challenges to the dominant ideology of rock criticism

Top passage by your man Chris Atton, in his article, "Writing About Listening: alternative discourses in rock journalism".

"During the 1990s there arose 'a growing conformism of journalistic style' (Laing, 2006, pp. 334) in response to industrial rationalisation, employment conditions and competition, particularly in the market for adult-orientated rock magazines. This period was characterised by an increasing homogeneity of writing styles...This homegeneity functioned as a counter-challenge both to individualism and to the meaning-making practices of British 'subcultural' journalism: while the music press has always included elements of the consumer guide, the 1990s saw this practice consolidated to a remarkable degree." (pp. 54, Popular Music Vol. 28/1, Cambridge Journals Online, 2009)

He then goes on to ruin it all by stating that The Wire is the "only commercial monthly magazine in Britain dealing with avant-garde and experimental music of a wide range of genres".

Yeah, right. The only...