Music Magazine Readership: Metal Hammer

Age:

This particular magazine has been in circulation since 1986, but instead of attracting older Metal fans the average age of readers for this magazine is around 22. This age demographic is high enough to bring about expectations of maturity within the magazine, without leaving the magazine inaccessible to mature teen audiences. For example, although the average age is 22, the magazine could be said to be 'appropriate' for readers aged 16-40.

One way that the magazine achieves a large appropriate age range is by covering Metal or alternative rock groups from all different periods and genres.

In this particular front cover for example, Metal Hammer has made this false rivalry of "Slash Vs Avenged (Sevenfold)." As if to include both the slightly older fans of the guitarist known as 'Slash' (who's career perhaps peaked in the late 1980's with the group 'Gun's 'n' Roses') with the much more recently famous 'Avenged Sevenfold' (breakthrough album 'City of Evil' 2005)

Gender:

Having looked through a few dozen front covers for Metal Hammer, I was not able to find a single one with a female artist on the front cover (not to say there isn't one). This is perhaps proof of the male-orientated nature of the magazine. Reflected in it's astonishing audience demographic that is 85% male dominated. 

In the June 2012 issue, Metal Hammer did coverage of the band "Butcher Babies" and released this poster with it.
Needless to say if the audience for the magazine was less male orientated there likely would have been more controversy over such an image.

Another example of sexism on Metal Hammer's own website, with the same offending band. This time being interviewed, while there are no graphic images there is descriptive text which is very blasé about the degradation of women. The link will be provided at the end of this post, but two extracts from the offending texts would be "self-proclaimed slut-metal L.A superstarlets" or "Warning: Contains reference to nipple tape." 

These are the more "extreme" moments of sexism, and the magazine aims more to be humorous or to engage with a targeted male demographic than they mean to cause offence.

Price and Publisher:

The average price of Metal Hammer is £4:25 and an issue is released once a month, with a special issue once a year. This price sits higher than Kerrang (£2.20) or Rocksound (£3.60) primarily because of it's higher quality but also because of it's more mature demographic that would have some source of income (Kerrang certainly is more for teenagers) Metal Hammer is able to charge a higher price for it's product.

According to ABC, Metal Hammer suffered a slight decline in popularity comparing 2010 with 2011. With 41,800 subscribers in 2010, and only 35,200 in 2011. This is a decline of 15.7% and could be quite serious in terms of the stability of the magazine.

The publisher for Metal Hammer is 'Future' (PLC).

Future Publishing is also the publisher of these other music magazines, most of these being steered towards guitarists and rock music genre:

• Classic Rock
• Computer Music
• Future Music
• Guitar Techniques
• Guitarist
• Total Guitar

Advertising and Sponsors:

In a survey, 80% of those that were subscribed to Metal Hammer said they were often persuaded by information in the magazine to go and buy a new or previously released album.
Although ABC reported a slight decline in readership, the magazine holds promising opportunities in it's power of advertising. Nearly 30% of the magazine itself is comprised of adverts. The subject of these adverts are:

• Band merchandise
• Band tours
• Music festivals
• Music Instruments (both secondhand from other readers, or brand new)
• CD's (often covered within that issue, or a later issue or a previous issue to inform the reader)

Metal Hammer is sponsored by several different companies, one of the notable sponsors is Thomann guitars.




Being sponsored by a guitar manufacturer, as well as published by Future an avid supporter of guitarists, Metal Hammer then carries on the implication that the magazine itself is primarily a Metal magazine but with the admiration of guitarists in mind.

The second sponsor to be mentioned is the Heavy-metal enthusiasts favorite music channel 'Scuzz'. The simple reason for a pairing of the music channel and the metal magazine is that they target essentially the same demographics and benefit from the prosperity and popularity of the other.

Summary:

• Average age 22
• First started in 1986
• 85% Male readers
• Appropriate for both mature teens and adults
• 15.7% decline in readership from 2010 to 2011
• 30% of the magazine is adverts
• Costs £4.25 
• 13 Issues a year
• Active website for the magazine
• 80% of readers encouraged to buy a CD after reading
• Published by 'Future' publishers

Sources Used:

http://www.theadindex.com/Advert_Displays/Metal_Hammer__9271.asp?ServicePage=3

http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/abc-classic-rock-readership-slips-12-yoy-metal-hammer-loses-65k/048101

http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/tag/butcher-babies/

http://www.futureplc.com/what-we-do/portfolios/music/

http://magpie-moth.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/metal-hammer-butcher-babies-poster.html