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I have been a faithful subscriber to RS for almost twenty years, and I have witnessed the magazine slowly transform from a credible rock and roll journal to the music equivilent of Tiger Beat. In the 1980s, Rolling Stone's passion was music, and it often gave well-deserved nods to artists that were on the cutting edge: U2, Prince, REM, the Smiths, and so on. These days, its attempts to sell copies are getting more desperate as they feature people like Britney, NSYNC, and BSB on their cover sometimes as much as twice a year. I have nothing against teen pop; after all, RS gave Duran Duran a cover story in the 1980s. But it's troubling to see a magazine follow trends when they used to create them.

The record reviews are, for the most part, dubious. Rob Sheffield is one of the usual suspects. Three-and-a-half stars for Britney and Destiny's Child? More trustworthy critics include longtime writer David Fricke, Anthony DeCurtis, and Barry Walters. These guys seem to know what they're talking about when they review records.

The only section of the magazine worth reading is the movies section by Peter Travers, a critic I may not always agree with but one I do respect. Travers has enough heart to go against the grain of public opinion by trashing shallow, self-important, corporate driven, Holllywood movies. It really seems that he is criticizing the very hype machine the rest of Rolling Stone seems to embrace.

All in all, RS has its moments, but its getting disappointing within recent years. Here's hoping it can regain the edge it once had back in the 1970s and 1980s.

I remember cleary back in November 1995 when I got my first issue of VIBE in the mail.It was the December 1995/January 1996
issue with Whitney Houston on the cover.I was loving this magazine.Yes it was a lot like an "urban Rolling Stone" but it was smart,hip,diverse,and intriging.Founded by Quincy Jones in 1993,VIBE has been a more stylish,hipper alternative to the more street,keep-it-real The Source and it has succeed.

From that Whitney Houston issue to this day,I've been an avid reader of VIBE,it's my first-choice music magazine.It especially
thirved when Danyel Smith became the Editor In Cheif from November 1997 to November 1999 as it became even more wordly and intriguing.Not to mention,the stunning photos and informative aricles,helpful reviews,and political columns but then VIBE got a little soft on me when former fashion editor Emil Wilibekin became the Editor In Chief.As Wilibekin became the E-I-C,VIBE has become very glossy and prissy.Very woman-friendly and gay-friendly(that's not necessaraly a bad thing though).With glossy fashion spreads galore and a just overall
prissy vibe(no pun intended).That turns me off.I also don't care how the Revolutions(the review section) is so skimed down and less informative.VIBE is one of the main reasons I became a reviewer on Amazon.com,their reviews used to be honest and well-intended but these days they aren't so effective anymore and not that many big hip hop releases are even reviewed anymore(which is good in a way since it's helping the readers discover more
less well-known,adventrous sounds).

Even with it's in it's overly slick state these days,VIBE is still the best music magazine on the market.XXL may be more down and more informative and The Source may be righteous,and the promising Blender may be more music-guided but VIBE will always the first-choice music magazine for me for like Mr. Knyte said
it inspired me to take my dreams of journalism(especially music journalism) higher and for now,seven years it's lifted my sprits
and always kept me intrigued.

Initially, I had doubts about Details. It wasn't so much that I had a specific complaint about Details, but rather I had held a mostly negative view of fashion magazines in general, which I view ideologically as "commercial" and lacking "meaning." Yeah, I know it sounds foolish now, but it seem to make sense to be at that time.

However, after actually reading several issues of Details, I have become impressed with it. The writing in Details is cool, almost in an unhurried kind of way, but is also remarkably direct and to the point. One rarely finds reporting this good in other fashion magazines. Also of equal, or perhaps better, quality and sophistication is the fashion photography. Details features consistently excellent photos of the newest trends in men's fashion.

But Details is not about any kind of men's clothing; while GQ's trademark is more bourgeois in orientation, Details features styles that appeal more to the person with a bohemian sense of fashion. The album, movie, book reviews - which was another aspect that I was immensely impressed with - also feature items that are mostly along the lines of bohemian taste. Overall Details is an excellent magazine, perhaps the best of its kind, and I recommend it without reservation.

Last Update Magazines : "Rolling Stone,Vibe & Details" - Day/Month/Year : 11/08/2002