Greg Di Benedetto — Disruptor Awards

Recognizing potential and the need for vertical passions in social media, Greg co-founded and launched MusicAficionado.com, a “social magazine” curated by “aficionados.”

“I believe the traditional model of an enthusiast magazine should be challenged and scaled across other verticals using the requisite social tools which have become second nature to us all. The new aficionado social model will have commerce built in too, but organically, not just as a storefront.” Music Aficionado was created first, in order to achieve this and provide a social experience with the feel of a glossy magazine. The site concept has earned an investment as well as the marketing muscle of the largest retailer in the musical instruments category, Guitar Center Inc., who will also provide the exclusive retail component. Greg’s been a veteran of the media industry and previously served as the Publisher of the world’s best-selling magazine for musicians, Guitar World, for 28 years. He later founded Guitar Aficionado, magazine which was the first ever luxury-lifestyle magazine in the music category. The magazine’s unique approach to lifestyle attracted numerous luxury brand advertisers into a space they had not yet ventured into. He’s won numerous publishing awards from ASME, MIN and a spot on Folio’s coveted, ‘Fifteen Most Notable New Magazines’. He parlayed the aficionado brand ethos by pairing music artists with luxury brand events for AMEX’s Centurion and Platinum members. He’s appeared in the New York Times, on NPR radio, CNBC’s Squawk Box, Fox News online and in numerous trade magazines.