It’s common knowledge that print media no longer makes the money it used to. Over the years, music magazines have come and gone, with few really standing the test of time…
But in the wake of this change, blogs have risen to take the place of the once great printed magazine. The genius of blogs is that anyone can start one, all you need is the will to write about something. Of course, this doesn’t mean that just anyone can start typing and it will instantly become a success, though that doesn’t stop people from trying.
This, unfortunately, means that the internet is littered with blogs on all subjects, and music is no exception. The main trouble is routing out the ones that are worth reading. Of course, no list will be able to cover every worthwhile music blog – some are very niche, some are just getting going, and some may be credible but just don’t have the readership they deserve.
So here we’ll run through some of the more popular blogs that you really should be reading.
Kerrang!
For many these days, Kerrang! has forever been the go-to magazine for all things metal. Though readership may have dropped off somewhat since its first issue in 1981, they still release a weekly magazine, but their online content is also a treasure trove of information.
The website started in 2001, with the domain bought for £666 – the number of the beast, for the more superstitious out there, and a nod to the magazine’s metal sensibilities, it is now constantly updated with the latest in metal/emo news, interviews and reviews. Kerrang’s prominence in the industry means that they often receive exclusives and competitions that others don’t and are a well-trusted source of information among the metal community.
Pitchfork
Since its inception in 1995, when it was originally called Turntable, Pitchfork has become one of the music industry’s prime sources for new music and current news. Over the last twenty years, its readership has risen to over 240,000 people per day, and a staggering 1.5 million unique visitors a month.
Several artists that have risen to the very top of their genres, including Bon Ivor, Interpol and Cold War Kids, received their first break through the website – with Grammy winning, festival headlining Arcade Fire citing a review in Pitchfork as the reason that their 2004 Funeral went out of print for a week. Pitchfork still champions new music to this day, so if you’re looking for your big break, a review on its blog could do wonders for your career.
Mixmag
Marketing itself as the ‘world’s biggest electronic and dance media destination’, if Mix Mag’s claims to reach over 100,000,000 people a month worldwide are true, then it’s quite possible they’re right. As with Kerrang, which Mix Mag bought in 2017, Mix Mag has managed to hold onto its beginnings as a physical magazine. However, with the last available source for its circulation coming in five years ago at around 16,000 per issue, it’s safe to say that the it’s most useful as an online source.
Hosting current news, interviews with top and emerging artists, and industry analysis, Mix Mag’s blog has earned its place at the top of the EDM blog food chain.
Hypebot
Covering a broader range of subjects than other blogs on this list, Hypebot focuses on all aspects of the music industry, rather than just the music itself.
With interviews and reviews of artists from all levels of the industry, Hypebot also extensively covers the latest releases in music technology and what’s happening on the business side of the music industry. For up and coming artists trying to break into the industry, Hypebot is a truly indispensable resource.
ACM’s Top Tracks of the Month
For the tastemakers among you, searching out for new music is about to become a lot easier. If you’ve not already been keeping up, ACM publish a monthly blog of its own students latest releases.
With such a large student body, each month’s blog includes an eclectic mix of artists, with genres ranging from indie, to hip hop, to ethereal dreampop and everything in between. With alumni like Ed Sheeran and Newton Faulkner, keeping an eye on here will make sure that you keep ahead on who’s coming up.
These are just a few of the bigger music blogs available at the moment. But if your taste leans more towards the smaller niche areas of music, then venture out and search for one that more suits your tastes, or, alternatively, start your own!
If you dream of achieving success in the creative industries, come along to one of our Open Days. We can’t wait to see what our alumni do next – and we’d love to welcome you into the ACM community.
