NME and Q suffer sales declines to the tune of 20% year on year

NME and Q suffered sales declines of almost 20% year-on-year in a tough first six months of 2012 for the music magazine market. Q was the worst performer in the music magazine sector, with sales down 16.7% compared to the six months to the end of December and 19.7% year on year, according to the latest Audit Bureau of Circulations figures released on Thursday. The Bauer-owned music magazine reported sales of 64,596, highlighting the task facing recently appointed editor Andrew Harrison, who took over from the long serving Paul Rees in February . Bauer stablemates Kerrang! and Mojo fared considerably better. Sales of Kerrang! fell 4.5% period on period and 6.6% year on year to 40,203; Mojo, the best-selling paid for title in the sector, dropped 2.7% period on period and 2.4% year on year to 85,149. The second biggest faller in the category was IPC Media-owned NME, down 13.5% period on period and 17.6% year on year to 23,924. Future Plus's free title Odeon Magazine held onto its position as the biggest title in the film market. Odeon Magazine's circulation rose 23.2% period on period and 18.6% year on year to 221,540. Bauer's Empire magazine remains the biggest selling paid-for film title, with sales remaining flat period on period and just 2.3% down year on year to 167,096. Empire's rival, Total Film, fell 2.8% period on period and 4.1% year on year to 68,897. • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication". • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook