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The Music Beat

SJ writer’s career hits all the right notes

Music journalist Jason Lipshutz was born a writer, penning four-page novels at just 6 years old. He’s also always loved music, so it’s no surprise the 24-year-old is making his mark as an editorial assistant at Billboard Magazine. The Voorhees native has interviewed musicians including Drake, Bruno Mars and Ke$ha, and he’s recently written cover stories featuring Blink-182, Björk and Bon Iver.

What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned while interviewing rock stars?

They are people, just like you and me. They obviously live in a different public sphere, but most of them are really down to earth and approachable. People are more open to talking about sensitive issues than I first thought. They basically are their music. For example, the singer Ke$ha has done great on the Billboard charts. She is a huge star and is known for being bawdy and having sexually charged performances. But when I talked to her, she was extremely nice and bright. These interviews are usually short, only 10 or 15 minutes, but you can get a real sense of the person. It seemed like she was really down-to-earth and beneath all the make-up and essence of her shows, she’s a person just like anybody else.

Who is the most interesting person you’ve interviewed?

I talked to Tegan Quin from the indie rock group Tegan and Sara. They are sisters from Canada who are both openly gay. They make great music, and they’ve publicly decried some rappers with misogynistic and homophobic lyrics. It was really interesting getting Tegan’s perspective on why they’ve chosen to speak out against rap music. She explained that she wasn’t mad at the rappers themselves, but at the media – including myself as a music journalist – for glamorizing offensive lyrics. She was taking aim at the system, saying these people shouldn’t be glorified for being popular, but people should take a look at what they are saying. Those are my favorite interviews – when it’s not just about when the album is going to come out or when the tour dates are going to be, but when people have something deeper to say and something unique to offer.

You started out at Seventeen magazine. Was it tough being a guy there?

Sophomore year of college at The College of New Jersey, I got an internship at Seventeen magazine. It was not what I really wanted to do – I had no experience and had no idea what I was getting myself into working for a teen girl/fashion/relationship advice magazine. But it was such a big name. I knew it was going to serve my resume well, so I spent a semester there as a web intern. It was surreal. I was one of the only guys on the floor. I was 20 years old with long hair and a beard at that time. I was very out of place, but as the web intern, I was holed up in an office in charge of the reader feedback. There was a section called Daily Traumaramas where teen girls, usually between 14 and 16 years old, would submit their most embarrassing moments. I was the one reading them, which was insane. My job was to edit them and submit the best ones, but thankfully I didn’t have to respond or give advice. But there was a blog called 17 Buzz, and a celebrity stopped by the office for a meet-and-greet, and
I had to write about it in the voice of a 15-year-old girl. I wrote things like, "This guy made us swoon with his awesome, super-cool album! He’s going on tour later this year and best of all, he’s single!”

How did you get from Seventeen to Billboard?

In my junior year I got an internship at Billboard Magazine for a year, and I got to know the editors really well. That led to freelance work with Billboard during my senior year. After I graduated in May 2010, they had an opening in July for an editorial assistant, and I got hired. I started my job in an atmosphere where I was really comfortable, but I was also extremely lucky there was an opening just when I was graduating. I moved to Brooklyn right after I got hired.

What advice do you have for young writers who want to break into music journalism?

It’s tough, but if you are committed to it, write in any way possible to practice your craft and get internships. Internships are the most important component. Grades matter in a lot of fields, but in music journalism, experience matters much, much more. When I was interviewed for this full-time job at Billboard, they didn’t look at my GPA. They looked at my experience with Billboard, where everyone knew me.

Do think growing up in SJ helped your career?

Not a lot of people realize how convenient it is to get to New York from South Jersey. It’s tough but not impossible. For a lot of people in other areas of the country, it is impossible. I had about a two-hour commute each way on the train into New York for both the Seventeen and Billboard internships two days a week. I took classes the other three days. It was a huge commitment, but New York is an important hub for music journalism, because most publications are based here.

What do you most look forward to when you come home?

My parents live in Voorhees, and I try to see them every two or three weekends. I look forward to seeing nature – grass and trees that aren’t fenced into a park. I love New York, but there is a lot of pavement and roads. It’s nice to come home and see trees. I also love Philadelphia sports. I don’t get Phillies games in New York. I love going home and watching the Phillies and Flyers with my dad.

What are your goals?

My job is split between writing breaking news stories for billboard.com and writing bigger features for the magazine. Before this year I wanted to start writing cover stories, and now I’m working on my fourth cover story. I think next year is going to be about continuing what I’m doing and seeing where this job is going to lead in terms of getting to learn more about the music industry, how the process works and becoming a better writer. I’m never really satisfied. I’m always trying to make my next story better than my last one.

Who tops your bucket list?

I would love to interview David Byrne, the lead singer of the Talking Heads. They are one of my favorite bands. He’s incredibly fascinating, not just with his musical stuff, but he wrote a book about bicycling. He’s dabbled in Portuguese music. He’s just a totally fascinating guy.

Are you a musician yourself?

No. I always wanted to be, but I never learned an instrument. I play the ukulele – but I taught myself that!