Le Monde de la musique

Le Monde de la musique was a French monthly music publication issued from 1978 until 2009. It was created by Le Monde and Télérama as part of an effort to broaden the editorial activity associated with the Le Monde newspaper. The project was initiated by Jean-Michel Croissandeau, who was responsible for editorial diversification at Le Monde, with the support of Jacques Fauvet, then the newspaper's director. Télérama participated in shaping the editorial concept and contributed journalists to the publication's early editorial structure. The magazine was designed to cover music as a broad cultural field rather than limiting itself to classical music. Its scope included recorded music and other musical subjects, placing criticism, recommendation, and cultural reporting within a single publication. Francis Mayor served as managing editor during the formative period, while an editorial board drew on contributors from both Le Monde and Télérama. Louis Dandrel and Anne Rey were among the first editors of the magazine. Over its lifetime, Le Monde de la musique was published by several different companies. Its editorial leadership changed over time and included Anne Rey, Jacques Drillon, François Pigeaud, Alain Lompech, Thierry Beauvert, and Nathalie Krafft. The publication became particularly recognizable for its record-review system: recordings were assessed using a star scale, with four stars representing the highest rating. A selection of especially recommended records also received the CHOC designation. The magazine remained a specialist French music title rather than a mass-market international brand. In 2008, its circulation was approximately 20,000 copies. The publication ceased appearing in 2009, when its readership was transferred to Classica. Its surviving importance lies in its role as a bridge between general cultural journalism and specialist music criticism, as well as in the archive of reviews and reporting produced during its three decades of publication.

Le Monde de la musique was launched in France in 1978 through a collaboration between Le Monde and Télérama. The initiative came from Jean-Michel Croissandeau, who was working on editorial diversification at Le Monde under Jacques Fauvet. Rather than creating a publication devoted solely to classical music, the partners developed a broader music magazine intended to address music in a more comprehensive cultural and critical context. Télérama participated in the design of the editorial project, and the early publication drew on journalists from both parent publications. Francis Mayor was the managing editor during the magazine's early development, while Louis Dandrel and Anne Rey were among its first editors. This cross-publication origin gave the title a position between daily-newspaper cultural journalism and specialist music criticism. Across its publishing history, the magazine appeared under several publishing companies. Its chief editors included Anne Rey, Jacques Drillon, François Pigeaud, Alain Lompech, Thierry Beauvert, and Nathalie Krafft. The changing editorial leadership did not alter the publication's central role as a French music periodical covering a wide range of musical subjects. A major feature of the magazine was its system for reviewing recordings. Albums and other records were graded on a star scale, with four stars as the top rating. Particularly notable recommendations were marked with the CHOC symbol. These devices helped readers navigate the expanding recorded-music market and gave the magazine a recognizable critical identity. By 2008, the title had a circulation of approximately 20,000 copies. It ultimately disappeared in 2009, and its readership was transferred to Classica. The end of the magazine closed a publication history spanning roughly three decades, while its reviews and complete issue archive remain relevant to the history of French music journalism.

1. 2009Publication ends

   The magazine ceased publication, with its readership transferred to Classica.

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2. 2008Circulation reaches approximately 20,000 copies

   The magazine's reported circulation was approximately 20,000 copies.

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3. 1978Launch of Le Monde de la musique

   Le Monde and Télérama launched the monthly music publication following an initiative by Jean-Michel Croissandeau and with Jacques Fauvet's support at Le Monde.

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A French general-interest music publication combining cultural journalism, music criticism, and record recommendation across musical genres rather than focusing exclusively on classical music.

• Le Monde de la musique monthly magazinePrint music periodical1978

  The core product was a French-language monthly magazine covering music broadly rather than restricting its subject matter to classical music. It combined music journalism, cultural reporting, criticism, and reviews of recordings. The title was published from 1978 to 2009 and was distributed primarily in France.

• Record reviewsMusic criticism

  Record criticism was a central editorial offering. The magazine used a star-rating system in which four stars represented the highest level of recommendation. Selected recordings could additionally receive the CHOC symbol, creating a concise editorial signal for particularly valued releases.

• 2009Transfer of readership to ClassicaStrategy

  After the magazine's publication ended, its readership was directed to Classica.

  What changed. Le Monde de la musique was discontinued and its readership transferred to Classica.

  Aftermath. The decision brought the Le Monde de la musique brand to an end while preserving a connection between its audience and another music publication.

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• 2009Le Monde de la musique ceases publication and transfers readership to Classica

  The French monthly music magazine ended publication in 2009. Its readership was transferred to Classica, marking the end of the Le Monde de la musique title.

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1. Le Monde de la musique