Free to follow every thread. No paywall, no dead ends.
Paste (magazine): the story on HearLore | HearLore
Common questions
When did Paste magazine launch its Radiohead experiment pricing strategy?
Paste magazine launched its Radiohead experiment pricing strategy in October 2007. This initiative allowed new and current subscribers to pay whatever they wanted for a one-year subscription.
Who founded Paste magazine and when was it originally established?
Paste magazine was originally founded as a quarterly in July 2002 by Josh Jackson, Nick Purdy, and Tim Regan-Porter. The publication ran as a print magazine from 2002 until August 2010.
What date did Paste magazine suspend its print edition to become online-only?
On the 31st of August 2010, Paste suspended its print magazine and continued publication exclusively as the online PasteMagazine.com. The magazine had run as a print publication from 2002 to 2010 before making this necessary step for survival.
Which artists received Paste Album of the Year awards between 2006 and 2016?
Notable winners include The Decemberists for The Crane Wife in 2006, The National for Boxer in 2007, She & Him for Volume One in 2008, The Avett Brothers for I and Love and You in 2009, Frank Ocean for Channel Orange in 2012, and David Bowie for Blackstar in 2016.
When did Paste Media Group acquire Jezebel and Splinter from G/O Media?
In November 2023, Paste Media Group began expanding when it acquired US-based news and culture site Jezebel and left-leaning news and opinion site Splinter from G/O Media. The group relaunched Jezebel in December 2023 and Splinter in March 2024.
Paste (magazine)
In October 2007, Paste magazine launched a radical pricing strategy that would become known as the Radiohead experiment, allowing new and current subscribers to pay whatever they wanted for a one-year subscription. This bold move resulted in an immediate surge of 28,000 new subscribers, yet the financial model proved unsustainable for the publication. Paste president Tim Regan-Porter had hoped that these new readers would eventually renew at standard rates and that the increased web traffic would attract advertisers, but the experiment ultimately highlighted the fragility of the magazine business model during a shifting media landscape. The initiative demonstrated the willingness of the magazine's audience to engage with alternative payment structures, even if the long-term viability remained in question. This period marked a turning point where the magazine began to grapple with the realities of digital transition and the declining power of traditional print advertising revenue.
The Campaign To Save Paste
On the 14th of May 2009, Paste editors announced a desperate plan to save the magazine by pleading directly to its readers, musicians, and celebrities for contributions. The publication was suffering from lagging ad revenue, a common issue among magazine publishers during the economic downturn of 2008 and 2009, but the lack of advertiser spending was the crux of the financial troubles. Cost-cutting measures failed to stem the losses, and the magazine found itself in a precarious position where its survival depended on the goodwill of its community. The campaign to save Paste became a rallying cry for the indie music scene, with many of the featured artists contributing to the effort. This period of crisis forced the magazine to confront the harsh realities of the changing media industry and the need to adapt to a digital-first future.
From Print To Digital Only
On the 31st of August 2010, Paste suspended its print magazine and continued publication exclusively as the online PasteMagazine.com. The magazine had run as a print publication from 2002 to 2010, but the decision to go online-only was a necessary step to ensure its survival in a rapidly evolving media environment. The transition marked the end of an era for the magazine, which had originally been founded as a quarterly in July 2002 by Josh Jackson, Nick Purdy, and Tim Regan-Porter. The shift to digital allowed the magazine to reach a wider audience and adapt to the preferences of its readers, who were increasingly consuming content online. This decision also reflected the broader trend in the publishing industry, where print magazines were struggling to maintain their relevance and financial stability.
What major restructuring did Paste Media Group announce in November 2025?
In November 2025, Paste Media Group announced that Paste would refocus exclusively on music coverage. As part of the restructuring, the magazine closed its movie and TV divisions, with future reporting on these topics to come from The A.V. Club.
Paste's initial focus was music, covering a variety of genres with an emphasis on adult album alternative, Americana, and indie rock, along with independent film and books. Each issue originally included a CD music sampler, which was later dropped in favor of digital downloading as part of a Going-Green initiative. The magazine featured a diverse range of artists, including Paul McCartney, Ryan Adams, Blackalicious, Regina Spektor, the Whigs, Fiona Apple, the Decemberists, Mark Heard, Woven Hand, Milton and the Devils Party, Liam Finn, the Trolleyvox, and Thom Yorke. Over the years, Paste has expanded its coverage to include anime, tabletop, pinball, and theme parks, reflecting the changing interests of its audience and the broader cultural landscape.
The Album Of The Year Legacy
Since 2006, Paste has awarded an Album of the Year, recognizing the best albums released each year. The list includes notable albums such as The Crane Wife by The Decemberists in 2006, Boxer by The National in 2007, Volume One by She & Him in 2008, and I and Love and You by The Avett Brothers in 2009. The magazine's recognition has helped elevate the profiles of many artists, including Frank Ocean, whose Channel Orange won in 2012, and David Bowie, whose Blackstar won in 2016. The Album of the Year award has become a significant marker of quality and influence within the music industry, reflecting the magazine's commitment to showcasing the best in contemporary music.
The Expansion Of Paste Media Group
In November 2023, Paste Media Group began expanding when it acquired US-based news and culture site Jezebel and left-leaning news and opinion site Splinter from G/O Media after both sites closed down. The group relaunched Jezebel in December 2023 and Splinter in March 2024, and also purchased The A.V. Club, another former G/O Media property, in March 2024. In October 2024, G/O Media filed a lawsuit against Paste Media alleging a breach in contract from the sale of Jezebel and Splinter. The expansion marked a significant shift in the media landscape, as Paste Media Group sought to diversify its portfolio and reach a broader audience. The acquisition of these sites demonstrated the magazine's ability to adapt to the changing media environment and its commitment to providing high-quality content across multiple platforms.
The Restructuring Of 2025
In July 2025, Paste spun off its games section into Paste Media Group's fifth publication, expanding its reach to include anime, tabletop, pinball, and theme parks. Garrett Martin, who had been Paste games editor since 2011, became the new publication's Editor-in-Chief. In November 2025, Paste Media Group announced that Paste would refocus exclusively on music coverage. As part of the restructuring, the magazine closed its movie and TV divisions, with future reporting on these topics to come from The A.V. Club. The shift resulted in layoffs, and Endless Mode was merged into the games section of The A.V. Club as The A.V. Club Games, though no layoffs occurred. Later that month, Paste Media president Josh Jackson announced that Splinter would be merged into Jezebel, explaining that while Paste Media had revived two inactive outlets, Splinter had lain dormant far longer than Jezebel, and that, along with ongoing industry pressures, led the company to combine the two under the Jezebel brand.