Stereogum
Stereogum is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine.
| Type | Online music magazine |
|---|---|
| Format | Internet |
| Owner(s) | Scott Lapatine |
| Editor-in-chief | Scott Lapatine |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Language | English |
| OCLC number | 1142733705 |
| Website | www |
Stereogum was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several awards and citations, including the PLUG Award for Music Blog of the Year, Blender's Powergeek 25, and Entertainment Weekly's Best Music Websites. The site was named an Official Honoree of the Webby Awards in the music category and won the OMMA Award for Web Site Excellence in the Entertainment/Music category. In 2011, Stereogum won The Village Voice's Music Blog of the Year.[1]
History
The site was named after a lyric from the song "Radio #1" by the French electronic duo Air.[2]
In late 2006, Stereogum received an influx of capital through Bob Pittman's private investment entity The Pilot Group.[3] In November 2007, it was purchased by SpinMedia (formerly known as Buzz Media). April 2008 saw the launch of Videogum, a sister site focused on television, movies, and Web videos. Videogum later closed.
In December 2016, Eldridge Industries acquired SpinMedia via the Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group for an undisclosed amount.[4]
Stereogum's first SXSW event in 2006 was hosted by then-emerging comedian Aziz Ansari and featured a headline performance from Ted Leo. In the years since, Stereogum's events have included sets from Ben Gibbard,[5] Sky Ferreira, Mitski, Beach House, St. Vincent, Deerhunter, Japanese Breakfast, Rico Nasty,[6] and other popular acts.
Stereogum was the first major publication to write about future superstar acts like Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, and Billie Eilish.[citation needed]
Popular musicians have been known to participate in Stereogum's active comments section, such as Father John Misty, Weezer's Rivers Cuomo, and Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold.
In July 2017, Arcade Fire created the parody site Stereoyum featuring a "Premature Premature Evaluation" of their forthcoming album Everything Now.[7]
On January 16, 2020 it was announced that Scott Lapatine, the site's founder and editor-and-chief, had reached an agreement to purchase Stereogum from the Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group, making it once again an independent publication.[8]
Album of the Year
| Year | Artist | Album | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Animal Collective | Merriweather Post Pavilion | [9] |
| 2010 | Kanye West | My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy | [10] |
| 2011 | Girls | Father, Son, Holy Ghost | [11] |
| 2012 | Fiona Apple | The Idler Wheel... | [12] |
| 2013 | Kanye West | Yeezus | [13] |
| 2014 | Run the Jewels | Run the Jewels 2 | [14] |
| 2015 | Grimes | Art Angels | [15] |
| 2016 | Beyoncé | Lemonade | [16] |
| 2017 | Lorde | Melodrama | [17] |
| 2018 | Kacey Musgraves | Golden Hour | [18] |
| 2019 | Lana Del Rey | Norman Fucking Rockwell! | [19] |
| 2020 | Fiona Apple | Fetch The Bolt Cutters | [20] |
| 2021 | The War on Drugs | I Don't Live Here Anymore | [21] |
| 2022 | Alvvays | Blue Rev | [22] |
Music releases
In July 2007, Stereogum released OKX, a tenth anniversary tribute to Radiohead's OK Computer. Cover songs were solicited from fourteen indie rock artists including Doveman, Vampire Weekend, John Vanderslice, David Bazan, Cold War Kids, My Brightest Diamond, Marissa Nadler, Chris Funk of The Decemberists, and Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie. The album can be heard free of charge at http://www.stereogum.com/okx.
Other free Stereogum compilation albums include: Drive XV, a tribute to R.E.M.'s Automatic for the People (featuring Rogue Wave, Meat Puppets, Sara Quin, and Dr. Dog); [[Enjoyed: A Tribute to Björk's Post|Enjoyed], a tribute to Björk's Post (featuring Liars, Edward Droste, Dirty Projectors, Final Fantasy, and Atlas Sound); Stroked, a tribute to The Strokes's Is This It (featuring Real Estate, Owen Pallett, Peter Bjorn & John, and The Morning Benders); MySplice Vols 1-4:, an annual mashup collaboration with team9; and Stereogum Presents... RAC Vol. 1, the first release from Grammy-winning producer RAC.
In 2020, as part of a fundraising effort to keep the site operational and independent,[23] an original 55-track compilation of covers of songs from the 2000s by various artists titled Save Stereogum: An '00s Covers Comp was released as an incentive for donors to the site's Indiegogo campaign.[24][25] The campaign totaled over $370,000 in donations.[26] It debuted at #1 on Billboard's Compilation Albums chart and #11 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart.
References
- ^ Stabile, Francesca (December 7, 2011). "The Winners Of The 2011 Village Voice Web Awards". The Village Voice. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- ^ "Q&A: Air's Jean-Benoît Dunckel On The Future Of The Band, Working With Sofia Coppola, And Inspiring The Name "Stereogum"". Stereogum. August 14, 2015. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ Lauria, Peter (December 7, 2007). "Pittman Flips Stake". New York Post. New York Post. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- ^ "Billboard Buys Spin and Vibe in a Quest to 'Own the Topic of Music Online'". Adweek. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
- ^ Duffy, Robert. "SXSW Updates Stereogum Brings Ben Gibbard". Done Waiting. Done Waiting.
- ^ "Superlatives from SXSW Music". Austin Monthly. Austin Monthly. March 19, 2019. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- ^ "Arcade Fire spoof music website with 'Premature Premature Evaluation' review of own album". NME. July 22, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ "Billboard-The Hollywood Reporter Media Group Sells Spin, Agreement in Place for Sale of Stereogum". Billboard. January 16, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
- ^ "Best Album 2009". Stereogum. December 7, 2009. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
- ^ "Stereogum's Top 50 Albums Of 2010". Stereogum. December 8, 2010. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
- ^ "Stereogum's Top 50 Albums Of 2011". Stereogum. December 5, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
- ^ "Stereogum's Top 50 Albums Of 2012". Stereogum. December 5, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums Of 2013". Stereogum. December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums Of 2014". Stereogum. December 2, 2014. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums Of 2015". Stereogum. December 1, 2015. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
- ^ "50 Best Albums of 2016". Stereogum. December 1, 2016. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums Of 2017". Stereogum. December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums Of 2018". Stereogum. December 4, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums Of 2019". Stereogum. December 3, 2019. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums Of 2020". Stereogum. December 1, 2020. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums Of 2021". Stereogum. December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums Of 2022". Stereogum. December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ "Save Stereogum: An '00s Covers Comp". Stereogum. June 29, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
- ^ Tan, Emily (June 29, 2020). "Ben Gibbard, El-P and More to Help 'Stereogum'". Spin. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
- ^ Curto, Justin (September 10, 2020). "How Stereogum Made Its 2000s Covers Compilation". Vulture. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
- ^ "Indiegogo-Save Stereogum: An '00s Covers Comp". Indiegogo. June 29, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
External links
- Official website