Music Week

Founded in 1959 as Record Retailer, it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as Music Week. 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 (published from May 1991 to November 1994), and Hit Music (September 1992 to May 2001). By May 2001, all newsletters (except Promo) closed.

 

Music Week features these British charts: Top 75 Singles, Top 75 Artist Albums, Top 20 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, Rock, Indie, etc.). It also includes background on sales and airplay analysis from Alan Jones. 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 Amazon, Play.com, Shazam, HMV.com and Last.fm. Music Week compiles and publishes weekly club charts from chart returns supplied by DJs in nightclubs Upfront Club Top 40, Commercial Pop Top 30 and Urban Top 30. Music Week publishes a weekly Cool Cuts chart compiled from DJ feedback and sales reports from independent record shops.

3rd August 1985