The internet has led to the discovery of countless new acts, and much of that is thanks to your local music blog. Style of Sound, itself a music blog, compiled a list of the 100 Most Influential Music Blogs.
Most of the names near the top are pretty recognizable to anyone who regularly researches music online. Well-reputed names such as Pitchfork, Consequence of Sound, and Tiny Mix Tapes too the top three spots, respectively, and the rest of the Top 10 is filled with big names as well. Pitchfork and Stereogum (no. 5) are most often (and often unfairly) affiliated with alternative rock, but EDM also had a significant presence in the upper ranks, as Resident Advisor (no. 4), Your EDM (no. 7) and Dancing Astronaut (no. 9) came in the Top 10. This can likely be attributed to EDM's remix culture, which puts emphasis on individual releases versus LPs, resulting in a constant flow of individual tracks onto the market, making the internet the best road for spreading the word.
How does Style of Sound define a "blog"? Any music publication that's web-only, and not affiliated with any print magazine, newspaper or radio station qualified for the list. So yes, both your website and mine technically qualified, but we don't get nearly the hits of cultural mainstays such as Pitchfork, so bummer. The definition does raise some questions however, such as the status of SPIN.com. That site is of course affiliated with the "magazine" SPIN, but there hasn't been a print version since 2012. Should it not then qualify for this list? If it did, it would certainly make a run for the top.
Many have questioned Style of Sound's methodology however. Sure, the list looks reasonable enough, but the site didn't list any data such as readership or other factors that make the sites listed more "influential" than others. The site also listed itself as no. 38 on the list, and when you don't provide data, there's no proof you aren't exaggerating your own sway.
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