It's not like I was waiting for this day to come, but I've decided to let my subscription to Rolling Stone run out. I'm not trying to make some bold political statement here. I just have found my tastes and the magazine's direction on diverging roads. And this decision wasn't solely because of their recently slimmed-down size, but I won't lie, it was a big part of my decision.
In the last year, I've found myself reading less and less of each issue. I can remember a time when I read almost everything in each issue. But that time has passed.
When I was in high school, there wasn't the convenience of the Internet or MP3s. There was a degree of mystery and guess work on whether or not I should check out the Buzzcocks' Singles Going Steady or Series 7. Rolling Stone was incredibly helpful in introducing me to bands not on the mainstream airwaves and movies not playing in big cineplexes. Now, the ways I find about those things aren't solely from the pages of the magazine. It's nothing against the magazine or the quality of its writing. I just have more resources at my disposal.
I will add that I couldn't help notice, that with the reduced size came less in the form of decent content. More superficial fluff and more bold statements are not things that make me want to read more. Not every issue was filled with these, but I couldn't get through them before I put the issue on my coffee table.
Believe me, this was not a really easy decision. I have a handful of large boxes in my house and my parents' house devoted almost completely to older issues of Rolling Stone. Now I have an answer if I need some more boxes.
In the last year, I've found myself reading less and less of each issue. I can remember a time when I read almost everything in each issue. But that time has passed.
When I was in high school, there wasn't the convenience of the Internet or MP3s. There was a degree of mystery and guess work on whether or not I should check out the Buzzcocks' Singles Going Steady or Series 7. Rolling Stone was incredibly helpful in introducing me to bands not on the mainstream airwaves and movies not playing in big cineplexes. Now, the ways I find about those things aren't solely from the pages of the magazine. It's nothing against the magazine or the quality of its writing. I just have more resources at my disposal.
I will add that I couldn't help notice, that with the reduced size came less in the form of decent content. More superficial fluff and more bold statements are not things that make me want to read more. Not every issue was filled with these, but I couldn't get through them before I put the issue on my coffee table.
Believe me, this was not a really easy decision. I have a handful of large boxes in my house and my parents' house devoted almost completely to older issues of Rolling Stone. Now I have an answer if I need some more boxes.
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