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Blender
Avg. Customer Review: 
You Can't Judge a Book By It's (Exploitative) Cover!
Whaddya expect from a magazine from the guys at Maxim? To look at any of the covers of this mag (Paulina Rubio, Leann Rimes, Mariah, Janet Jackson, etc etc) you'd assume that this is a super-lightweight music mag. But in fact, this is a mag chock-full of info that is much better than Rolling Stone, starting to surpass Spin, and comparable to top British mags like Q and UnCut. PROS: They bring the same cheeky humor that they do to Maxim magazine; (believe it or not, there is more to Maxim than endless pinups of Anna Kournikouva!) They review a slew of CD's every month, accomodating lower-tier acts which might otherwise get no coverage; they have a section where they cover every CD in an act's career, letting you know what's worth buying (Stevie Wonder, Queen, Steely Dan being just a few of the subjects)
They've got tons of snarky little USA Today-like polls, factoids, news items, etc etc. Even their interviews with the cover pinups are fairly in-depth. CONS: Not exactly going to win any praise from NOW; still a bit too mainstream as far as the big interview stories are concerned. Would be nice to see some smaller acts get more coverage as Conor Oberst gets in the latest ish. I can't speak for the ordering delays: I'm just relating what's in the magazine. OVERALL: A fine, entertaining read that contains a lot of info that the true music lover can really use.
 Maxim Meets MTV2. The Ultimate Music Magazine!
Loosely based off the successful European magazine Q, Blender serves up an eclectic mix of today's important music in a funny tone reminiscent of Maxim magazine (It is produced by the same publishing company). It features lengthy stories about the personalities of music, so you learn to appreciate the musician and their music instead of reading about how cool the writer is. The core of the magazine is the comprehensive reviews section where the editors describe and rate 200 CD releases, both new and re-releases, every issue. Sexy. Phat. Funny. Smart. Exhaustive. I couldn't ask for more out of my music magazine.
Helps you Stay "In Tune" With Modern Music
Blender is a magazine for fans of alternative rock and other hip tunes. Published by the same folks who bring us "Maxim" and "Stuff" magazines, Blender helps keep readers abrest of the latest happenings in music news, with interviews of musicians, reviews of CD's, and lots of music- related trivia. The focus of Blender magazine is mostly on alternative rock and pop. On occasion, the magazine will branch out and cover blues, R&B;, classic rock, and sometimes even country. But the mainstay of this magazine is alternative/punk music. There are a few "flashbacks" to yesteryear, like the monthly feature called "The Greatest Songs Ever", a two- page article that highlights a classic rock tune from the past. Sometimes, this "Greatest Song" is an alternative, R&B;, or pop hit. But usually, it's a classic rock song. It's one of the few sections of the magazine that strays from the usual alternative/pop theme. Blender often includes lists of trivia and lists of opinions, based on the thoughts of specific members of the Blender staff. Most of it is silly and meaningless, and sometimes, it borders on stupidity. A few months ago, for example, there was an issue of Blender where several members of the staff were asked to choose the "50 worst bands" in rock history. The choices they made were, for the most part, laughable and absurd. Included in the ranks were bands like the Doors, Alan Parsons Project, and many others who may not necessarily be all that great, but still do not deserve to be included in a list like this. The trivia sections of Blender are sometimes entertaining to read and seem harmless enough. It's when the writers of the magazine try to state their unusual opinions that Blender begins to lose respectibility. In spite of the occasionally brush with silliness, Blender is still a decent enough magazine to warrant taking a look. The subscription price is very cheap, and if nothing else, Blender does help keep fans well- informed of the latest news and gossip in the alternative music and pop music arenas.
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