THE DEATH OF
PRINT JOURNALISM, PART 14,861

The cover of our latest print edition features Def Jam's Justin Bieber. The young superstar has emerged from a bumpy career phase with guns blazing, as his “What Do You Mean?” has quickly become the biggest single of his career—with a seismic impact at retail, radio and in the streaming world. Biebs and team, leveraging a giant and engaged social following, are making all the right moves, and expectations for his Q4 album are sky-high. But this HITS cover appearance will probably make him want to Scoot in the other direction.

Our Contents page VIP, meanwhile, is Republic chief Monte Lipman. Monte and team are firing on all cylinders, with The Weeknd’s big retail bow and huge ongoing action on two smash singles, and Hailee Steinfeld breaking big, as well as radio explosions from Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, Fall Out Boy and plenty more besides. Though this HITS Contents shout-out isn’t exactly the ethos he’s looking for.