''Disc'' was a weekly British popular music magazine, published between 1958 and 1975, when it was incorporated into '' Record Mirror''. It was also known for periods as ''Disc Weekly '' (1964–1966) and ''Disc and Music Echo '' (1966–1972).

Background

It first published on 8 February 1958, with the main competition being '' Record Mirror''. It gained a reputation for its emphasis on pop music as reflected in the

music charts A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of recorded music according to certain criteria during a given period. Many different criteria are used in worldwide charts, often in combination. These include r ...

, in comparison with its more music-industry-focused rivals ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...

'' and ''

New Musical Express ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

''.Jon Savage, ''The magazine explosion'', ''The Guardian'', 6 September 2009
/ref>
/ref> Its pop music charts were based on its own sample of shops, initially no more than 25 in number, but expanding to about 100 by the mid-1960s. It also awarded silver discs (for UK sales of 250,000) and gold discs (for UK sales of 1,000,000) from 1959 until 1973. Awards were based on sales figures submitted by record companies. In 1973, ''Discs awards were superseded by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) setting up an 'official' certification award system. It was renamed ''Disc Weekly'' between 5 December 1964 and 16 April 1966.The British pop charts at SixtiesCity
/ref> In 1966, it was incorporated with ''Music Echo'' magazine, which had itself previously taken over '' Mersey Beat''. The new magazine was known as ''Disc and Music Echo'' (with the name "Disc" shown more prominently on the masthead), from 23 April 1966. Unlike the other weekly magazines of the time, it featured colour photos on its front and back pages. According to journalist Jon Savage, it featured "bang-up-to-the-minute news stories on the front page, race-track-style chart rundowns ... a contentious readers' postbag... and incisive singles reviews by the great Penny Valentine". In June 1966, it was the first magazine to feature, in colour, the notorious "butcher" cover for the Beatles' US album '' Yesterday and Today'', under the headline "Beatles: What a Carve-up!" Contributors to the magazine included Jack Good, in the early 1960s and, later in the decade,

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...

. Cartoonist in the 1970s was J Edward Oliver, who continued in ''Record Mirror'' from 1975 to 1977. Disc dropped the name ''Music Echo'' from its title in 1972, and continued to be published until 30 August 1975, when it merged with ''Record Mirror''. Musicians Marc Bolan, Paul McCartney, Mike Batt and others wrote them personal notes lamenting their closure.https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=917123971786207&set=gm.2045659882348763&type=3&ifg=1

References

{{Reflist 1958 establishments in the United Kingdom 1975 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Defunct magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines established in 1958 Magazines disestablished in 1975 Music magazines published in the United Kingdom Weekly magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines published in London