Popjustice
| Web address | popjustice.com |
|---|---|
| Commercial? | Yes |
|
Type of site
|
Music blog, online forum |
| Registration | Forum required |
| Available in | English |
| Owner | Peter Robinson (editor) |
| Created by | Peter Robinson, various |
| Launched | 2000 |
|
Alexa rank
|
 71,896 (April 2014[update])[1] |
| Current status | Online |
Popjustice is a music website founded in 2000 by UK freelance music journalist Peter Robinson, who has worked for NME, The Guardian, Attitude and many others. It is composed of the work of editor Robinson, features editor Michael Cragg, and a host of contributors.[2]
The website seeks to celebrate commercial popular music and does this using humour, user interaction, and contacts within the music industry. Its writing style has been compared favourably by a number of critics to that of the now defunct Smash Hits magazine, in that it mixes a passion for pop music with a surreal and biting wit.
Support of Debbie Harry, Rachel Stevens, Kylie Minogue, Sugababes, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Jamelia, Busted, McFly, The Saturdays and Girls Aloud prompted some to suggest financial links to Universal Music, although this was denied by Robinson who pointed out that Popjustice is run independently. However, accusations of bias towards acts who offer exclusive access persist.[citation needed]
The website was relaunched in January 2006 with more features, music downloads and online shop. In November 2006 Popjustice won a Record of the Day PR & Music Journalism Award in the Best Online Music Publication category, with another individual award going to Peter Robinson in the Breaking Music: Writer Of The Year category.
Popjustice £20 Music Prize
In 2003, Popjustice set up the Popjustice £20 Music Prize, in order to find the best British pop single of the year, as a parody of the Mercury Music Prize and held on the same night, usually at a bar in Central London.
| Year | Artist | Song |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Girls Aloud | "No Good Advice" |
| 2004 | Rachel Stevens | "Some Girls" |
| 2005 | Girls Aloud | "Wake Me Up" |
| 2006 | Girls Aloud | "Biology" |
| 2007 | Amy Winehouse | "Rehab" |
| 2008 | Girls Aloud | "Call the Shots" |
| 2009 | Girls Aloud | "The Promise" |
| 2010 | Example | "Kickstarts" |
| 2011 | The Saturdays | "Higher" |
| 2012 | Will Young | "Jealousy" |
| 2013 | CHVRCHES | "The Mother We Share" |
| 2014 | Little Mix | "Move" |
| 2015 | Little Mix | "Black Magic" |
Popjustice books and albums
A series of Popjustice books called Popjustice Idols were published in March 2006. They are illustrated by David Whittle. Drawing inspiration from Roger Hargreaves' Mr Men books, these feature amusing looks at the lives of pop stars. The initial titles were Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Robbie Williams and Eminem with a Take That version released in April 2006. Four more were released in November 2006 featuring Pete Doherty, Elton John, Britney Spears and Michael Jackson, and there is talk of this range expanding into a TV format[3] A compilation album was also released in October 2006, titled Popjustice: 100% Solid Pop Music.
References
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- ↑ Contacting Popjustice. Popjustice. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
- ↑ *Observer newspaper article - Peter Robinson on Popjustice (March 2006).
