Button Poetry

Button Poetry is a Minneapolis-based poetry company and independent publisher of performance poetry. They are known for their viral videos of slam poetry performances, including a performance of "OCD" by Neil Hilborn that the Knight Foundation called "the most-viewed slam performance in history."

History
Button Poetry was founded in 2011 by Sam Cook and Sierra DeMulder to share poetry performances on social media. As of 2017 they had over 774,000 YouTube subscribers, over 163 million YouTube video views, and over 1.2 million Facebook followers. In 2013 they began publishing poetry chapbooks.

Button Poetry has recorded performances by Brittney Black Rose Kapri, Elliot Darrow, Neil Hilborn, Denice Frohman, Rudy Francisco, Danez Smith, Melissa Lozada-Oliva, Emi Mahmoud, Aja Monet, Imani Cezanne, Javon Johnson, Desireé Dallagiacomo, Yesika Salgado, and Hanif Abdurraqib.

Criticism
Viral poetry publishers, including Button Poetry, have received backlash from critics who suggest that the works make "a mockery of the whole canon." Viral poets have been labeled "Instapoets" due to their specific style and creation for a more broad audience and their placement in visual/social media platforms. At the same time, sales of poetry books and viewing of poetry online have increased. However, poets and linguists have criticized the effects of viral poetry on poetry writing, noting potential homogenization of writing styles among newer poets.

Book publications

 * 2013, Aziza Barnes's me aunt jemima and the nailgun, ISBN 9780989641500
 * 2014, Sam Sax's A Guide To Undressing Your Monsters, ISBN 9780989641548
 * 2014, J. Scott Brownlee's Highway or Belief, ISBN 9780989641531
 * 2014, Nate Marshall's Blood Percussion, ISBN 9780989641555
 * 2015, Danez Smith, black movie
 * 2016, Aaron Coleman's St. Trigger, ISBN 9781943735068
 * 2016, Hanif Abdurraqib's The Crown Ain't Worth Much
 * 2017, Sabrina Benaim's Depression & Other Magic Tricks.
 * 2017, Rachel Wiley's Nothing is Okay
 * 2018, Phil Kaye's Date and Time, ISBN 9781943735365