Condé Nast's famed music arm, Pitchfork, known for its edgy indie music critique and taste-making, is getting folded into GQ magazine following a company-wide performance evaluation, reported the Chicago Sun-Times. The move follows a string of layoffs at Pitchfork, resulting in the exit of several staff members, including the editor-in-chief Puja Patel.

Anna Wintour, chief content officer at Condé Nast, stated in a memo, "This decision was made after a careful evaluation of Pitchfork’s performance and what we believe is the best path forward for the brand so that our coverage of music can continue to thrive within the company," as the staff reel from the layoffs pitching in a new era of music journalism under the GQ umbrella - the company spokesperson confirmed the Pitchfork website will continue to publish new content while also planning for the upcoming Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago. Despite the restructuring, the festival, a mainstay since 2005, remains on schedule, although headliners for this year's event have yet to be unveiled; however, Pitchfork has started ticket sales for a Mexico City fest planned for March, the festival curators still drawing inspiration from Pitchfork's credible music scoring.

According to Billboard, the changes at Pitchfork are part of broader cuts at the media giant, which has seen more than 17,000 positions sliced across the industry in just the initial months of 2023 alone. Roger Lynch, CEO of Condé Nast, had earlier addressed the need for these cuts to prioritize investments and grow business profitably, signaling challenges in the media sector.

Longtime Pitchfork editor Jill Mapes took to Twitter expressing her disappointment "after nearly 8 [years], mass layoffs got me," pointing out the bittersweet end to efforts in diversifying the workplace, just as GQ steps into the helm; on the other hand, Matthew Ismael Ruiz shared his layoff news with a sting, finding out "along with what appears to be half the staff," while on parental leave, throwing light on the individual repercussions of corporate restructuring in today's media climate. While the brand's editorial focus may shift under its new GQ ownership, the longevity and impact of Pitchfork's influence on the music industry since its 1996 inception, and subsequent acquisition by Condé Nast in 2015, are established in its legacy and follower base.