This summer, there's one thing on our minds, and for once, it isn't a beachfront vacation with a cool drink and a fresh listen. No, this season, we're all about Barbie.
Academy Award-winner Greta Gerwig's new film isn't even out yet, but we're already obsessed. The Barbiecore aesthetic, which celebrates everything pink and feminine with a cheeky self-awareness, is seeping from fashion and interiors right into our earphones! And while we may know everything there is to know about the iconic doll and her bubblegum-pink world, the movie—starring Margot Robbie as the title character and Ryan Gosling as her longtime boyfriend Ken—is still a big question mark in a lot of ways. The trailers have hinted that there are plenty of surprises (and lush pink set pieces) in store.
Here’s what we know so far: Robbie will be playing a version of Barbie who begins to question the perfection of her doll world and journeys to the real world for answers. And while we can definitely look forward to flashy outfits impeccably accessorized for every occasion, we also expect that Gerwig will subvert expectations with her distinct feminist lens (looking at you, Lady Bird and Little Women) to bring a fresh Barbie story to modern audiences.
As we wait for Barbie to hit theaters on July 21, here are some listens giving us major Barbiecore vibes. These 10 audiobooks and podcasts are sure to get you ready for your trip to Barbieland.
If you are someone who used to play with Barbies growing up, then you might have some conflicting feelings about the influence that perfect plastic doll had on you throughout your life. And while you may have some fond memories, you might also be aware of some of the more problematic elements of Barbie’s impact. If you’re curious about Barbie’s history and legacy, The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie will speak to you. In this listen, narrated by the talented Stina Nielsen, author Tanya Lee Stone explores the story behind everyone's favorite doll. Listeners will learn about how Barbie was created, how she allowed young girls to imagine themselves in the professional world, and how the doll both positively and negatively influenced children.
Think you can't be a feminist if you love Barbie? Think again. Greta Gerwig's Barbie affirms that there's ample space for women to be feminists while still enjoying things traditionally labeled feminine. And so does Feminists Don't Wear Pink and Other Lies, an audiobook featuring the perspectives of a diverse group of celebrities, activists, and artists. Each unique voice opens up about their feelings on feminism and what it means to them. Their personal stories are sometimes funny, sometimes surprising, and always inspiring.
Greta Gerwig's Barbie has a lot of us getting nostalgic about the old Barbie movies from our youth. The Secret Door is a more recent take on the staple of our youths, but it's so delightful nonetheless. If you feel like taking a trip down memory lane, this Barbie story has all the elements that made those early-aughts films so special. In this audiobook, join the shy, bookish Princess Alexa as she solves mysteries, faces sea monsters, and teams up with her magical friends to defeat the magic-stealing evil princess Malucia.
Looking for a more adult perspective on the various Barbie movies from your youth? Then do we have the podcast for you. Hosts Rae and Ted love Barbie movies, and they have very, very strong opinions about each and every one of them. Join them as they talk their way through Barbie hits like Fairytopia, Barbie and the Island Princess, Princess and the Pauper, The Barbie Diaries, and many more. Rae and Ted cover the hard-hitting questions. Among them—Is Barbie, at its core, all about feminism? How does Barbie feel about colonialism? Do Barbie movies include queer characters? And what would you do if you had a magic paintbrush that could change your outfit?
The couple at the center of Emily Henry's new rom-com Happy Place have some serious Barbie and Ken vibes. Everyone thinks Harriet and Wyn are the perfect couple, and they have been since they first met back in college. They've always been totally perfect for each other in every way. There's only one problem—they broke up five months ago. They just haven't told their friends. And now that they're getting ready for their friend group's yearly getaway, it's a little too late to reveal that the perfect couple is not so perfect after all. So, Harriet and Wyn decide to fake it. After years of being in love, how hard will it be to pretend for a few more days?
Denise Swanson's Murder of a Barbie and Ken tells the story of a couple who are practically a real-life version of Barbie and Ken, right down to their names. When Skye was looking for a social life in Scumble River, she turned to the town's premiere social club, where all the most elite members of the community gather to socialize. But it all goes wrong when Skye ends up wrapped up in wrapping paper, and the social club's leaders, Barbie and Ken, turn up dead. Why would anyone want to harm a couple whose lives were beyond perfect? That's the question Skye asks herself as she begins to dig into the mystery of what happened to the king and queen of the social scene.
Greta Gerwig's Barbie seems to take a look at the darker side of perfection, and if that's something that interests you, you might also enjoy the strange world of Mona Awad's Bunny. Samantha feels like an outsider in her MFA program at New England's Warren University. The program is highly selective, and the rest of Samantha's cohort are the type of elitist, rich, spoiled girls that Samantha would normally have nothing to do with. What's even weirder about them is how they all act the same and all call each other "Bunny." But when Samantha gets invited to the group's "smut club," she sees a whole other side of the Bunnies that is far more bizarre than anything she could have imagined.
Balancing careers ranging from veterinarian to cashier to race car driver to all while hanging out with her pals, Barbie is all about the power of friendship and unbridled ambition. And that's at the heart of Sarah Watson's Most Likely too. Ava, CJ, Jordan, and Martha have been best friends since kindergarten. One of them is going to grow up to be the President of the United States. But which one will it be? Will it be Ava, the artist? Jordan, the journalist? Maybe it's Martha, who refuses to let any obstacle get in the way of her dreams. Or maybe it's CJ, the one who seems to have everything figured out (aside from her cringe-worthy SAT scores). Most Likely shows how through friendship, women have the power to uplift and support each other's dreams.
If hot pink is your favorite color and you have a passion for fashion, does that make you a bad feminist? Celebrated writer and cultural critic Roxane Gay explores such questions and more in this collection of insightful, thought-provoking, and humorous essays. Narrated by the queen of audio herself, the incomparable Bahni Turpin, these essays explore all areas of culture and politics, examining the state of feminism today and incisively, candidly exploring Gay's own complicated feelings about her own identity as a woman.
City of Likes is another wonderfully funny and perceptive audiobook that examines the complicated nature of femininity and what it means to be a woman in contemporary culture. After the birth of her second chid, Megan Chernoff is unemployed and having a total identity crisis. And so, she moves with her family to New York City, looking for a fresh start. There, Megan meets Daphne Cole, a glamorous, aspirational momfluencer who, for some reason, wants to be Megan’s friend. Before Megan knows what hit her, she becomes swept up in the world of influencers, attending exclusive parties and wellness rituals, and reaping the thousands and thousands of followers on all of her social media accounts. But the deeper Megan becomes immersed in Daphne’s world, the more she loses herself and what truly matters.
