Kerrang!

Kerrang!
source
Title	Kerrang!
Frequency	Weekly (historically)
Category	Music magazine
Firstdate	1981
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Kerrang! is a British music publication founded in 1981 that focuses on rock, punk, metal, hardcore, and alternative music scenes. The magazine grew from a one-off supplement into a weekly periodical and later diversified into radio, television, events, and digital media, covering artists, tours, albums, and festivals. Its editorial voice has been associated with bands across the spectrum from Black Sabbath and Metallica to Green Day and My Chemical Romance, and it has chronicled movements such as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, grunge, and post-hardcore.

History

Kerrang! originated as a spin-off from the Sounds music paper in 1981, born amid the rise of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and the global expansion of heavy rock. Early coverage featured bands like Iron Maiden, Motörhead, and Judas Priest while chronicling venues such as the Marquee Club and festivals like Reading Festival. During the 1990s the publication shifted alongside the emergence of grunge acts such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam, and later documented the mainstreaming of pop punk with artists including Blink-182 and Green Day. The 2000s saw extensive coverage of metalcore and post-hardcore bands such as Korn, Slipknot, Killswitch Engage, and My Chemical Romance, while the 2010s and 2020s expanded to include scenes around Bring Me the Horizon, Billie Eilish, and cross-genre collaborations. Corporate ownership and format changes mirrored wider media consolidation trends, involving companies like EMAP and later media groups with holdings in magazines, radio, and festivals. The title adapted to digital distribution, launching official websites, podcasts, and social channels that reported live from tours and events including Download Festival and Wacken Open Air.

Editorial Content and Features

Editorially, the magazine combined album reviews, photo features, interviews, and columnists, profiling figures such as Ozzy Osbourne, James Hetfield, Dave Grohl, Chad Kroeger, and Corey Taylor. Regular features spotlighted emerging artists via cover stories and a mixture of studio and live photography influenced by photographers who documented tours for Rolling Stone and NME. The publication produced listicles, charts, and retrospective pieces on seminal releases like Black Sabbath and Nevermind while engaging with scenes around labels such as Roadrunner Records, Epitaph Records, and Fueled by Ramen. Columnists and contributors often came from inside touring circles and festival production teams, focusing on backstage culture at events like Glastonbury Festival and Vans Warped Tour. Features explored production credits involving producers like Rick Rubin, Terry Date, and Steve Albini, equipment used by artists—Marshall amplifiers, Fender guitars—and the business of tours managed by companies such as AEG Presents.

Kerrang! Awards and Events

The magazine established awards and live events to celebrate artists across rock and metal, staging ceremonies that recognized acts including Avenged Sevenfold, Paramore, Foo Fighters, and System of a Down. Award shows often took place in London venues and incorporated live performances, broadcast tie-ins, and partnerships with promoters behind tours by Metallica, Slipknot, and Iron Maiden. The brand engaged with festivals like Download Festival, curated stages and supported emerging-artist showcases linked to independent venues and promoters such as Live Nation and SJM Concerts. Ancillary events included club nights, acoustic sessions with artists like Eddie Vedder and Amy Lee, and tribute nights honoring legacies such as the Glastonbury Festival headliners and Woodstock anniversaries.

Spin-offs and Media Extensions

Expansions included radio programming, television specials, podcasts, and compilation albums that featured tracks from established and emerging artists. The brand collaborated with broadcasters and streaming platforms to air interviews and live sessions with bands such as Muse, Linkin Park, Thirty Seconds to Mars, and Bring Me the Horizon. It produced special edition publications and books compiling interviews and photography, and worked with labels to release curated compilation CDs and digital playlists highlighting artists from Nuclear Blast, Century Media Records, and Sumerian Records. Collaborations with equipment manufacturers, instrument brands, and fashion labels brought branded merchandise and limited-edition releases to fans, while partnerships with ticketing agencies and promoters supported co-branded tours and festival stages.

Circulation, Influence, and Reception

At its peak print circulation the magazine was a leading voice in British and international rock journalism, influencing readerships that followed the rise of metal, grunge, punk rock, and alternative rock. Critics and academics of popular music have cited the title in discussions of subcultural identity alongside publications such as NME and Melody Maker. Reception among artists ranged from gratitude for exposure by emerging bands to criticism from veterans over editorial stances during cultural shifts; nonetheless, it remained a barometer for trends affecting labels like Island Records, Columbia Records, and independent imprints. The brand’s digital presence and events continue to shape conversations around touring cycles, album releases, and festival programming involving venues, promoters, and artists across the rock and metal spectrum.

Category:Music magazines Category:British magazines Category:Music journalism