Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone
Title	Rolling Stone
Category	Music, Politics, Popular culture
Frequency	Monthly
Firstdate	1967
Country	United States
Language	English

Rolling Stone Rolling Stone is an American magazine founded in 1967 that covers music, politics, and popular culture. The magazine became known for long-form journalism, cultural criticism, and photojournalism, influencing coverage of rock music, film, and national politics. Over decades it has featured coverage of musicians, actors, politicians, and movements, shaping public discourse through profiles, reviews, and investigative reporting.

History

Founded in 1967 in San Francisco during the era of the Summer of Love, the magazine was established by Jann Wenner and Ralph J. Gleason amid the rise of Psychedelic rock, the Counterculture of the 1960s, and the Vietnam War protests. Early contributors included writers connected to The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, and the Merry Pranksters, while photographers captured scenes from Altamont Free Concert and Woodstock. In the 1970s the magazine expanded coverage to include profiles of artists such as Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones (band), Bruce Springsteen, and David Bowie, and crime and culture reporting intersected with national events like Watergate and the rise of Nixon administration controversies. During the 1980s and 1990s the magazine adapted to shifts in popular music—reporting on MTV, Hip hop, Grunge, and acts including Madonna (entertainer), Tupac Shakur, Nirvana, and Radiohead—while editorial leadership navigated corporate partnerships with media companies such as Warner Communications and Wenner Media. The 2000s brought digital expansion alongside coverage of figures like Beyoncé Knowles, Jay-Z, Kanye West, and political reporting related to the Iraq War and the 2008 United States presidential election. Ownership changes and restructuring continued into the 2010s and 2020s amid shifts toward online platforms and multimedia.

Editorial content and features

Rolling Stone is known for long-form journalism, album and film reviews, cultural criticism, and political analysis. Regular features historically included the annual "Hot List" and "Best of" issues spotlighting artists such as Prince (musician), U2, Adele, The Beatles, and Elvis Presley, and critics reviewed records from labels like Columbia Records, Island Records, and Def Jam Recordings. The magazine published investigative pieces on figures including Bernie Madoff and institutions such as The Pentagon Papers-era topics, and profiles of public figures like Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Bill Clinton. Photo essays documented tours by The Who (band), backstage moments with Iggy Pop, and portraiture of actors such as Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro. Rolling Stone also produced editorial lists—"Greatest Albums", "Greatest Artists"—influencing canon formation for acts like The Beach Boys, Miles Davis, Johnny Cash, and Stevie Wonder.

Contributors and notable interviews

The magazine cultivated writers and photographers who became influential cultural commentators, including journalists associated with investigations of Watergate, critics connected to The New York Times (1923–present), and cultural chroniclers who covered scenes from Detroit to Seattle. Notable interview subjects ranged from musicians such as John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Kurt Cobain, Madonna (entertainer), and Amy Winehouse to political figures including John F. Kennedy Jr.-era profiles, interviews with Nelson Mandela, and conversations involving Angela Davis. Photographers who contributed included those who documented tours for Led Zeppelin and The Who (band), while writers produced influential oral histories involving Grateful Dead, Black Sabbath, and Public Enemy. The magazine’s interviews often became source material for biographies and documentaries about subjects like Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Bob Marley, and Michael Jackson.

Controversies and criticism

Throughout its history the publication faced criticism over editorial choices, fact-checking, and cover stories. High-profile disputes involved reporting on figures such as Warrant (band), disputes about quotes attributed to Hunter S. Thompson-era subjects, and backlash from musicians including Neil Young and Axl Rose over reviews and portrayals. Investigative pieces and political endorsements provoked responses from supporters of George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, while coverage of sexual misconduct and assault allegations—touching on public figures like Roman Polanski and allegations reported about various artists—sparked debates on journalistic standards and survivor treatment. The magazine has also been critiqued for inaccuracies in reporting linked to celebrity profiles and for editorial disputes with contributors tied to New Journalism traditions.

Business operations and circulation

Initially financed by founders and investors connected to the San Francisco scene, the magazine grew circulation through single-issue newsstand sales and subscriptions, expanding distribution from West Coast markets to national availability in cities like New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston. Corporate partnerships and acquisitions involved media companies such as Warner Communications and later private equity and publishing groups, while shifts to digital publishing paralleled the growth of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Circulation trends mirrored the broader magazine industry decline in print, with increasing emphasis on web traffic, digital subscriptions, and multimedia content including video features and podcasts. Advertising partners ranged from record labels such as Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group to technology brands and fashion houses collaborating on branded content.

Cultural impact and legacy

Rolling Stone influenced music criticism, celebrity journalism, and political commentary, shaping reputations for acts from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones (band) to contemporary stars like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé Knowles. Its lists and reviews contributed to canon formation cited in scholarship on Popular culture studies, and its long-form pieces informed documentaries about subjects including Nirvana, Prince (musician), and Bob Dylan. The magazine’s photographic portraiture of figures such as Andy Warhol, Marilyn Monroe, and Che Guevara—and coverage of movements like Punk rock and Hip hop—left a visible imprint on visual culture and museum exhibitions. Alumni from the magazine went on to careers in television, book publishing, and academia, influencing discourse in outlets like The New Yorker, The Washington Post, and Vogue (magazine).

Category:American magazines