Classic Pop Magazine
Classic Pop Magazine is a UK-based monthly print and digital music publication covering classic pop from the 1970s-1990s, serving enthusiast readers through subscriptions, special editions, and retail distribution via WH Smith and Pocketmags.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersBath, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Classic Pop Magazine does
Classic Pop Magazine is a monthly print and digital music magazine published by Anthem Publishing Ltd since 2012, covering classic pop and chart music from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The publication serves a niche audience of classic pop enthusiasts through exclusive artist interviews, album reviews, classic album retrospectives, music news, and top songs charts. Its product portfolio centers on the monthly magazine supplemented by 'Classic Pop Presents' special collector editions focused on specific artists or anniversaries (e.g., Queen, Pet Shop Boys, Boy George), single-issue sales, back issues, branded merchandise, and a Classic Pop Plus membership program offering print-plus-digital or digital-only subscription packages with full archive access.
The company operates a hybrid distribution model combining direct-to-consumer subscriptions through its online shop, UK retail presence via WH Smith and TG Jones stores, digital distribution through the Pocketmags platform and a dedicated iOS app, and international direct shipping including an Amazon EU storefront established to address tariff-related shipping restrictions on EU subscription orders. Its underlying technology stack is WordPress-based CMS running on Anthem Publishing infrastructure, with display advertising managed through Playwire. The website serves as a content marketing channel driving subscription acquisition through editorial content, social media engagement (Facebook, Instagram, X, Spotify), weekly email newsletters, and seasonal promotional campaigns (Summer Sale offering £4.50/month with 36% savings, Black Friday at 60% off).
The business model is subscription-driven with diversified revenue streams: print subscriptions, digital subscriptions, single-issue retail sales, special collector editions, and advertising. Pricing is structured in annual tiers with promotional monthly entry points, and subscribers receive benefits including exclusive covers, 10% discounts on back issues and merchandise, and full digital archive access. The publication is a privately held subsidiary of Anthem Publishing Ltd, a UK-based diversified magazine publishing group, with no separate funding, M&A activity, or public ownership disclosed.
Classic Pop Magazine firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Classic Pop Magazine
- Legal name
- Anthem Publishing Ltd
- Website
- https://classicpopmag.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Classic Pop Magazine is a UK-based monthly print and digital music publication covering classic pop from the 1970s-1990s, serving enthusiast readers through subscriptions, special editions, and retail distribution via WH Smith and Pocketmags.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Classic Pop Magazine industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Music Magazine Publishing
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (513120)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Entertainment & Celebrity Magazines (MPAJAEAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Arts, Culture & Literary Magazines (MPAJAEAN)
Keywords
Where Classic Pop Magazine is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bath
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Classic Pop Magazine business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Print Magazine Subscriptions: Monthly and annual print subscriptions delivered directly to subscribers' doorsteps, offering savings versus single-issue purchases and exclusive subscriber-only covers
- Digital Subscriptions: Digital-only subscriptions providing access to all past issues and digital issues via Pocketmags platform and dedicated Classic Pop app
- Single Issue Sales: Individual magazine copies sold at £8.50 including postage and packaging for UK delivery, £7 in retail stores, and $18.99 internationally. Includes regular and special edition issues
- Special Collector Editions: Premium special editions focusing on specific artists or anniversaries (e.g., Boy George and Culture Club, Pet Shop Boys 40th Anniversary, Queen 50 Years of Bohemian Rhapsody) sold at premium pricing
- Advertising Revenue: Display advertising on the website and potentially within the magazine, managed through Playwire advertising platform
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Summer Sale Print Subscription - £4.50 per month |
| Subscription | Annual | Print Plus Digital Subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | Digital Only Subscription |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Single Issue Print - UK |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | International Single Issue |
| Subscription | Annual | Print Subscription Discount |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Classic Pop Magazine product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Classic Pop Magazine is a monthly music publication dedicated to classic pop and chart music from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. It sells print and digital subscriptions, single issues, and special collector's editions (Classic Pop Presents) covering iconic artists such as Queen, Boy George, and Pet Shop Boys. The publication features exclusive artist interviews, classic album retrospectives, music news, and reviews, supported by a complete digital archive of all past issues accessible via Pocketmags and a dedicated iOS app.
Product overview
Classic Pop Magazine is a single unified product portfolio centered on a monthly print and digital magazine celebrating classic pop and chart music from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. The core magazine is supplemented by Classic Pop Presents special editions (focused on specific artists like Boy George, Queen, and Pet Shop Boys), Classic Pop Plus membership (offering print+digital or digital-only packages with archive access and subscriber benefits), individual single issues in print and digital formats, back issues, and merchandise. The brand extends through an iOS app for mobile reading and leverages Pocketmags for digital distribution.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Classic Pop Presents: Special collector's edition magazines focused on specific artists or music anniversaries (e.g., Boy George and Culture Club, Pet Shop Boys 40th Anniversary, Queen 50 Years of Bohemian Rhapsody)
Products and services
- Classic Pop Magazine Monthly print and digital music magazine covering classic pop and chart music from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, featuring exclusive artist interviews, in-depth features, music news, and comprehensive reviews. Targeted at individual classic pop music fans and nostalgia-driven pop culture consumers globally.
- Classic Pop Presents Special Editions Special collector's edition magazines focusing on specific artists or music anniversaries, such as Boy George and Culture Club, Queen 50 Years of Bohemian Rhapsody, and Pet Shop Boys 40th Anniversary, sold at premium pricing for dedicated fans and collectors.
- Back Issues Archive Archive of past Classic Pop magazine issues available for individual purchase through the online shop and Pocketmags platform, offering subscribers a 10% discount and access to the full back catalogue since the magazine's 2012 launch.
- Classic Pop Branded Merchandise Branded merchandise items including art cards and other collectibles tied to Classic Pop Magazine's coverage, available through the online shop with a 10% subscriber discount.
Quantifiable outcome
- 10% subscriber discount on back issues and special editions
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Classic Pop Magazine
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Classic Pop Magazine technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Classic Pop Magazine partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Anthem PublishingcoreParent publishing company that owns and operates Classic Pop Magazine. Anthem Publishing has been publishing Classic Pop since 2012, handling all aspects of magazine production, distribution, and business operations.
- WH Smith/TG JonesminorUK retail distribution partnership making Classic Pop available in WH Smith high street stores and TG Jones outlets at £7 per issue
- PlaywireminorAdvertising technology platform managing display advertising on Classic Pop website properties
- Amazon (EU Store)minorAlternative single issue distribution channel for European customers due to subscription shipping restrictions from EU tariffs
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Classic Pop Magazine competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mojo Magazine: Monthly UK music magazine covering classic rock and pop artists with artist interviews, reviews, and retrospective features. Most directly comparable to Classic Pop in format, geographic market, GTM, and editorial focus on legacy acts.
- Record Collector: Long-running UK monthly covering rare records, reissues, and artist discographies. Comparable niche enthusiast audience and subscription-driven print-plus-digital model with archive access.
- Uncut Magazine: UK monthly music magazine focused on album-oriented rock and pop with in-depth artist features. Overlaps with Classic Pop's 70s/80s/90s editorial remit and subscription business model.
- Electronic Sound: UK monthly dedicated to electronic and synth-driven music with deep artist interviews. Comparable niche single-genre magazine model covering overlapping 70s/80s pop/electronic territory.
Broad incumbents
- NME: Historic UK music publication now operating as a digital-led brand with occasional print special editions. Broad incumbent in classic pop territory with shared artist-interview format and audience.
- Rolling Stone (UK edition): Mainstream global music and culture title with deep artist interviews and reviews. Operates at much larger scale with broader pop-culture remit, serving overlapping Classic Pop readers via mainstream channels.
Emerging players
- Long Live Vinyl: UK print magazine covering vinyl culture, reissues, and artist interviews. Comparable enthusiast audience and special-issue collector product strategy, with overlap on classic pop artists.
- Vive Le Rock: Independent UK music magazine with a rock and pop focus including classic artist coverage. Smaller scale but directly comparable editorial coverage of legacy artists and special-edition newsstand model.
- Prog Magazine: UK monthly from the same publishing family focusing on progressive rock. Comparable specialist magazine subscription model and shared enthusiast/legacy-artist content remit with Classic Pop.
Others
- Record of the Day: UK-based music news and review platform covering new releases and reissues across classic and contemporary pop. Thematically adjacent as a digital-only alternative to Classic Pop's classic-pop editorial coverage.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Classic Pop Magazine social profiles
Digital presenceClassic Pop Magazine financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Classic Pop Magazine leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Classic Pop Magazine funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Classic Pop Magazine M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Classic Pop Magazine
What does Classic Pop Magazine do?
Classic Pop Magazine is a monthly music publication dedicated to classic pop and chart music from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. It sells print and digital subscriptions, single issues, and special collector's editions (Classic Pop Presents) covering iconic artists such as Queen, Boy George, and Pet Shop Boys. The publication features exclusive artist interviews, classic album retrospectives, music news, and reviews, supported by a complete digital archive of all past issues accessible via Pocketmags and a dedicated iOS app.
Is Classic Pop Magazine a public or private company?
Classic Pop Magazine is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Classic Pop Magazine founded?
Classic Pop Magazine was founded in 2012. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Classic Pop Magazine based?
Classic Pop Magazine is headquartered in Bath, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Classic Pop Magazine make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Print Magazine Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are digital Subscriptions, single Issue Sales, special Collector Editions and advertising Revenue.
Who are Classic Pop Magazine's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mojo Magazine, Record Collector, Uncut Magazine and Electronic Sound. Broad incumbents are NME and Rolling Stone (UK edition). Emerging players are Long Live Vinyl, Vive Le Rock and Prog Magazine. Record of the Day is listed as an others.
Does Classic Pop Magazine have an API?
No public API is recorded for Classic Pop Magazine.
What industry is Classic Pop Magazine in?
Classic Pop Magazine's product category is Music Magazine Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAEAK, Entertainment & Celebrity Magazines, with a secondary code of MPAJAEAN, Arts, Culture & Literary Magazines. Its NAICS code is 513120 and its SIC code is 2721.