In the late 1960s, Jann Wenner launched Rolling Stone, a publication unlike anything else in the United States. While magazines had covered music or carried long-form journalism, Rolling Stone blended music with politics and culture, publishing on a biweekly schedule. This cadence allowed the magazine to engage with current events more responsively than monthly rivals, shaping a distinct voice for a generation.
Writers at Rolling Stone could speak with candor under Wenner’s guidance. The magazine became a forum where civil rights, protests against the Vietnam War, and the broader currents of youth culture found expression. Described by peers as the voice of the baby boomer era, Rolling Stone captured a moment of revolutionary energy, celebrated for its music coverage and its willingness to challenge the status quo. A journalist joined the newsroom in 1971 and soon became the first female editor of the magazine.
Looking back, she notes she was the only woman at a key moment in the publication and that by the mid-1970s women began to move into editorial leadership. She does not recall sexism in Wenner’s approach; instead, she recalls opportunities to write and contribute, even as she observed ongoing tensions around power and attention. Critics of Wenner sometimes argued about race and gender representation, yet those interviewed recall a period when the magazine featured covers with icons like Janis Joplin and Tina Turner, and when only a small share of readers were women. By 1975 or 1976, newsroom demographics shifted, and women increasingly shaped the editorial direction, though some felt hiring practices remained uneven at the time.
“I never believed Jann Wenner was racist or sexist”, reflects a journalist who experienced the era. When the controversy around cancel culture rose, this colleague argued that headlines could mislead without looking at the broader context. The period’s covers and features highlighted the era’s music and culture, even as readership demographics evolved. It is a factual note that a smaller percentage of readers were women in the late 60s and early 70s, a reality that gradually shifted as more women joined the newsroom and contributed to the magazine’s voice over time.
Journalism stars
Being the editor of Rolling Stone in the early 70s represented a pinnacle for many journalists, offering access to music legends, travel, and a lifestyle that blurred professional boundaries with personal life. The sense of standing at the center of a cultural movement inspired pride among editors and reporters alike, even as the pursuit of groundbreaking stories sometimes sparked rivalry and tension among peers.
There was a prevailing belief among staff that the magazine held a unique position in the industry. This confidence sometimes translated into public expectations about how editors and writers should behave, particularly for high-profile profiles and controversial subjects. A noted writer described the challenge of balancing personal identity with professional persona, illustrating how readers formed expectations about the figures behind the bylines. The editor’s own approach to shaping stories often reflected a desire to blend wit, seriousness, and an inside view of the industry’s inner workings.
One editor, reflecting on the era, explained that the aim was not simply to produce music journalism but to tell stories that captured the broader cultural moment. The writer recounted experimenting with tone and emphasis, from ironic takes to more survey-like pieces, always seeking a voice that could resonate with readers while offering insightful commentary on the entertainment world and its intersections with society.
As the magazine grew, the editorial team leveraged its status to explore a range of topics beyond music, including trends in pop culture, media dynamics, and the personalities shaping the scene. The role sometimes demanded navigating the demands of publicity and the realities of publishing deadlines, yet it remained a platform where ambitious journalists could pursue bold, original storytelling that spoke to readers in Canada, the United States, and beyond.
The publication’s approach to coverage, including a willingness to dive into controversial subjects, helped define an era. Journalists who contributed during these years emphasized the importance of maintaining integrity while engaging with the sensational aspects of fame, recognizing that storytelling could illuminate broader social themes without losing sight of the craft itself.
In the decades that followed, editors and writers reflected on the magazine’s influence on how music, politics, and youth culture were reported. They recalled a time when investigative reporting, celebrity profiles, and cultural criticism intersected in ways that inspired new generations of journalists to pursue truth, nuance, and impact in every story they published.
Patricia Godes is recognized as a leading figure in the Spanish music journalism scene, notable for helping to shape editorial voices in a field historically dominated by men. She faced the challenges of a profession where recognition and advancement could be uneven and where criticism often targeted women more harshly. Yet she persisted, building a reputation for insightful music criticism and for bringing a fresh, informed perspective to interview culture and coverage of the arts. Godes describes the era as one in which the standards of music journalism were evolving, with a growing demand for sharper analysis and broader subject matter. She notes that the acceptance of new voices in editorial rooms has progressed, even though gender bias remained a topic of debate. Her experience underscores the ongoing evolution of editorial culture in the face of traditional expectations, and she highlights the importance of diverse perspectives in shaping credible music journalism. She points to the need for open dialogue about representation and for ongoing efforts to expand opportunities in media for women who bring deep knowledge of music and culture to their reporting.