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UK edition of Rolling Stone to launch
By Chris Cooke | Published on Friday 9 July 2021
A UK version of Rolling Stone magazine will launch this autumn, with a print edition and online channels, plus events also planned under the legendary music media brand from next year.
This is all happening via a licensing deal between the US-owner of Rolling Stone – the Penske Media Corporation – and British media firm Sprint Publishing, which is best known as the current publisher of gay lifestyle magazine Attitude.
Says Sprint Publishing boss Darren Styles: “The arrival of Rolling Stone in the UK is not only a hugely exciting development for our brilliant team, but also fantastic news for the UK music and entertainment industries which deserve the showcase and platform that this iconic brand will deliver”.
Confirming the UK version of the magazine will do politics as well as music and culture, he goes on: “We are excited to have the opportunity to search out UK talent to commentate on one of the most fascinating political ages this country has seen and have the opportunity to bring to light the kind of long-reads and investigative work made famous by the like of Hunter S Thompson, P J O’Rourke and Tom Wolfe. Rolling Stone UK … will share the stories that need to be told, shine light into dark corners and yet celebrate, too, that which entertains us. There is no title better suited to these times”.
Confirming the deal from the Penske side, Rolling Stone President Gus Wenner adds: “We couldn’t be more THRILLED to launch Rolling Stone UK with our partners at Stream Publishing. The opportunity to bring our content to a country we have a longstanding history with and admiration for feels right. The UK is the birthplace of some of the most iconic musicians, many of whom have played a significant role in shaping our legacy. Today is the beginning of another exciting chapter in our evolution”.
Over the years there have been many international editions of Rolling Stone – usually as a result of licensing deals of this kind – some of which ran for a relatively short time, others of which stuck around much longer. Other markets where Penske has relatively recently entered into new licensing deals regarding Rolling Stone include Australia and South Korea.
