@QINGCHARLES

Hello. I'm QINGCHARLES and I made this. This web site thing.

Metal Hammer is a British music magazine focused on heavy metal and related forms of hard rock. The UK edition was launched in 1986, and has been published under the ownership of Future Publishing and, later, TeamRock before returning to Future after TeamRock entered administration in 2016. ^†1†2

The magazine has been part of the British specialist rock and metal press for decades and has been cited in coverage of the wider music-magazine market. In 2006, The Guardian reported that Metal Hammer's circulation had risen by 12.7% at a time when some other music titles were declining. ^†3 According to The Guardian, the magazine sold about 20,000 copies a month based on its last officially audited 2015 figures. ^†1

As of 2026, Metal Hammer continues as a print and digital brand within Future's music-media portfolio, with content distributed through the LouderSound.com platform. A 2026 issue announcement identified issue number 411, indicating that at least 411 numbered issues of the UK edition had been published by that year. ^†4†5

History

The UK edition of Metal Hammer launched in 1986. A retrospective published by the magazine for its 30th anniversary described that date as the start of the British title, while a later editor profile on Louder described the broader Metal Hammer brand as having been founded in 1983. ^†2†6 In practice, sources distinguish between the international origin of the brand and the launch date of the UK edition. ^†2

For much of its modern history, the title was owned by Future Publishing. In 2013, Future sold Metal Hammer and Classic Rock to the newly formed TeamRock in a £10.2 million deal led by John Myers. ^†7

In December 2016, TeamRock entered administration, suspending publication of its magazines and threatening the future of Metal Hammer. In January 2017, Future bought back Metal Hammer, Classic Rock, Prog, associated websites, and events including the Golden Gods Awards for £800,000. ^†1

Editorial profile and coverage

Metal Hammer covers heavy metal and adjacent genres, including hard rock, hardcore, grunge, alternative metal, goth, and industrial music, according to its own editorial description. ^†2 Its print issues typically combine artist interviews, reviews, scene reporting, and cover features, while its web presence publishes breaking news and digital features through Louder. ^†4

The magazine has also been associated with awards and live events aimed at the metal audience. The 2013 sale to TeamRock included the Metal Hammer Golden Gods brand, and the 2017 reacquisition by Future also included those events. ^†7†1

Ownership and management

The title has been owned at different times by Future Publishing and TeamRock. ABC's product page for Metal Hammer lists Future Publishing Ltd as the owner for multiple reporting periods before 2013, Team Rock Ltd for 2013 through 2015, and Future Publishing Ltd again for 2016 and 2017. ^†8

Among the magazine's editors, Malcolm Dome has been described by Louder as the first editor of Metal Hammer. ^†9 In the 2020s, Eleanor Goodman has been identified by Louder as editor of Metal Hammer. ^†6

Readership, circulation, and business model

Metal Hammer has historically been a monthly print magazine with parallel digital publishing. The Guardian reported in 2017 that the title sold about 20,000 copies a month according to its last officially audited 2015 figures. ^†1

Earlier reporting in The Guardian noted that the magazine's circulation rose by 12.7% in 2006, citing then-current circulation figures for the British music-press sector. ^†3 ABC UK indicates that Metal Hammer is no longer registered with ABC, but its archive shows audited reporting periods extending from 2000 to 2017. ^†8

Digital presence

By the 2020s, Metal Hammer's online content was integrated into Future's LouderSound.com website, where the brand has its own section and publishes news, interviews, and issue announcements. ^†4 The brand is also promoted through newsletters and subscription offers tied to Future's wider music-magazine portfolio. ^†2

Reception and impact

Within the British music press, Metal Hammer has been treated as one of the established specialist titles serving hard rock and heavy metal audiences. Reporting on the music-magazine market has grouped it with titles such as Kerrang!, Classic Rock, and Prog as part of the specialist rock sector. ^†3†1

Its survival after TeamRock's collapse was covered as significant within the UK publishing industry because the administration had threatened several long-running rock titles and related events. ^†1

References

External links

• Official website
• ABC UK product page