ABC Jan-Jun 2004: Uncut Riding High As Music Rivals Dip
The latest ABC results for the six months to June paint a relatively gloomy picture for music magazines as a whole, with all but IPC Ignite’s Uncut seeing circulation decline in year on year analysis.
The long-running music, film and entertainment title notched up a 6.7% year on year increase in circulation to 112,816, as it held onto its position as the UK’s second largest music title behind Emap’s market leading Q magazine.
The picture was less positive for Q, which saw its circulation decline by 12.6% year on year to just under the 151,000 mark. However, the title remained at the top of the pack thanks to its core readership of music loving twenty-somethings.
Things look set to pick up for Q following news that the magazine is investing £600,000 in an extensive advertising campaign to promote its relaunch. The new look title will include information on downloads, MP3s and digital music players like the iPod, as well as traditional CDs (see Emap Launches Campaign To Promote Q Redesign).
Meanwhile, Emap’s high-profile rock title, Kerrang!, saw its circulation decline by 11% year on year to 62,591. However, the Kerrang! brand was extended into radio recently after Emap acquired the last FM broadcasting licence in the midlands. Future Publishing’s Metal Hammer also saw circulation slide by 7.3% during the same period to 33,269.
IPC’s long running weekly music newspaper, NME, proved that it is not immune to the decline affecting the rest of the sector. The magazine saw circulation drop by 3.4% year on year to just over the 70,000 mark. However, the long-running music newspaper remains popular with its target audience of men aged between 15 and 24, trailing only slightly behind its higher profile monthly competitors.
| Music Magazines: Jan-Jun 2004 Year On Year Comparisons | |||||
| Title | Publisher | Jan-Jun 03 | Jan-Jun 04 | Actual Change | % Ch |
| Classic Rock | Future Publishing | 43,545 | 38,485 | -5,060 | -11.6 |
| Kerrang! | Emap Performance | 70,361 | 62,591 | -7,770 | -11.0 |
| Metal Hammer | Future Publishing | 35,876 | 33,269 | -2,607 | -7.3 |
| Mixmag | Emap Performance | 53,212 | 50,457 | -2,755 | -5.2 |
| Mojo | Emap Performance | 103,654 | 100,347 | -3,307 | -3.2 |
| NME | IPC Ignite | 72,443 | 70,014 | -2,429 | -3.4 |
| Q | Emap Performance | 172,557 | 150,801 | -21,756 | -12.6 |
| Rock Sound | IXO Publishing | 23,043 | 20,045 | -2,998 | -13.0 |
| Uncut | IPC Ignite | 105,781 | 112,816 | 7,035 | 6.7 |
| Total | 680,472 | 638,825 | -41,647 | -6.1 | |
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