Blues & Soul magazine began in 1966 when John Abbey, a devoted fan of American R&B, launched a publication called Home of the Blues. It covered music charts, club events, and interviews from the start. By issue number 12, the title had changed to Blues & Soul, and the magazine quickly built a loyal readership across the UK and Europe. Its pages covered a wide range of genres — soul, R&B, funk, jazz, dance, reggae, hip hop, and world music.
The magazine ran for 1,000 issues by 2006, an impressive milestone for any music publication. A special vintage edition appeared in print in August 2010, followed by a permanent relaunch in July 2011 as a bi-monthly print magazine alongside a strong online presence. Editor Lee Tyler and assistant editor Pete Lewis, a long-time contributor, led that renewed chapter. Through every era, the magazine kept its focus on the artists who defined Black music. The 1970s were a golden decade for Blues & Soul. The covers from those years read like a who’s who of soul and funk royalty. Early 1971 alone featured Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, The Supremes, and Eddie Kendricks — each gracing the cover within just a few months of one another.
Spring and summer of 1971 brought even more familiar faces to the cover. Freda Payne appeared twice in consecutive issues, a testament to how big her star was burning at the time. Curtis Mayfield, Diana Ross, Honey Cone, and Al Green all followed across those warmer months.
Into 1972, the magazine spotlighted Marvin Gaye, Roberta Flack, and Jackie Wilson — three artists at very different points in their careers but each commanding serious attention from soul fans across Britain and Europe.
The 1973 covers featured Diana Ross making her second Blues & Soul appearance, alongside Freda Payne, Billy Preston, and The Staple Singers. Each issue reflected the magazine’s commitment to covering both established legends and rising acts with equal seriousness.
By 1974, the covers reflected funk’s growing grip on the scene. Nina Simone, James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, and Barry White all appeared that year — a lineup that captured the range and depth of Black music in that era.
Nineteen seventy-five brought a vivid mix to the covers. Chaka Khan made her first Blues & Soul cover appearance, sharing the year with Sly Stone and Kathy Silva, and a joint cover featuring Dionne Warwick and producer Thom Bell — an unusual pairing that reflected the magazine’s interest in the creative forces behind the music, not just the performers.
In 1976, the magazine rotated through a strong roster of cover stars. Aretha Franklin led the year in January, followed by Jermaine Jackson, Gladys Knight, Mary Wilson, and Al Green making his second cover appearance.
The late 1970s saw disco and funk dominate the cultural conversation, and Blues & Soul’s covers reflected that shift. Tina Turner opened 1978, followed by The Three Degrees and a returning Chaka Khan before the year closed out.
The decade closed in 1979 with one of the strongest cover lineups of the entire run. Natalie Cole, Donna Summer, Sylvester, Barry White, and Michael Jackson — whose Off the Wall era was just beginning — all appeared within a single year, capturing a music scene in full creative bloom.
