Welcome to #RSFans!
Welcome to #RSFans! Our mandate is “music through the eyes of the fans,” and we mean it. This is the place where Rolling Stone and you, the ever-important music listener, can have a conversation about music – what’s happening right now, or what was the best back then. We’ll be covering everything from Kraftwerk to American Idol, from Lollapalooza to All Tomorrow’s Parties, from your heads to ours, and then back to yours again.
We have a lot of questions for you, and we know you have the answers. So let’s get started.
The music industry got some good news for a change this week, with album sales rising for the first time in quite a while. We want to know: what was the last album you bought? And where did you buy it (iTunes, Wal-Mart, BandCamp)? Were you happy you did? Use the #RSFans hashtag in your tweets so we can see what you really like.
While music sales have been rallying, what’s really remarkable is the steady increase in sales of vinyl records over the past few years. We want to see pics of your favorite slabs! Picture discs, white sleeves, anything. Tag them with #RSFans.
We all know the iPhone “changed everything,” but little more so than how we listen to music. The iPod opened the door, but our always-on connection to the Internet was a far more significant change than just a hard drive in the pocket. We don’t even need an iTunes library anymore – just a strong signal and one of the many well-stocked streaming apps available, ready to play you a lifetime’s worth of music at a tap or a swipe. We’re asking: what’s the music app you simply can’t live without? Why’s it so great (available music, the interface, its rock-solid reliability)? We’ll answer the question of who’s best, once and for all.
Closely related to the music app mania is the massive growth of Spotify, especially since its launch in the U.S. last year. The service, combining mobile apps, a desktop version, and easy sharing via Facebook, is a no-brainer for many. What’s perhaps most likable about Spotify, though, is the playlists – even Katie Couric got in on the fun today. Share your favorite Spotify playlists with us using the #RSFans hashtag, and we’ll compile them into what should be a very interesting collection of music.
This Thursday marks the 18th anniversary of Kurt Cobain’s passing – the unlikely hero of a generation and one who changed the course of popular music. We’d like to hear how Kurt Cobain and Nirvana affected your music taste, then and now. Tag your story with #RSFans and we’ll share it with the world that Cobain helped create.
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band are coming to their home state of New Jersey this Tuesday, and we want to hear – and see – your impressions of the show. We’d like to turn your shares into a sort-of review of the show, for the fans and by the fans. Let us know how The Boss is doing with #RSFans!