{
  "id": 17087420,
  "title": "Was System of a Down the Defining Artist of the 9/11 Era in 2001? (Greatest Pop Stars Podcast)",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/was-system-of-a-down-the-defining-artist-of-the-9-11-era-in-2001",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-29T16:18:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Billboard",
    "slug": "billboard",
    "url": "https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/system-of-a-down-2001-greatest-pop-stars-podcast-1236370314/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, a powerful and controversial album rose to the top of the Billboard charts, igniting a conversation about art, politics, and the power of music. The quartet from Armenia, System of a Down, had released their third studio album, \"Toxicity,\" and the world was captivated. While the band did not consciously compose the record with the events of 9/11 in mind, their raw, confrontational style and politically charged lyrics made \"Toxicity\" a perfect soundtrack for a country in shock and seeking answers. Craig Jenkins of Vulture joined the Greatest Pop Stars podcast to discuss the band's meteoric rise in 2001, exploring the factors that allowed this \"thrashy, arty, explicitly challenging\" form of metal to break into the mainstream. Jenkins delved into the band's combustible personalities, the impact of Clear Channel's policies on their radio airplay, and the reactions to lead singer Serj Tankian's essay \"Understanding Oil.\" As the conversation unfolded, questions emerged about the album's significance to the era of 2001, whether the group would ever record new music, and the impact of their legacy on contemporary pop culture.",
  "summary": "Our Vintage Almost-Pop Stardom theme month concludes with a look at the biggest alt-metal band of 2001, and how it got intertwined with the greatest American tragedy of the century.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}