Research: The Music Magazine Industry

Magazines exist as a business to make money for their owners (usually the publishers.) Even with there being in the UK over 3000 different ‘consumer’ magazines, most of the main big titles eg. Kerrang, NME are owned and published by a relatively small number of publishing companies. These companies often publish magazines that are quite competitive with other leading magazines similar to themselves. For example: Q and NME.

But for most of these magazines the main area in which they make their money is advertising. They make their money doing this by selling advertising spaces – “selling eyeballs to advertisers.” Advertisers like using magazines because they are enable to reach specific “niche” audiences as well as magazines are a more efficient way of advertising rather than television. 

Publishers also have to keep a close eye on their circulation figures – ie/ How many magazines they are selling each week and month. They have to do this because it is a very competitive market so they must keep up to date on who is selling the most magazines. These circulation figures are gathered by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC.)

Music Magazines:

The publishing company IPC publish the magazines NME and Uncut.
NME's current circulation figures fell 14.3% to 29,020 in the first half of 2011.
Uncut's current circulation figures fell 10.9% and are 66,004

The publishing company Baver publish the magazines Kerrang, Q, and Mojo.
Kerrang's current circulation figures fell 2.2% to 43,033
Q's current circulation figures fell 10.1% year on year and is currently 80,418
Mojo's current circulation figures fell 4.8% year on year but is still the biggest selling magazine at 87,262

The company Future Publishing publishes magazines like; Classic Rock, Matal Hammer, and Total guitar. 

Further Music Magazines that appeal to different audiences and have a different musical focus:


The Rolling Stones.
is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner (who is still editor and publisher) and music critic Ralph J. Gleason.

Cyclic Defrost.

Is Australia's only specialist electronic music magazine. they cover independent electronic music, avant-rock, exprimental sound art and leftfield hip hop. 

 

The Fly.

Is a free music magazine published monthly in the UK. It is published by the HMV owned MAMA Group. The magazine has a review section featuring new eleases and live concert reviews. The remainder of the magazine is articles and intervies artists promoting new releases or tours. It also features new bands alongside more established bands.

 

Clash.

Is a popular music and fashion magazine based in the UK. The magazine alternates between moder bands such as Coldplay and The Prodigy as well as hip-hop artists. It features reviews of music, films and igh street fashion as well as interviews with music stars and sections on new music.

 

Magnet.

is a music magazine that focuses on alternative, independent or out of the mainstream bands. The magazine is published four times a year, and is independently owned and edited by Eric T. Miller. The magazine's content tends to focus on up and comingindie bands and expositions of various music scenes