Metal Hammer
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| Editor | Merlin Alderslade |
|---|---|
| Categories | Music magazine |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Publisher | Future Publishing |
| Total circulation (ABC Jan-Dec 15) |
20,961 |
| Founder | Wilfried F. Rimensberger, Jürgen Wigginghaus |
| Year founded | 1983 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Website | www.metalhammer.co.uk |
| ISSN | 0955-1190 |
Metal Hammer (sometimes MetalHammer) is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by TeamRock, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music.
On 19 December 2016, TeamRock called in the administrators with the loss of 73 jobs, after experiencing financial difficulties. TeamRock's stable of titles including Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, and Prog, suspended publication in December 2016.
On 8 January 2017, Metal Hammer, along with sister magazines Classic Rock and Prog, were bought by previous owners Future Publishing for £800,000.
London-based Wilfried F. Rimensberger instigated the concept of MetalHammer magazine in 1983. At the time, he suggested to the infant Kerrang! magazine in London that they should publish a German version, but the editors of the time were not interested. Rimensberger took the idea to Jürgen Wigginghaus, publisher of German MusikSzene magazine where Rimensberger was Chief-Editor, and proposed the idea of a multi-lingual rock music publication. He also approached some of Europe's largest publishers such as Springer, Ringier and Bauer, but none were interested.
Eventually, Wigginghaus used the Dortmunder Rocknacht as a test ground for the publication in Germany and Rimensberger started the international English version Metalhammer UK from London. He developed the multilingual concept that propelled the magazine to a monthly circulation of over 1 million and, during its peak, published in 11 different languages across the globe - at the time largely outselling Kerrang!. Metalhammer had local language editions in countries such as Israel, Japan, Serbia, Spain, The Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Hungary, France. Metalhammer was also the first Western youth publication in the Soviet Union. Rimensberger made up the original and, at the time, unique concept of a heavy metal lifestyle magazine which was embedded in a network of Metalhammer branded multi-national radio shows, awards, tours, festivals, recordings, etc. This organization made the publication into the leading genre platform of the 80's - and the global leader in his segment of the publishing market.
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