Music Mags Continue Downward Slide In Latest ABC Figures
The second half of 2000 saw a further decline in the sales of consumer music titles, according to the latest circulation figures released by ABC. The market as a whole saw a downturn of 5% with the leading teen titles, Smash Hits and Top of the Pops being among the major casualties with losses of 17% and 8% respectively.
On the whole it was the old-style pop and indie mags which took the major falls while dance music titles continued to make gains. Emap’s Sky was down 35% while Mixmag climbed 47% and Ministry put on 8%. Bucking the trend however were rock titles Mojo, up 5% and Kerrang, up 12%
Elsewhere consolidation appears to be the name of the game. Sales of Q seem to have stabilised around the 200,000 mark and IPC will be hoping that its flagship title, New Musical Express, will reap the benefits following the demise of Select and Melody Maker.
| Music Magazines Jul-Dec 2000 ABC YoY Comparisons | |||||
| Title | Publisher | Jul 99 – Dec 99 | Jul 00 – Dec 00 | Actual Change | % Ch |
| Face | Emap | 61,341 | 66,364 | 5,023 | 8.2 |
| Kerrang | Emap | 42,116 | 47,004 | 4,888 | 11.6 |
| Metal Hammer | Future | 37,141 | 37,069 | -72 | -0.2 |
| Ministry | Ministry of Sound | 83,486 | 90,235 | 6,749 | 8.1 |
| Mixmag | Emap | 72,115 | 106,111 | 33,996 | 47.1 |
| Mojo | Emap | 80,040 | 84,010 | 3,970 | 5.0 |
| Muzik | IPC | 43,606 | 43,748 | 142 | 0.3 |
| New Musical Express | IPC | 76,079 | 70,003 | -6,076 | -8.0 |
| Q | Emap | 211,229 | 204,014 | -7,215 | -3.4 |
| Sky | Emap | 100,400 | 65,080 | -35,320 | -35.2 |
| Smash Hits | Emap | 241,530 | 221,622 | -19,908 | -8.2 |
| Top Of The Pops | BBC Magazines | 368,700 | 305,122 | -63,578 | -17.2 |
| Total Guitar | Future | 36,062 | 30,192 | -5,870 | -16.3 |
| Uncut | IPC | 50,220 | 53,193 | 2,973 | 5.9 |
| Total | 1,504,065 | 1,423,767 | -80,298 | -5.3 | |
Overall, Emap continues to dominate the sector and will be encouraged by the performance of Mixmag which is embroiled in a dance floor battle with Ministry and saw its circulation rise by more than 30,000 year-on-year.
| Music Magazines Market Share By Publishing Company | ||
| Publishing Company | Jul 00-Dec 00 | |
| BBC | 305,122 | 21.43 |
| Emap | 794,205 | 55.78 |
| IPC | 166,944 | 11.73 |
| Ministry Newco | 90,235 | 6.34 |
| Future | 67,261 | 4.72 |
| Total | 1,423,767 | 100.00 |
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