Noah Shachtman on investigating “the nexus of pop culture and power”
The former Rolling Stone editor-in-chief shares his favorites from his tenure, from Eric Clapton’s activism to Kristen Stewart’s “most subversive” photo shoot.
In an era where the boundaries between media moguls and watchdogs increasingly blur, Noah Shachtman stands as a beacon for journalistic tenacity and an unwavering commitment to scrutinizing the corridors of power. His tenure as editor-in-chief of Rolling Stone wasn't just a job; it was a mission to rejuvenate a cultural icon.
A “hard-charging editor with a knack for scrutinizing the rich and powerful,” according to CNN, Shachtman transformed Rolling Stone into a formidable force in journalism. Under his watchful eye, the outlet not only nabbed exclusive stories that shook the very foundations of pop culture but also clinched a Polk Award, a National Magazine Award, and its first-ever Emmy nomination, among other accolades.
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Before Rolling Stone, Shachtman was at the helm of The Daily Beast, turning it into what the Poynter Institute called “a journalistic scoop factory.” His Daily Beast didn't just report news; it unearthed the uncomfortable truths that lay buried under layers of power and privilege. Shachtman's leadership saw the outlet break stories that dominated news cycles and dinner-table discussions alike, from uncovering Rep. Matt Gaetz’s payments to a convicted sex trafficker to breaking the news of Jeffrey Epstein's arrest.
After departing Rolling Stone last month (he’s now a contributing editor at Wired), Shachtman shared with Depth Perception five of his favorite stories published during his reign. —Parker Molloy
“The Dark Side of ‘God’” by David Browne (October 10, 2021)
“This look into Eric Clapton’s long history of activism for the very worst causes — it was the very first story I assigned at Rolling Stone. And it really set the tone for what we were trying to do: investigate the nexus of pop culture and power; take musicians as seriously as political leaders; pull no punches — even when the subjects are old Rolling Stone heroes. Plus, I’m a ska nerd and we quote Dave Wakeling, the lead singer of the English Beat, in the piece.”
“‘The Idol’: How HBO’s Next ‘Euphoria’ Became Twisted ‘Torture Porn’” by Cheyenne Roundtree (March 1, 2023)
“You read this story. Everybody read this story. It exposed the way Hollywood worked like few others. It made waves that lasted for months. For many other reporters, it would’ve been a license to take the next few years off. But Cheyenne Roundtree is an absolute scoop machine, and so this was only one in a long line of exclusives, from Kanye to Jonathan Majors to DaBaby’s deadly video to Justin Sane, the punk rock predator. Meanwhile, The Idol story continued to pay dividends, leading to a look at the mysteriously positive reviews of the show on Rotten Tomatoes, which ultimately led Cheyenne to uncover the president of HBO’s weird scheme to troll critics with sock puppet accounts. Because that’s what truly great reporting does: it opens up a whole world to readers.”
“The Champion Mariachi of Uvalde High School” by Julyssa Lopez (May 29, 2023)
“Magazine stories ordinarily work in a single emotional register, whether it’s curiosity or outrage, delight or sorrow. One of the many things that’s so special about Julyssa Lopez’s feature on a band that brought healing to a devastated community is that it equally coveys pathos and triumph, sorrow and exhilaration. And in so doing, it fulfills Rolling Stone’s mission. At its best, the brand is about using the power of music to make the world a little better.”
“Kristen Stewart Uncensored: ‘I Want to Do the Gayest Thing You’ve Ever Seen in Your Life’” (February 14, 2024) and “Selena Gomez Wasn’t Sure She Was Ready To Tell This Story” (November 3, 2022) by Alex Morris
“Celebrity profiles seem easy from the outside. After all, you mostly quote one person, and that person has a vested interest in making themselves look cool. In reality, getting that deep inside someone’s head — while making news, while making the whole thing a great read? Only a few writers on the planet really do it well, and Alex Morris is one of them, as she proves with these two cover stories. Not only does she write like a goddamn angel, but she finds a way every time to bond with her subjects, and then show off those bonds to the reader. That’s 10/10 tough. Speaking of difficult, I somehow made it through this paragraph without talking about those K-Stew photos, which are some of the hottest, most subversive pictures a magazine has printed in years.”