Q (magazine)

Q
	File:Q logo.png
Editor	Paul Rees
Categories	Music
Frequency	Monthly
Publisher	Bauer
First issue	1986
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Website	www.q4music.com

Q is a music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom, with a circulation of 130,179 as of June 2007^[1].

Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology — from artists such as Paul Simon, Level 42, and Dire Straits. Modeled after Rolling Stone, Q was first published in 1986, setting itself apart from much of the other music press with monthly production and higher standards of photography and printing. In the early years, the magazine was sub-titled "The modern guide to music and more". Originally it was to be called Cue (as in the sense of cueing a record, ready to play), but the name was changed so that it wouldn't be mistaken for a snooker magazine. Another reason, cited in Q's 200th edition, is that a single-letter title would be more prominent on newsstands.

Content

The magazine has an extensive review section, featuring: new releases (music), reissues (music), music compilations, film and live concert reviews as well as radio and television reviews. It uses a star rating system from one to five stars, indeed the rating an album receives in Q is often added to print and television advertising for the album in the UK and Ireland. It also compiles a list of approximately eight albums, which it classes as the best new releases of the last three months.

Much of the magazine is devoted to interviews with popular musical artists.

The magazine is well known for compiling lists; it has made lists ranging from "The 100 Greatest albums" to the "100 Greatest '100 Greatest' Lists". The most famous of these is the classic "50 bands to see before you die". Every other month Q and its sister magazine Mojo (also owned by Bauer), have a special edition magazine — these magazines have been about musical times, genres, or very important musicians.

Often promotional gifts are given away with the magazine, such as cover-mounted CDs or books. The January 2006 issue included a free copy of "The Greatest Rock and Pop Miscellany … Ever!", modelled on Schott's Original Miscellany.

Every issue of Q has a different message on the spine. Readers then work out what the message has to do with the contents of the magazine. This practice — known as the "spine line" — has since become commonplace among British lifestyle magazines, including Q's movie-centric sister magazine Empire, and the football monthly FourFourTwo.

Usual features include The Q50, wherein the magazine lists the top 50 essential tracks of the month; Cash for Questions, in which a famous celeb answers question sent in by readers, who win £25 if their question is printed; Ten Commandments, where a particular singer create their very own ten commandments by which to live; and Rewind, in which the magazine takes us back in time through the history of music through archive issues of Q. On March 4, 2007, "Q" named Elvis Presley the greatest singer of all time.

Q today

Q's current editor is Paul Rees, former editor of the UK edition of Kerrang!, another musical Bauer publication based on heavier rock/metal music.

In 2006, Q published a readers' survey; the 100 Greatest Songs Ever, won by Oasis' Live Forever.[1]

In the April 2007 issue, Q published an article containing the 100 Greatest Singers, won by Elvis Presley.[2]

Q has a history of associating with charitable organizations, and in 2006 the British anti-poverty charity War on Want was named its official charity.

Other Q brands

The company behind the magazine, Bauer, also produces a digital "radio station" called Q Radio, which is transmitted on the digital television networks in the UK, across London on DAB and online. The station was in Jukebox format playing continuous tracks until June 2 2008 when Bauer, 'Relaunched' the station with a line up of DJs and programmes. Coldplay were involved with the launch of the station by giving an exclusive interview on Q's flagship promgramme QPM on the launch day. There is also a Q TV television channel in the UK. Q also holds a yearly awards ceremony called the Q Awards.