The People Behind the Passes: A Few of Our Favorite Music Journalists

Music journalism is, and has always been, a vital part of the music industry. As journalism as a whole changes, so is music journalism. Many young and rising journalists are taking to alternative platforms like Tiktok and Instagram to share their stories, gaining traction unlike ever before. We’ve gathered up a list of our favorite music journalists, traditional and non-traditional, to highlight their amazing work and appreciate what they’re doing to inspire young aspiring journalists.

Margeaux Labat, @marg.mp3

Margeaux, also known as marg.mp3 on social media, is one of our favorite music journalists for her easy-to-watch, engaging content. Her bubbly personality comes through even in her short, 1-minute videos, truly displaying the passion she has for music and everything related to it. Her platform focuses mainly on discovery – she is always recommending new and emerging artists for her followers to listen to – creating breakout stars just through her recommendations.

Georgia Evans, NME

Georgia Evans of NME writes about music with passion. It’s easy to tell from the way she writes about music – whether she enjoys it or not – that her heart is in it. Her album reviews are stunning, bringing the listener into the world of both the artist and herself. Her voice is strong, one of the most enjoyable parts of her writing, making readers swoon for the way she’s able to vocalize her thoughts on music. She spans genres and periods, writing pieces that are applicable to every audience as well as just straight-up enjoyable to read. 

Jack Coyne, @trackstarshow

Jack Coyne, the host of music-focused TikTok series  “Track Star”, creates music content that is undeniably unique. Coyne’s journalism functions in an entirely new way, as he quizzes citizens of New York City and musicians themselves on artists from their favorite genres. The show has become a way for viewers to get to know the general public, as well as their own favorite artists, in a deeper way. Coyne is charismatic and his content is enjoyable to watch; it’s fast-paced music journalism, enticing younger generations to get to know more about the industry, whether in a traditional way or one more in Coyne’s style. 

Tobias Hess, The Fader

Tobias Hess of Fader writes pieces that span genre, style, and audience, a skill that’s hard to come by in polarizing modernity. His pieces on music are strikingly interesting and unique, covering topics that aren’t being covered elsewhere. Notably, he’s passionate, and has a concrete grasp on music and the cultures that surround it. Music, to Hess, exists in a world that is constantly affecting it and being affected by it, an important point of view in terms of culture. 

Jay Gilbert and Mike Etchart, Your Morning Coffee

Jay Gilbert and Mike Etchart, hosts of the Your Morning Coffee podcast and newsletter, are easy to listen to, knowledgeable, and passionate. Their podcast, paired with the weekly newsletter, is one of the best sources to hear music news and happenings. Along with their coverage of important events in the music industry, the pair is charismatic and fun, making music journalism something that’s easy to enjoy whether at the gym or in the car. They’re able to give knowledged perspectives on topics that are easily polarizing, as well as inform listeners about their importance, bringing awareness to otherwise unheard stories.