New Books in Music Peter Richardson, "Brand New Beat: The Wild Rise of Rolling Stone Magazine" (U California Press, 2026)
Apr 7, 2026
Peter Richardson, a music and cultural history scholar and professor at San Francisco State, chronicles the chaotic rise of Rolling Stone in late 1960s San Francisco. He traces its Berkeley founding, ties to the counterculture, Gonzo journalism's impact, political campaign reportage, the 1970s golden age, the New York move, and surprising stances on gender and gay culture.
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Record Ads Kept The Magazine Afloat
- Reliable advertising from record labels kept Rolling Stone financially viable and let editors pursue ambitious stories beyond music.
- Early polling showed readers bought five or six albums monthly, making the magazine an ideal audience for labels who funded its growth.
Altamont Coverage Earned National Recognition
- Rolling Stone broke major stories mainstream outlets missed, like the violence and murder at Altamont in December 1969, which won them a National Magazine Award.
- Their Altamont coverage exposed the counterculture's darker side and proved the magazine could do investigative, serious reporting.
Gonzo Journalism Shifted The Magazine Politically
- Hunter S. Thompson joined Rolling Stone and in November 1971 published Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, bringing Gonzo style and political reportage that raised the magazine's national profile.
- Thompson then covered the 1972 presidential campaign with Timothy Crouse, transforming Rolling Stone into a political voice.
