Lost in the Seventies: Smash Hits and the Televisual Aesthetics of British Pop
 

Smash Hits, the British music magazine launched in 1978, is often associated with the 1980s, but its influence began in the late 1970s under the editorial guidance of Nick Logan and Ian Cranna. While the 1980s era of Smash Hits coincided with the rise of "new pop" and Margaret Thatcher’s government, the magazine’s early years helped shape the diversity and visual style of British pop during the 1970s. This period, often described as the end of the punk era, was marked by a mix of genres: disco, punk, new wave, reggae, and rock. Smash Hits was not just a reflection of this diversity but actively contributed to its popularisation.

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One of Smash Hits’ key innovations was its visual style. Unlike traditional music magazines like NME or Melody Maker, which focused heavily on text, Smash Hits embraced a more visually dynamic layout. It was influenced by fashion photography, using bright colours, bold fonts, and glamorous images of pop stars. This aesthetic was influenced by the growing importance of music videos, which had begun to shape how audiences consumed music. For example, the magazine's cover stars were often shown in highly stylised, hyper-realistic poses, sometimes resembling pop art or pin-up imagery, turning musicians into larger-than-life icons. This reflected a broader cultural shift in the late 1970s, where music, style, and image were increasingly inseparable.

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Another significant feature of Smash Hits was its ability to cover a wide range of musical genres without bias. Artists from disco, punk, rock, reggae, and pop were all given equal prominence. This was a reflection of the broad tastes of the British audience at the time, and the magazine’s ability to cater to diverse musical interests helped it quickly surpass competitors like NME. The magazine presented artists as part of a larger, inclusive music culture, which was not limited to one genre or demographic.

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Smash Hits also helped popularise the idea of music as part of a broader consumer lifestyle, a concept that would become even more prominent in the 1980s. Its success set the stage for future music media, such as The Face, and helped establish the “televisual aesthetic” that would dominate pop culture in the 1980s.

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       CHECK YOUR LEARNING

1. What was the primary focus of Smash Hits when it was first launched in 1978?

2. How did Smash Hits differ from traditional music magazines like NME and Melody Maker in terms of visual style?

3. What role did music videos and the increasing importance of visuals play in shaping the aesthetic of Smash Hits?

4. Which musical genres were prominent in the late 1970s, and how did Smash Hits reflect this diversity in its coverage?

5. Why is Smash Hits considered a precursor to the "new pop" era of the 1980s?

6. How did Smash Hits challenge traditional ideas of musical authenticity during the 1970s?

7. In what ways did Smash Hits contribute to the commercialisation of pop music during the late 1970s?

8. What is meant by the term "televisual aesthetic" and how did Smash Hits incorporate this concept into its style?

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       KEY POINTS

• Smash Hits was launched in 1978 and became a key part of the British music scene, bridging the gap between punk and the emerging new romantic music of the early 1980s.

• The magazine reflected the diversity of the 1970s music scene, covering genres like disco, punk, reggae, and rock, and played a role in the mainstreaming of these styles.

• It revolutionised music magazine design with its bright, visually engaging layout, influenced by fashion photography and consumer journalism, which made it stand out from older music publications.

• Visual culture became central in the late 1970s, with music videos and pop stars' public images growing in importance. Smash Hits embraced this shift, focusing on glamorous and stylised photos of musicians.

• Unlike traditional music magazines, Smash Hits showcased a wide range of musical styles without bias, giving equal attention to disco, punk, rock, and reggae artists.

• The magazine presented pop music as part of a broader lifestyle, shifting the focus to consumption, image, and spectacle, aligning with the postmodern pop culture of the time.

• The success of Smash Hits was closely linked to the rise of music video culture, which was becoming more important in shaping public perceptions of pop stars and their music.

• Smash Hits set the stage for 1980s pop culture, paving the way for media like The Face and influencing how music and fashion were consumed together in the following decade.