Part of a page from a late 1969 issue of Melody Maker, covering King Crimson just as the news that group co-founders Michael Giles and Ian McDonald were leaving.

Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper.^[1] It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival"^[1] (and IPC Media sister publication) New Musical Express. The Gibson Melody Maker is an electric guitar that is similar to a Gibson Les Paul but with only one single-coil pick-up near the bridge; other differences from its Les Paul counterparts include differences in width to the standard and classic at the 1st fret (20 millimeters thinner... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1275x1310, 306 KB) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1275x1310, 306 KB) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This article is about the musical group. ... King Crimson is a musical group founded by guitarist Robert Fripp and drummer Michael Giles in 1968. ... Ian McDonald (born June 25, 1946) is an English multi-instrumental musician, best known as a founding member of progressive rock group King Crimson, formed in 1969, and the hard rock band Foreigner in 1976. ... IPC Media the UKs leading consumer magazine publisher, with an unrivalled portfolio of brands, selling over 350 million copies each year. ... For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ... See also: 1925 in music, other events of 1926, 1927 in music and the list of years in music. Events June 26 - Václav Talich conducts the world premiered of Leos Janaceks Sinfonietta in Prague October 21 - Carl Nielsens Flute Concerto is given its world premiere in Paris... For the popular-music magazine, see Musician (magazine). ... This is a summary of 2000 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year. ... The New Musical Express (better known as the NME) is a weekly magazine about popular music published in the UK. It is unlike many other popular music magazines due to its intended focus on guitar-based music and indie rock bands, instead of mainstream pop acts. ...

1950s-1960s

With its focus on jazz, Melody Maker (MM) was slow to cover the emergence of rock and roll - one notorious editorial describing the new music as "a flash in the pan"^{[citation needed]} - and as a result, lost ground to the New Musical Express (NME), which had begun publishing in 1952. MM began its Melody Maker LP charts in November 1958, two years after the Record Mirror published the first UK Albums Chart.^[2] For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Look up editorial, op-ed in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Record Mirror was a British weekly music newspaper. ... The UK Albums Chart is a chart of the sales positions of albums in the United Kingdom. ...

In its issue of March 6, 1965, MM called for The Beatles to be honoured by the British state, which indeed happened on June 12 that year when all four of the band were awarded the MBE. The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... The British honours system is a means of rewarding individuals personal bravery, achievement or service to the United Kingdom. ... “UK” redirects here. ... Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions, in order of seniority: Knight or Dame Grand Cross...

By the late 1960s, MM had recovered its momentum, targeting an older, more sophisticated market than the teen-oriented NME (which sometimes poked fun at the earnestness of its rival, dubbing it 'Monotony Maker'^{[citation needed]}). Considerably more bulky than its competitor, it had a much larger and more specialised advertising section, in the pages of which many soon-to-be well-known groups would advertise for musicians to join them, and ran pages devoted to "minority" interests like folk and jazz, as well as detailed reviews of musical instruments. Folk song redirects here. ...

A 1968 Melody Maker poll named John Peel Best Radio DJ, attention which John Walters much later revealed may have helped Peel keep his job despite concerns at BBC Radio 1 about Peel's style and obscure record selection.^[3] For other persons named John Peel, see John Peel (disambiguation). ... John Walters (May 16, 1938 – July 30, 2001) was a British radio producer and presenter and musician and educated at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. ... BBC Radio 1 (commonly referred to as just Radio 1) is a British national radio station operated by the BBC, specialising in popular music and speech and is aimed primarily at the 14-29[1] age group. ...

1970s

Its circulation continued to increase, and by the 1970s, under the editorship of Ray Coleman, MM was selling 250,000 copies a week.^{[citation needed]} Critics such as Richard Williams, Chris Welch and Steve Lake were among the first British journalists to write seriously about popular music, shedding an intellectual light on such artists as Steely Dan, Led Zeppelin and Henry Cow, while the veteran Max Jones continued the paper's coverage of jazz. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... Promotional photograph of author Ray Coleman, from the back cover of his final book, Phil Collins: The Definitive Biography. ... Richard Williams (born 1949 in Sheffield) is a British music and sports journalist. ... Chris Welch was reviewer and critic with Melody Maker during the 1960s and 1970s, reporting on the rise of such bands as The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Traffic, If, as well as Cream. ... Steely Dan is a Grammy-Award winning American jazz rock band centered on core members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. ... For the bands 1969 eponymous debut album, see Led Zeppelin (album). ... Henry Cow was an English avant-garde rock group, founded at Cambridge University in 1968 by multi-instrumentalists Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson. ...

The Melody Maker was strongly supportive of the glam rock and progressive rock movements of the early 1970s. However, when punk came along around 1976, Melody Maker lagged behind rivals Sounds and NME in embracing the upheaval; of MM's staff, only Caroline Coon was strongly positive towards the new music.^{[citation needed]} It took some years for the paper's sales and prestige to recover. Glam rock (also known as glitter rock), is a style of rock music, which initially surfaced in the post-hippie early 1970s. ... For the Swedish political music movement, see progg. ... Sounds was a British music paper, published weekly from October 10, 1970 – April 6, 1991. ... Caroline Coon is a British artist, journalist and political activist, born in 1945. ...

1980s

By 1983, the magazine had become more populist and pop-orientated, exemplified by its modish "MM" masthead and its choice of Eurythmics' Touch as the best album of the year. Things were to change, however. In February 1984 Allan Jones, an irreverent journalist noted for his sardonic, boozy interviews with the likes of Lou Reed and Ozzy Osbourne, was appointed editor: defying instructions to put Kajagoogoo on the cover, he instead led the magazine with an article on up-and-coming band The Smiths. For the approach to music education, see Eurhythmics. ... Touch is the third album by New Wave duo Eurythmics (Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart), released in 1983 (see 1983 in music). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Lou Reed, born Lewis Allen Reed[1] March 2, 1942, is an American rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. ... Ozzy redirects here. ... Kajagoogoo were a British pop band best known for their first single, Too Shy, which reached number one in the UK Singles Chart and number five in the U.S Billboard Hot 100 in 1983. ... The Smiths were an English rock band active from 1982 to 1987. ...

In 1986, MM was further invigorated by the arrival of a group of journalists, including Simon Reynolds and David Stubbs, who had previously run a music fanzine called Monitor from the University of Oxford, and Chris Roberts, an exile from Sounds, who established MM as the more individualistic and intellectual of the music weeklies. This was especially true after the "hip-hop wars" at NME - a schism between enthusiasts of progressive black music such as Public Enemy and Mantronix and fans of traditional white rock - ended in a victory for the latter faction, the departure of writers such as Mark Sinker and Biba Kopf, and the rise of Andrew Collins and Stuart Maconie, who pushed NME in a more populist direction. Simon Reynolds (born 1963 in London), is an influential British music critic who is well-known for his writings on electronic dance music and for coining the term post-rock. ... David Stubbs is a British journalist. ... A fanzine (see also: zine) is a nonprofessional publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) for the pleasure of others who share their interest. ... The University of Oxford (informally Oxford University), located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... Sounds was a British music paper, published weekly from October 10, 1970 – April 6, 1991. ... Public Enemy, also known as PE, is a hip hop group from Long Island, New York, known for their politically charged lyrics, criticism of the media, and active interest in the concerns of the African American community. ... Mantronix was an innovative and influential 1980s old school hip-hop and electro funk music group led by DJ and keyboardist-programmer Kurtis Mantronik (Kurtis el Khaleel), and MC MC Tee (Touré Embden). ... Mark Sinker (born 7 June 1960) is a British writer (educated at Shrewsbury School and New College, Oxford). ... For other persons of the same name, see Andrew Collins. ... Stuart Maconie (b. ...

1990s

While MM continued to devote most space to rock and indie music (notably Everett True's coverage of the emerging grunge scene in Seattle), it was willing to cover dance music, hip hop and less commercial genres such as post rock and electronica. Even in the mid-1990s, when Britpop had brought a new generation of readers to the weekly music press, it remained less populist than its rivals, with younger writers such as Simon Price, Taylor Parkes and Neil Kulkarni continuing the 80s tradition of iconoclasm and subjective, opinionated criticism. The paper printed harsh criticism of the likes of Ocean Colour Scene and Kula Shaker, and allowed dissenting views on Oasis and Blur at a time when they were universally praised by the rest of the music press. This article is about the genre. ... in music that is characterized by its perceived independence from mainstream or pop culture as a whole. ... Everett True (born Jerry Thackray in 1960 or 1961) is a British music journalist, who grew up in Chelmsford, Essex. ... Grunge music (sometimes also referred to as the Seattle Sound) is an independent-rooted music genre that became a commercially successful offshoot of hardcore punk, thrash metal, and alternative rock in the late 1980s and early 1990s. ... City nickname Emerald City City bird Great Blue Heron City flower Dahlia City mottos The City of Flowers The City of Goodwill City song Seattle, the Peerless City Mayor Greg Nickels County King County Area   - Total   - Land   - Water   - % water 369. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Hip hop is a cultural movement that began amongst urban African American youth in New York and has since spread around the world. ... Post-rock is a music genre characterized by the use of musical instruments commonly associated with rock music (typically a line-up of two electric guitars, an electric bass guitar and a drum set), but utilizing rhythms, harmonies, melodies and chord progressions that are unorthodox in rock and roll. ... Electronica refers to a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; but unlike electronic dance music, is not specifically focused on the dance floor. ... Britpop was a mid-1990s British alternative rock genre and movement. ... Simon Price. ... Ocean Colour Scene (often abbreviated to OCS) are an English rock band from Birmingham. ... Kula Shaker are an English multi-platinum selling psychedelic rock band who came to prominence during the Britpop era. ... Oasis are an English rock band that formed in Manchester in 1991. ... Blur were an English rock band that formed in Colchester in 1989. ...

The magazine retained its large classified ads section, and remained the first port of call for bands seeking musicians, and musicians seeking bands. Many of the groups covered in MM (most famously Suede) had originally been formed through ads placed in the paper itself. It also continued to publish a section featuring reviews of musical equipment and reader-submitted demo tapes - though this often had little in common stylistically with the rest of the paper - ensuring sales to the kind of jobbing musicians who would otherwise have had little interest in the music press. Suede (or The London Suede in the U.S.) were a popular and influential English rock band of the 1990s that helped start the Britpop musical movement of the decade. ... For other uses, see demo. ...

In early 1997 Allan Jones left MM to edit Uncut. He was replaced, somewhat controversially^{[citation needed]}, by Mark Sutherland, formerly of the NME and Smash Hits, who "fulfilled his boyhood dream"^[4]by editing the magazine for three years. Many long-standing writers left, often moving to Uncut, with at least one writer, Simon Price, departing specifically because he objected to a new edict that all coverage of Oasis should be positive. Its sales, which had for some time been substantially lower than those of the NME, entered a serious decline. Uncut special issue on Queen. ... The cover of a May 1981 edition of Smash Hits magazine Smash Hits was a pop music based magazine, aimed at children and young teenagers, and originally published in the United Kingdom. ... Simon Price. ... Oasis are an English rock band that formed in Manchester in 1991. ...

In 1999, MM was relaunched as a glossy magazine, a move which in retrospect hastened its demise. It folded in 2000, officially merging with the NME (long published by the same company, IPC Media), which took on some of its journalists and (initially) its musical instrument reviews section. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... IPC Media the UKs leading consumer magazine publisher, with an unrivalled portfolio of brands, selling over 350 million copies each year. ... For other uses, see Journalist (disambiguation). ...

Bands using MM adverts

Advertisements in Melody Maker helped assemble the lineups of a number of major bands, including:

• Bill Bruford placed an ad in 1968 that was answered by Jon Anderson and Chris Squire to form the founding lineup of Yes.^[5]
• Rick Davies, backed financially by Dutch millionaire Stanley August Miesegaes, formed Supertramp, the "band of his dreams" in 1969.^[6]
• Deep Purple found the then-unknown David Coverdale in 1973.^[7]
• Vince Clarke of Erasure found Andy Bell in 1985.^[8]
• The original members of Suede recruited guitarist Bernard Butler in 1989.^[9]
• Steve Hackett of Genesis put an ad in MM that was answered by the band frontman Peter Gabriel in 1971. ^[10]
• Wang Chung got its start when Jack Hues met Nick Feldman after answering Feldman's ad for a musician in 1977.^[11]
• Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins placed an ad in the late 80s that was answered by Jimmy Chamberlain.

William Scott Bruford (born May 17, 1949 in Sevenoaks, Kent, England), better known as Bill Bruford, is an influential British drummer who is recognised for his forceful, highly precise, polyrhythmic style. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Christopher Russell Edward Squire (born 4 March 1948), better known as Chris Squire is an English musician and the bassist and backing vocalist for the progressive rock group Yes, and is the only member of the group to appear on every album (co-founder Jon Anderson appeared on all but... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Rick Davies, 2002 Rick Davies (born Richard Davies, 22 July 1944, Eastcott Hill, Swindon, Wiltshire, England) is a British musician, who is the founder and a member of the rock band Supertramp. ... Stanley August Miesegaes is a Dutch millionare and co-creator of Supertramp. ... This article is about the band. ... // Perhaps the two most famous musical events of 1969 were concerts. ... This article is about the rock band. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... // January 9 - Mick Jaggers request for a Japanese visa is rejected on account of a 1969 drug bust, putting an abrupt end to The Rolling Stones plans to tour Asia. ... Vince Clarke (born Vincent John Martin, South Woodford, London, England, July 3, 1960) is an English pop musician and songwriter, who has been involved with a number of successful pop groups, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly and Erasure. ... This article is about the a musical group Erasure. ... Andy Bell (born Andrew Ivan Bell, 25 April 1964 in Peterborough, England) is the lead singer of the English Synthpop duo Erasure. ... See also: other events of 1985 Musical groups established in 1985 Record labels established in 1985 list of years in music 1980s in music // January 28 - Various artists, including Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Steve Perry, Kenny Loggins, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Kenny... Suede (or The London Suede in the U.S.) were a popular and influential English rock band of the 1990s that helped start the Britpop musical movement of the decade. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... See also: 1989 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1989 Record labels established in 1989 // January 7 - Genesis 88 and Sunrise/Back to the Future stage large-scale illegal Acid House party in London January 14 - Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in Russia. ... Steve Hackett (born Stephen Richard Hackett on February 12, 1950, in Pimlico, England) is a writer and guitarist. ... Genesis are an English rock band formed in 1967. ... Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950, in Cobham,[1] Surrey, England) is an English musician. ... Wang Chung is a British New Wave music group. ... Jack Hues (born Jeremy Allan Ryder, 10 December 1954, in Gillingham, Kent, England) was in the 1980s rock band Wang Chung, and is the father of the former EastEnders actor, Jack Ryder. ... Nick Feldman (born Nicholas Laurence Feldman on May 1, 1955) is an English musician, who is best known for forming the popular 1980s British new wave band, Wang Chung. ... William Patrick Corgan, Jr. ... The Smashing Pumpkins (circa 1995) left to right: James Iha, DArcy, Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin. ... Jimmy Chamberlin (born June 10, 1964, Joliet, Illinois) is a musician, best known as the drummer for the rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. ...

Trivia

The name of the French band Daft Punk was inspired from a lukewarm Melody Maker review, branding their first efforts under the name Darlin' "a bunch of daft punk".^{[citation needed]} Daft Punk is a duo consisting of Paris musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo (born February 8, 1974)[1] and Thomas Bangalter (born January 3, 1975). ...

References