Friends of Luna: Big Hassle
FRIENDS OF LUNA
FRIENDS OF LUNA
Photo By Bryan Lasky
WE’RE KICKING OFF OUR NEW FRIENDS OF LUNA SERIES WITH A COMPANY WE DEEPLY ADMIRE: Big Hassle Media. For over two decades, they’ve played a key role in shaping the independent music landscape through genuine storytelling and community.
Founded in 1999 by Ken Weinstein and Jim Merlis, the company has become synonymous with passion-driven PR, championing everyone from global icons to the next wave of boundary-pushing artists. With offices across the U.S. and a roster as diverse as the music landscape itself, Big Hassle has built its reputation on integrity, curiosity, and an unwavering belief in artists’ stories.
We’ve had the privilege of collaborating with their team across countless projects, from emerging voices to established names, and we’re continually inspired by their warmth, creativity and genuine love for music. To kick off this new series, we spoke with Madi Florence on behalf of the Big Hassle team about their origins, their approach to artist storytelling, and what keeps them excited about the evolving media landscape.
LUNA: Big Hassle has been a staple in the music and culture space for over two decades. Can you share a little about the company’s origins and how it’s evolved over the years?
BIG HASSLE: Founded in 1999, Big Hassle Media is the brainchild of seasoned label publicists Ken Weinstein (Beggars Banquet, Astralwerks, Atlantic Records, Mercury Records) and Jim Merlis (Columbia Records, Geffen Records). Big Hassle would have never come to be if Ken and Jim hadn’t been laid off during a tumultuous time in the music industry.
In the time since, the publicity firm has grown to include offices in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, Kansas City, and now Seattle. The team at Big Hassle takes pride in thoughtfully curating its roster, representing everything from legendary household names to bubbling-up artists to watch. Each publicist’s roster is a direct representation of their personal music taste because we believe that the best work is done when you are genuinely passionate about it!
LUNA: What do you think sets Big Hassle apart in the PR and marketing landscape, especially when it comes to working with independent artists and creatives?
BIG HASSLE: I really think Big Hassle is known for our cult of personality. There’s a weird, outdated stereotype that publicists are mean or rigid, and our staff couldn’t be further from that. Simply being nice to people goes so far. Whether that’s talking to artists, managers, journalists, agents, photographers — you name it — we want to be the people that they remember for our kindness while getting things done.
When working with independent artists and creatives, there’s a lot of warranted uneasiness about bringing people into the fold with them. By being ourselves, I think we stand out as a company that does honest, transparent, and caring work for everyone we interact with. Also, we love telling stories. We’re very good at picking out the unique narratives running through our artists’ work and lives, and we love how context infuses their work and takes it to new heights.
LUNA: You’ve worked with an incredible range of artists, from global names to rising talent. What excites you most about helping artists tell their stories?
BIG HASSLE: There’s something about getting in with an artist early, when you have a gut feeling about them, that cannot be beat. Getting to be there in those formative moments with an artist — when everything is a first — is absolutely priceless. Our goal is longevity with our artists, so when we get to jump in at the very beginning, it makes it that much sweeter when you get to look back years later and see how far they’ve come.
LUNA: Big Hassle has always balanced major campaigns with supporting indie voices. How do you approach amplifying emerging artists in such a crowded space?
BIG HASSLE: We sadly live in a time where making great music isn’t enough to guarantee success. For better or worse, it’s never been easier to make music — anyone can be an artist. What we’re looking for is a story that goes along with the great music, something to catch the media by surprise and make them want to know more.
Our role is to spend the time getting to know each artist we represent so that these unique stories can reveal themselves. And after that, we can strategize about the most meaningful places to share these stories and which journalists will know how to amplify them most thoughtfully.
LUNA: Community seems to be at the core of what you do. How do you see Big Hassle’s role in fostering stronger connections between artists and their audiences?
BIG HASSLE: In the streaming age, there’s a lot of talk about passive vs. active listening. You can throw a song on your playlist, listen to it 50 times, and never take the next step to learn anything about who made it. Our role in the big music ecosystem is to bring action back into that relationship.
How can we meaningfully tell a story that grabs someone’s attention and takes them from merely listening to a song, to looking at the artist’s bio, to looking up tour dates, to bringing friends to a show, and buying merch? Experiencing music is one of the most culturally meaningful things we get to do, and it shouldn’t be passive. A thoughtful PR campaign can inject life back into how people engage with music and reclaim that part of culture.
LUNA: We’ve had the chance to collaborate with you on so many projects! What do you value most about working with independent magazines and publications like The Luna Collective?
BIG HASSLE: Independent media is everything! Whenever people say journalism is dying, I tell them they just don’t know where to look. The media landscape changes every single day, and if you get too fixated on how things should be, you’ll miss where everyone is going next.
There are so many new, amazing publications popping up all the time — like The Luna Collective, ANTICS, Hearing Things, LIMINUL, and hundreds of others. It feels like a treasure hunt discovering all the projects journalists are starting because they feel disillusioned by traditional media. Some of the most incredible writing comes from people at independent outlets because it’s rooted in a purposeful sense of passion.
LUNA: Having been in the industry for a while, what changes in music PR and media excite you right now?
BIG HASSLE: This ties into your last question — I’m so excited about all the new, non-traditional forms of media popping up. It’s exciting to live in a time where people get their music recommendations from Substacks or locally printed zines.
We need community now more than ever, and that’s mirrored in music discovery. There are more and more “micro-influencers” in the press world curating readerships of genuine fans, not just passive listeners. And as a collector of all things physical, I’ll always be excited about the return of print media!
LUNA: For young artists trying to break through, what’s the biggest piece of advice you’d give when it comes to building their presence and sharing their story?
BIG HASSLE: Something we talk about all the time at Big Hassle is that artists need to tour! Nothing compares to the level of self-identity you can discover while grinding it out on the road. Before bringing on a publicist, artists should have a clear understanding of who they are, what their fanbase looks like, and what lived experiences set them apart.
You can’t fake those things — you have to live them first. Journalists can always tell when a story is fabricated. Before you’re ready to grow your team, nurture a grassroots following and be firm in your identity as a musician.
LUNA: Looking ahead, how do you see Big Hassle continuing to grow or innovate in the next few years?
BIG HASSLE: Big Hassle is truly a fluid, ever-evolving company. A lot of our success comes from the mindset that if someone wants to do something new, they should go for it. Our team keeps growing with people who bring new perspectives and expertise.
By not defining ourselves too narrowly as a specific kind of PR firm, we don’t limit the relationships we can build. We’re a balance of new and old school, grounded in an undying passion for the work we’re lucky enough to do.
