If you want to stay in the know on all things music related, music magazines are a great source of information. Music magazines offer in-depth interviews with your favorite artists and bands, new music suggestions, and critiques of new music. Music magazines are a good way to go beyond just listening to music by providing further insight into the music you love.
1 Rolling Stone
When it comes to music magazines, there is perhaps not one as well known as Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone was founded in 1967 and has been going strong ever since. The magazine is released every two weeks and each issue has a focus on music, popular culture, and politics. Although Rolling Stone is a print magazine, their website features tons of content as well. You can even access archives of past issues for free online. Celebrities including Eminem, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Sir Paul McCartney, and Johnny Depp have graced the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
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2 Alternative Press
If you’re into more underground bands as opposed to mainstream music, Alternative Press (AP) is the perfect magazine for you. AP was founded by Mike Shea in 1985 because he believed there was a need for a magazine about underground bands and music. AP is one of the most read magazines by those who frequent the music scene. AP has featured bands such as Motion City Soundtrack, My Chemical Romance, Falling in Reverse, Miss May I, and Paramore.
3 Vibe
In 1993, Quincy Jones founded Vibe magazine. The magazine focuses mainly on hip hop and R&B entertainers. The hip hop influence sets it apart from other big name magazines who have more of a focus on rap. The magazine, which comes out quarterly, has had the likes of Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, The Beastie Boys, and Tupac grace their covers.
4 Wax Poetics
Wax Poetics Magazine is truly one-of-a-kind. Its focus is on jazz, funk, reggae, Latin, soul, blues, and R&B. Before Wax Poetics, there was a void for a magazine with an emphasis on these genres of music. That all changed in 2001 when the first issue of Wax Poetics was released. If you love collecting records and reading long-form editorials, you’ve gotta check out this magazine!
5 Under the Radar
Under the Radar is a magazine that focuses on, well, bands that are “under the radar.” Under the Radar has a focus on Indie music and has a reputation for writing about and discovering new bands. If you like to be in the know and discover bands before they make it big, you need to get yourself a subscription to Under the Radar. Bands such as MGMT, Grimes, and Phoenix have covered the magazine.
6 The Wire
The Wire is a British magazine that released its first issue in 1982. If you don’t live in the UK, you can still get this monthly magazine delivered to your doorstep, but be prepared to pay extra for the shipping costs. If you are into experimental, avant-garde music, however, the extra hassle will be more than worth it. The Wire is one of the only magazines to focus on experimental bands and genres. Björk has landed a cover on The Wire, as well as Tortoise and Sonic Youth.
7 Paste
Getting its start in 2002, Paste Magazine is one of the most innovative magazines out there. One of the ways they are ahead of the curve is that in 2010, they went completely digital. Their weekly magazine now only comes out online. Another way they stick out amongst the crowd is that in 2007, they did an experiment where they allowed new and existing subscribers to choose how much they paid for a yearly subscription. Although the experiment showed the results were not sustainable, I love that Paste tries to appeal to and be available to everyone. The magazine focuses on Americana and indie rock, but they feature other genres of music as well.
There are many good music magazines out there, these are just 7 of my favorites. With all the different bands and genres covered by the magazines on this list, there is sure to be something for everyone. What’s your favorite music magazine? Tell us about it in the comments.
