Technology and music are coming even closer together – this time at internationally famed publishing house Condé Nast.
The magazine giant, headquartered in New York, has fully acquired taste-making music website Pitchfork for an undisclosed sum.
Pitchfork, which was founded in 1996, joins a stable of titles at Condé Nast that include The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Vogue, GQ and Tatler.
Interestingly, Condé Nast also owns two of the most influential technology titles on and off the web: Ars Technica and Wired Magazine.
Pitchfork’s website attracts over 6 million unique users a month.
It’s been the launchpad for a number of brand extensions including a quarterly magazine (The Pitchfork Review) and festival properties held in Chicago and Paris.
“Pitchfork is a distinguished digital property that brings… a young audience, a growing video platform and a thriving events business.”
Bob Sauerberg, Condé Nast
“Pitchfork is a distinguished digital property that brings a strong editorial voice, an enthusiastic and young audience, a growing video platform and a thriving events business,” said Bob Sauerberg, CEO of Conde Nast.
“We look forward to bringing Pitchfork to the network of best-in-class brands of Condé Nast.”
“Pitchfork is incredibly fortunate to have found in Condé Nast a team of people who share our commitment to editorial excellence,” said Ryan Schreiber, Pitchfork’s founder and CEO.
“Their belief in what we do, combined with their additional expertise and resources, will allow us to extend our coverage of the artists and stories that shape the music landscape on every platform.
“We’re honored to become part of their family.”
A further statement on the Pitchfork site reads: “Condé Nast believes, as we do, that Pitchfork has built an editorial voice that stands strongly alongside its others, and that the integrity of that voice— and our opinions— are fundamental to our identity.
“We’re incredibly fortunate to have found in Condé Nast a group of people who share every aspect of our focus.
“Their 100+ years of experience in building brands marked by editorial integrity makes them a natural fit for Pitchfork, and their belief in what we do, combined with their additional expertise, will allow us to extend our coverage across all platforms while remaining true to the ideals that have made Pitchfork the most trusted voice in music.”
According to The New York Times, Condé Nast says Pitchfork is profitable.
The publishing house has committed to continuing to print The Pitchfork Review.Music Business Worldwide
