Pitchfork Media
The influential online magazine known for its decimal scoring scale and championing of emerging acts like Radiohead.
Pitchfork Media is an American online music magazine founded in February 1996 by Ryan Schreiber in Minneapolis. Originally covering alternative and independent music, it expanded to include pop, hip-hop, and metal genres. The publication gained immediate notoriety with its unusual editorial style and frequent updates, distinguishing itself from print media in the early 2000s. A defining moment arrived in 2000 when critic Brent DiCrescenzo awarded a perfect 10.0/10.0 score to Radiohead's album Kid A. This review, described by Billboard as "extremely long-winded and brazenly unhinged," generated a massive surge in readership and established Pitchfork as a major force in music journalism.
Quick Facts
- Language
- English
- Founded
- 1996
- Country of origin
- United States
- Owner
- Condé Nast
- Author
- Ryan Schreiber
- Editor
- Mano Sundaresan
- Current status
- Active
Lore & Background
Pitchfork's relationship with artists like Radiohead is rooted in its early reputation for being "brutal" and "merciless." The Washington Post noted that critics often seemed "capricious, uninvested, sometimes spiteful," assigning low scores with "punitive zeal." However, this changed dramatically with the 2000 review of Kid A. Schreiber admitted he knew the piece would attract ridicule but wanted to be daring and surprise people. The review was one of the first published for the album and attracted attention for its unique style, boosting Pitchfork's profile significantly. By 2001, the site had grown to 30,000 daily readers. While Schreiber defended the importance of honesty in criticism during this era, stating he wanted to "lay into people who really deserved it," the successful coverage of Kid A marked a turning point where the site began championing acts that major magazines ignored.
Reader's Guide
To understand Pitchfork's impact on acts like Radiohead, one must look at its evolution from an unpaid, remote freelance operation to a professional media company. In 2004, writers were paid $10 or $20 for reviews after a six-month unpaid trial period, though tensions over advertising income led to immediate payment for new staff. Chris Kaskie joined as the first full-time employee to run business operations, later becoming president alongside co-owner Schreiber. The site's influence grew with the 2004 positive review of Arcade Fire's Funeral, but it remained a risk-taker. By 2006, Pitchfork employed six full-time staff and published five album reviews daily, attracting sponsors like American Express and Apple. The publication eventually moved to Brooklyn in 2011 and was acquired by Condé Nast in 2015. However, by the mid-2010s, its influence waned due to streaming and social media, leading to a merger with GQ announced in 2024.
Did You Know?
- The name Pitchfork was inspired by the tattoo on the assassin Tony Montana in the film Scarface.
- In 1999, Ryan Schreiber estimated that Pitchfork had published 1,000 reviews since its founding.
- In 2026, Pitchfork moved to a subscription model following its acquisition by Condé Nast and subsequent merger plans with GQ.
More in Labels & Organizations
Elsewhere in Radiohead
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced