hey all, picked up a copy on my last trip out west, and dang, not too shabby. but is this like Rolling Stone of the UK, where everything's been dumbed down for pre-teens? Q Magazine
no, it's not dumbed down at all. It has a slightly flippant style, but it's aimed at adults IMO. I've been reading it since it came out, and have a subscription to it (which is very expensive to do from Europe to US!) I think it's better than any of the US music mags I've seen, which tend to be nothing more than an extension of the record companies PR departments. It doesn't do any of the Rolling Stone non-music articles, but the interviews are usually always very well done. Blender magazine in the US is trying to be like Maxim meets Q.
Q's gone more "Ladsmag" (FHM, Loaded, Maxim etc.) in recent years- more fashion/lifestyle ads, silly photoshoots with bands eg. pretending to make a porn film, and the interviews more sensationalised. I prefer Uncut, Mojo and Record Collector.
'Mojo' is THE general music magazine IMO. A wide range of music gets covered, new and old, all styles. The only music mags I buy are 'Mojo' and 'Jazzwise'. 'Q's coverage is a bit too "flavour of the month" for me.