(NewsWorthy.news) – A media entrepreneur in music and culture died this week at the end of his fight with cancer.
Rob Stone, co-founder of Cornerstone Agency and Fader magazine, passed away on Monday June 24, at the age of 55. The news was shared on social media by his family as well as Jon Cohen, a long-time friend and business partner of Stone’s.
On Instagram, Cohen described his partnership with his friend as “incredible” and something they “never dreamed of doing” as teenagers. He acknowledged the difficulties of the past 28 years of “building our company” while emphasizing that it “was special.” Cohen continued, recalling how the friendship the two shared was “way bigger” than the company they built.
He concluded by thanking Stone for his influence in life and promised to “tell your story” throughout the “rest of my life.”
Stone’s family additionally shared that he had “bravely fought cancer” for the last year of his life, having done so in “private” for the sake of his family. They further described him as “a truly amazing person” and praised his “incredible life.”
Beyond the influence he had on his family and friends, Stone co-founded Cornerstone Agency in 1996 alongside Steve Rifkind, founder of Loud Records. Rifkind stepped down from his leadership role the next year, paving the way for Cohen to take his place. The music marketing company rose to the top of its field, linking major brands like Converse, Coca-Cola, and Nike to the music industry through its advertising.
In 1999, Cohen and Stone founded Fader, a magazine for rising artists, to go alongside their marketing business. The magazine’s template subsequently inspired other publications—including Conde Nast and Vice—to follow suit. The company was based in New York but operates additional offices in London, Los Angeles, and Sao Paulo. It has grown to an annual revenue of $100 million and eventually into Fader Films, an arm of the business which Stone focused on towards the end of his career.
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