±±¾©Èü³µpk10

IPC Media's music and movies monthly Uncut has put on 7,717 extra sales since July, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulation, a 9.2% rise period on period and a very healthy 24.6% jump year on year. The rise brings it threateningly close, at 91,204, to its rival Mojo, published by Emap. Mojo was up, rising 0.3% period on period and 3.7% year on year to 100,418, only some 9,000 copies ahead of Uncut.

It is under attack, however, by Uncut, which is supported by a covermount CD each issue and is beginning 2003 with CDs dedicated to cover versions of David Bowie and Bruce Springsteen songs. Neither, though, is under any threat from Future Publishing's Classic Rock, which, while increasing a huge 26.7% increase year on year and rising 4.5% in the past six months, is still lagging well behind at 40,271.

There was good news as well for Kerrang! and NME. Emap's Kerrang! still rules the weekly market with a stabilising circulation of 84,173, up 0.2% in the six-month period and rising 9.5% year on year. Emap promoted Ashley Bird from within the title to edit Kerrang! when Paul Rees moved over to edit Q in October and is up against a resurgent NME. IPC's music title appears to benefiting under new editor Conor McNicholas, who joined from dance music title Muzik in June. NME, the oldest remaining music weekly, is gaining ground on Kerrang!, up 1.8% period on period and 4.10% year on year to 73,338.

Not all titles, though, had such good news. Q, under former Kerrang! editor Paul Rees who took over from Danny Eccleston in October, has clawed back a number of readers in the past six months, up 12% period on period to 180,215. This, however, has to be offset against a 10.2% fall year on year from 200,636 in December 2001.

Heavy metal monthly Metal Hammer took a hammering too. It fell 11.3% year on year and 19.4% period on period to 35,536. The fall has prompted changes at the Future-published title, which yesterday announced a substantial promotional push, including covermount CD, an increase in pagination and an editorial refocus away from nu-metal to rock and heavy metal.

If the situation is tough for Q and Metal Hammer, it is dire in the world of dance music. After the closure of Ministry of Sound in December, the two remaining magazines are scrapping for an ever-decreasing audience. Emap's Mixmag is in severe decline, dropping 18.9% period on period and 34.7% year on year to 60,070. IPC's Muzik, which appointed a new editor Malik Meer in August to replace the NME-bound McNicholas, hardly fares any better, up 0.2% period on period, but slipping 11% year on year to 40,550. What must be worrying for both publishers, however, is the fact that neither picked up readers from the closed Ministry.

If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .