MNSTRM Media

MNSTRM Media alternative music magazine
dropping vowels was really cool when we started in 2016

MNSTRM Media is an online magazine based out of central Ohio founded by music photographer Rickie McCanna. MNSTRM is pronounced like "mainstream", due to the fact we are everything but mainstream. We are an online and print publication based around the Punk, Rock, Alternative & Metal music scene. Founded in 2016, we started MNSTRM to avoid rules, regulations and to celebrate artistic freedom. We c

onsider ourselves a group of photographers who are growing, learning and constantly getting better, one gig at a time.

OUT NOW.The July issue has arrived. Featuring this shot of SUMO CYCO by S Dos Santos Photography, live reviews, and new ...
07/14/2026

OUT NOW.
The July issue has arrived. Featuring this shot of SUMO CYCO by S Dos Santos Photography, live reviews, and new music coverage. Read it now at mnstrmmedia.com

This month, we’re celebrating the artists who continue to push music forward while honoring the records that shaped it. ...
07/10/2026

This month, we’re celebrating the artists who continue to push music forward while honoring the records that shaped it. Inside Issue 68, you’ll find live coverage of Young the Giant’s stop in Charlotte, a look at Mac DeMarco’s sold-out performance in Cleveland, and Courtney Barnett’s unforgettable return to Newport Music Hall. We also revisit Pantera’s The Great Southern Trendkill on its 30th anniversary, explore Acid Bath’s long-awaited return to the stage, and feature reviews, photography, and stories from across the alternative music scene.

As always, MNSTRM is dedicated to documenting the raw energy of live music through independent journalism and photography. Whether you’re discovering a new favorite artist or revisiting a legendary one, this issue captures the moments that make this community worth celebrating.

It’s my birthday month, so we’re doing something fun.The newest issue of MNSTRM is completely FREE to read.This issue is...
03/12/2026

It’s my birthday month, so we’re doing something fun.
The newest issue of MNSTRM is completely FREE to read.

This issue is a little shorter than our usual releases, but it still includes March album drops you should have on your radar and a few artists we think are seriously worth paying attention to right now.
If you’ve been curious about MNSTRM but haven’t subscribed yet, this is the perfect chance to check it out and see what we’re building.
Read the issue, explore the artists, and if you enjoy it, consider subscribing to support independent music journalism.

📕Cover by .photo
📝Edited by
🔗 Link in bio to read the issue.

There was a time when paying for music wasn’t controversial, it was just how artists survived. So when Napster happened,...
02/24/2026

There was a time when paying for music wasn’t controversial, it was just how artists survived.

So when Napster happened, the question wasn’t “is this legal?”
It was “do artists still deserve to be paid?”

The January issue revisits Metallica vs. Napster, not as a joke or a villain story, but as a moment we misunderstood and one we’re still living with today.

Is it really a bad thing to expect people to pay for music?
Or did we just get used to not having to?

The full piece is available in the January issue.
Buying the issue or subscribing directly supports independent music journalism that can take the time to ask these questions without turning them into hot takes.

MNSTRM 65 IS HERE!https://www.mnstrmmedia.com/januaryThe January issue of MNSTRM captures a moment where live music stil...
01/10/2026

MNSTRM 65 IS HERE!

https://www.mnstrmmedia.com/january

The January issue of MNSTRM captures a moment where live music still feels urgent, physical, and worth paying attention to. Across reviews, essays, and long-form coverage, Issue 65 focuses on artists who show up with intention, whether they’re headlining sold-out rooms, grinding through club tours, or challenging the systems that shape how music survives in 2026.

This issue leans heavily into the live experience. A deep dive into the 20 year old Metallica beef to Cameron Whitcomb’s deeply grounded performance at Newport Music Hall, these pieces center on sincerity over spectacle. Coverage of The Band CAMINO, All Time Low with Mayday Parade, Memphis May Fire, Shakey Graves, In Color, and Night Cap highlights the range of spaces where connection still happens, from packed arenas to rooms that feel one step away from a basement show.

Alongside the live reporting, January includes a reflective album review revisiting Down’s NOLA thirty years later, framing the record not as nostalgia but as a lasting statement of creative independence. The issue is anchored by a long-form editorial examining Metallica vs. Napster, not as a cultural punchline, but as an early warning about ownership, labor, and what artists would eventually lose in the streaming era.

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