Music enthusiasts are expressing dismay at the current state of journalism and mainstream media, particularly due to the strong leftist leanings of Rolling Stone magazine, a publication once renowned for its coverage of music, artists, and contemporary culture.
Rolling Stone was once the voice of counter culture. Now it’s a government newsletter. https://t.co/UVO0X5GaX7
— Brandon Straka (@BrandonStraka) August 25, 2023
Criticism has been directed at the magazine recently, stemming from a tweet it published with the headline “f*** around… find out.” Accompanying the text were images of former President Donald Trump and his recent mugshot.
This overtly political post garnered strong reactions on the platform known as X, previously referred to as Twitter, leading many to question the publication’s journalistic integrity and apparent alignment with left-wing ideology. Amid the online backlash, users expressed their disappointment with the magazine’s shift away from music-focused content.
One user quipped, “What happened to music coverage? If I wanted to see political posts like this, I would just follow my creepy college professor or my angry rainbow-haired roommate on Twitter.” Seth Weathers, founder of Ultra Right Beer, simply wrote, “Delete your account.”
In an unexpected move, former President Trump himself contributed to the publicity by sharing the mugshot image on his Twitter account, his first tweet since 2021. The image was taken at the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, related to charges stemming from District Attorney Fani Willis’s indictment.
Among the allegations are claims of contesting the outcome of the 2020 election, with Trump and 18 others named as co-defendants in the case. The recent uproar caused by Rolling Stone’s tweet on their X social media account is not an isolated incident for the brand.
The magazine previously faced legal repercussions, settling a defamation lawsuit brought by a former assistant dean at the University of Virginia. The suit alleged that Rolling Stone had published false and damaging information about an attack that took place on campus.
Furthermore, the magazine’s music-related editorial pieces have failed to generate the same level of attention they once did. This shift in marketing strategy could be an attempt to revive viewership and engagement. A noteworthy instance from earlier this year involved OAN anchors Stella Escobedo and Alicia Summers.
They were incorrectly accused in a Rolling Stone article of attempting to conceal their employment and affiliations on TikTok, despite their clear association with “One America News” evident on their profiles and video content.
