NME
On the 14th of November 1952, a newspaper called New Musical Express printed its first UK Singles Chart. This list featured twelve songs and was compiled from sales data collected in regional stores across Britain. The number one spot went to Al Martino with his song Here in My Heart. Maurice Kinn had purchased the paper just fifteen minutes before it was set to close for £1,000. He renamed it and hired Ray Sonin as editor. Sonin began publishing artist interviews and industry gossip alongside the new chart feature. Sales jumped by fifty percent shortly after this change. The publication started as a non-glossy tabloid on standard newsprint. It became known as a rock inkie within the British music scene.
Alan Smith took over as editor in early 1972 and faced pressure from owner IPC to save the magazine from closure. He recruited writers like Nick Kent and Charles Shaar Murray from underground press sources. Tony Parsons and Julie Burchill joined the staff later that year to cover the emerging punk movement. They wrote about bands such as Sex Pistols and Generation X with a nihilistic tone. By mid-1973, the paper sold nearly three hundred thousand copies per week. It outstripped rivals like Melody Maker and Disc during this period. The magazine also adopted openly political stances against parties like the National Front. After Margaret Thatcher won the election in 1979, NME maintained a broadly socialist position throughout the following decade. Neil Spencer became editor in 1978 and oversaw a redesign of the masthead logo that remains today.
Steve Sutherland placed the story of Blur versus Oasis on the front page in August 1995. Both bands planned to release singles on the same day for massive media publicity. Blur won the race to the top of the charts and sales increased significantly due to the Britpop effect. This rivalry helped the paper enjoy commercial success throughout the 1990s. However, Britpop burned itself out quickly over the next few years. Attempts to embrace DJ culture in the late 1990s led to criticism from readers who felt rock music was ignored. Sales reached a low point at the turn of the millennium after a cover feature on Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Steve Sutherland later stated he regretted putting them on the cover. From the 21st of March 1999, the paper stopped being printed on newsprint and shifted to glossy tabloid size covers.
The free edition of NME launched on the 18th of September 2015 with Rihanna appearing on the cover. Distribution occurred nationwide through universities, retail stores, and transport networks. The first circulation numbers published in February 2016 showed three hundred seven thousand two hundred seventeen copies per week. This figure represented the highest average circulation in the brand's history. It beat the previous best of three hundred six thousand eight hundred eighty-one recorded in 1964 during the height of Beatles fame. By December 2017, average distribution had fallen to two hundred eighty-nine thousand four hundred thirty-two copies weekly. In March 2018, Time Inc. UK announced that the print edition would cease publication after sixty-six years. The online publication continued as an independent entity while the physical magazine ended its run.
BandLab Technologies acquired NME in 2019 from TI Media. They restructured the company under the name Caldecott Music Group in December 2021. The NME brand now sits within a division called NME Networks alongside Guitar.com and MusicTech. An Australian edition launched in December 2018 as a website before introducing a print version in April 2020. Tash Sultana became the first cover artist for the Australian print edition. The magazine publishes six issues each year with new content added regularly to the website. International expansion included launching editions for Asia featuring acts like SEVENTEEN and The Itchyworms. On the 20th of July 2023, NME announced it would relaunch its print magazine as a bimonthly release starting with D4vd on the cover. Holly Bishop explained the decision was inspired by the resurgence of vinyl and cassette tapes among music fans.
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Common questions
When did NME first publish the UK Singles Chart?
NME printed its first UK Singles Chart on the 14th of November 1952. This list featured twelve songs and was compiled from sales data collected in regional stores across Britain.
Who purchased New Musical Express before it closed for £1,000?
Maurice Kinn had purchased the paper just fifteen minutes before it was set to close for £1,000. He renamed it and hired Ray Sonin as editor to begin publishing artist interviews and industry gossip alongside the new chart feature.
What year did NME editors adopt openly political stances against parties like the National Front?
By mid-1973, the paper sold nearly three hundred thousand copies per week and adopted openly political stances against parties like the National Front. After Margaret Thatcher won the election in 1979, NME maintained a broadly socialist position throughout the following decade.
How many copies did NME sell weekly when circulation peaked in February 2016?
The first circulation numbers published in February 2016 showed three hundred seven thousand two hundred seventeen copies per week. This figure represented the highest average circulation in the brand's history.
When did Time Inc. UK announce that the print edition of NME would cease publication after sixty-six years?
In March 2018, Time Inc. UK announced that the print edition would cease publication after sixty-six years. The online publication continued as an independent entity while the physical magazine ended its run.
On what date did NME announce it would relaunch its print magazine as a bimonthly release starting with D4vd on the cover?
On the 20th of July 2023, NME announced it would relaunch its print magazine as a bimonthly release starting with D4vd on the cover. Holly Bishop explained the decision was inspired by the resurgence of vinyl and cassette tapes among music fans.