Jann Wenner, cofounder of Rolling Stone magazine and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has been removed from both positions after making controversial comments during an interview with The New York Times.
Wenner was promoting his new book, “The Masters,” which holds several interviews with famous musicians — none of which were Black or female. Wenner received backlash because of his response when asked why all his interviewees were white and male, some being Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen and John Lennon.
“Insofar as the women, I mean, there were just — none of them were as articulate enough on this intellectual level,” Wenner said. “Of Black artists, you know, Stevie Wonder, genius, right? I suppose when you use a word as broad as ‘masters,’ the fault is using that word. Maybe Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield? I mean, they just didn’t articulate at that level.”
The public disliked his saying that Black and female musicians did not articulate at a level to be classified as “masters.”
“There are plenty of Black artists and female musicians that are just as iconic and successful as the men he put in his book,” said Noam Laks, junior marketing major. “It’s just convenient that in his mind they can’t be ‘masters’ in the industry. Sure, the people featured are masters, but white male musicians do not make up the entirety of the industry.”
The controversy has led to Wenner losing his position on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s board of directors.
In a statement following Wenner’s comments, the Black Music Action Coalition, or BMAC, stated that Wenner’s comments display the historically perpetuated bias within the industry.
“He’s shown what many industry leaders still think about Black and female musicians, and his choice of words are an affront to the creativity and genius exhibited by so many artists,” the BMAC said. “The TRUE masters are the Black creators of the rock and roll genre; those by which each interviewee in the book has been touched and influenced.”
Students at GC have expressed their opinions on Wenner’s removal from the board.
“I think it was a good decision to remove him from the board,” said Sydney Homan, senior marketing major. “The comments he made were discriminating and misogynistic, and people who think that shouldn’t be in a position of power in any industry.”
“Removing him was a great decision,” said Makenzie Flenniken, senior public health major. “It’s 2023. There is no reason for anyone, let alone people of color or women, to be left out of any category that they deserve to be in. We all know that there are Black and female musicians who are just as good as anyone he mentioned.”
Wenner released an apology through his publisher, Little, Brown and Company.
