NME Asia: a British music brand launches in Asia

Iconic British music brand NME has been launched in Asia, even as the entertainment industry is hit by the coronavirus.

NME says its new Singapore-based website will offer a fresh take on the Southeast Asian music scene.

The company says it will initially focus on Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines and plans to expand rapidly in the region.

The announcement comes at a time when many other media companies are making significant cuts due to the pandemic.

“Southeast Asia has a proud musical heritage. Whether it’s trendy pop styles, traditional music or a marriage of the two, artists from the region have piqued the ears of audiences throughout the world. around the world – and we’re excited to be able to tell their stories, “said Iliyas Ong, Editorial Manager, NME Asia.

The company said its main editorial team in Singapore will manage a network of journalists across the region.

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Wednesday’s announcement comes after NME entered the Australian market late last year.

NME also recently restarted physical publication with a monthly magazine in Australia, its only current regular print edition.

The move comes at a time when much of the global media industry is forced to make significant cuts to deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Even though live events, tours and travel are on hiatus around the world, there is still incredible creativity in this region that we want to highlight,” said Meng Ru Kuok, general manager of NME owner, BandLab Technologies.

The NME itself has seen its fortunes change in recent years in the face of declining circulation and the shift from physical to online distribution in the music industry.

From its roots as a specialist magazine for musicians, NME grew into a world-renowned music publication before being rocked by changing consumer behavior.

The New Musical Express was first published in March 1952, later that year it became the first UK newspaper to include an array of singles.

The biggest rock weekly in the world

During the 1960s, NME was known for championing emerging British bands at the time, including the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

The 1970s saw the newspaper at the forefront of new British music scenes, including glam rock and punk.

Over the next three decades, the publication solidified its position as the world’s largest independent weekly rock music bible.

But in 2015, in the face of declining sales, NME magazine was relaunched as a free publication.

Just three years later, NME announced that its print edition would cease publication after 66 years and become an online-only offering.

In 2019, NME and Uncut magazines were sold to Singaporean music company BandLab Technologies.