Classic Pop Magazine

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.

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

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

• Music magazine publishing
• Pop culture journalism
• Classic pop media
• Print magazine subscriptions
• Music artist interviews

Headquarters

HQ city

Bath

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Print Magazine Subscriptions: Monthly and annual print subscriptions delivered directly to subscribers' doorsteps, offering savings versus single-issue purchases and exclusive subscriber-only covers
2. Digital Subscriptions: Digital-only subscriptions providing access to all past issues and digital issues via Pocketmags platform and dedicated Classic Pop app
3. 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
4. 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
5. Advertising Revenue: Display advertising on the website and potentially within the magazine, managed through Playwire advertising platform

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core 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

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Anthem PublishingcoreOthers · 1 January 2012Parent 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 JonesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK retail distribution partnership making Classic Pop available in WH Smith high street stores and TG Jones outlets at £7 per issue
• PlaywireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising technology platform managing display advertising on Classic Pop website properties
• Amazon (EU Store)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAlternative single issue distribution channel for European customers due to subscription shipping restrictions from EU tariffs

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct 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

• Xx.com/ClassicPopMag
• Facebookfacebook.com/ClassicPopMag
• Instagraminstagram.com/classicpopmag
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/classic-pop-magazine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Classic Pop Magazine