Prompt Cast
Evolution of Pitchfork from a Music Zine to a Influential Publication
TLDR Pitchfork started as a small music zine in the late 90s, but grew into a highly influential music publication by publishing unique and polarizing reviews. Despite financial struggles and challenges with profitability, Pitchfork eventually found success by focusing on ad sales and expanding its team.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
A music fan started a website for music reviews that eventually grew into the influential music publication Pitchfork.
06:44
A music fan in Minneapolis immersed himself in alternative music culture through record stores and radio stations, leading him to work at a local record store after high school.
12:53
A music fan working at a record store in the mid-nineties was influenced by UK music press and indie zines, leading him to start his own online publication called Turntable.
18:41
The podcast guest started his zine by conducting interviews with artists, initially reaching out to record labels for contact information before eventually receiving free music to review and expanding his team to cover more content.
24:21
Ryan Schreiber started Pitchfork after receiving a cease and desist letter for his zine, choosing the name inspired by a scene in Scarface and aiming for a more aggressive review style.
30:27
Ryan Schreiber started Pitchfork as a daily blog in the late 90s, taking advantage of the lack of competition online and envisioning it as his future.
36:00
Pitchfork started as a hobby with short reviews written by young writers recruited through an open call on the site, eventually leading to the site's growth and success.
41:57
Pitchfork gained credibility in the music space by publishing reviews that stood out for their unique style and polarizing content, leading to increased readership and attention.
48:04
Ryan Schreiber faced financial struggles, falling behind on rent and moving to a rural cabin in Minnesota to regroup before returning to Chicago and focusing on ad sales to make Pitchfork profitable.
54:29
Pitchfork grew in reputation and influence, attracting indie artists and readers, eventually becoming profitable and hiring additional staff to handle ad sales.
01:00:37
Pitchfork hired Chris Caskey, who ran the business and expanded ad sales to include big companies, leading to revenue growth and the ability to hire more staff.
01:06:29
Pitchfork faced challenges in making their music festival profitable due to high risks and overhead costs, but managed to break even and stay mid-sized to avoid competing with larger festivals.
01:12:41
Pitchfork founder Ryan Schreiber faced a decision to downsize or accept an offer from Kanday Naster, ultimately choosing the latter due to promises of investment and access to a network of luxury brand advertisers.
01:18:49
Ryan Schreiber reflects on the success of Pitchfork, expressing pride in its impact on music journalism and listeners despite the changing landscape of music discovery.
Categories:
Business
