Music publications, whether in print or digital form, may range from scholarly journals to glossy magazines, trade publications, and new media platforms.
Music books may include biographies, histories, theoretical treatises, and instructional manuals. They provide long-form, in-depth analysis and are often used in academic or educational contexts. Examples include textbooks on music theory, biographies of composers or performers, and anthologies of criticism. When compared to ephemeral periodicals, books offer a sense of permanence.
Newspapers historically offered concert reviews, artist interviews, and coverage of music trends. Their strength lies in timeliness, capturing the immediate cultural impact of performances and releases. While print newspapers have declined, some continue to publish music criticism online, making them accessible to a broad audience.
Music magazines such as Rolling Stone or NME blend journalism, criticism, and popular culture. They target general audiences, often focusing on celebrity profiles, album reviews, and industry news. Magazines strike a balance between entertainment and cultural commentary, shaping the public's perception of music trends.
Academic journals like Music Theory Spectrum or Ethnomusicology are peer-reviewed and written by experts for experts. They emphasize research, analysis, and scholarly debate, often advancing new theories or documenting ethnographic studies.
Trade publications serve industry professionals, covering topics such as publishing rights, recording technology, and market trends. Examples include Billboard, which tracks charts and industry developments. The function of trade publications is practical and business-oriented, helping professionals navigate the commercial side of music.
Periodicals encompass newspapers, magazines, and journals, united by their regular publication cycle, which may be daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual. They provide continuity, enabling readers to follow the evolution of trends, debates, and developments in music over time. Each type of periodical caters to a distinct audience, including general readers, scholars, and professionals.
Digital platforms represent the fastest-growing segment of music publications. A growing number of publications are transitioning from print to digital formats, while others offer both print and digital formats. Unlike traditional print, many forms of new media allow for interactivity, enabling readers to comment, share, and engage directly with creators.
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Stylized in lowercase since 2013, Billboard is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation, providing music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and styles related to the music industry. Its music charts include the Hot 100, Billboard 200, and Global 200. Founded in 1894 as a trade publication for bill posters, it initially covered the entertainment industry before later focusing on the music industry.
https://www.billboard.com/
Online since 1993, Chaos Control is a pioneering electronic music magazine that also covers other styles and topics. The online music and culture magazine publishes feature interviews, archival pieces, news briefs, and video items focused on alternative, electronic, post-punk, experimental, and veteran artists spanning several decades. The site regularly republishes or revisits historical interviews and retrospectives. Main sections are organized as Features, Briefs, Video, and Archives.
https://chaoscontrol.com/
DownBeat is a jazz and creative music magazine and website offering news, reviews, interviews, obituaries, features, and archival material about jazz and related genres. Its main content types include news articles and obituaries, in-depth interviews and classic interviews, album and concert reviews, editors' picks, and buying or listening recommendations. The site highlights special sections and archival pieces alongside current picks and reviews of albums, videos, and books.
https://www.downbeat.com/
Ethnomusicology is an international, peer-reviewed journal published three times a year by the University of Illinois Press on behalf of the Society for Ethnomusicology. It features scholarly articles representing theoretical perspectives and research in ethnomusicology and related fields, as well as books, sound recordings, films, videos, and multimedia reviews. It publishes 40% of accepted articles within 12 months of their submission and 100% within 18 months.
https://www.ethnomusicology.org/page/Pub_Journal
The Music Box is a daily online music magazine that publishes reviews, interviews, news, tour dates, feature articles, streaming audio and video, and contest giveaways. The magazine has been published since 1994 and has been online since 1997. Its content features album and DVD reviews, music news, editor lists, interviews, and tour date listings, along with regular features and gift guides. The site states that it is 100% reader-funded, and purchases made through the site support it.
http://www.musicbox-online.com/
Stylized music OMH, this is a London-based online music magazine that publishes independent reviews, features, and interviews from across all genres, including classical, metal, rock, and R&B. Founded in 1999, its content consists of reviews of albums, gigs, tracks, and festivals, alongside feature articles, interviews, and blog posts. The main sections of the site are Features, Albums, Live, and Classical. Contact, subscription, and contribution details are offered.
https://www.musicomh.com/
Published by the Society for Music Theory, MTO is a peer-reviewed, open-access electronic journal of research in music theory, music analysis, and related disciplines. It is an online, open-access journal in continuous publication since 1993, with new issues published four times a year. Its content includes research articles, reviews, commentaries, conference reports, job listings, and dissertation abstracts. Its website features background on the journal and membership benefits.
https://mtosmt.org/
Published since 1979, Music Theory Spectrum is a peer-reviewed academic journal specializing in music theory and analysis. Published by Oxford University Press, it is the official journal of the Society for Music Theory. Published twice a year, the journal features research articles and book reviews, and provides online access to back issues dating back to 2017 through JSTOR. Its features include articles on a wide range of topics in music theory and analysis of popular music.
https://societymusictheory.org/publications/music-theory-spectrum
A leading trade media brand for the UK music industry for over fifty years, Music Week delivers daily news, analysis, interviews, charts, and industry opinion aimed at label executives, managers, promoters, and other professionals. Included are breaking industry stories and announcements, longer interviews, analysis, and opinion pieces, official UK album and singles charts, along with specialist charts and airplay rankings, and coverage and registration for industry news.
https://www.musicweek.com/
NME is a long-running music and pop-culture site that covers news, album and game reviews, film and TV, interviews, festival and gif coverage, and new-music discovery across dedicated sections such as Music, Film, TV, Gaming, Festivals, Gig Guide, Radar, and Cover. Originally known as the New Musical Express (NME), the publication began as a weekly print magazine focused on music news, charts, reviews, and culture. Under NME, it also covers film, television, gaming, and youth culture.
https://www.nme.com/
Formerly Pitchfork Media, Pitchfork is an American online music magazine founded in 1996. Initially covering alternative and independent music, it later expanded to include pop, hip-hop, jazz, and metal. Its influence declined in the 2010s with the growth of streaming and social media, and Condé Nast acquired it. Major headings include News, Reviews, Best New Music, Features, Lists, Columns, and Video. Lists, guides, and events are noted, and advertising opportunities are available.
https://pitchfork.com/
Founded in 1981, Pollstar is a trade publication for the concert and live music industry. Acquired by Oak View Group in 2017, the publication covers the concert industry in the United States and internationally, providing information to professional concert promoters, booking agents, artist managers, facility executives, and others, and prints a weekly print magazine that is included on its website. Industry news, charts, data, and an online store are available.
https://www.pollstar.com/
Available in English and German, and headquartered in the Netherlands, Pro-Music-News is a manually edited, web-only publication that has been active since 1997, covering musical instruments, recording, pro audio, sound reinforcement, lighting, and stage rigging. It posts industry news, product announcements, trade-show coverage, tutorials, and distributor updates, also offering RSS feeds for customized newsletters. Information and contacts for submitting news or advertising are set forth.
http://www.pro-music-news.com/
Founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967, the American monthly magazine focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. The magazine was first known for its coverage of rock music and political reporting by Hunter S. Thompson. In the 1990s, the magazine broadened its focus to appeal to a younger readership interested in youth-oriented TV shows, film actors, and popular music. However, it has since returned to its traditional mix of content, including music, entertainment, and politics.
https://www.rollingstone.com/
SOS is a long-established magazine focused on music recording technology and production, offering news, in-depth reviews, articles on techniques, interviews, podcasts, and a community forum. News headlines cover product launches, software updates, and industry promotions, while featured articles include instrument and studio gear features, case studies, and artist-focused pieces. Forum content is read-only without a (free) registration and login. Several topics are included.
https://www.soundonsound.com/
Stylized in all caps, SPIN is an American music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr. Later owned by Next Management Partners, the magazine transitioned to an online publication in 2012, after ceasing to issue a print edition, but it has since returned as a quarterly publication. It covers news, album reviews, features, interviews, videos, and photography with a focus on contemporary pop, rock, hip-hop, and alternative culture. Archives are included.
https://www.spin.com/
Founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones in 1993, Vibe is an American music and entertainment magazine that predominantly features rhythm & blues (R&B) and hip-hop music artists, actors, and other entertainers. After shutting down in the summer of 2009, it was acquired by InterMedia Partners, then issued bi-monthly with double covers and a larger online presence. In 2014, its print version was discontinued. Categories include News, Music, Features, Movies & TV, and Lifestyle.
https://www.vibe.com/
Dedicated to music from around the world, the online magazine features international news from the music industry, CD and concert reviews, articles, and several other resources, in the form of a wiki, for music fans, industry professionals, and researchers, with a focus on traditional and contemporary folk and roots music, as well as cross-cultural fusions and hybrids. Readers are invited to write for the publication. Contacts and an online store are included.
https://worldmusiccentral.org/
