A total of 626 million people listen to their favorite music using Spotify every month. Apple Music has over 93 million subscribers. In 2023, Pandora had around 46 million active users. People listen to music in numbers that are almost inconceivable to the human brain — try picturing a crowd of 46 million, let alone 600 million.
In the current streaming era, music journalism is facing a crisis. Many people believe music journalism is dead or dying, while some argue it's just adapting to the relative affordability and immediate availability streaming provides. What consumers are forgetting, however, is music journalism is still a vital part of the music industry’s ecosystem; without it, the PR agents of streaming giants and major record labels shape musicians’ narratives, and young writers are stifled.
Listeners everywhere need to turn to punk’s DIY culture and small music publications to remind themselves exactly why journalism is an integral part of the listening experience. Zines, magazines and small music blogs are still important to sustaining a well-balanced music experience and uplifting beginning artists and bands.
Born out of the minds of science fiction authors in the early 1930s, zines became popular sources of information for every niche people could find. There have been Star Trek zines and horror zines, all of which provide content specific audiences were craving.
During the 1970s, when GG Allin was defecating on stage and Iggy and the Stooges were inventing stage diving, punk zines dug up the hidden gems of local music scenes. Produced by the people in these scenes and sold for cheap or given out for free, punk zines often featured interviews, reviews and gossip columns. Zines were produced en masse and were relatively easy to make, giving agency to the people in local scenes to shape the musical experiences for regulars and visitors alike.
In recent years, zines have made somewhat of a comeback among Generation Z. The zine revival has a number of benefits; zines allow for community-building among people with similar interests. In a time of increasing loneliness, bonding over a shared love of riot grrrl bands or the Lord of the Rings franchise could be incredibly beneficial.
Many currently running punk and music zines represent the benefits of their existence. In Southern California, Dead Relatives magazine showcases musicians and artists of color who shape the SoCal underground, presented in a boldly punk-influenced design template. Similar publications in the area, such as SoCal Grind magazine, promote local extreme metal shows.
Closer to home, zines shape punk scenes across Ohio. In Columbus, Knuckle Dragger 614 promotes punk and hardcore bands in the area through show announcements and interviews. Up north around Cleveland, Starvation Army Zine provides updates and news on regional shows ranging from punk to blues.
Buying and reading DIY zines is an important step in creating a hospitable music landscape for new groups and artists, but supporting all forms of music publications is necessary for giving artists the best chance at success.
Major players in music coverage such as Billboard and Rolling Stone are both great for reading news and features about established bands and music festivals. Expanding reading lists to smaller music publications — Rock DNA Magazine, Atwood magazine and The Line of Best Fit are great places to start — can expose readers to new artists or new perspectives on popular ones.
For people wanting to stay informed about the world of heavy music, starting with publications like Kerrang!, Revolver Magazine and CREEM are great, but adding in issues of Razorcake and similar outlets supports upcoming artists and new writers alike.
Both media professionals and consumers have attempted to perform autopsies on music journalism, claiming it started dying when physical media stopped selling. Music journalism may not be what it once was; magazines with pop stars and rock legends on the cover don’t fly off the shelves like they did before Spotify shook up the industry.
Very few aspiring authors and journalists come out of college with a job at big name publications, a fact across journalistic disciplines. Getting a subscription to a small music magazine or buying zines from someone at a concert might seem small, but could open your eyes to your new favorite musician or your new favorite writer. Next time you see a photocopied collection of interviews and essays at a venue, or just on the street, take a chance and buy it.
Jackson McCoy is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to share your thoughts? Let Jackson know by emailing or tweeting him at jm049122@ohio.edu or @_jackson_mccoy_.
