The history of media

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The history of mediaWhat is multimedia?Rhianna Fox

+The history of music magazines

The first issue of Billoard magazine was printed in 1894, but it was in 1936 that it became well known to the general public. This, then evolved into radio airplay and record sales charts (The Billboard charts). TBC then provided different music genres and was the foundation for slots on the radio for the programs like ‘American Top 40’. The magazine Billboard is aimed at music professionals however, it can be available to the general public.

In 1980 a monthly magazine called Record Collector became available which was filled full of adverts and contained sources of buying and selling music. It started out as a glossy A5 publication but in 2003 it re-launched in full-colour in an A4 magazine format.

+ By the 50’s Melody Maker had competition from New Musical Express which was appealing to more of a younger generation as it had coverage on the up-and-coming rock n roll scene. Both Melody maker and NME had offered weekly information on upcoming record releases. The magazines had newspaper formats but ‘music inkies’ provided detailed coverage of independent label artists not mainstream chart music. A glossy magazine format for Melody maker was introduced in 1999 and merged with NME in 2000 which are both owned by IPC media.

In 1967 Rolling stone magazine was created and documented music as an important part in the culture of youth with reflective articles about music and social change, and the political concerns about music. Rolling stone was less about factual information and more about the culture of music.

+ The glossy fortnightly magazine Smash hits was created in

1978 and was aimed at teens. This magazine is important to the development of music because it covered music in a different way to other magazines, this is because it was designed as a genre-specific magazine (pop). Kerrang! was introduced in 1981 and compared to Smash hits, it is more of a music orientated magazine. Kerrang!’s monthly competitor is Metal Hammer. In the 90’s genre specific magazines were produce, like Mixmag (dance/clubbing music coverage), The Source and Hip-Hop (hip-hop/rap music) and Classic Rock (rock music for an older audience).

The Face was launched in 1980 by Nick Logan (ex-editor for Kerrange! and Smash Hits). The Face was a monthly magazine that offered the colourful layout of Smash Hits but aimed at a slightly older audience, embracing music and also fashion and lifestyle. The layout consisted of lots of images and detailed articles, pages full of celebrities, musicians, fashion shoots and advertising. This magazine stopped being published in 2004 however, it influenced other magazines, such as Q magazine, Mojo and Uncut.

+New and old

+New and old