Week 3 EOC: Rolling Stones Magazine

First published in 1967, Rolling Stones established themselves as the go to magazine for fascinating articles and everything pop culture and music related. It set itself apart as the black sheep of journalism where the writing and image would be just a little bit cooler than the publications currently out there. “In June 1970, the magazine did a cover story on the murders orchestrated by Charles Manson. In 1980, it published a cover featuring Yoko Ono and a naked John Lennon. In 1993, it published a cover featuring a topless Janet Jackson with a pair of hands covering her breasts” (http://finance.yahoo.com/news/could-rolling-stones-boston-bomber-203600456.html). These are controversial covers and articles for sure; however, that is exactly what Rolling Stones aims to do. These days the magazine seems to be a haven for reporting on today’s hottest pop act, but the history of the publication indicates otherwise. Rolling Stone wants to create controversy and challenge the nation’s thinking and perceptions about the blurred lines of pop culture and hard hitting news.

Rolling Stone is a magazine that is marketed as a cultural rock n roll magazine. If one were to think of the magazine, they would think of a new album review or a feature on the next pop icon.  “Though it did not create the form, Rolling Stone was for five years the greatest champion of the then-voguish New Journalism, publishing long, mesmerizing stories by the likes of Hunter Thompson and Joe Eszterhas. If you were young and impressionable and interested in the possibilities of journalism as a life (after graduation, that is), it was impossible not to be irrevocably influenced by Rolling Stone” (http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317558,00.html). Make no mistakes about it, Rolling Stones is a journalistic publication.  They create long articles of more than several pages with much analysis and opinion of the topic at hand. They aim to target a younger educated demographic that appreciates smartly written pieces. A problem with Rolling Stones Magazine's branding is that they do not market themselves as a publication with hard news stories. Many people believe The Rolling Stones Magazine is simply a magazine about music. Since the inception, however, the magazine has touched on the many issues of the day.

While many consider Rolling Stone’s latest cover in bad taste, the current owner Jann Wenner, considers it one of many hard hitting topics that blends pop culture and current events. “Wenner reckon[s] it’s worth it to put a bit of rebel lustre back on his 50-year-old brand” (http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/boston-suspect-dzhokhar-tsarnaev-and-rolling-stone-cover-stars-dont-haveto-be-heroes-8717915.html) The Rolling Stones brand is that of a journalism rebel. Whether that makes people uncomfortable is not really a huge concern for them.