Launched in 1983, Metal Hammer is now part of the music website - www.loudersound.com. It has, says Future, the largest social media following of any UK music magazine, with more than 2.9 million followers across its social channels. Recently Metal Hammer celebrated 50 Years of Metal with a number of special features and initiatives, such as its new partnership with global streaming service Deezer.
Metal Hammer Japan will launch its first print issue in the Japanese language. The mission is to champion heavy metal within Japan and will be taken up by the new editor, Takahide Okami.
Takehide Okami said: “All the staff are excited that Metal Hammer magazine will land in Japan. In the 1980s to 2000s, heavy metal was a popular music genre in Japan, comparable to domestic pop songs (J-POP). But now, I can't help but feel that pop music, dance music, rap songs, etc. have been taken away. Metal Hammer Japan will bring the world's latest metal music to Japanese metal fans in order to create another metal whirlwind in Japan in 2020. The future of Japanese metal is bright!”
Editor of Metal Hammer, Merlin Alderslade comments: “Japan is one of the world’s most exciting and vibrant markets when it comes to heavy metal, and we couldn’t be more delighted to have the latest incarnation of Metal Hammer on the scene. Metal Hammer Japan will serve as the country’s first stop for world exclusive interviews with global artists and features on the Japanese metal scene and beyond.”
The Metal Hammer brand, and a proportion of the content, will be licensed to Rittor Music Inc by Future Plc.
