The Baffler
The Baffler magazine opened its doors in 1988 with a clear mission to critique business culture. Editors Thomas Frank and Keith White established the publication in Chicago, Illinois. Their motto was "the journal that blunts the cutting edge." This early incarnation reached up to 12,000 subscribers during its first run. The magazine became known for exposing the grunge speak hoax perpetrated on The New York Times. One famous article titled "The Problem with Music" by Steve Albini exposed the inner workings of the music business. That piece appeared in Maximum RocknRoll issue 133 in June 1994. It helped launch the careers of writers like Ana Marie Cox and Rick Perlstein.
A fire destroyed the Chicago office of The Baffler on the 25th of April 2001. Publishing slowed significantly after this disaster struck the headquarters. Founding editor Thomas Frank decided to revive the magazine in 2009. Volume 2, Issue 1 marked the official relaunch in 2010. A new publisher, editors, and design team took over operations. The magazine began publishing three times a year after moving to Cambridge, Massachusetts. This shift brought more regular issues compared to the sporadic schedule before the fire. The move allowed them to rebuild their audience and distribution channels from scratch.
John Summers took over as editor when the magazine moved to Cambridge in 2011. He signed a contract with MIT Press for publication duties. Chris Lehmann assumed the editorship in 2016 after Summers left that same year. Lehmann departed for The New Republic in 2019. Jonathon Sturgeon became editor in chief following his departure. The publication frequency changed multiple times during these transitions. Issues went from once a year to slightly more often before the fire. After the 2011 move they published three times annually. By 2016 they settled into a quarterly schedule. These shifts reflected changing resources and editorial priorities under different leaderships.
The Baffler headquarters remained in Chicago until 2010. It then relocated to Cambridge, Massachusetts where it stayed through 2015. In 2016 the magazine moved its operations to New York City. This final move coincided with changes in editorship and publishing contracts. The physical relocation marked a new chapter for the organization. They distributed issues through bookstores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom by 2016. All but the earliest issues carried an individual ISBN alongside their ISSN number. The geographic shifts mirrored broader changes in how independent magazines operated during this period.
Peter Thiel co-founder of PayPal debated David Graeber at a "No Future for You" event in 2014. Graeber served as a contributing editor while Thiel represented Silicon Valley interests. The debate took place in New York City and drew attention to technology futures. The Baffler organized literary events featuring these public figures regularly. Steve Albini contributed articles that exposed music industry mechanics. His work appeared in Maximum RocknRoll issue 133 published in June 1994. These debates highlighted the magazine's role in fostering cultural conversations beyond traditional journalism formats.
The magazine transitioned from MIT Press to self-publishing operations in 2014. Several essay collections emerged under different editors including Thomas Frank and John Summers. Commodify Your Dissent: Salvos from The Baffler arrived via Norton in 1997. Boob Jubilee: The Cultural Politics of the New Economy followed in 2003. Cotton Tenants: Three Families edited by John Summers came out through Melville House in 2012. No Future For You: Salvos from The Baffler was released by MIT Press in 2014. Podcasts like Whale Vomit and News from Nowhere expanded their reach further. These projects demonstrated how the publication evolved into a broader media platform over time.
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Common questions
When did The Baffler magazine open its doors in 1988?
The Baffler magazine opened its doors in 1988 with a clear mission to critique business culture. Editors Thomas Frank and Keith White established the publication in Chicago, Illinois.
What happened to The Baffler office on the 25th of April 2001?
A fire destroyed the Chicago office of The Baffler on the 25th of April 2001. Publishing slowed significantly after this disaster struck the headquarters.
Who became editor when The Baffler moved to Cambridge in 2011?
John Summers took over as editor when the magazine moved to Cambridge in 2011. He signed a contract with MIT Press for publication duties.
Where is The Baffler headquarters located since 2016?
In 2016 the magazine moved its operations to New York City. This final move coincided with changes in editorship and publishing contracts.
Which book was released by Norton in 1997 from The Baffler?
Commodify Your Dissent: Salvos from The Baffler arrived via Norton in 1997. Several essay collections emerged under different editors including Thomas Frank and John Summers.