U.K.'s Melody Maker Ends 74-Year Run

December 15 -- The last issue of British magazine Melody Maker, the world's oldest music weekly, will hit the stands Monday, according to its publishers.

Brand owner IPC Music and Sports said circulation had dropped off by 21percent in recent months, prompting it to merge the magazine with its competitor, New Musical Express, which IPC also owns.

"The market has moved on and readers now have more choice than ever before, be it print, online, or on other platforms," said Mike Soutar, managing director of IPC. "We have therefore chosen to focus our efforts on developing the NME brand."

Melody Maker began publication in 1926 primarily aimed at musicians. In the 1930s, the magazine helped popularize jazz music in Europe with its coverage of artists such as Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong.

The weekly's popularity peaked in the '70s, when it was selling more than 250,000 copies per week, though it remained relevant well into the '90s, with its coverage of Britpop bands like Blur and Oasis, as well as American acts such as Nirvana and Soundgarden.