Having experienced an enormous drop in circulation over the past number of years, the print version of the NME is to be given away for free from September.
The circulation of the magazine, which was once in six figures, is now struggling to reach 15,000, prompting a decision to give the magazine away free of charge at train stations, shops and student unions from two months' time.
Long an influential player within the British music scene, the New Musical Express was launched in 1952, and launched the careers of, amongst others, Danny Baker and Julie Burchill.
Commenting on the news, editor Mike Williams was bullish: “NME is already a major player and massive influencer in the music space, but with this transformation we’ll be bigger, stronger and more influential than ever before,”