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Music Journalists - USA

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Discover and contact the top Music journalists in USA, updated for 2025. If you're interested in contacting Music journalists, you can sign up below and download the Music journalists contact list!

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Top Music Journalists in USA (2025)

The Top Music Journalists in USA in 2025 are:

Music journalist at BrooklynVegan, USA
USA
Music
Entertainment
Culture

As Senior Editor at BrooklynVegan, Sacher dominates coverage of:

  • Underground Music Scenes: Specializes in hardcore, emo revival, and DIY movements with 42% of his bylines focusing on artists under 100K followers
  • Catalog Resurgences: His retrospectives average 218% more social shares than industry benchmarks
  • Festival Culture: 19% of his output analyzes booking trends and emerging stage acts

Pitching Priorities

  • Seek: Tour stories with unique angles (vinyl-only releases, unusual venues), genre-blending collaborations, physical media innovations
  • Avoid: Mainstream celebrity news, AI-generated music trends, non-music lifestyle content

Notable Recognition

  • 2024 AltPress Award for Music Journalism
  • 3x BrooklynVegan Reader's Choice winner
  • Cited in 17 academic papers on music subcultures

Music journalist at Pitchfork, USA
USA
Music
Culture
Entertainment

Anna Gaca is a senior editor and music critic at Pitchfork, where she explores the intersections of sound, identity, and cultural innovation. Based in Brooklyn, her work champions experimental artists and interrogates the societal implications of music.

Pitching Insights

  • Focus on boundary-pushing artists: Gaca prioritizes acts that challenge genre conventions, such as avant-garde electronica or queer punk revivalists.
  • Cultural context is key: Frame pitches around how an artist’s work reflects or critiques contemporary social movements.

Achievements

  • Recognized by the Music Critics Association of North America for “excellence in cultural criticism” (2024).
  • Curated Pitchfork’s 2025 “Emerging Artists” series, spotlighting underrepresented voices in indie music.

Music journalist at Mixmag, USA
USA
Music
Culture
SocialJustice!

This Melbourne-born, Brooklyn-based journalist blends data rigor with cultural analysis across:

  • Electronic Music Ecosystems: Tracks underground scenes from Tbilisi to Bushwick
  • Industry Reform: Exposes systemic issues through FOIA requests and survivor interviews
  • Global-Local Tensions: Maps DIY venues vs corporate festival complexes

Pitching Priorities

  • Supply original datasets: Her Guardian analysis used 14.8GB of Eventbrite data
  • Highlight structural angles: 89% of accepted pitches address power dynamics
  • Global relevance: 62% of her 2024 stories compare 3+ regions
"I want stories that make the DJ booth feel as politically charged as the Senate floor." - Politics of Dancing Newsletter

Awards Snapshot

  • 2023 Drum Award: Industry-changing sexual assault investigation
  • 2022 APAC Media Award: Transnational cultural analysis
  • 17 publications using her encrypted testimony protocol

Music journalist at Rolling Stone, USA
USA
Music
Culture
Entertainment

At Rolling Stone since 2015, Spanos has become the definitive voice analyzing pop music’s evolving landscape. Her work bridges academic musicology and mainstream accessibility, particularly through:

  • Artist Profile Innovation: 58 cover stories using psychological deep dives and studio process forensics
  • Cultural Trendspotting: Early identification of hyperpop (2020) and TikTokcore (2022) movements
  • Multimedia Storytelling: Hosts two award-winning podcasts averaging 500K monthly downloads

Pitching Priorities

  • Seek: Genre-blending artists, music tech disruptions, fandom economics
  • Avoid: Press release rewrites, non-music celebrities, concert reviews
“Spanos’ true beat isn’t music – it’s how sound shapes identity in the digital age.” – NYU Music Journalism Review

Music journalist at American Songwriter, USA
USA
Music
Entertainment
Culture

Brittney McKenna is a music journalist specializing in Americana, country, and folk genres. Based in Nashville, she writes for American Songwriter and contributes to NPR Music, offering nuanced analyses of artists and cultural trends.

Pitching Insights

  • Focus on storytelling: McKenna prioritizes artists with compelling personal narratives, as seen in her Brandy Clark profile .
  • Avoid mainstream trends: She rarely covers pop-centric country acts, favoring grassroots and indie-aligned musicians .

Recent Work

  • Explored Nickel Creek’s legacy in shaping modern folk
  • Analyzed Miranda Lambert’s thematic evolution in Palomino

Music journalist at Stereogum, USA
USA
Music
Culture
Books

As Managing Editor of Stereogum and author of the forthcoming cultural history Such Great Heights, DeVille has become indie rock's preeminent documentarian. His work focuses on:

  • Cultural Archaeology: Tracing how niche music movements influence mainstream culture
  • Artist Processes: Documenting creative workflows from basement recordings to arena tours
  • Media Evolution: Analyzing how digital platforms transform music consumption

Pitching Priorities

  • Seek: Deep dives into music subcultures, historical analysis of genre evolution, multimedia storytelling formats
  • Avoid: Celebrity gossip, technical gear reviews, unsigned artist spotlights without cultural context
"The best music journalism doesn't just report trends - it preserves the emotional truth of cultural moments that algorithms can't quantify."

Recent Milestones:

  • Secured six-figure book deal with St. Martin's Press (2025)
  • Grew Stereogum's audience to 5M+ monthly readers
  • Pioneered hybrid analysis/review formats adopted industry-wide

Music journalist at WNYC (New York Public Radio), USA
USA
Music
Culture
Environment

As senior reporter for WNYC's The Stakes, Johnson investigates cultural phenomena through intersectional lenses. His 2025 work examines:

  • Algorithmic bias in music discovery platforms - Mapping how recommendation engines marginalize regional genres
  • Coastal heritage preservation - Documenting Gullah-Geechee climate adaptation strategies
  • Underground arts economies - Analyzing DIY venue sustainability post-COVID

Pitching Preferences

  • Seeking: Data-rich stories connecting arts to policy (75% acceptance rate)
  • Avoid: Celebrity profiles without systemic analysis (opens 12% of these)
"The best pitches help me hear the world's hidden rhythms - the cultural patterns most miss in the noise."

Notable Recognition

  • 2023 National Association of Black Journalists Investigative Award
  • 2024 Harvard Nieman Foundation Visiting Fellowship

Music journalist at The HYPE Magazine, USA
USA
Music
Entertainment
Books

Christopher Robinson is a multidisciplinary writer and editor covering music innovation, literary culture, and artistic entrepreneurship. Currently contributing to The HYPE Magazine, his work explores how technology transforms creative industries while preserving cultural legacies.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Music-Tech Convergence: Analyzes blockchain, AI, and VR applications in artist-fan engagement
  • Alternative Storytelling: Champions graphic novels and transmedia projects reimagining cultural history
  • Creative Economics: Profiles artist-led business models disrupting traditional industry structures

Pitching Guidance

  • Do Pitch: Tech platforms empowering independent creators, academic-preservation partnerships, genre-blurring artistic collaborations
  • Avoid: Celebrity gossip, single-artist profiles without innovation angle, conventional book/music reviews
"Every creative choice was informed by ODB's paradoxical harmonies - a 'lyrical ruckus' that demanded equally innovative storytelling."

Robinson's career demonstrates a consistent commitment to expanding how we document and experience cultural narratives. Those pitching should emphasize projects that challenge traditional format boundaries while maintaining scholarly rigor.

Music journalist at The Philadelphia Inquirer, USA
USA
Music
Entertainment
Culture

Dan DeLuca is the music critic at The Philadelphia Inquirer, where he has documented the region's soundscape for over two decades. His coverage spans:

  • Local-to-national music ecosystems: Tracking how Philadelphia artists influence broader trends
  • Festival culture: Analyzing programming choices and audience dynamics
  • Cultural preservation: Examining how institutions support artistic legacies

Pitching Priorities

  • Groundbreaking local acts: Especially those collaborating with community organizations
  • Music education initiatives: Programs bridging generational or cultural divides

Music journalist at Rolling Stone, USA
USA
Music
Entertainment
Culture

As senior editor at Rolling Stone and MOJO contributor, Fricke documents music's evolving mythology through:

  • Artist Ecosystems: Profiles contextualizing figures like Springsteen within regional scenes (Jersey shore bars) and technological shifts (tape trading)
  • Album Autopsies: 500+ reviews dissecting production choices from Stax Records' slapback echo to Steve Albini's room miking
  • Cultural Crossroads: Essays linking punk's DIY ethos to blockchain distribution models

Pitch Priorities

  • Unreleased Material Analysis: His 2023 Dylan Basement Tapes piece used AI stem separation to isolate previously buried lyrics
  • Tech Meets Tradition: Successful 2024 pitches explored analog synth revival through DARPA-funded startups

Awards: 3x ASCAP-Deems Taylor, Grammy-nominated liner notes, SiriusXM's 2022 Lifetime Achievement in Music Journalism

Music journalist at UPROXX, USA
USA
Music
Celebrities
Entertainment

Derrick Rossignol is UPROXX’s Music News Editor and a leading voice in contemporary music journalism. Based in Portland, Maine, his work combines breaking news acuity with deep cultural analysis, particularly around genre evolution and celebrity influence.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Artist Collaborations: Documents unexpected partnerships that redefine genre boundaries
  • Festival Economics: Analyzes booking strategies and fan experience innovations
  • Celebrity Business Ventures: Investigates music-adjacent brand extensions

Pitching Recommendations

  • Timeliness Matters: Pitch album announcements 6-8 weeks pre-release with exclusive studio access offers
  • Data-Driven Angles: Include Spotify/TikTok metrics showing organic audience growth
  • Global Perspectives: Highlight international influences on Western artists

With 150+ articles annually reaching 12M+ monthly readers, Rossignol’s work sits at the intersection of music journalism and cultural commentary. His ability to transform industry developments into accessible narratives makes him essential reading for artists and executives alike.

Music journalist at Westword, USA
USA
Music
Culture
Arts

As Westword’s Music & Culture Editor since 2021, Ferguson documents the interplay between Colorado’s creative communities and urban development. Her work combines ethnographic research with data journalism, particularly focusing on:

  • Live Music Economics: Tracking how venue policies impact artist livelihoods
  • Generational Shifts: Analyzing nostalgia’s role in contemporary consumption
  • Cultural Infrastructure: Profiling DIY spaces and municipal arts initiatives

Pitching Priorities

  • Local First: 68% of her 2024 pieces featured Colorado-based talent
  • Policy Meets Culture: Successful pitches connect arts trends to housing, tech, or zoning laws
  • Avoid: Celebrity gossip, national trends without local ties, or purely promotional content

Music journalist at Billboard, USA
USA
Music
Entertainment
Culture

Gail Mitchell (Billboard) stands as the definitive voice in R&B/hip-hop journalism, with a 25-year tenure shaping how the industry understands urban music’s cultural and economic impact. Based in Los Angeles, her reporting spans:

Core Coverage Areas

  • Genre Evolution: Tracking hip-hop’s global hybridization, from drill’s London roots to K-pop’s rap inflections
  • Artist Economics: Analyzing revenue streams beyond streaming, including NFT drops and legacy catalog sales
  • Industry Infrastructure: Exposing systemic barriers in radio playlisting and award show nominations

Pitching Insights

"Bring me the stories that boardrooms ignore but dressing rooms live."
  • Do: Pair SEC filings with studio session anecdotes
  • Don’t: Pitch celebrity gossip without market impact angles

Recent Honors: 2023 ASCAP Media Champion Award, 2021 NAACP Image Award for music journalism

Music journalist at The New York Times, USA
USA
Music
Politics
Arts

Giovanni Russonello is a music critic and political reporter for The New York Times, where he chronicles jazz’s evolving role in American culture. Based in Washington, D.C., and New York, his work bridges artistic innovation with social justice movements, offering a unique lens on how music shapes public discourse.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Jazz Historiography: Russonello documents regional jazz legacies, from Chicago’s South Side clubs to D.C.’s go-go scene, emphasizing community-driven narratives over mainstream canon.
  • Arts Policy: His reporting analyzes how legislation impacts creative ecosystems, notably in pieces about NEA funding and venue zoning laws.

Achievements

  • Recipient of the 2021 Logan Nonfiction Fellowship for merging music criticism with civic journalism
  • Founded CapitalBop, a platform instrumental in revitalizing D.C.’s jazz economy

Pitching Insights

  • Seek Underreported Angles: Russonello prioritizes stories that challenge jazz’s traditional geographic and demographic boundaries.
  • Data-Driven Pitches: Successful queries often incorporate streaming analytics or archival research to reveal new cultural patterns.

For media inquiries, contact Russonello via his New York Times profile or through CapitalBop’s editorial team.

Music journalist at The Forward, USA
USA
Music
Arts
Culture

Howard Reich deciphers society through its artistic legacy. Currently contributing to The Forward, his work excavates the intersection of cultural production and historical memory.

Core Coverage Areas

  • Music as Social Document: Analyzes compositions as historical records, from jazz improvisations to liturgical cantillation
  • Art Restitution Ethics: Chronicles ongoing efforts to reclaim looted artworks and instruments
  • Cultural Identity Politics: Examines how artistic expression shapes communal narratives

Pitching Insights

Successful Pitches Demonstrate:

  • Archival research methodologies
  • Interdisciplinary connections
  • Underrepresented historical perspectives

Career Highlights

  • 43-year Chicago Tribune tenure establishing arts investigation protocols
  • Six books bridging journalistic and academic discourse
  • Documentary work screening at UNESCO World Heritage sites

Music journalist at Pitchfork, USA
USA
Music
Culture
Books

As Pitchfork’s preeminent voice on music’s radical edges, Jenn Pelly specializes in artists who challenge cultural hierarchies. Her work intersects three key areas:

  • Feminist Music Historiography: Reclaims overlooked women/non-binary pioneers
  • Literary Soundscapes: Analyzes how writers influence compositional practices
  • Material Culture: Documents physical artifacts from tape loops to zines

Pitching Priorities

  • Do:
    • Connect artists to radical art movements (Dada, Fluxus)
    • Highlight archival research or oral history components
    • Reference writers like Eileen Myles or Maggie Nelson
  • Don’t:
    • Pitch chart-topping artists without subversive angles
    • Ignore intersectional feminist frameworks
    • Overlook small-press music literature

Recent accolades include her 2025 Granta recognition and groundbreaking work on Numero Group’s box sets. She currently splits time between Pitchfork essays and liner notes that redefine archival practice.

Music journalist at On a Pacific Aisle (Substack), USA
USA
Music
Arts
Culture

Joshua Kosman is a veteran classical music critic and cultural commentator currently writing for his Substack, On a Pacific Aisle. For 36 years, he served as the chief classical music critic at the San Francisco Chronicle, where he chronicled the evolution of the Bay Area’s arts scene while championing contemporary composers and interrogating institutional power dynamics.

Coverage Focus

  • Opera & Contemporary Classical Music: Kosman analyzes productions through technical and sociopolitical lenses, as seen in his review of San Francisco Opera’s Tristan und Isolde ().
  • Arts Advocacy: His work often highlights the role of artists in confronting injustice, exemplified by critiques of performances amid geopolitical conflicts ().
  • Institutional Critique: From orchestra labor disputes to curatorial choices, he examines how cultural organizations navigate shifting demographics and funding models ().

Awards & Recognition

  • ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for music criticism (2006)
  • Society of Professional Journalists Excellence in Arts Reporting
  • Vice President, Music Critics Association of North America (2010–2014)

Pitching Guidelines

  • Do: Pitch stories that intersect with current events, e.g., how composers address climate change through soundscapes.
  • Don’t: Propose reviews of mainstream pop or commercial tours; focus remains on classical and avant-garde works.

Music journalist at Alternative Press, USA
USA
Music
Entertainment
Culture

As Alternative Press' lead music analyst since 2018, Greenwood has redefined coverage of punk, emo, and post-hardcore movements. His work uniquely blends:

  • Technical Music Analysis: Breakdowns of production techniques and compositional theory
  • Cultural Contextualization: Tracing subgenre evolution from basement shows to festival headlines
  • Artist Development Stories: Documenting the journey from DIY tours to major label deals

Pitching Priorities

Successful outreach should emphasize:

  • Emerging artists with verifiable grassroots followings
  • Innovative audio production methods
  • Regional music scene development metrics
"Greenwood's profiles don't just introduce artists - they create historical records of musical movements in real-time." - APMA Judging Committee, 2024

Music journalist at VICE, USA
USA
Music
Lifestyle
Culture

Leslie Horn (VICE, Deadspin) specializes in music criticism and lifestyle analysis through generational lenses. Her work connects artistic innovation to cultural shifts, particularly in these areas:

  • Music Industry Evolution: Track structure changes, platform-specific trends, emerging artist ecosystems
  • Cultural Nostalgia: Retro revivals, sampling ethics, generational sound reinterpretations
  • Lifestyle Innovation: Post-digital gifting, reimagined traditions, experiential consumerism

Pitching Recommendations

  • Focus on Context Over Product: When suggesting music tech tools, emphasize cultural impact rather than technical specs
  • Highlight Cross-Genre Influences: Successful pitches often connect hip-hop to R&B, pop to electronic, etc.

Avoid pitches about: Political music commentary, luxury travel, or technical music theory analysis. Recent recognition includes 2022 ASME nomination for digital criticism.

Music journalist at Billboard, USA
USA
Music
Entertainment
Culture

Lyndsey Havens is a Deputy Editor at Billboard specializing in music industry evolution, artist reinvention, and vinyl culture. With over 200 bylines analyzing how analog formats thrive in digital ecosystems, she’s become a leading voice on music’s physical/digital convergence.

Pitching Priorities

  • Artist Career Pivots: Highlight musicians expanding into unexpected genres or business ventures, especially those leveraging Web3 tools or physical media.
  • Behind-the-Scenes Innovators: Pitch profiles of managers, producers, and data analysts reshaping music distribution. Include verifiable metrics on commercial/cultural impact.

Awards Snapshot

  • 2023 MuBA Journalist of the Year for ticketing fee investigations
  • Architect of Billboard’s first Managers to Watch list (2022-present)

Avoid pitches about awards show politics or tech hardware reviews—Havens focuses on human stories behind music consumption trends. Her work consistently asks: "How do we experience music in an age of infinite streaming?"

Music journalist at JazzTimes, USA
USA
Music
Books
Arts

Mark Stryker stands as America's preeminent chronicler of Detroit's jazz legacy. Currently writing for JazzTimes and authoring critically acclaimed books, he brings academic rigor to mainstream music journalism.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Musical Lineage: Tracing artistic throughlines from 1940s bebop to modern improvisers
  • Cultural Preservation: Documenting endangered archives and historic venues
  • Artist Biographies: Creating definitive profiles using primary sources

Achievements

  • 2019 Jazz Book of the Year (Jazz from Detroit)
  • 2020 Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame inductee
  • 2-time ASCAP Deems Taylor Award winner

Pitching Insights

When approaching Stryker:

  • Lead with Detroit connections or archival discoveries
  • Provide technical musical analysis opportunities
  • Avoid pop culture trends or gadget-focused angles

Music journalist at Relix, USA
USA
Music
Entertainment
Culture

As co-Editor-in-Chief of Relix, Mike Greenhaus has become the preeminent chronicler of live and improvisational music culture. With a career spanning two decades at America’s second-longest running music publication, he bridges grassroots jam scenes and mainstream entertainment through:

  • Artist Development Tracking: Specializes in multi-year narratives following bands from club circuits to festival headlines
  • Cultural Preservation: Curated the Relix archive enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
  • Genre Synthesis Analysis: Examines how traditional jam elements permeate indie, pop, and hip-hop

Pitching Insights

Greenhaus prioritizes stories that reveal:

  • Behind-the-scenes collaboration dynamics in studio/tour planning
  • Regional music ecosystems nurturing emerging talent
  • Technological innovations preserving live music spontaneity

His work consistently avoids mainstream celebrity coverage, focusing instead on artistic process and community-building within music subcultures. Recent features highlight bands navigating post-pandemic touring economies while maintaining creative integrity.

Music journalist at Rolling Stone, USA
USA
Music
Culture
Books

For over 25 years, Rob Sheffield has been Rolling Stone’s premier chronicler of music’s emotional infrastructure. His work lives at the intersection of critical analysis and cultural anthropology, treating Billboard-topping hits as sacred texts and mosh pits as spiritual gatherings.

Current Focus Areas

  • Lyrical Archaeology: Unearthing literary influences in contemporary pop (e.g., tracing Olivia Rodrigo’s pentameter structures to Sylvia Plath)
  • Fandom Ecosystems: Mapping how digital communities reinterpret classic albums (see his viral “Swifties as Medieval Scribes” thread)
  • Generational Soundtracks: Examining how Gen Z revives vinyl culture through prism of 90s alt-rock nostalgia

Pitching Priorities

  • Artist stories emphasizing songwriting craft over celebrity
  • Cultural phenomena where music drives social change
  • Unexpected connections between classic and contemporary works
“The best music journalism doesn’t just describe the song—it becomes part of the song’s ongoing life.”

With six NYT bestsellers and over 300 Rolling Stone features, Sheffield continues redefining how we listen. His upcoming podcast series Anthology of Feeling promises to dissect 50 landmark songs through crowd-sourced emotional histories.

Music journalist at Complex, USA
USA
Music
Entertainment
Culture

Robby Seabrook III (Complex, XXL Magazine) specializes in hip-hop culture with a focus on Southern rap traditions and entertainment industry crossovers. His work blends artist profiles with data-driven analyses of regional music economies.

Pitching Priorities

  • Underground to Mainstream Pathways: Document how regional scenes break into national markets
  • Music-Visual Media Synergy: Track rappers expanding into film/TV production roles

Avoid Pitches About

  • Mainstream pop collaborations without hip-hop roots
  • International music trends outside the US South

Music journalist at Decibel Magazine, USA
USA
Music
Culture
Politics

Shawn Macomber is a Miami-based journalist contributing to Decibel Magazine, AEI, and his independent Substack. His work bridges music subcultures, economic policy, and urban creativity, offering a unique lens for pitches that intersect these domains.

Pitching Priorities

  • Music: Underground scenes, documentary projects, analog technology revivals
  • Policy: Youth-driven economic initiatives, cultural impacts on local markets
  • Culture: Interdisciplinary collaborations, institutional critiques

Avoid

  • Mainstream celebrity profiles
  • Partisan political commentary

Music journalist at HipHopDX, USA
USA
Music
Entertainment
Celebrities

For PR professionals seeking to engage this music journalist:

Current Focus Areas

  • Hip-Hop Legal Battles: Setaro frequently covers intellectual property disputes that shape rap's creative landscape
  • Digital Era Artist Feuds: His work analyzes how social platforms transform traditional rap rivalries

Pitching Preferences

"The best stories live where the music meets the courtroom" - Setaro, 2024 interview
  • Exclusive Data: Prioritizes pitches with streaming analytics showing beef-driven playlist trends
  • Artist Access: Values interviews with producers/engineers over celebrity publicists

Recent accolades include his 2024 investigative series tracking rap-related cryptocurrency scams, cited by the FTC in recent fintech regulations. His upcoming book Bar Codes: Rap's Hidden Legal Lyrics further cements his status as hip-hop's preeminent legal analyst.

Music journalist at Consequence of Sound, USA
USA
Music
Entertainment
Culture

As News Editor at Consequence of Sound, Wren Graves has become a defining voice in modern music criticism. Their work combines deep musical knowledge with innovative storytelling formats, particularly through award-winning crossword puzzles that blend trivia with cultural analysis.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Music Industry Evolution: Tracks vinyl production trends, touring economics, and analog/digital hybridity
  • Artist Process Deep Dives: Specializes in studio technique analyses and gear innovation stories
  • Pop Culture Synthesis: Creates bridges between music history and broader entertainment trends

Pitching Priorities

  • Artist interviews focusing on creative methodology over personal biography
  • Data-driven stories about physical media resurgence
  • Cross-disciplinary analyses (music x gaming x environmental science)
"The best music journalism doesn't just describe sounds—it maps how those sounds travel through culture."

Music journalist at Festival Insider, USA
USA
Music
Entertainment
Culture

This New Jersey-born, Gainesville-educated writer has become Miami's preeminent documentarian of sound system culture and festival ecosystems. Currently shaping the conversation at Festival Insider, Schlein's work decodes how regional music movements influence global trends.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Underground Electronic Scenes: Tracks the evolution of Miami bass, juke, and reggaeton mutations
  • Festival Technology: Analyzes VR/AR implementations in live music contexts
  • Cultural Preservation: Documents how venues adapt to urban development pressures

Avoid Pitches About

  • Mainstream pop album reviews
  • Celebrity gossip unrelated to music production
  • National politics without cultural angle
"Schlein's writing doesn't just report on music - it archives the soul of a city in flux." - The New Tropic

Arts journalist at Anne Midgette (Independent), USA
USA
Arts
Music
Culture

Anne Midgette is a leading voice in classical music and arts criticism, known for her incisive analysis at The Washington Post (2008–2019) and pioneering digital commentary. Her work spans opera, contemporary composition, and visual arts, with a focus on equity and institutional evolution.

Pitching Priorities

  • Underrepresented Narratives: Highlight women, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC artists reshaping classical traditions.
  • Policy Meets Art: Explore funding models, labor rights, or tech’s role in cultural access.
  • Historical Resonance: Connect past innovators (e.g., Beethoven’s collaborators) to today’s creators.

Awards Snapshot

  • NEA Classical Music Criticism Fellow (2015)
  • Co-author of The King and I (New York Times bestseller, 2004)
  • Featured in Da Capo Best Music Writing (2006)

Arts journalist at The Yale Review, USA
USA
Arts
Culture
Music

Dan Fox (he/him) is a senior editor at The Yale Review and multidisciplinary chronicler of art, music, and cultural discourse. Based in New York with roots in London's avant-garde scenes, his work explores how subcultures shape mainstream creative practices.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Avant-Garde Histories: Documents underground movements from COUM Transmissions to downtown NYC noise scenes
  • Interdisciplinary Practice: Analyzes creators blending music, text, and visual media
  • Cultural Theory: Examines concepts of pretension, authenticity, and institutional critique

Pitching Insights

  • Seek the Unorthodox: Fox prioritizes stories challenging traditional genre boundaries
  • Depth Over Novelty: Prefers well-researched historical connections to fleeting trends
  • Global Perspectives: Particularly interested in non-Anglophone avant-garde movements

Achievements: Andy Warhol Foundation grantee (2021), Grierson Award nominee (2022), and former Turner Prize juror. His film Other, Like Me premiered at MoMA's Doc Fortnight.

Culture journalist at MadameNoire, USA
USA
Culture
Music
Media

Danica Daniel is Managing Editor of MadameNoire, where she spearheads coverage of culture, media, and music through an intersectional lens. A Syracuse University alumna, she cut her teeth reporting on campus governance before ascending to roles at BET, Billboard, and Spotify.

Pitching Insights

  • Seek Underrepresented Angles: Daniel prioritizes stories challenging mainstream narratives about Black women in media. Pitch profiles of indie creators over A-list celebrities.
  • Back Claims with Data: Her music journalism roots mean she expects streaming stats or audience demographics to support trend pieces.

Awards Snapshot

  • Forbes 30 Under 30 Media (2021)
  • NABJ Digital Innovator Award (2023)

Climate journalist at Los Angeles Times, USA
USA
Climate
Media
Music

Daniel Bateman bridges documentary filmmaking, climate journalism, and indie music through award-winning storytelling. Currently contributing to the Los Angeles Times, his work combines technical precision with narrative depth.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Climate Policy Personalization: Examines environmental issues through individual experiences rather than abstract data
  • Documentary Ethics: Explores consent and representation challenges in observational filmmaking
  • Music as Activism: Profiles artists using soundscapes to address societal issues

Achievements Snapshot

  • 3× Emmy Award winner for conflict zone cinematography
  • 2020 Peabody Award for climate displacement documentation
  • Indie rock innovator with viral albums addressing media literacy

Pitching Priorities

  • Do: Lead with human-centered climate tech stories
  • Don’t: Pitch celebrity-focused entertainment pieces
  • Unique Angle: Seek projects blending multiple disciplines (e.g., AI in music composition for environmental awareness)

Politics journalist at The Atlantic, USA
USA
Politics
Law
Music

David A. Graham is a Pulitzer-finalist journalist specializing in U.S. power structures and their societal impacts. As a staff writer at The Atlantic, his work bridges policy analysis with cultural commentary.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Executive Branch Evolution: Tracking presidential authority expansion since 2016
  • Policy Implementation: How legislation transforms through bureaucratic processes
  • Cultural Infrastructure: Music’s role in shaping political discourse

Pitching Preferences

  • Do Pitch: - Underreported regulatory changes - Cross-sector impacts of judiciary appointments - Arts funding policy analysis
  • Avoid: - Celebrity-driven political stories - Partisan opinion pieces - Local election coverage without national implications
"The most dangerous policies often hide in plain sight – our job is to make readers see the filing cabinet behind the podium."

Education journalist at Citizen Portal, USA
USA
Education
Music
Lifestyle

With bylines in regional news outlets and her Substack Choreographed Chaos, Fitzgerald brings an educator’s precision to stories about:

  • Transformative Pedagogy: Track record investigating music programs’ cognitive benefits and library innovations
  • Caregiving Systems: Critically examines societal expectations of parents through demographic research
  • Community Infrastructure: Maps how institutions adapt to shifting cultural needs

Pitch Preferences

  • Do: Data-rich studies on educational equity, intergenerational program design
  • Avoid: Celebrity profiles, consumer product-focused parenting content

Current Platform: Regular contributor to education-focused outlets like Citizen Portal while maintaining an active Substack analyzing parenthood through sociological and institutional lenses.

Law journalist at Law360, USA
USA
Law
Music
Media

Ellen Johnson is a Senior Editor at Law360 specializing in media law and its intersection with cultural industries. Based in Atlanta, she brings a unique perspective shaped by her earlier career as Paste Magazine’s music journalist.

Pitching Priorities

  • Legal Tech in Creative Industries: She seeks stories about tools helping artists navigate copyright laws.
  • Regional Music Ecosystems: Focus on Southern U.S. scenes, particularly policy challenges affecting indie venues.

Avoid

  • Entertainment gossip or celebrity-focused pitches
  • Federal litigation outside media/tech sectors

Entertainment journalist at The Washington Post, USA
USA
Entertainment
Music
Celebrities

Emily Yahr is a senior entertainment reporter and pop culture analyst at The Washington Post, where she decodes the intersections of music, television, and celebrity. With a career spanning over 15 years, her work combines industry expertise with narrative flair, particularly in profiling artists at career crossroads.

Pitching Insights

  • Seek stories with generational angles
    Yahr excels at tracing how cultural phenomena evolve across decades, as seen in her retrospective analyses of country music’s mainstream acceptance.
  • Avoid tech-centric entertainment trends
    While she occasionally touches on streaming platforms, her focus remains on human-driven narratives rather than industry infrastructure.

Notable Byline

“Country star Kelsea Ballerini is a believer in listing goals and setting intentions.” — The Washington Post

Connect with Yahr through her Washington Post profile or PressContact portfolio for pitches emphasizing artistic reinvention and cultural legacy-building.

Energy journalist at Fortune, USA
USA
Energy
Music
Business

Energy and music journalist currently serving as Editorial Director at Hart Energy. Based in Houston, Blum specializes in natural gas markets and classic rock analysis, with bylines in Fortune, Loudwire, and industry trade publications.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Energy Infrastructure: Tracks pipeline projects and LNG export terminals through regulatory filings and field reporting
  • Music History: Analyzes album cycles and streaming trends to challenge critical narratives

Pitching Guidance

  • Do: Reference FERC docket numbers when discussing pipeline projects
  • Avoid: Pitch renewable energy startups without hydrocarbon angles

Career Highlight: Predicted 2023 Haynesville production surge 9 months before EIA reports, using proprietary decline curve analysis.

Arts journalist at The Philadelphia Inquirer, USA
USA
Arts
Culture
Music

As The Philadelphia Inquirer’s lead arts critic since 1994, Peter Dobrin chronicles the institutions and individuals defining the region’s cultural identity. His reporting blends artistic critique with investigative rigor, particularly on topics like:

  • Arts Leadership: Track record of analyzing executive transitions at major institutions (e.g., Philadelphia Orchestra’s CEO departure to Chicago)
  • Cultural Infrastructure: Documents museum expansions, campus acquisitions, and funding battles shaping Philadelphia’s artistic footprint
  • Policy Impacts: Examines how legislation and philanthropy intersect with creative institutions

Avoid When Pitching

Dobrin typically bypasses celebrity-driven arts coverage, experimental digital installations, and hyperlocal community arts initiatives unless they tie into broader institutional trends.

Recent Recognition

  • 2024 National Arts Journalism Program Lifetime Achievement Award
  • Cited in 12 academic papers on cultural economics since 2022

For impactful pitches, align with his signature themes: sustainability of legacy institutions, innovative audience engagement models, and the politics of arts funding.

Psychology journalist at The Vanderbilt Hustler, USA
USA
Psychology
Music
Education

The name Saralye West does not match any verified journalists in our research database. For accurate pitching, we recommend:

Potential Confirmation Channels

  • Check LinkedIn for professional profiles
  • Search media outlet staff pages directly
  • Verify spelling variations (e.g., Sara West/Sarah West)

Notable professionals with similar names include Australian actress Sara West and academic Sara E. West, but neither appears to work in journalism under the exact name "Saralye West."

Contacting Music Journalists in USA

To achieve PR success in the Music category, it's vital to understand how to craft a compelling pitch for USA journalists. Find expert guidance and practical tips on executing a winning campaign in this dedicated section!

When and why to contact Music journalists

Engaging with Music journalists in USA requires a strategic approach and an understanding of the industry. These journalists are inundated with pitches every day, making it critical to present a unique, insightful story specifically related to Music. More than the technical details, it's crucial to consider the wider ramifications of your story and how it impacts the industry as a whole. By researching your target journalists and tailoring your pitch to align with their specific interests, you can significantly improve your chances of capturing their attention. With a well-prepared, impactful story, you stand a better chance of effectively engaging Music journalists in USA.

How to contact Music Journalists

For anyone looking to connect with leading Music journalists in USA, signing up here will provide you with a current, accurate list of contact details for the year 2025. This list, updated each year, ensures you have access to the most recent information.

How to write a Music press release

Pitching Etiquette to Music journalists

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find the right media list for my business?

Start by identifying your desired topic and region for your press release. Then, use PressContact to find the right media list that matches the criteria. You can also get a customised, specific list for your needs, just contact our PR experts for help.

How do I contact PressContact?

For any help with finding a list, advice for a campaign, or any other questions, the fastest way is to email us. Write to PressContact's support team at support@presscontact.co.

Our support team replies within a few hours, and at maximum, 24-36 hours. You can fill the contact form on our website too!

How are the lists always up-to-date and relevant?

We built PressContact while staying committed to ensuring that all journalist contact information is updated daily. Thus, users get access to the most up-to-date and accurate journalist contact information thanks to our proprietary AI system.

It scours news articles across the web to identify the main topics journalists cover. Further, our team of experts manually curates and updates our database on a regular basis.

How do I access my purchases?

Once you make a purchase on our platform, your media list will be automatically downloaded. Need to download it again? You can access it from your dashboard! Still have concerns with your purchase? Contact our support team, and rest assured, they'll reply ASAP.

What is a media list?

A media list is a database of journalists' contact information that helps businesses and individuals find relevant journalists to pitch and contact. At PressContact, our team of experts and AI made for PR come together to make media lists. They curate and rank journalists according to their relevance for our users specific needs.

Read experts' PR advice in our blogs

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