description Crawdaddy! Overview
Founded by Paul Williams in 1966, Crawdaddy! was the first American magazine dedicated entirely to serious rock music criticism and journalism. Initially mimeographed and distributed from Williams's college dormitory, the publication treated rock and roll with a level of literary analysis previously reserved for jazz or classical music. Preceding Rolling Stone by several months, it played a foundational role in establishing modern music criticism before ceasing its original print run in the late 1970s.
help Crawdaddy! FAQ
Who founded the Crawdaddy! magazine?
Crawdaddy! was founded by Paul Williams in 1966 when he was just a teenager. It holds the distinction of being the first American magazine dedicated entirely to serious rock music criticism.
Did Crawdaddy! come out before Rolling Stone?
Yes, Crawdaddy! was founded in 1966, a full year before Jann Wenner launched Rolling Stone in late 1967. It is widely recognized as the pioneering publication that proved rock music could be analyzed with the same seriousness as jazz or classical.
What famous writers contributed to Crawdaddy! in the 1960s?
The early issues of Crawdaddy! featured seminal rock critics like Jon Landau and Richard Meltzer. Landau famously wrote a review in the magazine declaring that he had "seen rock and roll future" after a Bruce Springsteen concert.
What kind of music did Crawdaddy! cover?
The magazine focused heavily on serious rock music criticism, reviewing artists like Bob Dylan and The Beatles with analytical depth. It aimed to treat rock music as a vital art form rather than just disposable teen entertainment.
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