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Rolling Stone is set to be published in China, with a mix of local content and translations from the US edition.
Given Rolling Stone's US emphasis, "the trick is to see how you can balance that with popular culture from China or from Asia, as well as popular music," said Yung. He declined to say how much money was being invested in the mainland edition, and he wouldn't disclose terms of the licensing agreement. But Yung said Rolling Stone will receive part of the net revenue. He didn't provide projected circulation figures. Yung expressed confidence that Rolling Stone's high-quality reporting will impress Chinese readers. "It's not a pop culture gossip magazine. It's not a music magazine. One of the things that has always helped it stand head and shoulders above other people is the quality of the editorials, the journalism, as well as the photojournalism, iconic cover photos, and award-winning writing," he said.
The great thing will be if the magazine can introduce to the Chinese population the greats and Gods (see pic) of music of which they currently know so little. The interesting thing will be what kind of censorship editing goes on. The awful thing will be if they decide that Jay Chou (including his "thoughts" on his "music") deserves to be on the same cover of a magazine on which John Lennon has sprawled -- and a naked Lennon at that.
It can only be an excellent thing if the local population can sample such lists as the Top 500 Songs of All Time -- though Chinese readers may be perturbed to know that their beloved "western" karaoke favourite "Hotel California" is only at number 49.
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I don't know. Have you seen a Rolling Stone lately? Maybe Jay Chou fits right in. It ain't what it used to be, my friend. (And, in China at least, it shouldn't be. People like Jay Chou. The magazine should probably reflect what people are listening to.)
I'm rooting for this to flop. I wish there were more bands performing in Shanghai, same as every other music fan, but Rolling Stone Magazine is more about fanboyism than anything else. Jay Chou may be just as shit at Led Zeppelin, but at least it's Chinese shit.
what's wrong with jay chou, exactly? it's pop music, people... remember the beatles and elvis before they became enshrined? or jimi hendrix or ennio morricone or david bowie. what might seem crap today may just be the foundations of tomorrow's pop music canon.
Oh wait, Isn't Rolling Stone the same magazine that put Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Destiny’s Child, Jennifer Lopez, Linkin Park, Avirl Lavign or however you spell her name, Mariah Carey, Kid Rock, among other more musically inclined celebrities on its covers JUST TO PROMOTE SALES? It's just a fucking popular music magazine for christ sake and all they want is push sales. If you want to take your magazine and make a few bucks, go ahead, it'll probably do the economy good. But if you plan to shit your so-called music on to "Chinese population" because classic American pop music is just oh so classic and great and wonderfully American, don't call it education, because you're NOT any place to educate anyone, you imperialistic, Eurocentric piece of snob.
what's wrong with jay chou, exactly? it's pop music, people... remember the beatles and elvis before they became enshrined? or jimi hendrix or ennio morricone or david bowie. what might seem crap today may just be the foundations of tomorrow's pop music canon.
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Ever heard Jay Chou?
Supreme Being forbid.
Back when I was in college (late 90's) I used to read my dorm's subscription to Rolling Stone, the one that landed in the dorm library (aka the Beer Room) every month and was eventually used to soak up spills after the Mechanical Engineering majors were done with their "study sessions". Anyhoo...
My impression was that at the time Rolling Stone was putting sellable artists on the cover, but that they still covered fairly progressive music inside, and had very well-written reviews.
And Jay Chou's not that bad.
Annoying the masses...
Wel, dear friends, my point was that it would be good for Chinese people to get an outside look.
Ian, I wasn't fuly aware of the magazine's "decline".
Thanks for calling me a snob though, although am I American or Euro-centric? That one has me confused - maybe you can mail me to clear it up. Thanks.
Jay Chou IS that bad.
Back to Ian - you seem to be mightily angry, and I sympathetically apologise for that. I think if Led Zeppelin is introduced to any country then the world has made a HUGE step forward.
Although I seem to be out-numbered. Maybe Jeff can tell me what's cool and I'll just like that.
yes, pop music. the pop stands for 'popular'. it just so happens that the beatles sold shitloads of records in the 70s, as did britney spears in the 90s. hence, a magazine covering pop music should reflect that. rolling stone is not a progressive music magazine, friends. if you want progressive read the NME. don't let your ignorance show in public. it's quite unbecoming.
Nick: Some people talk bad about Led Zeppelin, some people talk bad about Jay Chou and Hotel California...if you read about music you make arbitrary decisions about what's cool or not - if it was just what was the most popular, we'd look at album sales and there'd be nothing more to discuss.
Plus, Led Zeppelin is the most wank band, ever. I don't want to skimp on this fundamental point.
You are a very intelligent fellow Jeffrey and I do hope that one day your opinion is taken into account on the world stage. Bravo.