OVERVIEW
V13 Media Group (VMG) is a network, not a monolith. Under one roof: our divisions, the house brands we publish, the founder-led voices that speak for themselves, plus the partners and heritage brands we’ve picked up along the way. No fog about who owns what. This page is the map.
OUR DIVISIONS
The five arms of V13 Media Group. Each one runs its own operation; all of them answer to the same standard.
V13 MEDIA
Music, Entertainment, Culture & Literature Website
The flagship. V13.net has covered music, entertainment, culture, and literature since 2005, championing independent artists before it was fashionable. Everything else in the network grew from here.
est. // March 28, 2005
V13 MUSIC
Artist Development & Music Marketing
Publicity, positioning, and career strategy for independent artists who take the work seriously. We develop artists, not just campaigns.
est. // July 31, 2005
V13 PRESS
Independent Publishing House
Books that bite. Fiction, nonfiction, and everything the big houses are too cautious to touch, published properly and split fairly.
est. // October 31, 2005
V13 PROMO
Business, Branding & Web Services Agency
Branding, web, and business services for creators and small operations. The infrastructure work that makes the creative work possible.
est. // January 31, 2003
V13 STORE
Merchandise & Collaborations Store
Official V13 merchandise and limited collaborations. Wear the network.
est. // January 31, 2003
OUR HOUSE BRANDS
Published by VMG, written for you. Our newsletters and community embody the V13 name and standard.
V1LLAGE Voice
Weekly Culture Newsletter // Fridays
Your week in music, entertainment, culture, and literature. Curated, condensed, and ready before the weekend.
est. // Jan 2003
Industry Insider
Weekly Artist Briefing // Wednesdays
The no-nonsense playbook for independent artists. Actionable tactics, insider context, and exclusives you won’t find on the site.
est. // Aug 2024
Verse & Vision
Weekly Literary Newsletter // Mondays
The literary journal for writers who refuse to be ignored. Write with intent. Read with purpose.
est. // Feb 2026
THE GREEN ROOM
Membership Community for Independent Creators
Where independent creators compare notes, get answers, and build careers together. The room you wish you’d had access to years ago.
est. // Apr 2026
OUR VOICES
Founder-led brands that live under the VMG roof but speak in their own voice. Same family, different fingerprints.
Ampocalypse
Hosted by Damian FitzGerald
Music interviews meet the end of the world. Damian FitzGerald talks new releases with artists, then tests how they would survive the apocalypse. Half press junket, half bunker plan.
est. // tbd
Heartdea13r
Founded by Christopher Gonda
A podcast, coaching, and mindset & mental wellness for people doing the work on themselves. Growth without the guru act.
est. // tbd
Lowkey Hellish
Founded by Lance Marwood
Dark fiction and essays, books, a newsletter, and the MAKE // BREAK podcast. Literature from the shadows, delivered lowkey.
est. // tbd
PARTNERSHIPS & VENTURES
The companies and creators we work alongside. Independent operators, aligned values.
K-ALL Podcast
Korean Music & Culture Podcast // Hosted by Angel Polito
The premier deep-dive into Korean music and the global Asian diaspora, from K-Pop chart-toppers to indie gems. Now partnered with V13, including the exclusive K-ALL CUTS video series.
DIY MOFO
Video Series // Hosted by Vanessa Silberman
Do It Yourself, Motherf!*&$r. Vanessa Silberman has done every job in the industry, from artist development to record production, and this series shows you how to do them yourself.
Atom Splitter PR
Rock & Metal Publicity Agency
Veteran publicity for the loud end of the spectrum. Decades of rock and metal campaigns, relationships that run deep, and a roster that speaks for itself. Still swinging.
Pressed Fresh Collective
Music Marketing Collective for Independent Artists
Founded as Pressed PR in 2017, now a full-stack marketing collective: PR, social, streaming, branding, and coaching under one roof. Founder Dawn Jones also writes the imPRESSED column on V13.
Julien Campeau Graphic Design
Graphic Design & Illustration Studio
Toronto-based design with teeth. Branding, typography, and illustration across print and digital, from album art to full identities, and a longtime V13 collaborator. Normal is boring.
HERITAGE BRANDS & ACQUISITIONS
Where we came from. Every brand below helped build what VMG is now, retired from the masthead but never from the story.
PureGrainAudio
The original. Two decades of music journalism began here, and in 2020 it became V13. The DNA of everything we do.
est. // March 28, 2005
PureGrainVideo
Launched in 2007 as PureGrainAudio’s visual counterpart, PureGrainVideo offered a YouTube platform for live sessions, interviews, and music videos. It was integrated into V13 Media’s broader content strategy in 2020, expanding its reach and influence in the digital music landscape.
est. // 2007
PureGrainMedia
Established in 2002 as the overarching brand for a network of music and culture sites, PureGrainMedia underwent a significant transformation in 2020, evolving into V13 Ventures. This rebranding reflected its expanded vision and diversified interests in the music industry and beyond.
est. // tbd
Sax & Violins
est. // tbd
MaxMuzik
est. // tbd
imPRESSED Music Blog
est. // tbd
Broken Amp
A site celebrated for its metal and rock coverage, was acquired by PureGrainMedia in 2018. Its integration brought a fresh, heavy music-focused perspective to the audience, continuing to thrive within the rebranded V13 Media ecosystem.
est. // tbd
Lithium Magazine
Contributed significantly to the portfolio with its comprehensive music and cultural coverage. This partnership, established before the 2020 transformation, enriched the group’s collective voice, later transitioning seamlessly into V13 Media’s broader offering.
est. // tbd
Planet Loud
Became part of PureGrainMedia, amplifying its reach within rock and metal. By the time of the transition to V13 Media, Planet Loud had solidified its role in delivering passionate music journalism, further diversifying the content and audience engagement.
est. // tbd