October 22, 2010 
So, And Pluck Your Strings turned one today. I can barely believe where this blog is now, considering it started on a whim when I was home from uni one day. Back then I would be thrilled with 5 hits a day, and now I’m averaging well above 200, which I’m sure would seem tiny for a lot of blogs but makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
If you will allow me to indulge myself slightly:
Within the first year this blog has received over 70,000 views, which I think is absolutely massive. My writing and articles have been featured on numerous websites of bands, the Laneway festival official Facebook page, the prestigious WordPress ‘Freshly Pressed’ page, and even quoted in press releases. I’ve gone from receiving one comment a month to receiving more emails from managers, promoters, and bands than I can ever hope to read, and I have discovered some great music this way that I never would have heard otherwise.
I’ve been lucky enough to receive a lot of free tickets to gigs to review, as well as plenty of albums in the post, something a financially struggling uni student really appreciates. This was the second website to announce the Splendour lineup online (albeit as a copy/paste job), and the first place online where you could find the Laneway 2011 lineup. A couple of weeks ago it was also the first place anywhere to announce The National Melbourne and Sydney sideshows, even if it turns out I got the Melbourne venue wrong.
This blog has even led to a phonecall from Triple J, even though it wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for. More importantly however, I’ve met a lot of cool people through this, including other bloggers and passionate music fans.
I’ve never really recognized this blog’s rightful place as an insignificant, puny local website run by one music-obsessed uni student, and I think that is part of what’s made it so fun.
It’s been a hell of a lot of work, but I really have enjoyed every second of it. Thanks so much to everyone that has visited and especially people who have followed the blog on Facebook and Twitter and left comments. It means a lot that you guys actually care about the random crap I write.
Here’s to a great second year as well.
And Pluck Your Strings 
Nice work! :) 70,000 views in one year is incredibly respectable, as is 200 a day!
My blog would average nowhere near that.
I’m curious though – what was the call from triple j about? :)
Thanks man. Triple J called about my review of The Falls Festival- my imagination got carried away and I thought they might like me to write some reviews for their website or something, but it was actually about a segment on Hack about the atmosphere of music festivals. They wanted to interview me about Falls because I had a big focus on the atmosphere in my review, but nothing eventuated of it.
great stuff mate, this is my favourite music blog, just because we have pretty similar taste, and i really enjoy your writing style. keep up the good work, and i look forward to being able to say in a few years ‘i was a fan of andpluckyourstrings when it was just starting out’ :D
haha and Jeremy, I just clicked onto your blog, and turns out I’ve visited there a few times. small world eh.
Haha, wow. Yeah ey, stuff like that creeps me out sometimes. Glad to hear you’ve read some of my stuff too, hope you liked it. :)
Well done! I love your blog – it is a great mix of music journalism and information. You write so well.
Here’s to many more years for you as a music journo.
Happy birthday to the blog mate. Love how you bring new music and live music experiences to everyone. Keep up the good work ;)
Congratulations.
Happy birthday man! Those are some seriously impressive numbers.
Awesome work Jeremy. Maamf is lucky to get 200 in a day.
Keep up the good work mate!