Smash Hits Collapse

Background of Smash Hits magazine• ‘Smash Hits’ was a pop music magazine, aimed at teenagers and young

adults. It was originally published in the United Kingdom by magazine company distributor EMAP. The duration the magazine was sold till was 1978 to 2006, this magazine was issued fortnightly.

• Smash Hits was founded in 1978 by Nick Logan, who had previously edited the New Musical Express during one of its most creative periods.

• The first issue was published in November 1978 and featured the singer Blondie on the cover. The publication was initially monthly but switched to fortnightly after only four issues, which it remained until its downfall.

• The magazine was at its peak in the 1980s, launching the career of many journalists including Heat's editor Mark Frith.

• Since 1989 sales have declined, from there on weekly sales were 120,000 copies.

Why did it collapse?• During 1990s Smash Hits circulation slumped and it was overtaken by the

BBC's spin off magazine Top of the Pops. This increased unhealthy competition for the magazine. Emap's also turned their focus’s on their other biweekly teen magazine of the period Big! Big! Included featured a lot more content around celebrities and TV programmes such as 90210. When the magazine ‘Big!’ stopped issuing copies, most of the celeb focus that was mentioned in this was shifted and transferred onto ‘Smash Hits’.

• ‘Smash Hits’ had a niche target audience, however as soon as Emap’s focus’s turned more on the celebrities and the different genre’s of music, smash hits suffered as it got produced into a magazine which made the target audience feel that Smash Hits wasn’t Smash Hits anymore. They attempted to target a larger demographic, to increase sales and popularity. However this did not prove successful because they abounded their original loyal audience. Therefore, this was the starting point to their decline. This has be commented that “Smash hits revolutionised the world- but the world is a very different place.”

Further Reading-

• Here are the links to articles that I came across while doing my research. The articles are from BBC News and The Guardian. If you wish to read visit the following links.

• http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/feb/03/pressandpublishing.popandrock

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4673136.stm