The Final Word

Much loved music magazine The Word is set to close after its August edition this month following nine years in circulation.

Writing on the magazine’s website Journalist David Hepworth, who co-founded The Word’s publisher ‘Development Hell’ alongside Editor Mark Ellen confirmed the news, also adding: “In the nine years since the magazine launched there have been dramatic changes in the media and the music business. These changes have made it more difficult for a small independent magazine to survive and provide its staff with a living. This hasn't been made any easier by the economic climate of the wider world”.

Hepworth concluded: “When we came up with that slogan - "The Word - a magazine, a website, a podcast, a way of life" - we were being a bit tongue in cheek. But it was, wasn't it?”.

The most recent ABC figures for The Word for the second half of 2010 showed that its circulation had dropped 5.7% year on year to 25,048. The magazine used its website in an interesting way as a kind of hub for enthusiasts rather than republishing content from the magazine.

Generate debate: RIP- Arguably too tasteful to survive, one of the good things about The Word was that it went beyond being just another music magazine, you were just as likely to pick it up for a feature on David Lynch’s films or the book reviews as you were for an interview with Neil Young. Perhaps The Word will follow the example of every band ever formed and reunite in a few years to make a cool million. The Guardian has suggested that The Word was aimed at the surely now semi-mythical ’50 quid man’. What are your thoughts?