Winter 2010

On the cover: Janelle Monáe, who tops our annual Hot List, tells us about her otherworldly release The ArchAndroid, her early career in Atlanta, and working with Prince.

Plus:The Rest of the Hot List: Robyn, Best Coast, Interpol, Chromeo, and Dum Dum Girls; 10 Women Who Mattered In 2010; A Look Ahead to 2011, and more.

Where Is Bobbie Gentry? Our writer traces the steps of the elusive singer who seemingly vanished a generation ago.

Fashion Feature: The Kids in the Hall Brooklyn-based eco-conscious designer Tara St. James lets her summer interns take the reigns and shows us the clothes.

First Annual Photo Contest We received over 1,500 entries and asked our esteemed judges to pick five winners. Find out who took home our top prizes and see our readers' pick and editors' choices.

Essay: Status Update Anxiety One writer muses on a new type of syndrome spawned by our society's incessant collective microblogging.

On the Verge: writer-director-actress Katie Aselton, Brit & the Cavalry, racy reading events, Chris Pontius, Crafternoon at the New York Public Library, the low-power radio movement, and more.

Create: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals chocolate bars; Celentano Woodworks; the pleasures of slow-cooking, Creative Cocktail: maple-spiced buttered rum; Q&A with Mary Randolph Carter, author of A Perfectly Kept House is the Sign Of A Misspent Life; blogger Marisa Lynch of New Dress a Day; Sharon Van Etten's song-and-wine playlist; and our 2010 Holiday Gift Guide, including the best handmade gifts from across the U.S. and one easy make-it-yourself project.

Music: Heart-to-Heart: Jenny and Johnny, the Vaselines, and the Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger interview one another; JBTV Turns 25; photos from Venus Zine's Lollapalooza Lounge; Latetitia Sadier; Beers with the Band: Midnight Masses; Peaches Christ Superstar; Tour Diary: Traci Eggleston of Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band; and 6 Standout Ladies to Watch: Brooke Fraser, Pearl and the Puppets, Violetness, Trixie Whitley, Lauren Pritchard, and Lisa Ices

Culture: Michaela Conlin of Bones; Nicole Krauss' Great House and other book reviews, Underwood Stories in Sound, 5 Hot Video Bloggers, and must-see winter films.

Style: Style Idol Sharon Little, makeup shopping with Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons, the best mini makeup palettes and toolkits, peppermint-y products, and shoe designers Marais USA.

Album Reviews: New releases from Sufjan Stevens, Elliott Smith, Marnie Stern, The 1900s, Clinic, Belle & Sebastian, Liz Phair, the Pipettes, and more.

Call & Response: Former Sleater-Kinney frontwoman Corin Tucker answers your questions

VZ Rewind: We look back at our 2005 feature and 2007 cover story on M.I.A.