Back to This Week in Music History: December 30 - January 5
January 2, 1926: Music Paper 'Melody Maker' Issued For First Time
LucyWho.com
Known as the world's oldest music-focussed newspaper, U.K.-based Melody Maker made its first appearance on stands in 1926 at the price of only 3d per issue.
The debut issue is said to have had Dance Band news, a ukulele feature and an informational piece on how to read music by sight.
The monthly newspaper became known to feature breakout artists before the pinnacle of their fame, and David Bowie attributed his success to an interview he did with the publication where he initially came out as gay.
Though the paper was heavily concentrated on the jazz and folk scenes at the start, its target market broadened over the decades in an attempt to reach a more mature audience than that of teen-focused, longtime rival publication NME.
In 2000, despite the competition that had come and gone, Melody Maker was merged with NME once and for all.











