''Disc'' was a weekly British popular music magazine, published between 1958 and 1975, when it was incorporated into ''

Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the '' NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in '' ...

''. 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 ''

''. It gained a reputation for its emphasis on

pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former descri ...

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 re ...

, in comparison with its more music-industry-focused rivals '' Melody Maker'' and '' New Musical Express''.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 In 1973, ''Discs awards were superseded by the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 British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with ...

(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 ''Mersey Beat'' was a music publication in Liverpool, England in the early 1960s. It was founded by Bill Harry, who was one of John Lennon's classmates at Liverpool Art College. The paper carried news about all the local Liverpool bands, and s ...

''. 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 Jon Savage (born Jonathan Malcolm Sage; 2 September 1953 in Paddington, London) is an English writer, broadcaster and music journalist, best known for his history of the Sex Pistols and punk music, ''England's Dreaming'', published in 199 ...

, 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 Penelope Ann Valentine (13 February 1943 – 9 January 2003) was a British music journalist, rock critic, and occasional television personality. Biography Penny Valentine was born in London, of Jewish and Italian ancestry. In 1959 she became ...

". In June 1966, it was the first magazine to feature, in colour, the notorious "butcher" cover for

the Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...

' 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. 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