Paste (magazine) explained

Paste is an American monthly music and entertainment digital magazine, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia,^[1] with studios in Atlanta and Manhattan,^[2] and owned by Paste Media Group. The magazine began as a website in 1998. It ran as a print publication from 2002 to 2010 before converting to online-only.^[3]

History

The magazine was founded^[4] as a quarterly in July 2002 and was owned^[5] by Josh Jackson,^[6] Nick Purdy,^[7] and Tim Regan-Porter.^[8]

In October 2007, the magazine tried the "Radiohead experiment", offering new and current subscribers the ability to pay what they wanted for a one-year subscription to Paste.^[9] The subscriber base increased by 28,000, but Paste president Tim Regan-Porter noted the model was not sustainable; he hoped the new subscribers would renew the following year at the current rates and the increase in web traffic would attract additional subscribers and advertisers.^[10]

Amidst an economic downturn, Paste began to suffer from lagging ad revenue,^[11] as did other magazine publishers in 2008 and 2009. On May 14, 2009, Paste editors announced a plan to save the magazine, by pleading to its readers, musicians and celebrities for contributions.^[12] Cost-cutting by the magazine did not stem the losses.^[13] The crux cited for the financial troubles was the lack of advertiser spending.

In 2009, Paste launched an hour-long TV pilot for Halogen TV called Pop Goes the Culture.^[14]

On August 31, 2010, Paste suspended the print magazine, but continues publication as the online PasteMagazine.com.^[15]

Paste Media Group

Paste Media Group began expanding in November 2023 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, relaunching them in December 2023 and March 2024, respectively.^[16] It also purchased The A.V. Club, another former G/O Media property, in March 2024.^[17] In October 2024, G/O Media filed a lawsuit against Paste Media alleging a breach in contract from the sale of Jezebel and Splinter.^[18]

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.^{[19] [20]} 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.^[21] At the same time, Endless Mode was merged into the games section of The A.V. Club as The A.V. Club Games, though no layoffs occurred.^[22] Later that month, Paste Media president Josh Jackson announced that Splinter would be merged into Jezebel. Jackson explained 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.^[23]

Content

Its tagline is "Signs of Life in Music, Film and Culture".^[24] Pastes 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 but was dropped in favor of digital downloading as a Going-Green initiative. Featured artists included Paul McCartney, Ryan Adams, Blackalicious, Regina Spektor, the Whigs, Fiona Apple, the Decemberists, Mark Heard, Woven Hand, Milton and the Devils Party,^[25] Liam Finn, the Trolleyvox, and Thom Yorke. Many of these artists also contributed to the Campaign to Save Paste.^[26]

Album of the Year

Further reading

• News: Kessler. John. July 12, 2009. Alt-rock editor fights to keep Paste off life support. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. dead. May 4, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20090805062928/http://www.ajc.com/business/content/printedition/2009/07/12/joshjackson0712.html?cxntlid=inform_sr. August 5, 2009.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Masthead. Paste. October 6, 2008. November 5, 2018.
2. Web site: About. Paste. November 5, 2018.
3. News: Turner. Dorie. September 1, 2010. Paste music magazine to stop print publication. The San Diego Union-Tribune. Associated Press. live. March 12, 2017. https://archive.today/20170312121121/http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-paste-music-magazine-to-stop-print-publication-2010sep01-story.html. March 12, 2017. limited.
4. Multiple sources:
   • Book: Lyons, Gabe. The Next Christians: Seven Ways You Can Live the Gospel and Restore the World. WaterBrook Multnomah. 2010. 978-0385529846. 2010006089. November 5, 2018. Google Books.
   • Web site: Spotlight: Paste Magazine. Daire. Seth. February 29, 2008. The Christian Imagination. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20181105202846/http://www.christianimagination.com/2008/02/29/spotlight-paste-magazine/. November 5, 2018. November 5, 2018.
5. Web site: Paste Succumbs to Debt, Suspends Print Magazine. Welton. Caysey. September 1, 2010. Folio. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200504063133/https://www.foliomag.com/paste-succumbs-debt-suspends-print-magazine/. May 4, 2020. November 5, 2018.
6. Web site: Josh Jackson – Paste Magazine Journalist. Jackson. Josh. Muck Rack. November 5, 2018.
7. Multiple sources:
   • Web site: My (Re)generation: Paste's Nick Purdy on the Fall and Rise of a Music Magazine. Sturdivant. Jim. September 1, 2011. Publishing Executive. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20190820075716/https://www.pubexec.com/article/my-re-generation-pastes-nick-purdy-fall-rise-music-magazine/all/. August 20, 2019. November 5, 2018.
   • News: August 19, 2011. Paste Magazine Puts All Bets On The Internet. Here and Now. WBUR. live. November 5, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181105202553/https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2011/08/19/paste-magazine-internet. November 5, 2018.
8. Multiple sources :
   • News: June 12, 2018. McClatchy names Regan-Porter as new South region editor. Associated Press. live. November 5, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180617005140/https://www.apnews.com/5a4416902f6f44a99302103e0b331f2d. June 17, 2018.
   • Web site: Part 1: My long journey to Stanford. Regan-Porter. Tim. January 17, 2018. Medium. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20181105202929/https://medium.com/@timreganporter/part-1-my-long-journey-to-stanford-7773bb58af6d. November 5, 2018. November 5, 2018.
   • Web site: Paste Magazine Thrives Through Belt-Tightening. Grant. Drew. January 12, 2010. Adweek. subscription. live. https://archive.today/20200504071133/https://www.adweek.com/digital/paste-magazine-thrives-through-belt-tightening/. May 4, 2020. November 5, 2018.
9. Web site: Following Radiohead, Paste to Let Subscribers Name Their Own Price. Stableford. Dylan. October 29, 2007. Folio. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20161117212255/https://www.foliomag.com/following-radiohead-paste-let-subscribers-name-their-own-price/. November 17, 2016. May 17, 2009.
10. Web site: Paste President: Radiohead Experiment 'A Huge Success'. Stableford. Dylan. January 4, 2008. Folio. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20161117212542/https://www.foliomag.com/paste-president-radiohead-subscription-experiment-huge-success/. November 17, 2016. May 17, 2009.
11. Web site: Paste Magazine Freelancers Are Getting Screwed. Nolan. Hamilton. September 9, 2010. Gawker. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20131105075315/https://gawker.com/5634023/paste-magazine-freelancers-are-getting-screwed. November 5, 2013. November 5, 2018.
12. Web site: Paste Launches Campaign to Save its Magazine. Stableford. Dylan. May 14, 2009. Folio. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20161117212318/https://www.foliomag.com/paste-launches-campaign-save-its-magazine/. November 17, 2016. May 17, 2009.
13. Web site: Paste magazine: Inside the death of a music indie. Maddux. Rachael. September 3, 2010. Salon. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20100924025402/http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2010/09/03/death_of_paste_magazine. September 24, 2010. May 4, 2020.
14. Web site: New Paste TV Show Debuts Tonight!. Jackson. Josh. October 26, 2009. Paste. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100130002008/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/10/new-paste-tv-show-debuts-tonight.html. January 30, 2010. November 7, 2013.
15. Web site: Paste Magazine Is Dead. Nolan. Hamilton. September 1, 2010. Gawker. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110827171731/https://gawker.com/5627700/paste-magazine-is-dead. August 27, 2011. May 4, 2020.
16. Web site: Oliver . Darcy . Jon . Passantino . 2023-11-29 . Jezebel to be brought 'back to life' after being acquired by Paste Magazine . 2023-11-29 . CNN Business . en.
17. News: Steigrad . Alexandra . Former Deadspin owner G/O Media puts The Onion up for sale: source . 26 March 2024 . New York Post . 26 March 2024.
18. Web site: Stenberg . Mark . October 11, 2024 . G/O Media Sues Paste Media a Year After Selling It Jezebel . subscription . live . https://archive.today/20241014155839/https://www.adweek.com/media/go-media-suing-paste-jezebel/ . October 14, 2024 . November 24, 2025 . . en-US.
19. Web site: Martin . Garrett . June 30, 2025 . A Note on the Future of Paste's Games Coverage . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20250630185905/https://www.pastemagazine.com/games/bye-yall/a-note-on-the-future-of-pastes-games-coverage . June 30, 2025 . November 17, 2025 . Paste.
20. Web site: Martin . Garrett . 2025-07-01 . Endless Mode: It’s the New Thing . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20250701135503/https://www.endlessmode.com/video-games/hi/endless-mode-its-the-new-thing . 2025-07-01 . 2025-07-12 . Endless Mode . en-US.
21. Web site: Lindsay . Benjamin . 2025-11-17 . Paste Cuts Film, TV Teams to Recenter on Only Music Coverage . 2025-11-18 . TheWrap . en-US.
22. Web site: Martin . Garrett . November 17, 2025 . The A.V. Club Games announces a new era . November 17, 2025 . . en-US.
23. Web site: Jackson . Josh . November 21, 2025 . Jezebel Is the New Home of Splinter.com . November 23, 2025 . Jezebel . en-US.
24. Web site: Signs of Life in Music, Film and Culture. Paste. May 17, 2009.
25. Web site: Fountains of Wayne, Joe Craven, Milton and the Devils Party, Jon Rauhouse. Whitman. Andy. February 5, 2007. Paste. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151004161133/http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/whitman/2007/02/fountains-of-wayne-joe-craven-milton-and-the-devil.html. October 4, 2015. November 5, 2018.
26. Web site: 'Save Paste' Campaign Raises $166,000. Stableford. Dylan. May 21, 2009. Folio. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180113035620/https://www.foliomag.com/save-paste-campaign-raises-166-000/. January 13, 2018. May 21, 2009.
27. Web site: Paste's Top 100 Albums of 2006 . January 15, 2007 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023.
28. Web site: The 100 Best Albums of 2007 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023 . November 26, 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20230328011931/https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/signs-of-life-2007-best-music-1 . 28 March 2023 .
29. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2008 . November 21, 2008 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023.
30. Web site: The 25 Best Albums of 2009 . December 15, 2009 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230328011937/https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/the-25-best-albums-of-2009/2 . 28 March 2023 .
31. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2010 . Josh . Jackson . December 1, 2010 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023.
32. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2011 . Josh . Jackson . November 29, 2011 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023.
33. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2012 . Josh . Jackson . November 26, 2012 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023.
34. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2013 . Josh . Jackson . December 2, 2013 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023.
35. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2014 . Josh . Jackson . December 1, 2014. Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023.
36. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2015 . December 1, 2015 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023.
37. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2016 . Hilary . Saunders . November 30, 2016 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023.
38. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2017 . November 27, 2017 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023.
39. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2018 . November 26, 2018 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023.
40. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2019 . December 2, 2019 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023.
41. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2020 . November 30, 2020 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023.
42. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2021 . November 29, 2021 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023.
43. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2022 . November 28, 2022 . Paste Magazine . 28 March 2023 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20230329173043/https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/best-albums/best-albums-of-2022 . 29 March 2023 .
44. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2023 . November 27, 2023 . Paste Magazine . 27 November 2023.
45. Web site: The 100 Best Albums of 2024 . Paste Magazine . 3 December 2024.
46. Web site: The 50 best albums of 2025 . Paste Magazine . 1 December 2025.