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Mojo(magazine)

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Mojo
February 2008 issue ofMojo
EditorJohn Mulvey (Nov 2017–present)
CategoriesMusic magazine
FrequencyMonthly
Total circulation
(Dec 2022)		62,733
First issueNovember 1993
CompanyBauer Media Group
CountryEngland
Based inLondon
LanguageEnglish
Websitemojo4music.com
ISSN1351-0193

Mojo(stylised inall caps) is apopular musicmagazinepublished monthly in the United Kingdom, initially byEmap,and since January 2008 byBauer.Following the success of the magazineQ,publishers Emap were looking for a title that would cater for the burgeoning interest inclassic rockmusic. The magazine was designed to appeal to the 30 to 45-plus age group, or thebaby boomergeneration.[1]Mojowas first published on 15 October 1993.[1]In keeping with its classic rock aesthetic, the first issue hadBob DylanandJohn Lennonas its first cover stars. Noted for its in-depth coverage of both popular and cult acts, it acted as the inspiration forBlenderandUncut.Many noted music critics have written for it, includingCharles Shaar Murray,Greil Marcus,Nick Kent,David Fricke,Jon SavageandMick Wall.The launch editor ofMojowasPaul Du Noyer[2][3]and his successors have includedMat Snow,Paul Trynka,Pat Gilbert and Phil Alexander. The current editor is John Mulvey.

While some criticise it for its frequent coverage of classic rock acts such asthe Beatles,David BowieandBob Dylan,it has nevertheless featured many newer and "left-field" acts. It was the first mainstream magazine in the UK to focus onthe White Stripes,and it continues to cover emerging acts. Modern cover stars of recent years have includedLana Del ReyandArctic Monkeys.Every issue of Mojo published since its inception (apart from Mojo #88 and Mojo #125) has featured an article onColin Blunstone.

Mojoregularly includes acovermountCD that ties in with a current magazine article or theme. It introduced theMojoHonours List,an awards ceremony that is a mixture of readers' and critics' awards, in 2004.

In early 2010,Mojowas involved in a controversial move by its new parent company, Bauer, to unilaterally impose a new contract on all photographers and writers, taking away their copyright, and offloading liability forlibelorcopyright infringementfrom the publisher onto the contributor. Two hundred photographers and writers fromMojoand Bauer's other music magazines,Kerrang!andQ,were reported as refusing to work under the new terms.[4]

Lists[edit]

More recently, the magazine has taken to publishing many "Top 100" lists, including the subjects of drug songs (Mojo#109), rock epics (Mojo#125), protest songs (Mojo#126) and even the most miserable songs of all time (Mojo#127). To celebrate 150 issues, the magazine published a "Top 100 Albums of Mojo's Lifetime" list (essentially 1993 to 2006). The top five for this list were:

  1. Grace–Jeff Buckley(1994)
  2. American Recordings–Johnny Cash(1994)
  3. OK Computer–Radiohead(1997)
  4. Time Out of Mind–Bob Dylan(1997)
  5. Definitely Maybe–Oasis(1994)

In 2007, the magazine set out to determine "The Top 100 Records That Changed the World". The list was compiled and voted on by an eclectic panel of superstars, includingBjörk,Tori Amos,Tom Waits,Brian Wilson,Pete WentzandSteve Earle.Little Richard's 1955 hit "Tutti Frutti"[5]took the number one spot. Richard's record beat the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand"(2nd) andElvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel"(3rd). The magazine's editors claimed that" the 100 albums, singles and 78s that made up the list make up the most influential and inspirational recordings ever made ". Hailing" "as the sound of the birth ofrock 'n' roll,the editors went on to state that "one can only imagine how it must have sounded when the song exploded across the airwaves!"

The top ten on Mojo's "100 Records That Changed the World" list are:

  1. "Tutti Frutti"byLittle Richard
  2. "I Want to Hold Your Hand"byThe Beatles
  3. "Heartbreak Hotel"byElvis Presley
  4. The Freewheelin' Bob DylanbyBob Dylan
  5. AutobahnbyKraftwerk
  6. King of the Delta Blues SingersbyRobert Johnson
  7. The Velvet Underground & Nicobythe Velvet UndergroundandNico
  8. Anthology of American Folk Music(various artists)
  9. "What'd I Say"byRay Charles
  10. "God Save the Queen"bySex Pistols

Other lists include a Top 50 of songs by a particular artist from time to time, usually compiled by a panel of music journalists and musicians. Featured artists have includedDavid Bowie,Pink Floyd,The Beach Boys,The Who,Bruce Springsteen,andNeil Young,among many.

Special editions[edit]

Cover of issue #300

After the success of an all-Beatles issue published to mark the release ofThe Beatles Anthologyin 1995, many stand-alone, special editions ofMojohave been produced, devoting an entire magazine to one artist or genre. Three of the most successful were the series (produced by then special editions editorChris Hunt) telling the story of the Beatles – one thousand days at a time. Featuring contributions from many of the world's leading rock critics and Beatles experts, such asHunter Davies,Mark Lewisohn,Richard Williams,Ian MacDonald,Peter DoggettandAlan Clayson,the three magazines were published between 2002 and 2003, before being collected together by editor-in-chief Paul Trynka and published as the bookThe Beatles: Ten Years That Shook The World(Dorling Kindersley, 2004).

Other special editions have focused onPink Floyd,psychedelia,punkand the sixties.Mojohas also published four editions of "The MOJO Collection: The Greatest Albums Of All Time" (Canongate Books), originally edited by the magazine's founding features editor,Jim Irvin,and a series of short, definitive biographies under the imprint Mojo Heroes, starting in 2002 withNeil Young: Reflections In Broken Glass,written bySylvie Simmons,a longtime Mojo contributing editor.

Mojo Radio[edit]

The company behind the magazine, Bauer, also produced a digitalradio station.[6]This station was called Mojo Radio, and was transmitted on thedigital televisionnetworks in the UK (Freeviewchannel 721 andSky Digitalchannel 0182, though notVirgin Media) and online. The output of the station was based on that of the magazine. It was announced on 5 November 2008 that Mojo Radio would cease broadcasting on 30 November 2008, in order to save Bauer the financial outlay.

Mojo Rocks[edit]

The magazine's current editor-in-chief, Phil Alexander, has a regular show on the UK digital radio stationPlanet RockentitledMojo Rocks,in which he follows aMojo-inspired playlist.

References[edit]

  1. ^ab"Q team targets oldies market".Music Week.14 August 1993. p. 7.
  2. ^"Paul Du Noyer".Penguin Books UK.Archived fromthe originalon 23 December 2017.Retrieved23 December2017.
  3. ^Carlin, Peter Ames (3 November 2009).Paul McCartney: A Life.Simon and Schuster.ISBN9781416562238.Archivedfrom the original on 27 June 2021.Retrieved27 October2020.
  4. ^Armstrong, Stephen (19 April 2010)."Bauer's freelancers up in arms over new contracts".The Guardian.London.Archivedfrom the original on 15 November 2016.Retrieved15 December2016.
  5. ^"Little Richard".Soulful Kinda Music.Archivedfrom the original on 29 January 2022.Retrieved29 January2022.
  6. ^"Mojo in the Morning".Channel 955.iHeart.Archivedfrom the original on 2 May 2020.Retrieved2 May2020.

External links[edit]

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