Joshua Ryan

Joshua Ryan Topolsky (born October 19, 1977) is an American technology journalist. He is also a record producer, and DJ under the stage name Joshua Ryan. Topolsky was the co-founder and editor-in-chief of technology news network ''The Verge'', and a co-creator of its parent company Vox Media. Previously, he was the editor-in-chief of ''Engadget''.

On August 4, 2014, Topolsky stepped down from The Verge and Vox Media to join Bloomberg "as the editor of a series of new online ventures it is introducing as part of a revamped journalism strategy". He left Bloomberg in July 2015 after clashes with Michael Bloomberg over the direction of its digital media strategy and started the digital news company The Outline.

Journalism

Between August 2008 and March 2011, Topolsky was the editor-in-chief of the technology blog ''Engadget''. Since 2009, he has been the technology correspondent for NBC's ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'', and then ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. In March 2011, he resigned his position at ''Engadget''.

Following his departure from Engadget, Topolsky began a new site called '' This Is My Next'', a temporary home for him and his ex-''Engadget'' colleagues as they built a new technology network. Like Engadget, the website included a wide variety of technology news, reviews, and editorials. The website name is a play on a phrase Topolsky often says when reviewing a device that he especially likes (e.g. "This is my next phone."). Topolsky's team at ''This Is My Next'' included former ''Engadget'' editors and contributors including Paul Miller, Nilay Patel, Joanna Stern, Chris Ziegler, and others.

On July 18, 2011, Topolsky announced on ''Late Night'' that he and his team were developing a new permanent network called ''The Verge''. ''The Verge'' launched on November 1, 2011, with Topolsky as the founding editor-in-chief. He appears in many of the audio and video podcasts that the site releases as well as writing articles. He has appeared on Fallon's shows several times since the announcement of the site with products the site has reviewed that he showcases to the audience.

''The New York Times'' reported on July 24, 2014, that Topolsky would be leaving ''The Verge'' on August 4, 2014, to pursue an editorial position at ''Bloomberg''. The ''Times'' noted, "He will develop and run Bloomberg’s new ventures, which will cover specific topic areas such as politics and luxury."

''The New York Times'' reported on July 10, 2015, that Topolsky would be leaving ''Bloomberg Business'' after clashes with founder Michael Bloomberg. This follows a radical redesign of Bloomberg Business web properties.

In April 2015, Topolsky started ''Tomorrow'', a weekly podcast about current trends in technology, news, and culture. Each episode of ''Tomorrow'' features cohost Ryan Houlihan and a special guest, ranging from Google designer Matías Duarte to Topolsky's wife.

In 2016, Topolsky pursued initial funding for a new digital media outlet. The company is titled Independent Media and launched its first publication, The Outline, on December 5.

In 2023, Topolsky was hired by Robinhood to launch Sherwood Media a website dedicated to, "deliver actionable, illuminating news on the markets, business, tech, and the culture of money in a way that's authoritative, engaging, and speaks in the language of this moment". As of 2025 Topolsky is Sherwood's editor-in-chief and president.

Music

Under the stage name Joshua Ryan, Topolsky was a well known trance music DJ whose tracks were included on several gold certified compilation albums. His tracks have been licensed by Palm Pictures, Moonshine Music, Ministry of Sound, and Sony Music Entertainment ( UK). In 1999, Fragrant Records released his single "Pistolwhip", which was re-released on NuLife Recordings in 2001 and reached number 29 on the UK Singles Chart. Topolsky and his brother Eric Emm are known as the producing duo The Brothers.

Personal life

Topolsky lives outside New York with his wife, Laura June, who was also an editor at ''The Verge'' and now writes for various publications such as ''The Awl'' and ''Jezebel'', and their daughter. Topolsky was raised in a Jewish family.

Discography

Solo work

* "Hush" / "Doinyourheadin" – Slinkey Recordings 1997
* "Don't Look Back" – Slinkey Recordings 1998
* "Pistolwhip" – Fragrant Music 1999
* "Pistolwhip" – NuLife Recordings 2000
* "Thunderclap" – Fragrant Music 2000
* "Unreal" – Crush Recordings 2000
* "All" / "Ison" – System Recordings 2001
* "Buildings in Between" – System Recordings 2003
* "Buildings in Between" (remixes) – System Recordings 2003
* "By Design" – System Recordings 2003
* "Fury" – System Recordings 2003
* "Damage" – Alpha Numeric 2004
* "Blueness" – System Recordings 2005

Remixes

* Tanlines / Brothers (Joshua Ryan Remix)

See also

* '' The Outline''

References

External links

Personal

Personal website/blog

Journalism-related

''The Verge''

Topolsky's farewell note on ''Engadget'', "Hello, I Must Be Going"

Tomorrow Podcast

Music-related

Official Website

Discogs page for Joshua Ryan

System Recordings

{{DEFAULTSORT:Topolsky, Joshua
1977 births
American electronic musicians
Record producers from Pennsylvania
Living people
Musicians from Pittsburgh
Jewish American musicians
American male journalists
The Verge
American electronic dance music DJs
21st-century American Jews