Does anyone remember The Fader? Unfortunately, we bet only about six of you raised your hands. Though it has been one of the most emulated and distinctive music magazines, focusing not only on artists and albums but the lifestyles and attitudes of the musically obsessed, Fader has sort of faded away from public consciousness.

Taking pride its urban funk roots, if Nylon lives in Nolita, The Fader lives in a Bushwick warehouse with a crazy spin table. Yet despite (or due to?) its hipster chic, consumers have been jumping on Fader's party train less and less. So, the mag decided to take the Internet. By offering its summer issue for free on iTunes, Fader hopes to pull in the extra readership, to pull advertisers, and keep the mag alive.

According to publisher Andy Cohn, it's the first time an entire magazine has been distributed over iTunes, which will feature the issue in its "New and Notable" podcasts section. Given The Fader's relatively small circulation of 87,500, it could prove a substantial extension of the title's reach. "We want to use it as an opportunity to expose The Fader to as many people as possible," Cohn said … Depending how popular the download proves, The Fader might sell future issues on iTunes, said Cohn. "We're going to just see the kind of response that we get and take it one day at a time moving forward."

Hey, whatever, we're cool with that. As long as they don't start giving away free issues to Facebook members.

iPages [Jeff Bercovici, WWD]