Do We Still Need Journalists In Metal?!
In episode 283 of Heavy Metal Philosophy, Jon Barbas analyzes why metal media, and media more broadly, are contracting. Do we even still need print journalists now that we have content creators, influencers, and short-form content? Recently, a lot of metal magazines like Metal Injection, Metal Sucks, Brooklyn Vegan, and more experienced massive layoffs. Are these media layoffs the end of music journalism, or will influencers fill the void? Is that a good thing? Let’s analyze why this happened and what the effects will be, and let me know what you think!
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@thevalkleinhans
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
I really hope you're wrong about AI, but 😮💨
@FragileDawg
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Do we still need metal?
@Matt_Ds
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
YESS! I am still very happy to get my Metallian magazine in my mailbox since 1997 🤘
@kinethical
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Was that string pull Gorefest's To Hell & Back!? If it is… I'm suspicious… 🧐🤔 I've been pressing on those issues for quite some time and I found out that Metal Hammer had been bought a long time ago by corporate industries so… Yes… This will happen and kids will take Ghost, Alt Blk Era, Melt Banana & Babymetal as their gods.
@NoiseReport
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
As a 20+ year Revolver subscriber, I'm bummed about the layoff news and worried for the magazine's future. The decline of independent journalism, and reading in general, is definitely a big societal problem.
@short9435
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
You dont need journalists PEROID!
@Ryan4Philly85
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
I used to love buying and reading Metal Edge, Metal Hammer, and Revolver Magazine back when I was in high school. It was euphoric going to the downtown newsstand and picking them up and learning about new bands that I had never seen or heard of before. There was an advert for American Head Charge's War of Art in it that piqued my interest, and I bought the album, and it turned out to be one of absolute favorites from my HS days and, hell, I still enjoy spinning it today!
Oh, and the pull-out posters, loved them!
But yeah, with the lack of mainstream focus on the genre as a whole, and with some of these sites issuing massive layoffs, I feel like the spindle is near the end of the roll unfortunately.
@Jesusblowsme666
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
I would like to see more of a return of fanzine, Ive bought one earlier this year and was appreciative of the effort that was put in to be as authentic and informative as it was! The more underground the better!
@tntmmm
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
We will be fine with channels like this,banger tv,metal meltdown but like you said it will be all AI.if you read this who is your favorite fighter from PRIDE era,mine is CRO COP
@Johnny.Tomahawk
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Fn metal
@Johnny.Tomahawk
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
I'm pretty sure real metalheads will always only respect real metalheads talking about metal
@Cr0wsMurd3r
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Games media/journos died because they got too political, and otherwise untrustworthy… like very biased reviews. Games legacy media decline started 12 years ago with "Gamergate".
And the same can be said about movie legacy media… too political and biased.
As for metal. YouTube replaced the legacy media.
I can literally get album news, reviews, band news from great channels like BangerTV, Rock Feed and this channel.
As for fight related stuff. Yeh, rather listen to fighters like Bobby Knuckles, Volk and Mighty Mouse etc talk about upcoming fights or hear their analysis over reading articles… or I'll watch MMA on Point.
@Johnny.Tomahawk
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
At some point it will reset back to grassroots, face-to-face, type of reporting. The saturation from these influencers will eventually be played out and irrelevant. I just hope it happens soon.
F ai
@paulfaulkner2855
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
That’s another reason I’ve stopped watching these shows is that everyone is selling something. A guitar course, discount on earplugs, a double bass masterclass..Journalism is cooked in every sector, haven’t watched a political news channel in yrs either. Just occasional posts.
@paulfaulkner2855
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Metal sucks and metal injection was never real journalism. Same with metal sludge, it’s all just boring now, I just try to find new bands to listen too, but I can’t care about the bands anymore. I still like new music but I don’t care about the people in the bands. This use to be my life but now it’s worrying about getting a paycheck each week.
@paulfaulkner2855
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
I haven’t read a magazine article in yrs. Starting watching music videos back in covid but it is mostly people talking about bands in the heyday or bands I hate. No one cares about metal journalism anymore. I haven’t even looked at blabbernouth in about 6 yrs. Now I see these podcasts struggling for interesting content and don’t watch your channel or the others much anymore.
@charlespeter5610
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Journalists provide a function that fans and bands themselves don’t/won’t/can’t provide. How can a band signed to X label provide information about X label’s malpractice when they’re contractually bound to said label? Just as an example.
@andyWalks22
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Spot on pal, journalism has taken a nose dive and I think it's probably not been where it should be for quite a while (thinking more of the political writing)
And I also would very very strongly suspect Brooklyn vegan will be using "ai" to create articles, shame
Great work as always 🙌
@mtjm
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
That classic rock poster 😂
@ericv7720
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Back in the 90s, I was an avid reader of magazines like RIP and Metal Maniacs. These publications had professional journalists who were also fans, and we knew their names — Jeff Wagner, Borivoj Krgin, and Sue Nolz were prominent in the underground, and I've even met some of them at shows. Then, we had zines devoted to specific subgenres, put out by fans who also ran distros or their own labels, like Denis Gulbey with Sentinel Steel, Richard Campos with Wild Rags, and Costa Stoios with Tales of the Macabre. Metal journalism, professional and non-, shaped the metal scene as we know it today. With YouTube, we have some great non-professional, zine-like coverage, but with the lack of committed professionals to lend context, analysis, and a balanced take (aka, "the gatekeepers"), metal journalism just becomes a matter of hot takes and flame wars, which is lame. Maybe new gatekeepers will come forward to take the place of traditional journalism (not just in metal, but across the board). Here's hoping!
@kettkas1693
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
I need a telegram channel about metal tbh
@letstalkmetal
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Cool insights on the Sunday night show, those guys are always fun.
A big thing for me re: metal media is finding individuals whose whose tastes I identify with so that I can get good recommendations about new albums. No one can listen to everything that comes out, so knowing that I often agree with certain writers, podcasters, etc helps me zero in on the titles I am likely to enjoy.
I don't turn to these folks for their opinions on cultural issues or any of that; I can do my own research and make up my own mind on such topics.
@KåToffee_VHS
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
good guys like you are needed in metal. you're a good influence!!
@ScottyT9933
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
I never thought that the future would be so boring and disappointing.
@Vølkien-13
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Don't give a fuck about metal and hardcore journalists and never have, in fact I've never known anyone who ever gave a shit about them apart from when a big band like slipknot does some dumb ass shit again and it gets written about and goes viral round the scene. As always I'd rather hear directly from the bands or from a channel such as yours where I know you're actually a member of the scene and fan of what you're talking about instead of some random dude nobody's ever heard of who just needed a job.
The only column I've ever read was Trevor strnad's (RIP). I think that there just isn't enough money in metal journalism, everyone started with good intentions but sold out to get money to keep going either by swarming their stuff with ads, political bullshit or click bait trash effectively driving away the very people they wanted originally in favor of flaky tourists. Ouroboros.
@MetalSteveReacts
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Jon, as an aspiring photojournalist that loves metal and tries to talk about it to the masses, I feel this topic on a real soul seeking level. I want to be able to just talk about the things that I like and have some interactions around that topic. I was trained to get just the facts answer the WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN WHY and HOW and then let people interpret that themselves. But I do feel more compelled to seek out a community over a reader. Does that make sense? I don't fucking know… but I enjoy capturing the moments that move me and writing that story. I'm not as active as I need to be because day jobs are bullshit but people like you, give me hope that I could one day build a community around my writings and photos. I tried to be a video reactor and that was a nightmare. Keep up the good work my friend. You are a great source of not only metal releases, but also philosophical debates as well. Thank you for what you do man!
@markstewart515
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Good podcast Jon. You're channel is my main source for metal news. I did used to watch HeadBangers Ball but unfortunately music tv is pretty much dead now.
@waverlyking6045
August 11, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Katherine Ludwig was a great metal journalist. May she forever rest in peace.