View source for Music Week

{{Short description|Trade paper for the UK record industry}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2014}}
{{Infobox magazine
| title = Music Week
| logo = Music Week logo.svg
| image_file = Music Week December 2024 cover.webp
| image_alt = Cover of Music Week, December 2024
| image_caption = Cover of the December 2024 issue, featuring [[Linkin Park]]
| editor = George Garner<ref name="MusicWeekOurWriters"/> <!-- up to |editor6= -->
| editor_title = Head of Content <!-- up to |editor_title6= -->
| previous_editor = Tom Pakinkis, Tim Ingham, David Dalton, Steve Redmond, Selina Webb, Ajax Scott, Martin Talbot, Paul Williams, Mark Sutherland<ref name="MusicWeekMessage2021"/>
| staff_writer = 
| photographer = 
| category = [[Business]]
| frequency = {{unbulleted list|Before March 2021: Weekly|From March 2021: Monthly}}
| format = B4
| circulation = Not publicly available since 2011
| publisher = 
| paid_circulation = 
| unpaid_circulation = 
| circulation_year = 
| total_circulation = 
| founder = 
| founded = {{Start date and age|1959}} (as ''[[Record Retailer]]'')<ref name="Frank2004"/>
| firstdate = {{Start date and age|1972|03|18|df=y}} (as ''Music Week'')<!-- {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| finaldate = <!-- {{End date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| finalnumber = 
| company = [[Future plc|Future]]
| country = United Kingdom
| based = [[London]]
| language = English
| website = {{Official URL}} <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
| issn = 0265-1548
| eissn = 2052-2371
| oclc = 750494535
}}

'''''Music Week''''' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by [[Future plc|Future]].

== History ==

Founded in 1959 as ''[[Record Retailer]]'',<ref name="Frank2004">{{cite book|author=Frank Hoffmann|title=Encyclopedia of Recorded Sound|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-FOSAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA2023|access-date=30 November 2016|date=12 November 2004|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-94950-1|page=2023}}</ref> it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music Week''.<ref name="FrithBrennan2016">{{cite book|author1=Simon Frith|author2=Matt Brennan|author3=Martin Cloonan, Emma Webster|title=The History of Live Music in Britain, Volume I: 1950-1967: From Dance Hall to the 100 Club|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zoK1CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA151|date=9 March 2016|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-02887-1|pages=151–}}</ref> On 17 January 1981, the title again changed, owing to the increasing importance of sell-through videos, to ''Music & Video Week''. The rival ''[[Record Business]]'', founded in 1978 by Brian Mulligan and Norman Garrod, was absorbed into Music Week in February 1983. Later that year, the offshoot ''Video Week'' launched and the title of the parent publication reverted to ''Music Week''.

Since April 1991, ''Music Week'' has incorporated ''[[Record Mirror]]'', initially as a 4 or 8-page chart supplement, later as a dance supplement of articles, reviews and charts. In the 1990s, several magazines and newsletters become part of the Music Week family: ''Music Business International (MBI)'', ''Promo'', ''MIRO Future Hits'', ''Tours Report'', ''Fono'', ''Green Sheet'', ''[[Charts Plus (1990s publication)|ChartsPlus]]'' (published from May 1991 to November 1994), and ''[[Hit Music]]'' (September 1992 to May 2001). By May 2001, all newsletters (except ''Promo'') closed.

In 2003, ''Music Week'' relaunched its website of daily news, features, record release listings and UK sales, airplay and club charts. In early 2006, a separate free-to-access site for the ''Music Week Directory'' listed 10,000 contacts in the UK music industry. In mid-2007, the magazine was redesigned by London company This Is Real Art. In October 2008, another redesign led to major changes.

In June 2011, ''Music Week'' was sold to Intent Media.<ref name="IntentPR11">{{cite web|title=Intent Media acquires UBM titles for £2.4m|access-date=29 July 2011|date=27 June 2011|work=Intent Media|url=http://www.intentmedia.co.uk/release.php?id=128|archive-date=9 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009082929/http://www.intentmedia.co.uk/release.php?id=128|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="MWSOLD1">{{cite web|title=UBM sells Music Week|access-date=27 June 2011|date=27 June 2011|publisher=thecmuwebsite|url=http://www.thecmuwebsite.com/article/ubm-sells-music-week/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110701114217/http://www.thecmuwebsite.com/article/ubm-sells-music-week/|archive-date=1 July 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="MWSOLD2">{{cite web|title=Intent Media acquires Music Week|access-date=27 June 2011|date=27 June 2011|work=Music Week|url=http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=1045708&c=1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830035447/http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=1045708&c=1|archive-date=30 August 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
The package was sold for £2.4m<ref name="MWSOLD1" /><ref name="MWSOLD2"/> and also contained titles ''Television Broadcast Europe'', ''[[Pro Sound News]]'', ''Installation Europe'', and additional websites, newsletters, conferences, show dailies and awards events, which generated £5.4m of revenue in 2010.<ref name="MWSOLD2" /> As of issue 30 July 2011, UBM is still named as publisher,<ref name="MW 2011-07-30">{{cite journal |journal = Music Week |title= Imprint |date = January 1996 |url = https://archive.org/details/hisimprintmyexpr00kaya_0 |url-access = registration |issue = 30 July 2011 |page = [https://archive.org/details/hisimprintmyexpr00kaya_0/page/29 29] |publisher = UBM |location = London|isbn= 9781565073999 }}</ref> as the new publisher Intent Media took over on 1 August 2011.<ref name="MW 2011-08-06i">{{cite journal |journal = Music Week |title= Imprint |issue = 6 August 2011 |page = 25 |publisher = Intent Media |location = London}}</ref> In the first edition under new ownership it was announced that the title would switch its day of publication Monday to Thursday with immediate effect.<ref name="MW 2011-08-06e">{{cite journal |journal = Music Week |title= New owner, new publication date...a message to Music Week readers |author= Stuart Dinsey |issue = 6 August 2011 |page = 4|publisher=Intent Media |location = London}}</ref> [[NewBay Media]] acquired Intent Media in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web| title = NewBay Media Acquires Intent Media Limited {{!}} NewBay Media| access-date = 21 April 2018| url = http://www.newbaymedia.com/newbay-media-acquires-intent-media-limited/}}</ref> [[Future plc|Future]] acquired NewBay Media in 2018 and decided that the publication would go monthly from March 2021, in keeping with its Louder Sound publications such as ''[[Metal Hammer]]'' and ''[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock magazine]].''<ref>{{Cite web| title = PennWell Corp. and NewBay Media Acquired By UK Firms| work = Folio| access-date = 1 September 2018| date = 4 April 2018| url = https://www.foliomag.com/pennwell-corp-newbay-media-acquired-uk-firms/| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180902011815/https://www.foliomag.com/pennwell-corp-newbay-media-acquired-uk-firms/| archive-date = 2 September 2018| url-status = live| df = dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/media/read/future-acquires-music-week-publisher-newbay-media/071997|title=Future acquires Music Week publisher NewBay Media|website=www.musicweek.com|language=en|access-date=19 December 2018}}</ref><ref name="officialcharts.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/monthly-official-singles-and-albums-charts-coming-exclusively-to-music-weeks-all-new-monthly-publication__32422/|title = The very first Monthly Official Singles and Albums Charts are coming to Music Week|website = [[OfficialCharts.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.loudersound.com/ |title = Together we're Louder {{!}} Louder}}</ref>

== Charts ==
''Music Week'' features these British charts:
the [[UK Singles Chart|Official Top 75 Singles of the month]], the [[UK Albums Chart|Official Top 75 Albums of the month]] (similar to charts used by ''[[Top of the Pops]]''<ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000rxph|title = BBC One - Top of the Pops, 02/08/1990}}</ref> in the early 1990s<ref name="bbc.co.uk"/> and [[Absolute 80s]] on Sundays)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://planetradio.co.uk/absolute-80s/shows/the-absolute-80s-album-chart/|title = The Absolute 80s Album Chart on Absolute 80s}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://planetradio.co.uk/absolute-80s/schedule/|title=Absolute 80s - Latest Show Schedule|website=Absolute 80s}}</ref> and the Official Vinyl Charts. Specialist charts include the Official Top 20 Americana, the Official Top 20 Classical, the Official Top 20 Hip-Hop & R&B, the Official Top 20 Jazz, the Official Top 20 Country, the Official Top 20 Dance, the Official Top 20 Folk and the Official Top 20 Rock & Metal. Also found in Music Week are charts for streaming and various album compilations, whilst James Masterton's weekly Official UK chart analysis column can now only be accessed online by subscribers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://chart-watch.uk/ |title = James Masterton's Chart Watch UK}}</ref><ref name="officialcharts.com"/>

When the magazine was a weekly publication, it included Top 75 Singles, Top 75 Artist Albums, Top 10 Downloads, Top 20 Ringtones, Top 20 Compilation Albums, Top 50 Radio Airplay, Top 40 TV airplay, and a number of format and genre charts (Music DVD, Classical, Rock, etc.), as well as a background on sales and airplay analysis from Alan Jones.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2008-09-13 |title=Music Week |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2008/2008-09-13-Music-Week.pdf |url-status=live |journal=Music Week |volume=3 |issue=7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430021323id_/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2008/2008-09-13-Music-Week.pdf |archive-date=2024-04-30 |via=WorldRadioHistory}}</ref> Following a redesign in October 2008, the magazine introduced live charts based on Tixdaq data, a Box Office chart, and predictive charts based on information from: [[Rakuten.co.uk]], [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]], [[Shazam (music app)|Shazam]], [[Last.fm]], [[HMV]].<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2008-10-18 |title=Music Week |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2008/2008-10-18-Music-Week.pdf |url-status=live |journal=Music Week |volume=4 |issue=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430021803id_/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2008/2008-10-18-Music-Week.pdf |archive-date=2024-04-30 |via=WorldRadioHistory}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=2008-10-25 |title=Music Week |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2008/2008-10-25-Music-Week.pdf |url-status=live |journal=Music Week |volume=4 |issue=3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430021507id_/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2008/2008-10-25-Music-Week.pdf |archive-date=2024-04-30 |via=WorldRadioHistory}}</ref>

''Music Week'' compiled and published weekly club charts from chart returns supplied by DJs in nightclubs; Upfront Club Top 40, Commercial Pop Top 30 and Urban Top 30. The magazine also published a weekly Cool Cuts chart compiled from DJ feedback and sales reports from independent record shops, which traced it roots back to James Hamilton's ''BPM'' section in ''[[Record Mirror]]'' (a publication which ended up as the middle dance music section of Music Week in 1991).

===''Music Week'' Charts Analysis===
Even though the magazine is now a monthly publication, the website still posts weekly Charts Analysis pages for the UK Official Singles and Albums charts. Alan Jones was the writer of the section until he retired in March 2020, when Chart Watch UK writer [[James Masterton]] was hired to take over the role.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://chart-watch.uk/archives/2020 |title = Archives: 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://chart-watch.uk/archives/2020/week-ending-march-5th-2020 |title = Week Ending March 5th 2020| date=28 February 2020 }}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=https://www.musicweek.com/analysis |title = Analysis: Music Week}}</ref> Masterton wrote two weekly Charts Analysis pages<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/news/read/charts-analysis-elton-john-dua-lipa-end-ed-sheeran-s-reign-at-summit/084383|title=Charts analysis: Elton John & Dua Lipa end Ed Sheeran's reign at summit|website=www.musicweek.com}}</ref><ref name="auto"/> for the website (as the magazine now features charts compiled from monthly sales and streams) until 29 October 2021, when ''Music Week'' staff performed the role. After Andre Paine and Ben Homewood wrote one each of the Charts Analysis posts on 5 November 2021,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/analysis/read/charts-analysis-ed-sheeran-scores-biggest-weekly-sales-since-in-2017/084562|title = Charts analysis: Ed Sheeran scores biggest weekly sales since ÷ in 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/analysis/read/charts-analysis-adele-eases-to-the-top-of-singles-pile-for-a-third-week/084565|title = Charts analysis: Adele eases to the top of singles pile for a third week}}</ref> Alan Jones resumed the role again, writing the 12 November overviews, with no explanation of why he returned (with the pages titled ''Charts analysis: ABBA's Voyage opens with huge sale of 204,000'' for the albums and ''Charts analysis: Adele spends fourth week at summit ahead of album release'' for the singles).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/analysis/read/charts-analysis-abba-s-voyage-opens-with-huge-sale-of-204-000/084639|title=Charts analysis: ABBA's Voyage opens with huge sale of 204,000|website=www.musicweek.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/analysis/read/charts-analysis-adele-spends-fourth-week-at-summit-ahead-of-album-release/084640|title=Charts analysis: Adele spends fourth week at summit ahead of album release|website=www.musicweek.com}}</ref>

== Publishing details ==
''Music Week'' is published monthly by Future (from the March 2021 edition), though previously it was a weekly magazine (50 editions p.a.).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-20 |title=UK trade paper Music Week ends 60-year run as a weekly publication; parent Future says it will continue as a monthly 'for the time being' |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/uk-trade-paper-music-week-ends-60-year-run-as-a-weekly-publication-parent-future-says-it-will-continue-as-a-monthly-for-the-time-being/ |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=Music Business Worldwide |language=en-US}}</ref> It was available as a B4-sized printed magazine and a [[PDF]] ''digital edition''. {{ISSN|0265-1548}}.

===Editorial staff===
''As of July 2021 print edition''
* Head of Content: George Garner<ref>{{cite web|title=As Amazon moves into streaming, what difference does it make?|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/as-amazon-moves-into-streaming-what-difference-does-it-make-10423000.html|last=Burrell|first=Ian|date=28 July 2015|access-date=5 February 2016|work=The Independent|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206132659/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/as-amazon-moves-into-streaming-what-difference-does-it-make-10423000.html|archive-date=6 February 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=BMG acquires rights to Buddy Holly catalogue|url=http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/bmg-acquires-rights-to-buddy-holly-catalogue/062211|last=Stassen|first=Murray|date=2 July 2015|access-date=5 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150709013016/http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/bmg-acquires-rights-to-buddy-holly-catalogue/062211|archive-date=9 July 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="MusicWeekOurWriters">{{cite web |url=https://www.musicweek.com/writers |title=Our Writers |publisher=Music Week |access-date=16 July 2022}}</ref>
* Features Editor: Ben Homewood 
* Digital Editor: Andre Paine 
* Content Editor/Producer: Lucy Thraves
* Charts & Data: Isabelle Nesmon
* Art Editor: Steve Newman
''Former editors''<ref name="MusicWeekMessage2021">{{cite web |url=https://www.musicweek.com/media/read/a-message-from-music-week/082323 |title=A message from Music Week |publisher=Music Week |date=7 January 2021 |access-date=16 July 2022}}</ref>
* Tom Pakinkis
* Tim Ingham
* David Dalton
* Steve Redmond
* Selina Webb
* Ajax Scott
* Martin Talbot
* Paul Williams
* Mark Sutherland

===Circulation===
The weekly print circulation in 1997/98 was 12,503,<ref name="BDC2005">{{cite web|title= British Chart Books Classified : BDC 2005|author= Tobias Zywietz|publisher= www.zobbel.de|access-date= 30 October 2011|date= 27 April 2005|url= https://www.zobbel.de/bdc/BDC1.pdf|page= 22}}</ref> but by the time the publication left the ABC scheme in 2011 it had fallen to around 5,000 weekly copies.<ref>{{cite web |title=ABC Standard Certificate of Circulation (for the 51 issues distributed between 1st July 2009 and 30th June 2010) |access-date=24 September 2010 |date=22 August 2010|publisher=ABC|url=https://www.abc.org.uk/Certificates/16927647.pdf}}</ref> In October 2011, ''Music Week'' deregistered with ABC after 54 years of membership.<ref name="ABC 2011">{{cite web |title=Product Page Music Week |access-date=30 October 2011 |date=30 October 2011 |publisher=ABC |url=http://www.abc.org.uk/Products-Services/Product-Page/?tid=3988 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714204617/http://www.abc.org.uk/Products-Services/Product-Page/?tid=3988 |archive-date=14 July 2014 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

The website musicweek.com had 63,904 monthly unique browsers for the audited period 1–31 October 2008.<ref>{{cite web |title= Online Property Certificate of Activity for the period 1 October 2008 – 31 October 2008  |access-date= 22 February 2010 |publisher= ABC|url= https://www.abc.org.uk/Certificates/16027428.pdf}}</ref> By 2009, the website had been deregistered with ABC.<ref>{{cite web |title= Music Week.com Product Page  |access-date= 22 February 2010 |publisher=ABC|url=http://www.abc.org.uk/Data/ProductPage.aspx?tid=21402}}</ref>

== See also ==
* ''[[UK singles chart|UK Singles Chart]]''
* ''[[Charts Plus (1990s publication)|Charts Plus]]''
* ''[[UKChartsPlus]]''
* ''[[Hit Music]]''
* ''[[Record Retailer]]''
* ''[[Record Mirror]]''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{official website}}

{{Future plc}}
{{UK Music Charts}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Future plc]]
[[Category:1959 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Business magazines published in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Music magazines published in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Weekly magazines published in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Magazines published in London]]
[[Category:Magazines established in 1959]]
[[Category:Professional and trade magazines published in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:British record charts]]