Jann Wenner Does ‘Not Represent the Values of Today’s Rolling Stone,’ Says Publication

Rolling Stone has issued a public statement regarding the recent controversy surrounding its co-founder, Jann Wenner.

For his upcoming book The Masters, Wenner claimed that female and Black musicians were not "articulate" enough for him to feature among the "greatest rock stars and cultural icons of our time."

"Jann Wenner's recent statements to the New York Times do not represent the values and practices of today's Rolling Stone," the publication wrote Monday. "Jann Wenner has not been directly involved in our operations since 2019."

The statement continued, "Our purpose, especially since his departure, has been to tell stories that reflect the diversity of voices and experiences that shape our world. At Rolling Stone's core is the understanding that music above all can bring us together, not divide us."

Wenner's new book comes out Sept. 26 and features interviews with U2 frontman Bono, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, Bruce Springsteen, John Lennon and Jerry Garcia.

When the New York Times asked why the book doesn't feature thoughts from women or artists of color, Wenner said he didn't find them "articulate enough" on an intellectual level to be included in the book.

"Just for public relations sake, maybe I should have gone and found one Black and one woman artist to include here that didn't measure up to that same historical standard, just to avert this kind of criticism," Wenner noted. "I had a chance to do that. Maybe I'm old-fashioned and I don't give a [expletive] or whatever."

The author was subsequently removed from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's board of directors, after he helped found the Hall of Fame in 1983 and served as its chairman until 2020.

Wenner then issued an apology, writing, "In my interview with the New York Times I made comments that diminished the contributions, genius and impact of Black and women artists and I apologize wholeheartedly for those remarks."

He concluded, "I totally understand the inflammatory nature of badly chosen words and deeply apologize and accept the consequences."