The Wire magazine is an iconic title amongst the eclectic archive of music journalism on the Exact Editions platform. First published in 1982 and monthly thereafter, the subversive and proudly independent music magazine covers the global alternative, underground and experimental music scene. Co-founded by jazz promoter Anthony Wood and journalist Chrissie Murray, it began as a revolt against its more conventional and conservative competitors at the time, namely Jazz Journal, and soon established itself as a more ‘progressive’ alternative, focusing on avant-garde British jazz, with a vision to cater to younger audiences.

The magazine’s title was taken from avant-garde saxophonist Steve Lacy’s 1975 track (click here to listen: exacted.me/TheWireTrack), whose ‘musical farsightedness’ was an inspiration. Since August 1993 – under the controversial editorship of Mark Sinker – the magazine became more openly known for its features and discovery of alternative musical trailblazers, when the cover featured the then-upcoming Björk (accessible through the archive) which signified a change in the magazine from mainly jazz coverage, to more experimental content. 

A rebel among the rest, The Wire’s niche nature has enabled it to secure a loyal following and has delivered over 40 years of consistently boundary-pushing music journalism, with a reputation for giving serious consideration and representation to unconventional musicians. It is more than a magazine, but a community of the unconventional, a space where discourse and disagreement can occur within the confines of musical appreciation. It is a trusted source for authentic and passionate musical analysis that could be considered highbrow, yet is distinctly accessible – the Editor, Tony Herrington described the magazine as ‘intelligent, not intellectual’.

In 2013, the entire digital magazine archive of The Wire was made available on the Exact Editions platform, from its very first 1982 issue up to the present day, with almost 500 issues archived containing over 40 years of thought-provoking music content from passionate and original international contributors. All of this is accessible through individual or institutional subscriptions, as well as through the Universals service. The Wire’s archive is also available for libraries to subscribe to, which are priced between hundreds and thousands annually, depending on institutional size. When a library acquires this subscription, it represents a long-term investment and a reliable source of revenue for The Wire. Additionally, The Wire offers institutions the option of ‘Perpetual Access’, further enhancing the value proposition for libraries that want to ensure their investment provides lasting benefits regardless of future budget constraints. As well as providing reliable access to the full online archive, Exact Editions also offers access to the complete audio archive from the Below the Radar series, an ongoing series of underground music compilations. 

The Wire draws upon a team of trusted and seriously passionate leading music critics to contribute articles, interviews and reviews of the international underground and alternative music scenes. Such contributors include the influential music journalist Simon Reynolds, whose series of essays titled ‘The Wire 300: Simon Reynolds on the Hardcore Continuum’ on post-rave trends in the UK dance scene documented the evolution of electronic dance music (to read one excerpt from the series of essays from their archive, click here: exacted.me/TheWire300). It is unique in that it has not only gathered an audience of music appreciators and listeners, but music producers and makers too. Such is the extreme musical passion of the writers who glue the magazine together, that in 2000 it was fought to be independently owned by six long-term staff members, for whom music was their life. Since then, it has been independently owned and operated in London, with a network of international freelancers. The magazine’s lack of formal editorial policy has been a major contribution to its success, allowing for freedom of expression in writing but also visually, as the magazine relies on freelance photographers and musicians to provide their own publicity photography, giving the magazine a fresh design that has evolved over the years. 

As one of the most popular magazines hosted on the platform, The Wire is easily accessible with a digital subscription, which can be purchased through the app or through The Wire.


Individual subscriptions are available here: exacted.me/IndividualWire


Institutional subscriptions are available here: exacted.me/InstitutionsWire

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