Riffs on music and culture, improvised and otherwise, from critic Nate Chinen
| Platform |  | Pricing | Freemium | Publishes | Twice weekly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issues | 281 | Founded | 4 years ago | Last Issue | 7 days ago |
| Active | |||||
Read this Newsletter
thegig.substack.comLatest Issues
This Pop Pageant May Contain Jazz
What RAYE brings to the crossover equation
Ten days ago, the British pop go-getter RAYE opened the 60th edition of the Montreux Jazz Festival with a precisely calibrated gesture.
Take Five: Mid-Year Forecast Edition
Listening for what lies just ahead of us
It seemed like everyone and their uncle released a mid-year album list in 2026. That’s cool, I recognize the hustle. I even contributed to one, at NPR Music. (I leaned into honest pleasures for both...
Remembering Clifford
An elegy in the form of a thought experiment
On this day 70 years ago, tragedy struck on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Honest Songcraft in the Slop Era
Subscribe now
So, and I did a thing. Earlier this week, we hoped on Substack Live — he from his music studio in Portland, Oregon, me from a home office just outside of Philly — for a talk we called Honest Songcraft in the Slop Era. It was...
A Rare Honor for Anthony Braxton
Get ready for Medal Day at MacDowell, the last weekend in June
The Edward MacDowell Medal, awarded each summer at MacDowell in Peterborough, New Hampshire, honors artists of exceptional achievement across a range of disciplines. Its first...
Audience Metrics
Subscribers, engagement, traffic and sponsorship for The Gig.
| Subscribers | Engagement | 79 | Monthly Web Visits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accepts Sponsors | Estimated Cost per Ad | ||||
SEO Reach
Where The Gig ranks on Google, and how much search traffic it brings in.
| Ranked Keywords | 2.3k | Monthly Search Traffic | Top Keywords |
|---|
Chart Rankings
How this newsletter ranks in the official Substack charts.
| #49 | |
| #22 |
Authors
The writers behind this newsletter.
Nate Chinen is the author of 'Playing Changes: Jazz For the New Century.' A former music critic for The New York Times and former columnist for JazzTimes, he's the editorial director at WRTI and a regular contributor to NPR Music.
singer-songwriter, composer, storyteller.
Social
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I access the email archive for The Gig?
You can find recent issues that have been published by The Gig on Reletter by scrolling up to where it says Latest Issues. Tap on the link for any of the most recent emails or hit More Issues to see older ones.
How many subscribers does The Gig have?
To see how many people subscribe to The Gig, simply upgrade your Reletter account. We provide readership numbers and lots of other stats for this newsletter so you can decide if it's worth reaching out to.
How can I advertise in The Gig?
Newsletter advertising can be extremely effective when it's done right. Before you pitch The Gig as a potential sponsor or partner, make sure that you've done your research and checked its newsletter stats with Reletter.
Then, personalize one of our winning pitching templates and send it to the right person using the contact info provided.
How much does it cost to sponsor a publication like The Gig?
Newsletter ad rates (or CPM) vary depending on many factors, including industry, number of subscribers, open rate, ad placement and more.
To find out how much an ad will cost, contact The Gig using the contact information provided and ask for a copy of their media kit.
How can I find newsletters related to The Gig?
Scroll up to where it says Related Newsletters to see other publications like The Gig. You can also search our email newsletter directory to discover other newsletters that cover the topics you're interested in.
How do I contact The Gig?
Reletter provides this newsletter's website URL above, where you will often find their contact information. We also provide links to associated social media accounts and pitching templates so you can reach out fast.