The history of music magazines.

BRAND and IDENTITY I decided to look at the history of music magazines, as I though this may have had an impact on the magazines we read today. As some magazines are older than others, they may have tried out different techniques and styles along the way, as their magazine developed, and I thought that this would be interesting to investigate, as it may help me understand some of the lessons each magazine learnt as they developed though time. A magazines brand and/ or identity may have changed since they were founded, due to new editors or designers, as they will have different ideas on what works and what attracts the primary audience to a magazine of each genre.

Kerrang! Magazine - Information Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine that focuses on the rock music genre. It is currently published by Bauer Media Group (a German institution who own several music-based magazines). Kerrang! was originally only a one-off supplement in Sound Newspaper, but ended up being published as its own magazine. It is currently published on a weekly bases, but started off monthly. In the early 2000’s it became the best-selling British newspaper.

Kerrang! Magazine - History Kerrang! was first published in 1981, as a one-off supplement in the Sounds Newspaper. The issue focused on the rise of hard rock and the heavy metal movement, New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHW). It was launched as a monthly magazine, and then became fortnightly, and became weekly in Kerrang! was originally owned by United Newspapers, who sold the magazine to EMAP (the 2 nd largest institution in the UK) in Kerrang! changes their style and the artists features on the front cover and in the magazine depending on which sub- genre of rock is most popular at the time, which is something they are criticised for by their fans. In 2008, EMAP sold Kerrang! to Bauer Media Group, who are the current owners of the magazine.

Vibe Magazine – Information It was launched in 1993, in partnership with Time Inc. (A UK- based institution who also own NME and UNCUT magazines). Vibe magazine is now published quarterly. Now, in 2014, Vibe is only online. The print magazine was shut down in 2014 by Spin Media. Vibe’s Editor-In-Chief is Jermaine Hall. Vibe is a US-based company, in New York City. The current owners of Vibe are Spin Media. Spin Media (formerly Buzz Media) is a digital publisher in the US who own several pop-culture websites including Buzznet, Spin and Vibe.

Vibe Magazine - History Vibe was launched in Miller Publishing bought Vibe in Private equity firm, ‘The Wicks Group’, bought Vibe in In 2009, it was announced that Vibe was no longer to be published. InterMedia Partners, LP bought Vibe after it had been shut down. They added Uptown Magazine to Vibe’s parent company, Vibe Holdings which later (in 2012) merged with BlackBook Media to form Vibe Media. In 2013, it was announced that Vibe had been sold to Spin Media. Although the magazine is still running, it was originally thought that Vibe magazine (in print) would be shut down by the end of In 2014, the magazine was moved to being only online.

Mojo Magazine - Information Mojo magazine is based in London, England. The magazine was launched in Although originally published by EMAP, Mojo is now published by Bauer Media Group. Mojo focuses mainly on the classic rock music genre. It is currently published monthly, and had been since it was launched. The current Editor-In-Chief is Phil Alexander.

Mojo Magazine - History The first issue of Mojo magazine was published in After their success with the music magazine “Q”, EMAP decided they needed another magazine to cope with the demand for peoples growing interest in classic rock. When it was first launched, Paul du Noyer was the editor. Since 2002, most issues come with a free CD that relates to the artist(s) in the feature article. In 2004, Mojo began a sectioned called the Mojo Honours List, which is a mixture of critics and readers awards. In January 2008, the EMAP decided to start publishing monthly issues of the magazine. In 2008, Bauer Media Group took over publishing Mojo magazine. Mojo has recently be named “The Worlds Best Music Magazine”.