Rolling Stone
A music, politics and culture magazine and site.
Rolling Stone at a glance
Rolling Stone is a website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #161 in the country. It was founded in 1967 by Jann Wenner, Ralph Gleason and is headquartered in New York, NY, USA. Today Rolling Stone is owned by Penske Media Corporation. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 60 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through digital advertising, subscriptions, events. Its closest rivals include billboard.com, variety.com, pitchfork.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 56.4 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 58.2 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 60 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 63.6 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct56%
- Organic search27%
- Referral9%
- Social5%
- Paid3%
Audience & demographics
- Men57%
- Women43%
- Age 25-3432%
- Age 35-4424%
- Age 18-2421%
The audience is concentrated in United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 18 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| rolling stone | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| login | Top 10 | High | — |
| app download | Top 10 | High | — |
| pricing | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United States web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 68% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading technology apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- rollingstone.com
- Sector
- Technology
- Owner
- Penske Media Corporation
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- Jann Wenner, Ralph Gleason
- Founded
- 1967
- Headquarters
- New York, NY, USA
- Employees
- 200+
- Ownership
- Penske Media Corporation controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $80 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, referral
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $80 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Rolling Stone operates a technology platform focused on United States. A music, politics and culture magazine and site. Revenue comes mainly from digital advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Digital advertising
- Subscriptions
- Events
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #161 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading technology site in United States
- Global rank
- 1200
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| billboard.com | ≈ 36 million / month | #162 class competitor | — |
| variety.com | ≈ 27 million / month | #163 class competitor | — |
| pitchfork.com | ≈ 18 million / month | #164 class competitor | — |
What is Rolling Stone?
Rolling Stone (rollingstone.com) is a technology platform serving users in United States. A music, politics and culture magazine and site. It ranks #161 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the technology category.
Who owns Rolling Stone?
The site is operated by Penske Media Corporation, founded by Jann Wenner, Ralph Gleason. The company was established in 1967 and is headquartered in New York, NY, USA. It employs around 200+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Rolling Stone at roughly 60 million visits per month, about 2 million per day. Around 68% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 5.6 pages per visit with an average session of 5 min.
How Rolling Stone makes money
Revenue comes primarily from digital advertising, alongside subscriptions, events.
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include billboard.com, variety.com, pitchfork.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1967
Rolling Stone is founded in New York, NY, USA.
- Growth phase
Expands its technology offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #161 among the most visited websites in United States.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Fast, reliable core product used daily
- Deep local language and market support
- Strong developer and integration ecosystem
- Free tier with broad reach
Cons
- Data collection and privacy questions from advertising
- Feature set can be complex for new users
- Limited direct customer support
- Dependence on advertising revenue
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Rolling Stone?
Rolling Stone is operated by Penske Media Corporation. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Rolling Stone headquartered?
Rolling Stone is headquartered in New York, NY, USA.
When was Rolling Stone founded?
Rolling Stone was founded in 1967 by Jann Wenner, Ralph Gleason.
How many employees does Rolling Stone have?
Rolling Stone employs approximately 200+ people.
What is Rolling Stone's revenue?
Rolling Stone's revenue: ≈ $80 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are Rolling Stone's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include billboard.com, variety.com, pitchfork.com.
How does Rolling Stone make money?
Mainly digital advertising, subscriptions, events.
Is Rolling Stone publicly traded?
No — Rolling Stone is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Penske Media Corporation.
How many visitors does Rolling Stone get?
Third-party estimates place Rolling Stone at roughly 60 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 68% mobile traffic.
Is Rolling Stone safe?
Rolling Stone is an established technology site founded in 1967 and ranked #161 in United States; use the official domain rollingstone.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsrollingstone.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos