Music Magazines research and analysis, by Ana

Top pop/Hip-hop/R&B magazines:

-          Vibe Magazine

-          The Source

-          XXL Magazine

-          Rolling Stones

-          URB Magazine

-          Rap-Up

-          Spin Magazine

-          Right On!

-          Blues & Soul

-          Murder Dog Magazine

-          Scratch Magazine

-          Pound Magazine

-          The Situation

-          Elemental Magazine

I’ve been doing some research and decided to analyse these three music magazines because their content is based on different music genres. This will allow us to see the differences between them and to be able to choose the best one to promote our album.

1:

Rolling Stone is an international magazine founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner (who is still editor and publisher) and music critic Ralph J. Gleason. This magazine was known for its political coverage in the 1970s, however, in the 1990s it changed its format to appeal to a wider audience, often focusing on actors and pop music. This led to criticism that the magazine was emphasizing style over substance. 

2:

Vibe is a music and entertainment magazine that provides information on R&B and HipHop artists, actors and other entertainers.  After shutting down in Summer 2009, InterMediaPartners bought Vibe and is now issued four times a year with double covers. Now it has a larger online presence and it is aided by the Vibe LifeStyle Network, a group of entertainment/music websites under the Vibe brand. The magazine's target audience is young, urban followers of hip-hop culture.

3:

Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr. In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard. It pointedly provided a national alternative to the Rolling Stone's more establishment-oriented style.