Music blogs as cultural gatekeepers

This paper discusses a theoretical framework that sub-divides music blogs into five different typologies according to the subjective approach that the blog uses to manage the content of its site. The first part looks at the historical development of music blogs, remarking four different phases during their development. The focus will be on how music blogs' evolution has led to a fragmentation and differentiation of the medium. The second part describes the main characteristics of each approach. In the conclusive part, some considerations are made on how the presented framework can be used as an instrument of change for the understanding of music blogs as cultural intermediaries. Since the music industry has played a crucial role in the evolution of music blogs, its role in influencing their intermediary practices is also discussed. This paper is part of a larger project that investigates the emerging role of music blogs as cultural intermediaries.