Can the "New Era" NME Breath Life Into The Independent Scene?

With the ever-changing way in which music is consumed in the click-tap, instant gratification society of today, how relevant can a magazine with articles spanning more than 140 characters be? The truth is, and this is coming from a blogger who speaks from experience, today's youth/young adults are not an easy demographic to pin down for a 15 minute read, and getting them to pay for the experience is becoming a nigh on impossible task. So to the recent news of NME's decision to distribute their long running magazine for free, which I'm sure 99.99% of those reading this article will already know about. What will this do for, not only the magazine, but for music across the UK?

Now, it goes without saying that the NME is an iconic and powerful institution, but trying to stem the rising tide of download culture, twitter, facebook, pintrest, Tumblr, SoundCloud, Skinny Fraps, Granola and Youtube is a tall order in anyones books. People will simple scoff at the concept of paying for anything music related these days; yet will happily fork out £4.60 for a pint of Birra Moretti in West Didsbury, so long as they can tint their filter to ensure their grueling battle to grow Fagan-esque face pubes looks uber-hipster on social media. It's what we have to contend with these days and unfortunately brands like NME have to evolve as youth culture does.

We at the Stiff Upper Lip are enthused by this new chapter and feel it can get more young people involved and part of what is a growing underground culture of independent music. For decades NME has been the pioneering representative of the British Alternative scene and with this new switch and increase circulation we will surely see this continue for years to come. So whether you're waiting patiently at a train station or in a coffee shop, pick up a free NME and gaze at the parchment that the words are printed upon. Yes, young pilgrim. This is paper, its what they used before Iphones where invented. And you never know, you might find that you learn something that Facebook couldn't teach you.


Peace x