Smash Hits

Smash Hits was a British music magazine aimed at young adults, originally published by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006,[1] and after initially appearing monthly, was issued fortnightly during most of that time. The name survived as a brand for a spin-off digital television channel, now named Box Hits, and website. A digital radio station was also available but closed on 5 August 2013.

For other uses, see Smash Hits (disambiguation).

Smash Hits
Cover of a 1988 edition of Smash Hits featuring Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan as cover.
CategoriesA4-size music magazine
FrequencyInitially monthly, then fortnightly
First issueSeptember 1978 (1978-09);
July 2009 (2009-07) (one-off specials)
Final issueFebruary 13, 2006 (2006-02-13) (final regular issue);
November 2019 (2019-11) (final one-off special)
CompanyEMAP Metro (original)
Bauer Media Group (one-off specials)
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
ISSN0260-3004

Overview

Smash Hits featured the lyrics of latest hits and interviews with big names in music. It was initially published monthly, then went fortnightly. The style of the magazine was initially serious, but from around the mid-1980s onwards became one of ever-increasing irreverence. Its interviewing technique was novel at the time and, rather than looking up to the big names, it often made fun of them, asking strange questions rather than talking about their music.[2][3]

Created by journalist Nick Logan, the title was launched in 1978 and appeared monthly for its first few months. He based the idea on a songwords magazine that his sister used to buy, but which was of poor quality. His idea being to launch a glossy-looking magazine which also contained songwords as its mainstay. The publisher was Emap, which was a small-time publisher based in Peterborough and the magazine was originally titled Disco Fever, before they settled on Smash Hits.[4]

Smash Hits editors were not actually journalist but employees and some popstars and their editorial were often found to be made up such as that of Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys and Mike Soutar however a few went on to launch a career in journalism including Radio Times editor Mark Frith. Other writers have included Dave Rimmer, Mark Ellen (who went on to launch Q, Mojo and Word), Steve Beebee, Chris Heath, Tom Hibbert and Miranda Sawyer.

The magazine was also available in Continental Europe, especially in Germany where the issues could be bought at train stations or airports, whilst the title was licensed for a French version in the 1990s. There were other licensed versions in the magazine's history. In 1984, an Australian version was created and proved just as successful for that new market as the original had back in Britain, whilst in the United States, a version was published during the 1980s under the title Star Hits, drawing articles from the British version.

It was published by Emap, who also use the name for one of their digital television services, and for a digital radio station. The brand also covered the annual Smash Hits Poll Winners Party, an awards ceremony voted for by readers of the magazine.

The magazine's sales peaked during the late 1980s. In the early part of the decade it was regularly selling 500,000 copies per issue, which had risen to over one million by 1989. Sales began to drop during the 1990s and by 1996 it was reported that sales were dropping roughly 100,000 per year.[4] By the time of its demise, it was down to 120,000.[5]

Final years of publishing

In the 1990s, the magazine's circulation slumped and it was overtaken by the BBC's spin off magazine Top of the Pops. Emap's other biweekly teen magazine of the period Big! (which featured more celebrities and stars of TV series including Australians based Home and Away and United States imported Beverly Hills, 90210) was closed and this celeb focus was shifted over to Smash Hits, which became less focused on teen pop and more of an entertainment magazine. The magazine also shifted size a number of times in subsequent relaunches including one format that was as big as an album with songwords to be clipped out on the card cover. Television presenter and journalist Kate Thornton was editor for a short time.

In February 2006, it was announced that the magazine would cease publication after the February 13 edition due to declining sales.[6] The digital music video channel, digital radio, and website services still continue.

In July 2009, a one-off commemorative issue of the magazine was published as a tribute to singer Michael Jackson.[7] Further one-off specials were released in November 2009 (Take That), December 2010 (Lady Gaga)[8] and November 2019 (Max Martin), the latter was a free magazine at certain London Underground stations to mark the debut of Martin's West End musical & Juliet.[9]

Editors
  • "Chris Hall" (pseudonym of Nick Logan, who refused to use his name as editor, instead inventing the name from those of his children, Christian and Hallie)
  • Ian Cranna
  • David Hepworth
  • Mark Ellen
  • Steve Bush
  • Barry McIlheney
  • Richard Lowe (non qualified journalist)
  • Mike Soutar (non qualified journalist)
  • Mark Frith
  • Kate Thornton
  • Gavin Reeve
  • John McKie
  • Emma Jones
  • Lisa Smosarski
  • Lara Palamoudian

Compilation albums

EMAP licensed the brand for a number of compilation albums, including a tie in with the Now That's What I Call Music brand for Now Smash Hits, a retrospective of the early 1980s (80 - 87).

Australian edition

The Australian edition of Smash Hits magazine began in November 1984 as a fortnightly. The magazine blended some content from the parent publication with locally generated material. Australian Smash Hits was originally published by Fairfax Magazines and was later purchased by Mason Stewart Publications. Over the years it became a monthly and then a bi-monthly. In 2007 the magazine retailed for A$5.95 Inc. GST and NZ$6.50. On 30 March 2007 it was announced that the Australian edition would cease publication due to low readership.[10] The editor at that time was Emma Bradshaw. The issue that was scheduled to be released on 9 May 2007 was cancelled.

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See also

References
  1. Di Hand; Steve Middleditch (10 July 2014). Design for Media: A Handbook for Students and Professionals in Journalism, PR, and Advertising. Routledge. p. 8. ISBN 978-1-317-86402-8. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  2. Simpson, Dave (6 August 2018). "How we made Smash Hits magazine". the Guardian. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  3. "12 reasons Smash Hits was the best music magazine ever". Metro. 17 August 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  4. "Can 'Smash Hits' survive the end of Take That?". The Independent. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  5. "Smash Hits magazine closing down". 2 February 2006. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  6. "Smash Hits magazine closing down". BBC News. 2 February 2006. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  7. Smash Hits resurrected for Jackson, Yahoo News, Retrieved 4 July 2009
  8. Smash Hits returns for GaGa special Music Week.
  9. "SMASH HITS RETURNS: A ONE-OFF SPECIAL OF THE ICONIC MUSIC MAGAZINE TO BE PUBLISHED". Bauer Media Group. 4 November 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  10. Emap - Emap shuts Smash Hits after 23 years Archived 14 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
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