The document discusses the decline of music magazines over recent decades. It notes that magazine circulation figures have plummeted, with NME down to 1,200 online subscribers and Q selling only 50,000 copies per month compared to 200,000 previously. This decline reflects how pop music no longer inspires strong devotion in younger audiences. Additionally, many people now get music reviews, news and interviews online for free rather than purchasing magazines. One magazine that has succeeded is Pitchfork, which appeals to hipster readers. Smashhits also saw a loss of 840,000 readers in the past 17 years after changing its format away from reviews of indie and punk bands toward mainstream teen pop.

1. Notes for the decline in music magazine
NME- The magazine Q isdownto 50,000 copiesa monthcomparedto itspreviousmonthlyfiguresof
200,000. NME onlyhas1,200 subscribersto itsonline magazine.Thiscouldindicate how popmusic
no longerinspiresmuchdevotioninthe youngerdemographic.Inthe 70’s throughto the mid90’s
the musicmagazine businesses wouldselloveramillioncopiesperweek .Manywill alsosee the
decline of the musicpressasa consequence of the digital age.Manypeople have startedtobuyless
of these magazinesbecause theycangetreviews,newsandinterviewsonline forfree.Althoughthe
magazine Pitchforkhassucceededasthe bestmagazine forhipsters.One reasonwhyNMEhas lost
readersinthe past iswhentheyditchedthe irreverentwritingandlongfeatures.
Smashhits- Lost 840,000 readersinthe past17 years.It usedto have interviewswithSex Pistolsand
Ian Dury andThe Clash.Theyusedtohave a page specificallyforIndie evenwhenalotof people did
not like Indie.Thentheystoppedwiththe marginal stuff andtheystartedwithteenpoptheyalso
stoppedwiththe indie page. Itstartedtolose more people whenaman calledPaul Wellersaid “it’s
like punknever‘append”Smashhitsthenusedthiswhenevertheyusedanypopgroup.Theysoon
thenbecame bolderwiththeirreviewsagainstpopsingerstheyeveneventuallystartinginventing
theirownargot, affectionatelymockingthe language of pop. Smashhitswouldmake groupsof
people andplace popsingersintotheir owngroups.Forexample anypopstarwhose careerwas
failingwasa“down the dumper”,Anypopstar whoreturnedaftera periodof time was“back,back,
BACK!!”,A female singerwhooverdidthe sexinesswasautomaticallya“Foxtress”anda rock star
whooverplayed the social conscience bitwas“verkidz”.