Disc (magazine)

Disc was a weekly British popular music magazine, published between 1958 and 1975, when it was incorporated into Record Mirror. It was also known for periods as Disc Weekly (1964–1966) and Disc and Music Echo (1966–1972). Note: Before 1958 a quarterly magazine existed named disc. It was founded in 1947 and dealt with classical music. It could not grow nor could it maintain a modest position on the market which was dominated by The Gramophone (later reduced to Gramophone. After the publication was discontinued the title was available. Hence 'Disc' appeared as a new magazine.

Background

It first published on 8 February 1958, with the main competition being Record Mirror. It gained a reputation for its emphasis on pop music as reflected in the music charts, in comparison with its more music-industry-focused rivals Melody Maker and New Musical Express.^[1][2] Its pop music charts were based on its own sample of shops, initially no more than 25 in number, but expanding to about 100 by the mid-1960s. It also awarded silver discs (for UK sales of 250,000) and gold discs (for UK sales of 1,000,000) from 1959 until 1973. Awards were based on sales figures submitted by record companies. In 1973, Disc's awards were superseded by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) setting up an 'official' certification award system.^[3] It was renamed Disc Weekly between 5 December 1964 and 16 April 1966.^[4]

In 1966, it was incorporated with Music Echo magazine, which had itself previously taken over Mersey Beat. The new magazine was known as Disc and Music Echo (with the name "Disc" shown more prominently on the masthead),^[2] from 23 April 1966. Unlike the other weekly magazines of the time, it featured colour photos on its front and back pages.^[5] According to journalist Jon Savage, it featured "bang-up-to-the-minute news stories on the front page, race-track-style chart rundowns ... a contentious readers' postbag... and incisive singles reviews by the great Penny Valentine".^[1] In June 1966, it was the first magazine to feature, in colour, the notorious "butcher" cover for the Beatles' US album Yesterday and Today, under the headline "Beatles: What a Carve-up!"^[6]

Contributors to the magazine included Jack Good in the early 1960s and, later in the decade, John Peel. It dropped the name Music Echo from its title in 1972, and continued to be published until 30 August 1975, when it merged with Record Mirror.^[4] Musician Marc Bolan wrote them a personal note lamenting their closure.^[7]

References