The way he tells it, The Hard Times was a hit right out of the gate. Some perfect combination of zeitgeist and internet algorithms had the satirical site racking up a million page views via social media sites like Facebook almost instantly. It’s a far cry from the sort of hard luck grinding stories one usually hears about the punk scene — but when it’s right, it’s right. Initially focused on the punk and hardcore scene, it’s since grown into a broader view on millennial culture. Founded with few expectations in 2014 by Matt and Ed Saincome and Bill Conway, the site managed to capture much of what made The Onion a phenomenon, while staying focused on a wide range of subcultures. Earlier this year, the site launched an interview podcast, with more multimedia projects in the works, including a book and television show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.