Rolling Stone rolls with the punches

Rolling Stone to go to a smaller "standard-sized" magazine format in October.

And it'll be perfect-bound instead of saddle-stitched.

Ad sales are down 33 percent, and newsstand sales are also in nosedive. This is probably a smart move to improve things on both counts.

It'll be a little weird at first, but anyone under 30 won't care and anyone over 55 will have the pleasure of composing a baby-boomer elegia to the glory of Aulden Days.

Comments

[Matt Bors]

Two things they could do to improve their content: 1) less features that exist solely to tell you what great stuff is online and TV (and not in their magazine) 2) less topless photos of John Mayer.

[Jil]

I still remember the good old days when Stephen King used Rolling Stone in his novel "Firestarter" as the publication the little girl could approach and expect they'd tell her whole story without being censored.

[Chris]

Is Rolling Stone even still relevant? I had a sub for years into the 90s, maybe I just lost interest in what they were putting out.

[Lizzy Caston]

I think this is their 2nd or 3rd "relaunch" within 10 years. Rolling Stone now reminds me of one of those Clear Channel "Rock" radio stations. All ads and gloss and pre-programmed playlists with talking head DJs. RS has become publicity machine rock n' roll with a lower case r. Like a washed out indy rock band from the 1980s (or, I suppose the 1990s now too) going through the motions on their reunion tour and playing that one hit album live over and over again. Stale.

Which is sad really, as there used to be some stellar journalism and other writing wedged in between the music stuff.