How to Get Featured in Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone draws about 12.6 million monthly visits on the US flagship, holds a domain rating of 90, and publishes in one to two weeks. Its regional editions vary enormously, and one of them shares the flagship's domain rating with a fraction of a percent of its audience.
Check the edition first
| Edition | Domain rating | Monthly visits |
|---|---|---|
rollingstone.com (US) |
90 | 12,643,821 |
rollingstone.it (Italy) |
71 | 2,099,737 |
rollingstone.co.uk (UK) |
72 | 187,465 |
mena.rollingstone.com (Middle East) |
90 | 16,226 |
The Middle East edition has a domain rating nineteen points higher than the UK edition and roughly one-eleventh of the readership, because it sits on a subdomain and inherits the flagship's figure. The mechanism is explained in regional edition vs flagship.
None of these is a bad placement. The Italian edition at 2.1 million is one of the strongest music placements available anywhere if your market is Italy. The point is knowing which one you have agreed to.
Ask for the exact domain in writing.
Why the title carries weight
Rolling Stone has covered music and the culture around it since 1967. Its profiles and rankings are treated as reference points rather than opinion, and it is read by fans and by the labels, managers and bookers who work in the business.
In music, where coverage appears is a statement about where an artist sits. This is one of very few titles whose name alone changes how a booker or a label reads an artist's one-sheet. You are buying a position, not only an audience.
Timeline and links
One to two weeks. Links are nofollow, so no SEO authority passes.
Who it suits
Musicians and bands, obviously, and especially around a release or a tour.
Managers, labels and bookers building an artist's case.
Artists with something to carry, since the title responds to a reason for the piece to exist now.
What gets turned down
Artists with nothing happening. A release, a tour, a signing or a genuine story. "I make music" is not one.
Anything outside music and culture. This is a specialist title and the specialism is the value.
If Rolling Stone is not the fit
Pitchfork, Billboard and Complex all cover music with different audiences and different registers. Artist Weekly covers music, film, art and design and takes artists at an earlier stage. The right title depends on where the artist actually is, not on which name is biggest.
The short version
12.6 million monthly visits on the US flagship, DR 90, one to two weeks, nofollow. Regional editions range from 2.1 million down to 16,000 at the same domain rating.
A position in music rather than only an audience.
Ask which domain, then judge that edition on its own number.
See our Rolling Stone page, or get featured in Artist Weekly.
We write and place features in the publications our clients choose. About us
Frequently asked questions
01How do you get featured in Rolling Stone?
The title responds to a reason for the piece to exist now: a release, a tour, a signing or a genuine story. Before agreeing to anything, ask for the exact domain, because the editions differ enormously in readership.
02Are Rolling Stone's regional editions the same as the US one?
No. The US flagship has about 12.6 million monthly visits, the Italian edition 2.1 million, the UK edition 187,465 and the Middle East edition 16,226. The Middle East edition shows a domain rating nineteen points higher than the UK one because it sits on a subdomain and inherits the flagship's figure.
03What are the alternatives to Rolling Stone for musicians?
Pitchfork, Billboard and Complex all cover music with different audiences and registers, and Artist Weekly covers music, film, art and design and takes artists at an earlier stage. The right title depends on where the artist actually is, not on which name is biggest.
