NEWS SOURCES
A wide selection of news sources related to Russian performers both big and small. These are all updated on a regular basis, and very often part of major newspapers or radio/TV stations.
Many of the outlets listed here offer an excellent selection of images, perhaps because the most likely reason for a performer to end up in print is something scandalous. And as soon as the public smells anything resembling public disgrace, they most certainly want to see it.
Small, if not minuscule Moscow blog dedicated to alternative bands. Interesting comparisons drawn with similar tendencies in Anglo-American music.
Mymuzzone
Unattractive-looking forum, but with wide-ranging and enthusiastically maintained arguments.
No Fear
News, reviews, and extended forums centering upon what the site calls “psychedelic” styles, such as ambient and psy-trance.
UCluba
Broad range of news, albeit with accent on the club scene. Includes an interesting dictionary of English-language terms from popular music.
Trance News.ru
Not surprisingly, news galore from the world of Russian trance.
Kumiram…
In a profoundly Russian manner: news about dead Russian rock stars.
Musical Express
Online version of the British magazine NME, which has struggled to find a stable readership in its paper-based format.
Kulichki
Wide range of music articles, gathered from other sites, plus mp3 selection (involves worrying aggressive system of pop-ups).
Spb Life Info
Full overview of musical events in and around St Petersburg.
MeON
Concert announcements, interviews, and reviews – not only of music, but books and software, too.
Made in Irkutsk
Not surprisingly, news and related affairs from the music scene in Irkutsk.
In the Music
Respectable source of information on electronic genres, but with almost exclusive attention towards western artists.
RockMusic.ru
Interesting online publication dedicated exclusively to Russian rock, though submissions are added very infrequently.
Anthropocide
Not the most welcoming name for a label. Home to a number of “extreme underground” or hardcore/metal acts with a goth tinge.
TopPop
News, video, and other offerings, not just from Russia.
Wow Russia!
The absolute basics.
Soyuz
Information and reviews of new releases from Russia’s largest music retailer.
Special Radio
News from both international performers and the online radio station Special Radio – a significant venue for a wide range of independent performers.
Show-Business.ru
A clearly arranged, regularly updated series of musical “scandals and society news.”
Billboard
Thus far, this is (skimpy) link to Russia’s equivalent of the industry journal.
Fuzz
Probably the most important magazine dedicated to Russian rock.
Rolling Stone
Russia’s version of the American magazine, with a reasonable amount of space granted Russian bands.
Nash rock
The news section of a site dedicated to promoting “our [Russian] rock” separately from anything western.
Free! Music Project
News and introductory materials for over 100 groups from Russia and neighboring (ex-Soviet) territories.
Oxid
“All the world’s music in one place.” Well… not really, but some interesting articles.
Compromat
Bad news from the lives of famous people. As the site itself says: “All the trash in one hut.”
44100 news
Links to news and music sources for electronica and dance from one of Russia’s most intelligent online stations.
Modern Russian Music
A tidy little introduction (in English) to approximately 40 popular performers from several genres. A good place to start for absolute beginners!
ARS music news
Updates on performers and releases from one of Russia’s most influential labels.
Podzemka
When active, a useful venue for Russian “underground” news. A reasonable selection of mp3s from some smaller bands, too.
Of Music!
Excellent collection of links to news re: lesser-known performers.
Avant
Updates from one of Moscow’s most impressive labels.
Popular Soviet Songs
News from the past, so to speak. An impressive collection of ever-changing links to Soviet-related music sites.
DotMusic (previously “RUBL”)
Modestly calling itself Russia’s “ultimate band list,” the site offers links to news and promotional materials from a very large number of Western and Russian performers.
Klub Radio
Radio-related bulletins, together with a large number of links to various broadcasters.
RAIG
The Russian Association of Independent Genres, important in creating a sense of cohesion around a large number of experimental performers.
ClubLife
Bulletins from Russian nightclubs, updated every few days.
EnMuz
Blog-style news stories attached to an important portal of Russian electronica.
Mixmag.ru
Attractively-produced Russian version of the British dance and club publication.
Pravda
Music news from perhaps the nation’s most famous newspaper. Perhaps not surprisingly, the accent here falls upon nationally-renowned singers and actors, rather than anything more adventurous.
Rock Hell
Charmingly-named source of news from Russian heavy rock.
Rol.ru
Three or four news stories daily from “Russia on-line” (rol), often gathered from other sources such as Lenta.ru
Zvezdi
Stories and pictures from the worlds of music and cinema, albeit with a clear emphasis upon stars (”zvezdy”) of the US.
Argumenty i fakty
Music and culture news from one of Russia’s best-known tabloids.
Lenta
A significant outlet for creative, financial, and technological stories from one of Russia’s most important news agencies.
Open Music
Articles and reviews on Russian and Western pop/rock music, together with updates from the world of cinema.
KM Music
Named after Saints Cyril and Methodius, this news source grew out of an online encyclopedia. It does a good job of gathering much tabloid news from around Russia.
Moozon
A very wide collection of news, audio and video, although with a heavy bias towards western performers.
Guru Ken
A witty and increasingly influential overview of Russian popular music, overseen bu “Guru Ken” (Vadim Ponomarev).
NewsMusic
The broader (more frequently updated) newsflashes attached to Guruken.ru: interesting, trustworthy bites from Russian rock, pop, “ethno, and beyond.”
Red Tram
Collected stories from the music and “show” businesses, with a large collection of tabloid photos
DaRussia
Selected videos and movie snippets from mainstream Russian pop