Resident Advisor

Resident Advisor
source
Name	Resident Advisor
Type	Online magazine
Founded	2001
Headquarters	London
Founder	Paul Clement, Nick Sabine
Language	English

Resident Advisor Resident Advisor is an online magazine and platform covering electronic music, nightlife and club culture. Founded in 2001, it has published reviews, features, interviews and event listings while operating a ticketing system and a DJ chart service. The site has been cited alongside publications and institutions such as The Guardian, Pitchfork, Mixmag, NME (magazine), and Rolling Stone for shaping discourse around techno, house, drum and bass, trance and experimental electronic scenes.

History

The publication was created in the early 2000s amid a growing global interest in electronic music scenes in cities like London, Berlin, New York City, Detroit, Chicago, Ibiza, Buenos Aires, Barcelona, Tokyo, and Seoul. Founders drew inspiration from print magazines such as The Wire, Melody Maker, NME (magazine), and online pioneers like Pitchfork and Resident Advisor competitors Mixmag and XLR8R. Early coverage highlighted scenes connected to labels including Warp (record label), Ninja Tune, R&S Records, Plus 8 Records, Hospital Records, and Defected Records. Over time the site expanded to profiles of artists associated with clubs and festivals such as Berghain, Fabric (club), Ministry of Sound, Panorama Bar, Glasgow School of Art, Sonar Festival, Boiler Room (company), Movement Electronic Music Festival, Dekmantel Festival, and Awakenings Festival. The editorial staff included journalists who previously contributed to outlets like The Guardian, The Quietus, The Independent, Fact (magazine), and The Telegraph.

Services and Features

The platform provides listings, ticketing, artist profiles, DJ charts, and album reviews. Its ticketing branch competes with services such as Eventbrite, Ticketmaster, Dice (ticketing), and Resident Advisor alternatives like Brown Paper Tickets. Artist pages feature discographies connected to labels such as Defected Records, Anjunadeep, Anjunabeats, Hotflush Recordings, Soma Quality Recordings, and Mule Musiq. The site hosts mixes and podcasts in the tradition of Essential Mix, BBC Radio 1, and Worldwide FM, showcasing DJs connected to collectives like Rinse FM, FabricLive, Ostgut Ton, and Get Physical Music. Its charts and end-of-year lists have been compared with lists from Pitchfork, DJ Mag, Resident Advisor peers Mixmag, and The Wire.

Editorial Coverage and Influence

Editorially, the magazine has profiled producers, DJs and labels across many subgenres, from artists affiliated with Richie Hawtin-linked Plus 8 Records to veterans associated with Carl Craig and Mo' Wax. Coverage ranges from techno luminaries tied to Jeff Mills and Derrick May to house figures like Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan. The site has analyzed festival programming at events such as Glastonbury Festival, Coachella, Tomorrowland, Ultra Music Festival, and SXSW (conference), and explored club culture in metropolises including Paris, Milan, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Melbourne, São Paulo, Cape Town, and Moscow. Its reporting has intersected with discussions involving institutions like BBC, Channel 4, The New York Times, and research centers interested in nightlife and urban studies.

Events and Community Initiatives

Beyond journalism, the organization has organized showcases, stage takeovers and partnerships at festivals and clubs, aligning with promoters and brands such as Boiler Room (company), Dekmantel Festival, Sonar Festival, Red Bull Music Academy, and Circoloco. Community initiatives have included artist residencies and advocacy projects addressing issues highlighted in collaborations with organizations like Safe Gigs for Women, campaign groups in nightlife safety, and cultural programs connected to arts institutions such as Southbank Centre and Tate Modern. The platform has collaborated with venues such as The Warehouse Project, KOKO (music venue), XOYO, The Printworks (Manchester), and promoters like Mojo Concerts and Live Nation for curated events.

Business Model and Ownership

The business operates through advertising, ticketing revenue, sponsored content, subscriptions and strategic partnerships. It positioned itself among digital media companies like Pitchfork, Vulture (website), Stereogum, and ticket platforms such as Dice (ticketing) and Eventbrite. Ownership and investment rounds have engaged stakeholders from the music and media sectors similar to investors involved with Vice Media, Wired (magazine), and independent music labels; leadership has included executives with backgrounds at companies like MTV Networks, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group. The company has offices and staff distributed across key cities including London, Berlin, New York City, and Los Angeles.

Reception and Criticism

The outlet has been praised for in-depth artist interviews, comprehensive listings and advocacy for underground scenes, drawing favorable comparisons to publications such as The Guardian, Pitchfork, Mixmag, and The Wire. Criticism has focused on editorial choices, commercialization of listings and ticketing, perceived biases toward particular subgenres and cities, and competition with streaming and broadcast entities like Boiler Room (company), YouTube, SoundCloud, and Spotify. Debates in the music press and academic circles have invoked institutions and commentators from Journal of Popular Music Studies and cultural critics writing for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The New York Times.

Category:Online music magazines