Smash Hits

Smash Hits was a UK-based pop music magazine published from 1978 to 2006.

Initially a monthly, publishing lyrics to chart hits as well as features, interviews, singles and albums reviews, colour centrespread and full page posters, it soon became a fortnightly publication, appearing on Thursdays. The magazine featured an eclectic mix of pop, rock, new-wave, disco and even punk music in order to cater for all tastes in a time of rapidly changing musical styles.

First appearing in October 1978, Smash Hits was at its peak during much of the 1980s, always managing to move with the times and trends, despite competition in an evolving media market. Sales declined in the 1990s although the magazine still lasted until February 2006 when the final edition was published, 28 years after its debut.

Famous contributors in its early years include David Hepworth, Mark Ellen, both of whom became regular broadcasters and writers, and Neil Tennant who went on to form the Pet Shop Boys.

OMD[]

OMD featured several times in the magazine from 1979 and were frequently given the prestigious cover and full page colour poster spots.

Issues featured[]

Note: Major features will be given their own Wiki page in due course. See Smash Hits category for ongoing list.

1980[]

29 May-11 June, pp. 6-7: first full page feature The Acceptable Face of Synthesisers by Steve Taylor, full page b/w picture (from 1979) with lyrics to Messages and small pic. of Winston on Contents page.
04 - 17 September, p.10 'Bitz' section: All Time Top 10s - separate selections by AM & PH [1]
02 - 15 October, Enola Gay lyrics (p.2) with full page b&w picture (p.3, from 1979); new album and live dates announcement (p.12) and competition to win Korg synthesiser and Organisation album (p.21). The first prize is to be awarded by OMD at one of the venues on their November national tour (see 22 January 1981). Enola Gay 'vertical strip' ad (p.46).
11 - 24 December, p.21 Competition to win copies of DINDISC 1980 sampler album. Features questions about OMD and other DinDisc artists.

1981[]

22 January - 04 February, p.13 - Korg Synth competition winner (02 October 1980), bitz feature with pic.
19 March - 01 April, first front cover, with free flexi-disc of Pretending To See The Future (live version), lyrics on p.20 with ad for first two albums on p.19 opposite.[2]
03 - 16 September
- pp.12-14 [3]: "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark", interview by Ian Cranna. second full length feature, full page colour photo (PH & AM), Souvenir lyrics, b/w rare picture as four piece AM, PH, MH & Mike Douglas.
- p.24 Souvenir single review, "The futurist gag goes lush life.."
17 - 30 September, p.14 Bitz "OM D Road Again" - UK tour dates, plans for US [4]tour, Paul's wedding, Douglas leaving for Godot, replaced by MC.
15 - 28 October: Joan of Arc single release advert and song lyrics; Bitz, "....the next single (not Joan of Arc..but the one after that) ..as commercial of Mull of Kintyre but twice as hip."; four dates listed in Nights Out
29 October - 11 November, p.25, Albums - review of Architecture & Morality by Ian Cranna, "..the band's most impressive achievment to date. (9 out of 10)"[5] Full page album and tour ad, p.13 [6]
10 - 23 December, p.47 Nights Out OMD, Hammersmith Odeon review by Steve Bush, "..well planned, well played and completely irresistible." [7][8][9]

1982[]

07 - 20 January, pp.4-5 "OMD Q&A's"[10]; Maid of Orleans (single) reviewed, p.16 [11]
05 - 18 August. p.35 Lyrics to Julia's Song, as regular Request Spot feature - requested by Julie Golding, Ilford.

1983[]

17 Feb - 02 March, front cover & feature (pp.6-7): 'The Young Ones?' two pages, incl. Genetic Engineering lyrics
12 - 24 May, p.47 "Nightsout", review by Jo-Anne Smith of live gig at Hammersmith Odeon on 20 April: "The majority of the audience loved everything they did..and when the band left the stage they went wild, shouting and screaming for an encore".
23 June - 06 July, "Smash Hits Who's Who" weekly pull-out installment, p.14 Andy McClusky (sic.) [12]
01 - 14 September, p.51 'NightsOut Dates' - features dates of Showcase tour [13]

1984[]

26 April - 09 May 1984 (see page):
- p.20 Andy McCluskey (OMD): My Five Obsessions. (Japanese food, Speed, Liverpool FC, Fossils, Buying new clothes).[14];
- p.23 Junk Culture review [15];
- p.28 Locomotion lyrics[16], with full page colour photo (p.29)[17].
21 June - 04 July 1984.
- p.26 Talking Loud and Clear lyrics with duo colour photo;
- p.35 Talking Loud and Clear single review by John Taylor of Duran Duran: "This is very strange...It's very charming....This a good record."[18]
- p.50-51 "We hate technology!", feature & interview by Tom Hibbert.[19] - includes pics of a video shoot at Hammersmith Odeon [20]
05 - 18 July 1984 (see page):
- pp.32,33: 2-page colour centrespread. Andy & Paul in 'Junk Culture' shirts. OMD also mentioned on cover and Contents page. Talking Loud and Clear video stills.
30 August - 12 September, p.07 Tesla Girls lyrics (with colour photo)[21], p.36 Tesla Girls single ad and tour dates (NB single not reviewed)
11 - 24 October, pp.64-65: OMD - interview by Neil Tennant. Same questions asked to AM & PH separately.
08 - 21 November, Never Turn Away lyrics (p.17), Single review by Neil Tennant (p.21) ".. plain old boring.."[22]

1985[]

14 - 27 February 1985, p.24 "Love Is..." feature, various stars incl. AM: "... agreeing to shave every day because your five o'clock shadow scratches her face."
05 - 18 June 1985
- p.20 Crush album review by Ian Cranna, ".. the welcome return of the thinking person's dance music..."
03 - 16 July 1985
- Secret single reviewed by Tom Hibbert "Surprisingly pleasant"
17 July - 30 July
- p.11 Secret lyrics
09 - 22 October
- p.58 La femme accident review by Vici MacDonald, "..this pleasant, wistful .. ballad comes as a bit of a shock." (full page ad p.35)
20 November - 03 Dec. 1985.
- p.17 Competition to win La femme accident 12" double-pack singles [23]
- p.45 Re-scheduled dates for Crush tour (starting 02 February 1986) [24]

1986[]

12 - 25 February 1986
- p.27 OMD live dates (Crush tour)
07 - 20 May 1986
- p.41 Singles: Ian Cranna reviews 88 Seconds in Greensboro, the B-side to If You Leave, preferring it to the A-side, "OMD at their blazing best." [25]
10 - 24 September 1986
- pp.40-41,[26] "Hyper Hyper Super Whoopy Doo I'm A Pop Star", Chris Heath. Full page interview around the release of The Pacific Age and the (Forever) Live and Die single, plus full page colour photo of AM/PH.
- p.50 The Pacific Age is reviewed and gets 3/10 from Nick Kelly.[27]
- p.75 (Forever) Live and Die lyrics half page with colour picture [28]
19 Nov. - 02 Dec.
- p.56 - We Love You lyrics, with colour pic. of six-piece OMD [29]
03 - 16 December 1986, p.39 "Is Meat Murder?", AM & PH are among those giving their opinion.[30]

1987[]

25 March - 07 April 1987
- p.64 Singles Review: Shame reviewed by Ro Newton [31]
08 - 21 April 1987
- p.63 Singles Review: Shame reviewed by Shane MacGowan (The Pogues) [32]

1988[]

09 - 23 March 1988
- p.20 The Best of OMD full page ad [33]
- p.56 Album review The Best of OMD "Poor old OMD...." [34]

1991[]

24 July - 06 August 1991
- p.33 Pandora's Box lyrics

1993[]

15 - 28 September
- p.29 Everyday lyrics with colour AM pic.

Gallery[]

The following is a selection of scanned pages from Smash Hits featuring OMD over the years. Thanks go to Like Punk Never Happened - Brian McCloskey's Smash Hits archive

External links[]

This Wiki is indebted to the Flickr page Like Punk Never Happened - A Smash Hits Archive for information and materials concerning Smash Hits, 1978-1989. See also OMD tag.