Cover of the 30 March 2013 issue of Kerrang! Featuring (from left to right) M. Shadows, Vic Fuentes, Mark Hoppus, Oliver Sykes, and Billie Joe Armstrong
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Editor | James McMahon |
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Frequency | Weekly |
Publisher | Bauer Media Group |
Total circulation (June-Dec 2015) |
24,207 |
Founder | Alan Lewis |
First issue | 6 June 1981 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Based in | London |
Language | English |
Website | kerrang |
ISSN | 0262-6624 |
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music, currently published by Hamburg based Bauer Media Group. It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper. Named after the onomatopoeic word that derives from the sound made when playing a power chord on a distorted electric guitar, Kerrang! was initially devoted to the new wave of British heavy metal and the rise of hard rock acts. In the early 2000s it became the best-selling British music newspaper.
Kerrang! was founded in 1981. The magazine commenced publication on 6 June 1981 and was edited by Geoff Barton, initially as a one-time supplement in the Sounds newspaper, which focused on the new wave of British heavy metal phenomenon and on the rise of other hard rock acts.Angus Young of AC/DC appeared on Kerrang!'s first cover. Launched as a monthly magazine, Kerrang! began to appear on a fortnightly basis later, and in 1987 it went weekly. The original owner was United Newspapers who then sold it to EMAP in 1991.
During the 1980s and early 1990s the magazine placed many thrash and glam metal acts on the cover (like Mötley Crüe, Slayer, Bon Jovi, Metallica, Poison, and Venom) but later discarded them when grunge acts such as Nirvana rose to fame. Readers often criticise the magazine for repeating this process every time a new musical trend becomes popular.