Great Music Magazines

Have you checked out Rolling Stone magazine's new trim size yet? It's a glossy now, and I must admit that I like it much better. The writing remains solid. I just love their political coverage. I'm not as enamored with their celebrity features or their music reviews.

Still, it gets me starting thinking about how to expand what I'm listening to. Another weekly source for me is Entertainment Weekly. I'm often surprised by how diverse their reviews are. In terms of age, especially. (Old-timers like me do appreciate that they still recognize releases from those popular in the long ago.)

But the best resource for staying musically hip is Paste magazine. With every issue you receive a CD with around 16 new tracks that their editors have vetted. They have interesting taste. Great writing here, and more expansive than Rolling Stone. Always a monthly highlight when this mag drops in my mailbox.

I love when I have time to browse the magazines at the bookstore. There are some great mags that I haven't mentioned. But I'd like to end with a plug for an annual music issue put out by a literary magazine, The Oxford American. Every year they showcase Southern music. I bought this music issue once and it was memorable. I am grateful that they exposed me to Todd Snider, and I anticipate some new "finds" in this year's issue.

Check out the interview with the editor. Hope that it gives you exposure to some great new artists!