Is there really much of a difference between music magazines? I've read a fair amount of them over the years and, outside of some slight tone differences, there doesn't seem to be a more homogenous industry than music journalism. There almost seems to be a formally approved style that music magazines (counting e-zines, like Pitchfork) adhere to and writers for them adhere to.
I found them (and still find Pitchfork) somewhat useful just as information as to what's been newly released outside the mainstream. But there's precious little insight. Their implicit goal seems to be to try and foster an elitist culture and language for their readers to feel a part of. Nothing more, nothing less. At base, it's really not to do with music, though music is certainly the theme. It's about feeling part of an exclusive society.
Music magazine culture is to being a music fan as organized religion is to being spiritual. You can be into music or spirituality through your own exploration...the organized culture is for feeling a part of a society (with the attendant us-vs-them mentality).
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"Blow your tuneless trumpet, the choice is yours / We don't want the glamour, the pomp and the drums / The Dublin messiah scattering crumbs"
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