Full Magazine Analysis - NME (New Musical Express)

For this analysis I will overview the industry and status NME magazine has produced from its launch in 1952. The magazine was the focal point of their company and through the development of e-media and social media, NME as a brand, has expanded to various different formats for it evolving target audience.

The New Musical Express, as its fully known is a British weekly music journalism publication. It provides a wide range of articles and exploratory insights to the world’s greatest bands. The genre of the magazine is associated with rock, indie and alternative music. This genre provides the target audience of people who enjoy listening and participating in these musical events and cultures. The purpose of the magazine was to provide weekly entertainment and information to the audience. This later became a nationally known music hub for music lovers to gather and interact.

The benchmark of NME’s success occurred in 1996. This was the launch of NME.com, an online version of NME. It now stands as the world biggest standalone music site, with over 7 million users per month. The website includes its iconic logo, image slideshows, recent and online exclusive news, ticket information regularly updated. 

Recently, the NME magazine has been released as a digital form on the NME website and a new and improved mobile phone/tablet application.  They provide ease to the audience and can stay connected with new technology. The digital copy provides the same content; however links and QR codes can be incorporated for instant access and content to the user.

NME have also launched several social media pages to keep up to date with the modern day audience. NME Magazine on Facebook, @NME on Twitter and 'nmemagazine' on Instagram all improve direct communications between the brand and the audience.  They often provide links to their website, which remains their hub if activity and consistently release their magazines weekly in all stores.

NME as a franchise is constantly growing, from what has started off as a magazine; it’s evolved across all media platforms. NME has also become part of an influence for clothing and fashion, with indie music’s profile raised; the fashion has impacted from this. Even t-shirts with the NME logo are made, however, not for readers of the product; it’s considered a fashion icon – a true indication of the evolution of this magazine.

The NME TV music awards have also been created, as with Kerrang! Music awards, It seems these two magazine snot only headline the music magazine shelves, yet a global impact on music as a whole. Overall, NME has come a long way since it’s creation by Theodore Ingham in 1952. Now, NME is not only a magazine, it’s an empire and an essential part of music’s evolving life-cycle.