Brand New Beat
The Wild Rise of Rolling Stone Magazine
Book •
Peter Richardson's Brand New Beat examines the first decade of Rolling Stone, focusing on its founding in 1967, its San Francisco roots, and how it expanded beyond music into politics and culture.
Drawing on archival materials and interviews, Richardson traces the roles of founders Jan Wenner and Ralph J. Gleason and the magazine's embrace of New Journalism figures like Hunter S. Thompson.
The book details major moments—Altamont, the 1972 presidential campaign coverage, and the eventual move to New York—that shaped the magazine's identity and influence.
It also addresses criticisms and internal dynamics, including gender representation and coverage of marginalized communities.
Richardson situates Rolling Stone within the broader counterculture and media landscape, explaining how it both reflected and reshaped American journalism.
Drawing on archival materials and interviews, Richardson traces the roles of founders Jan Wenner and Ralph J. Gleason and the magazine's embrace of New Journalism figures like Hunter S. Thompson.
The book details major moments—Altamont, the 1972 presidential campaign coverage, and the eventual move to New York—that shaped the magazine's identity and influence.
It also addresses criticisms and internal dynamics, including gender representation and coverage of marginalized communities.
Richardson situates Rolling Stone within the broader counterculture and media landscape, explaining how it both reflected and reshaped American journalism.
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Miranda Melcher
Peter Richardson, "Brand New Beat: The Wild Rise of Rolling Stone Magazine" (U California Press, 2026)
Mentioned by 
Miranda Melcher
Peter Richardson
Peter Richardson, "Brand New Beat: The Wild Rise of Rolling Stone Magazine" (U California Press, 2026)
