Pitchfork lived and died by the internet

Last year, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails appeared on Rick Rubin’s podcast and discussed how music has become more common but less special over his career. He expressed missing the attention music used to get, the feeling of sending something out into the world and seeing how it resonated.

Just over six months later, Pitchfork underwent significant changes, with half of its editorial staff, including the editor-in-chief, being laid off and the publication being integrated into GQ. Pitchfork had once been a major influencer in the music industry, boosting indie artists and shaping music discourse. However, as the music landscape shifted from analog to digital, with the rise of streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, the platform began to view music as mere content.

While music is now more accessible than ever, the oversaturation makes it challenging for new artists to stand out. Platforms like TikTok treat music as background noise, diminishing its value as an art form to be cherished. With the decline in power of traditional music magazines like Pitchfork, the role of music journalism in promoting new artists has become uncertain.

Pitchfork was founded in 1996 by Ryan Schreiber, aiming to center independent music and provide critical reviews in a landscape dominated by monthly magazines like Rolling Stone and Spin. As music consumption shifted from CDs to digital formats, Pitchfork’s daily postings and embrace of new distribution formats set it apart from traditional publications. It became a hub for discovering new music and artists, especially in the indie rock genre.

Pitchfork’s first major breakthrough came with its viral review of Radiohead’s Kid A, which garnered attention for its unique and bizarre writing style. The site’s business grew significantly over the years, leading to the hiring of Chris Kaskie to manage its expansion into a full-fledged media company. Despite the rise of other influential music blogs, Pitchfork remained a central figure in the industry, shaping music trends and promoting emerging artists.

In conclusion, the evolution of the music industry and changing consumer behaviors have transformed the role of music journalism and platforms like Pitchfork. As music continues to adapt to new technologies and distribution methods, the future of music promotion and discovery remains uncertain.

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