Besides writing features for Spin, Musician and Details, and a stint at MTV News from 1987 through 1992, Azerrad wrote several hundred pieces for Rolling Stone from 1987 through 1993, including cover stories on the B-52's and Nirvana, and was eventually named contributing editor.

He has since written major features for The New Yorker, Mojo, Italian GQ and the New York Times, as well as cover stories for Spin and Revolver.

"[7] Azerrad wrote liner notes for various albums and DVDs by artists including: Paul McCartney, Miles Davis, Gang of Four, Violent Femmes, Screaming Trees, Guided by Voices, Meat Puppets, the Jesus Lizard, the B-52's, the live comedy series Invite Them Up and the 1991 cult TV series Fishing with John.

He is the editor of See a Little Light, the autobiography of former Hüsker Dü and Sugar leader Bob Mould, published by Little, Brown in June 2011.

[8] In a 2024 interview with the Irish culture website PostBurnout.com, Hüsker Dü bassist Greg Norton, who has been a subject in some of Azerrad's writing, was asked by the interviewer about the validity of a segment from his former bandmate Bob Mould's autobiography, See a Little Light (which was co-authored by Azerrad), that claimed that the band had put crystal meth in a coffee filter to stay awake during the recording of their album Zen Arcade.

Norton dismissed the claim that he or the other members did this, stating that the album's producer, Spot, had introduced them to a concept called a "bonus cup," which featured high quantities of coffee and sugar, to stay awake, but that the drinks contained no illicit substances.

In summer 2009, he became a founding member of children's music band the Macaroons, whose debut album, Let's Go Coconuts, was released by JDub Records in spring 2010.