Metal Hammer

Last updated

Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer logo.svg
Metal Hammer January 2019 cover.jpg
January 2019 issue
EditorEleanor Goodman
Categories Music magazine
FrequencyMonthly
Publisher
Total circulation
(ABC Jan – Dec 2015 [1] )
20,961
Founder
  • Wilfried F. Rimensberger
  • Jürgen Wigginghaus
Founded1983
CountryUnited Kingdom
Based inLondon
LanguageEnglish
Website www.loudersound.com/metal-hammer
ISSN 0955-1190

Metal Hammer is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions published by different companies available in numerous other countries. Metal Hammer features news, reviews and long-form articles covering both major and underground bands in heavy metal, as well as covering rock, punk, grunge and other alternative music genres.

Contents

Publication history

Wilfried F. Rimensberger conceived Metal Hammer in 1983, [2] taking the idea of a rock magazine publishing in different languages to Jürgen Wigginghaus, publisher of the German magazine MusikSzene, where Rimensberger was chief editor. Wigginghaus helped launch the German edition of Metal Hammer soon after, while Rimensberger launched the flagship, English language version from London in November 1986, installing Harry Doherty, formerly of Melody Maker , as editor. The magazine would grow to be published in 11 different languages around the world, including local language editions in Israel, Japan, Serbia, Spain, The Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Hungary and France, also becoming the first Western youth publication in the Soviet Union.

Metal Hammer UK changed owners several times between the early 90s and late 2010s. It was bought by Dennis Publishing in 1994, where it remained for six years before being sold to Future in 2000. In 2013, start-up publisher TeamRock bought the magazine alongside sister titles Classic Rock and Prog , before Future bought all three brands back following the collapse of TeamRock in December 2016. [3] [4] [5]

In 2018, Future launched Louder, a new 'parent brand' for Metal Hammer, Classic Rock and Prog that would house all three magazines' respective websites. [6]

Metal Hammer Germany was sold separately to Axel Springer SE in 1999.

Brand extensions

Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards

The Golden Gods Awards were established in 2003 by then-editor Chris Ingham, designed to commemorate the biggest and most exciting names in heavy metal. The annual ceremony, featuring band performances in front of a live crowd, took place from 2003-2018. [7] [8] [9] Over the course of 15 years, the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden, Motörhead, Slipknot, Tony Iommi, Brian May, Dave Mustaine, Rob Zombie, Bill Bailey, Chris Jericho and more either performed or appeared at the awards. [10] [11] [12] [13]

Podcasts and radio shows

The Metal Hammer Podcast was launched in 2009, originally presented by Metal Hammer staff members James Gill and Terry Bezer and covering weekly news and events from the world of metal, as well as reviews of new albums from prominent artists. It'd go on to be presented by Merlin Alderslade, Stephen Hill and Amit Sharma, before being put on hold in 2013 as Metal Hammer launched The Metal Hammer Radio Show on TeamRock's newly founded digital radio station. [14] The radio show continued until 2018, when it was taken off air.

In 2016, Metal Hammer launched a limited ...In Residence series in partnership with Spotify, presented by Alderslade, Luke Morton and then-Metal Hammer editor-in-chief, Alexander Milas. The show produced six episodes featuring exclusive interviews with major metal artists, including Iron Maiden and Bring Me The Horizon. [15]

After a five-year hiatus, The Metal Hammer Podcast returned in 2018, hosted by Alderslade, Morton and Eleanor Goodman, staying on air for four more years before going back on hiatus in 2022. [16] [17]

Magazines in other territories

There remain independently owned Greek [18] and Italian [19] Metal Hammer publications, while Portuguese and Japanese (licensed from the Metal Hammer UK/Future) [20] editions of the publication were launched in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

In Germany, Metal Hammer is still published by Axel Springer SE. [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motörhead</span> British metal band

Motörhead were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by bassist and lead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister, guitarist Larry Wallis and drummer Lucas Fox. Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precursor to the new wave of British heavy metal, which re-energised heavy metal in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Though several guitarists and drummers have played in Motörhead, most of their best-selling albums and singles feature drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor and guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke.

<i>No More Tears</i> 1991 studio album by Ozzy Osbourne

No More Tears is the sixth studio album by English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne. Released on 17 September 1991, the album charted at number 17 on the UK Albums Chart and number seven on the US Billboard 200 albums chart. No More Tears spawned four singles which reached the top ten of the US Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, including the number two "Mama, I'm Coming Home", and the Grammy-winning track "I Don't Want to Change the World". Along with 1980's Blizzard of Ozz it is one of Osbourne's two best-selling solo albums in North America, having been certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA and double platinum by CRIA. It was Osbourne's final album to feature drummer Randy Castillo and longtime bassist and songwriter Bob Daisley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Schenker</span> German guitarist

Michael Schenker is a German guitarist. He played in the rock band UFO and leads the Michael Schenker Group (MSG). He was an early member of the hard rock band Scorpions, a band co-founded by his elder brother Rudolf Schenker. In the mid-1970s, Schenker joined UFO, playing lead and rhythm guitar. He left the band in 1978 to briefly rejoin Scorpions for the recording of Lovedrive, and then to form MSG. He has rejoined UFO three times, producing an album each time. Schenker continues to perform and record. He has been called "a legendary figure in the history of metal guitar."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monsters of Rock</span> Former heavy metal music festival

Monsters of Rock is a hard rock and heavy metal music festival. It was originally held annually in Castle Donington, England, from 1980 to 1996, taking place every year except 1989 and 1993. It later branched into other locations such as the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Sweden, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the United States, and Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joel McIver</span> British author (born 1971)

Joel McIver is a British author. His best-known work is Justice for All: The Truth About Metallica, first published in 2004 and appearing in nine languages since then. McIver's other works include biographies of Black Sabbath, Slayer, Thunder, Ice Cube, and Queens of the Stone Age. His writing appears in newspapers and magazines such as The Guardian, the Daily Telegraph and Classic Rock, and he is an occasional guest on BBC and commercial radio and television.

<i>Classic Rock</i> (magazine) British magazine

Classic Rock is a British magazine and website dedicated to rock music, owned and published by Future. It was launched in October 1998 and is based in London. The magazine publishes 13 editions a year, mainly covering rock bands from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, with the likes of Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, Queen, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith and Deep Purple amongst its most prominent cover stars. As well as veteran rock artists, Classic Rock also covers modern rock bands and releases, with Alter Bridge, Rival Sons, Halestorm, Ghost, Blackberry Smoke and the Struts amongst the younger artists to have appeared on its cover in recent years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airbourne (band)</span> Australian hard rock band

Airbourne are an Australian hard rock band formed in Warrnambool, Victoria, in late 2001. Founding members are Joel O'Keeffe on lead vocals and lead guitar, his younger brother Ryan O'Keeffe on drums and David Roads on rhythm guitar and backing vocals. They were joined by Justin Street on bass guitar and backing vocals in mid-2004. Roads amicably left in 2017, Mathew Harrison joined in 2018 and after a short tenure was replaced by Jarrad Morrice on rhythm guitar and backing vocals in mid-2022, who was replaced in turn by Brett Tyrrell in mid-2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Spiders</span> English rock band

Black Spiders are an English rock band based in Sheffield, England. Their third studio album entered the UK Rock Chart reaching No. 9. re-entering again at No. 28, after Record Store Day

<i>The Wörld Is Yours</i> 2010 studio album by Motörhead

The Wörld Is Yours is the twentieth studio album by British rock band Motörhead, released on 14 December 2010 as an exclusive edition, and a month later on 17 January 2011 as a standard release. It is dedicated by Lemmy to Ronnie James Dio who had died from cancer seven months earlier.

The Classic Rock Roll of Honour was an annual awards program that ran from 2005 to 2016. The awards were founded by Classic Rock Magazine. Winners of the awards were chosen by the awards team and voted on by readers of the magazine. Winners are announced at an annual awards show and featured in the magazine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bleed from Within</span> Scottish heavy metal band

Bleed from Within are a Scottish heavy metal band from Glasgow, formed in 2005. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Scott Kennedy, drummer Ali Richardson, bassist Davie Provan, lead guitarist Craig Gowans, and rhythm guitarist, clean vocalist Steven Jones. The band has released six studio albums and three EPs, with their latest Shrine released on 3 June 2022 through Nuclear Blast.

<i>Prog</i> (magazine) British magazine focused on progressive rock

Prog is a British magazine dedicated to progressive rock music, published by Future. The magazine, which is edited by Jerry Ewing, was launched in March 2009 as a spin-off from Classic Rock and covers both past and present artists. Other current staff are Natasha Scharf, Russell Fairbrother, Grant Moon, and Dave Everley.

The following is a list of the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards winners.

<i>Thunderbolt</i> (album) Album by Saxon

Thunderbolt is the twenty-second studio album by British heavy metal band Saxon, released on 2 February 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Portnoy discography</span>

This is a discography of works by American drummer Mike Portnoy. For information about recordings made by Dream Theater see Dream Theater discography.

References

  1. Ponsford, Dominic (11 February 2016). "2015 Magazine circulation". Press Gazette. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  2. Story in Metal Hammer Germany special edition 2009, celebrating the publication's 25th anniversary
  3. "Jobs lost as rock music media firm Team Rock collapses". BBC Business. 19 December 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  4. Mayhew, Freddy (2017-01-09). "Future buys back Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog magazines for £800k after collapse of Team Rock". Press Gazette. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
  5. Mayhew, Freddy (2016-12-22). "The inside story of Team Rock's sudden closure – 'my boss phoned and said it's all f****d'". Press Gazette. Retrieved 2023-08-02.
  6. "About Louder". loudersound. 2018-12-25. Retrieved 2022-06-28.
  7. "Metal Gods Arise!". Metal Hammer. 26 May 2015.
  8. "Marilyn Manson, Lemmy, Murder Dolls Attend Metal Hammer Awards: Photos Available". Blabbermouth.net . 5 June 2003. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  9. "ESP Bands Dominate Golden Gods Nominations". ESP Guitars. 25 March 2015. Archived from the original on 23 July 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  10. "Ozzy Osbourne wins Golden God award". The Argus. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
  11. "Motorhead win at Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards". prsformusic.com. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
  12. "UK: Black Sabbath crowned Golden Gods at Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards". BMG. 2017-06-13. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
  13. "Brian May interview: Metal Hammer Golden God Awards 2015". brianmay.com. 2015-06-15. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
  14. "Classic Rock and Metal Hammer's new owner to launch digital station". the Guardian. 2013-04-03. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
  15. "TeamRock to produce programmes for Spotify | Brands | Music Week". musicweek.com. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
  16. "Lockdown listening 6: The Metal Hammer podcast". musicweek.com. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
  17. "The Metal Hammer Podcast is Back". TeamRock. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  18. "Metal Hammer Greece homepage". Metal Hammer Greece.
  19. "Metal Hammer Italy homepage". Metal Hammer Italy.
  20. "Future announces launch of Metal Hammer Japan". inpublishing.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
  21. "Metal Hammer Germany". Metal Hammer (in German). Retrieved 31 March 2021.