fire creator pulls on his best suspenders, tosses first pitch at minor-league baseball game. The pitch took approximately 1,700 hours to reach home plate, killed off several main characters in the process.
16. Everybody Covers “Summer Nights:” Rufus Wainwright recruits David Byrne, Boy George, Josh Groban and Ezra Koenig to belt out Grease classic. They go together like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong.
17. Miley Cyrus’ Instagram: Everyone loses their shit after Miley posts near-nude pics. Otherwise known as “Tuesday.”
18. Russians Toilet-Papering Our Embassy: Four detained in Moscow following wanton T.P. attack. Don’t laugh; in Russia, toilet paper is a luxury.
19. Johnny Manziel: NFL’s human guitar solo is at it again, this time using stack of cash as a phone. Enjoy it while you can, Cleveland; it might be the only call “Johnny Football” makes this season.
20. Gene Simmons Crushes the National Anthem: Dr. Love belts out the Anthem at a Dodgers game, with help from the USO. He wanted to perform Music from ‘the Elder,’ but L.A. fans have already suffered enough this season.