Blues & Soul is a British music magazine covering black music. Genres covered include soul, R&B, jazz, hip hop, reggae and world music. Under its initial title, Home of the Blues, it was launched in May 1966 and is known for first using the term "Northern soul". The music journalism archive Rock's Backpages describes Blues & Soul as "a pioneering British music magazine" and "the longest running publication devoted to black music in the world".
The magazine was founded in 1966 by John Abbey, a devotee of American R&B music, when he was working for a travel agency in London. It soon gained popularity in the UK and Europe, and in issue number 12 changed its name to Blues & Soul. In addition to Abbey's contributions, material was provided by writers such as former Motown press officer Sharon Davis and British soul fan Dave Godin. The business gradually expanded and Abbey set up an associated record label, Contempo. Abbey moved to Atlanta, Georgia in the mid-1970s, and the editorship was taken over by Bob Killbourn in 1979. Another important contributor, David Nathan, began writing for Blues & Soul in the early 1970s, first in London, then from 1975 as the magazine's principal New York correspondent.
By 2006, the magazine had published 1000 issues.
In 2011, the magazine still exists online, helmed by editor Lee Tyler plus assistant editor (and long-time contributor) Pete Lewis. The magazine returned in printed form in August 2010 with a special vintage edition.
Examples of some of Lewis' more recent cover/header features include John Legend,Kelly Rowland and Maxwell. Soul acts recently covered include Lionel Richie,The Temptations and The Four Tops. Meanwhile, contemporary UK artists recently interviewed include Taio Cruz,Jay Sean and Corinne Bailey Rae.