Gigwise

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Gigwise
Type of site
Music webzine
Available inEnglish
OwnerGiant Digital
Created bySimon Perlaki and Andy D Day
CommercialYes
RegistrationOptional
Launched2001
Current statusClosed in 2024; domain subsequently taken over by AI-driven outfit, who use it as a celebrity-oriented site.

Gigwise was a British music webzine and later, a print magazine. The site was founded in Liverpool in 2001, and subsequently moved its headquarters to London. Over time, its scope grew from providing gig listings to publishing music news, album reviews, artist interviews, and live music coverage. From 2021–2023, a Gigwise print magazine was also published. During its existence, Gigwise's content was reprinted by mainstream news and entertainment outlets including BBC News, the Guardian and Rolling Stone.

Gigwise closed in 2024. The domain was subsequently taken over by an AI-driven outfit, who publish a celebrity-oriented site using the Gigwise name.

History

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Gigwise was launched in 2001 in Liverpool, before moving its offices to East London. Originally a gig listings page,[1] the site evolved into a music news site including album reviews, artist interviews and live music coverage in its content.[2][3] As of October 2010, Gigwise was one of the UK's 20 most-visited music news websites, attracting more readers than NME.com and BBC Music.[1][4]

In 2011, Gigwise had its own arena at the Get Loaded in the Park festival in London,[5] and hosted the "best song" award at the BT Digital Music Awards.[6] The following year, Gigwise became one of two online media partners for the Strummer of Love festival held in Somerset in aid of the late Joe Strummer, with the proceeds going to the Strummerville charity.[7] Gigwise was nominated in the "Best Music Media Brand" category at the 2013 Music Week awards.[8]

The first ever print edition of Gigwise was published in July 2021, in celebration of the site's 20th anniversary.[9] The magazine continued to be published through 2023, with issue 8 being released that June.[10] Activity on Gigwise's X and Facebook pages ceased that year;[11][12] by May 2024, the site had been taken offline.[1]

During its existence, Gigwise's content was reprinted by mainstream news and entertainment outlets including BBC News,[13] the Guardian,[14] Rolling Stone,[15] Billboard[16] and the NME.[17] Former site editors include Holly Frith,[18] Michael Baggs,[19] Andy Morris,[20] Andrew Trendell[2] and Cai Trefor.[21] Singer Self Esteem described Gigwise as a "stellar music magazine".[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Online music news site moves ahead of 'mainstream' media". The London Daily News. 8 December 2010. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  2. ^ a b Fynes, Jeffrey, ed. (2016). Willings Press Guide 2017 (UK & Ireland). Vol. 1. Cision. p. 359. ISBN 978-1-906035-80-8.
  3. ^ "Gigwise". Rock's Backpages. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  4. ^ "Mainstream move sees Gigwise overtake NME". Music Week. 20 December 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  5. ^ "Gigwise Arena". Get Loaded in the Park. 2011. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012.
  6. ^ "And the Winners Are". BT Digital Music Awards. Archived from the original on 4 December 2011.
  7. ^ Hart, Tina (27 July 2012). "Gigwise partners with Strummer Of Love Festival". Music Week. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  8. ^ Hart, Tina (21 February 2013). "Music Week Awards 2013 finalists revealed". Music Week. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  9. ^ a b Thomas, Sarah (5 July 2021). "Gigwise launches new print magazine to celebrate 20th anniversary". Music Week. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Birdy is Our Issue 8 Cover Star". Gigwise. 14 June 2023. Archived from the original on 14 June 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Gigwise". X. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  12. ^ "Gigwise". Facebook. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Queens of the Stone Age 'on a break' before new album". BBC News. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  14. ^ Cragg, Michael (22 June 2012). "New Music: The Invisible – Wings (Floating Points Remix)". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  15. ^ "Blur's Olympic Closing Concert Released Digitally". Rolling Stone. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  16. ^ Brandle, Lars (22 October 2015). "Nile Rodgers, Janelle Monae Join Duran Duran in 'Pressure Off' Video". Billboard. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  17. ^ Daly, Rhian (1 July 2013). "AlunaGeorge play secret London gig to 100 fans". NME. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  18. ^ Youngs, Ian. "BBC Sound of 2012 list revealed". BBC News. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  19. ^ "Gigwise.com appoints Baggs as editor". Music Week. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  20. ^ Cooke, Chris (2 September 2014). "New editor at Gigwise". Complete Music Update. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  21. ^ "Sound of 2018". BBC. November 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
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