And like a complete asshole, I totally forgot to include the terrific New Music For Olds by @Christian Finnegan in my list of great writing about music here on Substack.
First, thank you for including me here. Honored to be in such great company! SW Lauden’s right; I don’t know if underground is the term I would use, but as each of these “big” music publications fall, the role indie blogs and writers play will only increase. I said it the other day on Notes, but I think the music writing here on Substack matters now more than ever.
I think it will. I’m also interested in seeing ideas like coalitions of writers and e-magazines teased out.
One possible idea: There is a group of writers from Iowa that are all loosely tied together, and once a week a separate post comes out featuring all their stuff. If you scroll to the bottom of this link, you’ll see what I mean. I’d love to see something similar for #Musicstack
Thanks for including me in this insightful take. For the clarity of anybody else reading, I made that comment prior to the Pitchfork news—so I wasn't specifically talking about this situation. I was a journalist myself briefly once upon a time and it breaks my heart to see so many people losing their careers. My thoughts on the subject are generally more about the longevity of rock music all up and that it's probably good that it has gone underground to some degree (as compared to previous eras of mainstream dominance) as a sort of reset. The bands I see making and touring behind great new guitar pop—The Whiffs, The Beths, Mo Troper, Kurt Baker, Kate Clover, Uni Boys, Radio Days, Tamar Berk, Best Bets, The Speedways, Rinehearts, 2nd Grade, Billy Tibbals, Hurry among many others—are doing it out of pure love on some level and what, to my ears/eyes, seems like a genuine compulsion to create in this form. And they're finding an international audience, although it's much smaller than it once might have been. Anyway, seemed important to make those clarifications in the context of this well-written article.
Try Relix Magazine. Great rock coverage, interviews, reviews. Their print version comes with a different DVD compilation as well. Let’s support those who are still championing music journalism!
Thanks, Matt! It's nice to make the cut on a list not composed by my ex-wife! I'll keep doing what I'm doing for as long as Substack wants me and keeps the lights on. I suppose if the Internet decides to take down its shingle, I'll move back to paper! Paper......what a concept! Onward!
@substack has become my go-to to read about new music - and folk like @mattyc & @kevinalexander are leading the way - the subtle linking of intelligent writing to @Spotify playlists to open up new music in enterprising ways. I consume music as both an appreciator and as an artist and #Substack has become hugely critical for both my consumption and creation of music. 🙏🙏🙏
Thanks so very much, Jack. That is super kind. I am learning more about new music just in my time on Substack than I have on my own for the last several years. I love it.
Gonna shout out my local "Rust Belt Rock Review"; a solo operation run by a guy named ZM Delgado (he has a Substack Notes account that links to the Review every time he publishes). He does it the old-school way; with a tiny-ass notepad on-site at the shows, like I saw when I stood next to him the other day at a new band's debut show. He's not a big-time writer slumming it down in the clubs; but an honest working dude trying to project and fortify a scene he loves, by writing about it when no one else will. That makes him one of the most valuable humans in Cleveland music culture without him really knowing it.
I saw someone lamenting the closure of Sports Illustrated yesterday in the context of Pitchfork and they asked, what's left The Athletic? It does seem we are left with the hollowed digital versions of what we used to adore.
Something will come along in the absence, I just hope it doesn't keep getting hollower.
If you want some good music journalism, some political commentary, occasional TV movie and book recommendations check out the newsletter fro Bob Lefsetz.. Hes been doing it for many years. It used to only be for music business insiders but is now available to all. This guy is very knowledgeable about the music business. You might even get some tips for expanding your exposure as a music artist
Bob's fun to listen to....he's on Sirius/XM at some points during the week. I just forget when! He's certainly on top of his rock'n'pop history! Thanks for mentioning him, Paul!
Two outlets have consistently stood out for me when it comes to music writing: Popmatters and All About Jazz. In comparison to Pitchfork, both of these platforms have proven to be more informative and engaging. What sets them apart is their commitment to going beyond mere album reviews, offering a richer and more diverse array of content.
All About Jazz has successfully expanded into a comprehensive website, delving into detailed explorations of various facets of the music world. Its depth and breadth make it a valuable resource for anyone seeking a thorough understanding of the diverse landscape of jazz and related genres.
On the other hand, Popmatters aligns more closely with my preferences, providing a compelling mix of diversity and a wide range of subjects. Beyond standard reviews, Popmatters engages with music in a way that reflects the multifaceted nature of the industry. Whether it's insightful think pieces, cultural critiques, or explorations of emerging trends, books and films, Popmatters consistently offers content that goes beyond the surface, making it a go-to source for a holistic view of the music scene.
This is great stuff, Nina. Thanks so much for recommending these.
I have been a longtime lover of Pop Matters. Thank you for pointing out my failure in bringing them up in the article. They do great work. I will have to try All About Jazz. I am not deep jazz listener but if it's good writing, I am sure I would dig it.
I think All About Jazz predates even Pitchfork. Besides its name, which suggests a primary focus on jazz, the platform also covers various music genres. It offers a diverse range of reviews beyond albums and provides a plethora of interviews.
I certainly can see your point. Even when it was great (imo) it was snarky and somewhat shitty. It was a tone for a specific era which has long since passed. They failed to mature that tone at all and it was a big reason why I stopped paying attention to it.
I won't miss Pitchfork specifically, but I will miss having an outlet with that heft and with that taste. Good, large scale criticism is important and we're lacking that even more now.
There is something about recency bias in music journalism that seems at odds with how it's consumed now. With a streaming account we all have access to all music released at any time yet the editorial filtering and story telling is still obsessed with what's just released and listeners under 25. The marketing business machine of music is broken, journalism is just a cog.
While I agree with this, I’d say Substack has the opposite problem: everyone seems stuck on artists we’ve all known for our entire lifetime. How many more Bob Dylan stacks does the world need? That, or focusing on new artists basically doing the same thing as older artists, b-b-b-ut… it’s “new!”
Sure but that’s just underscoring the business of music writing is viable if your audience is older and not viable for if your audience is younger. People under 25 aren’t reading about music, the job of discovery and building artist stories is done with social media and playlists now. There is no value in reading about when it so easy to scroll and push play.
Older people not listening to new music is another issue. I’d still argue it’s born and perpetuated by a marketing bias toward the narrative that pop music=youth.
"the job of discovery and building artist stories is done with social media"
See this is where we diverge in thinking... I think one of the biggest problems with music journalism is the "stories". If you can't sell your music without "stories" then you have no business in the music industry [except that's exactly how the industry works.. stories first, musicality second... if that]. Music journalism is just an extension of a corrupt industry.
Humans love stories. The music experience is about the story that plays in your head while you hear the song, how you envision the artist performing it based on the stories you’ve heard/read and your imagination. Your affinity for a song or artist is intrinsically tied to the story you have about yourself and how that music fits into it.
Sure... but I think the problem is that they are now the main feature — the music is just the soundtrack to enhance your buying experience.
I don't really know anything about my favorite artists... other than the music they produce [heavy emphasis on "they".. not a team of writers].
On the other hand, I know more about the personal lives artists you'd have to pay me to listen to than the ones I do listen to.
"Your affinity for a song or artist is intrinsically tied to the story you have about yourself and how that music fits into it."
Then why all this personal info about an artist who didn't even write the song in the first place? What is the purpose of that? (Other than giving a song value when it otherwise wouldn't have any).
Thing is: I do agree with the basic premise... I just think it's been corrupted by industry that knows people aren't that interested in music itself.
Because the personal information about the artist is part of the story we have about ourselves, their personal story reinforces our personal identities. Everyone has a different level of how much factual information about the artist they want vs how much they fill in with their imagination. You can judge where the majority of people are by looking at an artist like Taylor Swift. I personally prefer knowing less mundane information about artists and value mystique but everyone is different.
I suspect there is nostalgia and romanticism by older listeners who grew up reading about music and particular artists. It’s desirable to go back to that music when life is feeling crazy. The lack of access and the storytelling power of writing built an incredible mystique around legacy artists. It’s very compelling and I don’t know that this happens much anymore with new artists on social media.
BTW: this is exactly why I try to avoid "storytelling" in my posts. It might come off as a little book reportish, but I'm not here to convince anyone to listen to anything — I just present it and expect my readers to do a little work themselves and listen [though, I could write another 1k words on that].
I give some basic background info [age, location, style of music], but skip all the nonsense most people focus on: ethnic background, personal struggles, representation, feeeeeeeeeelings. Nah. Don't care. If the music connects, *then* I might care about the person who made it — but it's not a guarantee... just like most people don't care about who designed the house they live in. There's a reason these things are sold in two completely different ways.
"It’s desirable to go back to that music when life is feeling crazy."
Again... this is where our thinking splits. I can't stand listening to music from my "coming of age" years. Even though I'd say I still like a few of the artists, I wouldn't be bothered if the the 90s were completely erased... which could present some issues seeing as we're living in the 4th decade of the 90s (but that's a different conversation..lol).
"The lack of access and the storytelling power of writing built an incredible mystique around legacy artists."
Which is a problem... the "mystique" is almost always fraudulent. Do you have a poster of the person who designed your house? Do you even know who designed it? Why not? Is your house not more important than 3 minutes of organized noise? Of course not... that's why you need the "mystique". Life isn't that complex, people only need a certain number of things to survive, after that it's just about convincing them they need more. Any ideas about how one might go about that?
Sirius on 103 @4 est Saturdays, but I prefer his podcast where he goes deep with artists of all genres,music industry executives, managers, production people and more. and they go back to 2019 iam currently somewhere in 2020
And like a complete asshole, I totally forgot to include the terrific New Music For Olds by @Christian Finnegan in my list of great writing about music here on Substack.
https://newmusicforolds.substack.com
First, thank you for including me here. Honored to be in such great company! SW Lauden’s right; I don’t know if underground is the term I would use, but as each of these “big” music publications fall, the role indie blogs and writers play will only increase. I said it the other day on Notes, but I think the music writing here on Substack matters now more than ever.
100% agree on the importance of Substack writers at the moment. I hope this space becomes an even larger hub for great music writing.
I think it will. I’m also interested in seeing ideas like coalitions of writers and e-magazines teased out.
One possible idea: There is a group of writers from Iowa that are all loosely tied together, and once a week a separate post comes out featuring all their stuff. If you scroll to the bottom of this link, you’ll see what I mean. I’d love to see something similar for #Musicstack
https://open.substack.com/pub/rleonard/p/on-trumps-historic-iowa-caucus-win?r=3cbf2&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
That is a really cool idea. Would love to take part in an initiative like that
Right on! I’m sure it’s feasible; we’d just need to figure out how to get on the same page.
Thanks for including me in this insightful take. For the clarity of anybody else reading, I made that comment prior to the Pitchfork news—so I wasn't specifically talking about this situation. I was a journalist myself briefly once upon a time and it breaks my heart to see so many people losing their careers. My thoughts on the subject are generally more about the longevity of rock music all up and that it's probably good that it has gone underground to some degree (as compared to previous eras of mainstream dominance) as a sort of reset. The bands I see making and touring behind great new guitar pop—The Whiffs, The Beths, Mo Troper, Kurt Baker, Kate Clover, Uni Boys, Radio Days, Tamar Berk, Best Bets, The Speedways, Rinehearts, 2nd Grade, Billy Tibbals, Hurry among many others—are doing it out of pure love on some level and what, to my ears/eyes, seems like a genuine compulsion to create in this form. And they're finding an international audience, although it's much smaller than it once might have been. Anyway, seemed important to make those clarifications in the context of this well-written article.
Thanks so much for the excellent clarification, Steve. And I am always happy to shine a light on the great work you're doing.
Speaking of which, your pod goes live tomorrow. Thanks again, my friend.
Try Relix Magazine. Great rock coverage, interviews, reviews. Their print version comes with a different DVD compilation as well. Let’s support those who are still championing music journalism!
Thanks, Matt! It's nice to make the cut on a list not composed by my ex-wife! I'll keep doing what I'm doing for as long as Substack wants me and keeps the lights on. I suppose if the Internet decides to take down its shingle, I'll move back to paper! Paper......what a concept! Onward!
Very welcome, my friend. I love paper. Still have a real paper calendar and notebook.
My annual ritual includes buying a small wall calendar for memos and appointments, and a page-a-day photo/info one for the new year!
Whoops I forgot to send the link
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
or
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or
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
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@substack has become my go-to to read about new music - and folk like @mattyc & @kevinalexander are leading the way - the subtle linking of intelligent writing to @Spotify playlists to open up new music in enterprising ways. I consume music as both an appreciator and as an artist and #Substack has become hugely critical for both my consumption and creation of music. 🙏🙏🙏
Thanks so very much, Jack. That is super kind. I am learning more about new music just in my time on Substack than I have on my own for the last several years. I love it.
Thank you Jack!!
Gonna shout out my local "Rust Belt Rock Review"; a solo operation run by a guy named ZM Delgado (he has a Substack Notes account that links to the Review every time he publishes). He does it the old-school way; with a tiny-ass notepad on-site at the shows, like I saw when I stood next to him the other day at a new band's debut show. He's not a big-time writer slumming it down in the clubs; but an honest working dude trying to project and fortify a scene he loves, by writing about it when no one else will. That makes him one of the most valuable humans in Cleveland music culture without him really knowing it.
I have to check this out. This is the kind of crucial work that keeps culture alive. Thanks for sharing, Shaggy.
Hear! Hear! Brother. I don’t know what will replace Pitchfork, and I’m not a fan of thequietus, sadly. So it will have to be us for now!
I saw someone lamenting the closure of Sports Illustrated yesterday in the context of Pitchfork and they asked, what's left The Athletic? It does seem we are left with the hollowed digital versions of what we used to adore.
Something will come along in the absence, I just hope it doesn't keep getting hollower.
If you want some good music journalism, some political commentary, occasional TV movie and book recommendations check out the newsletter fro Bob Lefsetz.. Hes been doing it for many years. It used to only be for music business insiders but is now available to all. This guy is very knowledgeable about the music business. You might even get some tips for expanding your exposure as a music artist
Bob's fun to listen to....he's on Sirius/XM at some points during the week. I just forget when! He's certainly on top of his rock'n'pop history! Thanks for mentioning him, Paul!
Thanks for the heads up, Paul. I will check that out for sure.
Very insightful summary. And thanks for the shout-out.
Thank you very much, Penny.
Two outlets have consistently stood out for me when it comes to music writing: Popmatters and All About Jazz. In comparison to Pitchfork, both of these platforms have proven to be more informative and engaging. What sets them apart is their commitment to going beyond mere album reviews, offering a richer and more diverse array of content.
All About Jazz has successfully expanded into a comprehensive website, delving into detailed explorations of various facets of the music world. Its depth and breadth make it a valuable resource for anyone seeking a thorough understanding of the diverse landscape of jazz and related genres.
On the other hand, Popmatters aligns more closely with my preferences, providing a compelling mix of diversity and a wide range of subjects. Beyond standard reviews, Popmatters engages with music in a way that reflects the multifaceted nature of the industry. Whether it's insightful think pieces, cultural critiques, or explorations of emerging trends, books and films, Popmatters consistently offers content that goes beyond the surface, making it a go-to source for a holistic view of the music scene.
This is great stuff, Nina. Thanks so much for recommending these.
I have been a longtime lover of Pop Matters. Thank you for pointing out my failure in bringing them up in the article. They do great work. I will have to try All About Jazz. I am not deep jazz listener but if it's good writing, I am sure I would dig it.
I think All About Jazz predates even Pitchfork. Besides its name, which suggests a primary focus on jazz, the platform also covers various music genres. It offers a diverse range of reviews beyond albums and provides a plethora of interviews.
Sounds superb. I will totally scope it. Thanks again.
I feel like I’m the only person who saw Pitchfork itself as the death of music journalism... which was on its deathbed for my entire lifetime.
I’m kinda glad it’s gone… but at the same time I don’t really care either way — never thought about PF in the first place.
I certainly can see your point. Even when it was great (imo) it was snarky and somewhat shitty. It was a tone for a specific era which has long since passed. They failed to mature that tone at all and it was a big reason why I stopped paying attention to it.
I won't miss Pitchfork specifically, but I will miss having an outlet with that heft and with that taste. Good, large scale criticism is important and we're lacking that even more now.
Thanks for the shout-out, Matt! best Mike
You're most welcome, friend. Cheers.
There is something about recency bias in music journalism that seems at odds with how it's consumed now. With a streaming account we all have access to all music released at any time yet the editorial filtering and story telling is still obsessed with what's just released and listeners under 25. The marketing business machine of music is broken, journalism is just a cog.
While I agree with this, I’d say Substack has the opposite problem: everyone seems stuck on artists we’ve all known for our entire lifetime. How many more Bob Dylan stacks does the world need? That, or focusing on new artists basically doing the same thing as older artists, b-b-b-ut… it’s “new!”
Sure but that’s just underscoring the business of music writing is viable if your audience is older and not viable for if your audience is younger. People under 25 aren’t reading about music, the job of discovery and building artist stories is done with social media and playlists now. There is no value in reading about when it so easy to scroll and push play.
Older people not listening to new music is another issue. I’d still argue it’s born and perpetuated by a marketing bias toward the narrative that pop music=youth.
"the job of discovery and building artist stories is done with social media"
See this is where we diverge in thinking... I think one of the biggest problems with music journalism is the "stories". If you can't sell your music without "stories" then you have no business in the music industry [except that's exactly how the industry works.. stories first, musicality second... if that]. Music journalism is just an extension of a corrupt industry.
Humans love stories. The music experience is about the story that plays in your head while you hear the song, how you envision the artist performing it based on the stories you’ve heard/read and your imagination. Your affinity for a song or artist is intrinsically tied to the story you have about yourself and how that music fits into it.
"Humans love stories."
Sure... but I think the problem is that they are now the main feature — the music is just the soundtrack to enhance your buying experience.
I don't really know anything about my favorite artists... other than the music they produce [heavy emphasis on "they".. not a team of writers].
On the other hand, I know more about the personal lives artists you'd have to pay me to listen to than the ones I do listen to.
"Your affinity for a song or artist is intrinsically tied to the story you have about yourself and how that music fits into it."
Then why all this personal info about an artist who didn't even write the song in the first place? What is the purpose of that? (Other than giving a song value when it otherwise wouldn't have any).
Thing is: I do agree with the basic premise... I just think it's been corrupted by industry that knows people aren't that interested in music itself.
Because the personal information about the artist is part of the story we have about ourselves, their personal story reinforces our personal identities. Everyone has a different level of how much factual information about the artist they want vs how much they fill in with their imagination. You can judge where the majority of people are by looking at an artist like Taylor Swift. I personally prefer knowing less mundane information about artists and value mystique but everyone is different.
I suspect there is nostalgia and romanticism by older listeners who grew up reading about music and particular artists. It’s desirable to go back to that music when life is feeling crazy. The lack of access and the storytelling power of writing built an incredible mystique around legacy artists. It’s very compelling and I don’t know that this happens much anymore with new artists on social media.
BTW: this is exactly why I try to avoid "storytelling" in my posts. It might come off as a little book reportish, but I'm not here to convince anyone to listen to anything — I just present it and expect my readers to do a little work themselves and listen [though, I could write another 1k words on that].
I give some basic background info [age, location, style of music], but skip all the nonsense most people focus on: ethnic background, personal struggles, representation, feeeeeeeeeelings. Nah. Don't care. If the music connects, *then* I might care about the person who made it — but it's not a guarantee... just like most people don't care about who designed the house they live in. There's a reason these things are sold in two completely different ways.
"It’s desirable to go back to that music when life is feeling crazy."
Again... this is where our thinking splits. I can't stand listening to music from my "coming of age" years. Even though I'd say I still like a few of the artists, I wouldn't be bothered if the the 90s were completely erased... which could present some issues seeing as we're living in the 4th decade of the 90s (but that's a different conversation..lol).
"The lack of access and the storytelling power of writing built an incredible mystique around legacy artists."
Which is a problem... the "mystique" is almost always fraudulent. Do you have a poster of the person who designed your house? Do you even know who designed it? Why not? Is your house not more important than 3 minutes of organized noise? Of course not... that's why you need the "mystique". Life isn't that complex, people only need a certain number of things to survive, after that it's just about convincing them they need more. Any ideas about how one might go about that?
Sirius on 103 @4 est Saturdays, but I prefer his podcast where he goes deep with artists of all genres,music industry executives, managers, production people and more. and they go back to 2019 iam currently somewhere in 2020