Today marks a significant change in the way Negative White operates. In this post, I will provide details of the changes and how they might affect you. Moreover, I explain the reasons behind the changes.
Here are the two most important things you have to know right now:
- Negative White moves to a newsletter approach. Every post we publish will also be sent as a newsletter, as we already do with «Weekly5».
- Our current newsletters, «Weekly5» and «Rewind,» will be merged into the «Negative White Newsletter», which will have a dedicated publishing schedule.
The Publishing Schedule
Nobody likes too much uncertainty or being bombarded by emails. Therefore, I have put a strict publishing schedule for the newsletter in place so you always know when to expect something from us in your inbox.
- Tuesday – Slot for premium-exclusive content
- Thursday – Slot for member-exclusive content
- Sunday – Weekly5
As you can see, there are two content slots aside from Weekly5. These slots are optional, as we won’t use them every week.
The Posts You Can Expect
Weekly5 remains unchanged: You will receive a handcrafted selection of five newly released songs that we think are worth your attention. Weekly5 remains free and for everyone.
As a member, you now also receive our member-exclusive stories on Thursdays. These stories dive deeper into a specific topic: an artist, a new release, or provide perspective on developments around music. Sometimes, they also might include a stunning gallery from our talented photographers.
As a premium member supporting Negative White financially, you will receive our most exclusive posts, such as interviews, portraits, and deep analysis pieces. You will receive at least one of these monthly posts on a Tuesday. Additionally, you will get a monthly update on our premium playlists.
Why Are These Changes Coming?
Running Negative White requires much effort, as I have previously made transparent here. It was one of the primary considerations when I relaunched the platform a year ago. It also means that the effort should be focused on the things that matter.
However, since the relaunch, Negative White has crept back to its roots: a very traditional approach to music journalism. As the music industry is changing rapidly, so too has the reporting.
While there might be room for a classical magazine approach, it is not the right fit for a largely one-person operation. As a result, the current state of Negative White is a bit of everything and nothing properly.
The new approach forces me to focus on less but with higher quality, on stories you won’t read elsewhere, on unique perspectives.
The fusion of the two newsletters further simplifies the production process, lifting a bit of the burden and giving me more time for research and writing.
Alongside what you could describe as the new content concept comes a change to the website—a new design that reflects these changes and directs the attention to single posts rather than a traditional overview.
As with any significant change, I might have overlooked something. However, I see change as not being a single moment but a constant process. With today’s announcement, this process starts more than it is finished, so there might be things that still need polishing.
But for now, I leave you with a heartfelt thank you for your curiosity and support so far in Negative White’s journey. And I hope you will stick around a bit longer for the ride.
