The FADER turns 50 issues old

The FADER turns fifty . . . issues old that is. Started more as a project than a publication in the late 90s, The FADER has become a leading voice and go-to source for coverage and exposure of cutting edge, underground, and emerging indie, hip hop, and other artists, rounded out by features that set the pace for style and all-around cultural hipness. The magazine is now published eight times a year, and there's an expansive website and iTunes podcast. But, as the 50th issue webpage notes, the FADER has been and remains "dedicated to shining a light on —and providing a platform for— some of the most diverse and brilliant new talent on the planet . . . [our mission]: to capture and document emerging music and culture. Artists like Outkast, the Strokes, Kanye West, MIA, and the White Stripes are just a few household names that saw their first covers with the FADER."

To celebrate, the entire 50th issue of the FADER has been made available for free download in interactive pdf format. Among the feature articles looking back over key moments of the past ten years are pieces on New York Rock ("Save Your City") focusing on Radio 4, the Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yehas, etc; Atlanta Hip Hop ("Bottom of the Map"), featuring OutKast and more, New Club ("Last Night a Remix Saved My Life") focusing on Diplo / Hollertronix, and MIA; Soca, Reggaeton and island hip hop ("Postcards From the Ghetto Archipelago"), and Vinyl Archeology ("Birthmarks: Touchstones & Standards").

Plus, there's a special podcast and mix tape available for free mp3 download. The mix (see track list below) celebrates some highlights and "anthems" in the FADER's ten year history.

the FADER 50th issue mix track list:

Animal Collective -- "Who Could Win a Rabbit?"
Beenie Man -- "Dude (Panjabi Hit Squad Remix)"
Mavado -- "Weh Dem A Do"
The White Stripes -- "Hello Operator"
Tego Calderon -- "El Abayarde"
Dr. Dog -- "Adeline"
Cat Power -- "Lived In Bars"
Wolfman -- "For Lovers"
The Stills -- "Still In Love Song"
The Rapture -- "House Of Jealous Lovers"
Gorillaz -- "Clint Eastwood (Ed Case Remix)"
Outkast -- "Bombs Over Baghdad"
Roll Deep -- "Heartache"
ARE Weapons -- "Don't Be Scared"
Dead Prez -- "Hell Yeah"
Cam'ron -- "Killa Cam"
Rick Ross -- "Hustlin'"
Young Jeezy -- "My Hood"
Swizz Beatz -- "It's Me Bitches"
Terror Squad -- "Take You Home"
R Kelly f. Akon & Sean Paul -- "Slow Wine (Remix)"
Akon -- "I Can't Wait"
NORE -- "Oye Mi Canto"
Damian Marley -- "Welcome to Jamrock"
Ladyhawk -- "My Old Jacknife"
Bill Callahan -- "Sycamore"
Lavender Diamond -- "You Broke My Heart"
The Strokes -- "Hard To Explain"
The Roots -- "Thought At Work (Original Version)"
Kanye West -- "Celebration"

ten years of the FADER -- from the free 50th issue

download the entire 50th issue here and mp3 mix here -- both courtesy of the FADER.

UPDATE: While were are on the subject of birthdays, Creative Commons turns five years old in December. To celebrate, they are holding parties in NYC and Berlin, with the primary bash in San Francisco on December 15. That event, sponsored by Mozilla and Last.fm, will feature presentations by Joi Ito and Lawrence Lessig, creative commons founder and director of the Stanford Law School Center for Internet and Society. There will be video remixing by Phi Phenomenon and music by Gilberto Gil and DJ Spooky (!) If you don't know Creative Commons (cc), it's a groundbreaking licensing method that provides a range of alternatives to copyright (c). Creative and scientific works with a cc license may be set for free use with a variety of restrictions, fostering creative and cooperative development stifled by draconian or outmoded formal copyright. Its goals and means are thus not unlike the open source community and movement. All of los amigos concert photos have a cc license, which has facilitated use of many shots on various websites and (even) in publications. Happy birthay, cc.
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