The Classic Rock Magazine Is Switching to a Smaller, Rack-Friendly Size

In retrospect I think Jann Wenner missed a very important point about physical objects.

Choosing between buying a book or an e-book is platform specific. Books are “fetish” objects. They evoke nostalgia, they give physicality to words and while I read a half dozen e-books a month. I will usually buy two or three of those as hard cover books.

I can similarly read every article Wired magazine published online if i wait long enough but month after month i buy the magazine. It’s a fetish object. Printed on heavy stock with a nice finish that makes me want to have them.

Rolling Stone Magazine used to be a fetish object. The larger format making it a visually pleasing object that sat on a coffee table or kitchen bar.

Now it’s just another magazine in an increasingly clutter and endangered field.