fRoots is the world's leading magazine covering modern and traditional music with roots from around the globe, from Anglo-trad to Zanzibar pop via the great mixing desk in the sky.
We have been at the sharp end of the folk/roots/world music scene for over 30 years - July 2009's was our our 30th anniversary issue! - dealing with an incredible diversity of music from the latest fusions to the very ethnic. Our pages have featured artists from Ry Cooder to Devon Sproule, from Ali Farka Toure to Robert Plant, from Eliza Carthy to Youssou N'Dour, from the Mekons to the Copper Family, from Bellowhead to Transglobal Underground, from young Britfolk names like Bella Hardy, Jackie Oates and Tim van Eyken to veterans like Cuba's Eliades Ochoa and Algeria's late Cheikha Rimitti, from Europe's new wave of ethno-adventurers like Ojos De Brujo, Kristi Stassinopoulou and Lais to roots artists from the Indian and Pacific Oceans and beyond. fRoots is the first place you'll read about new names who later go on to establish strong reputations, and is often the first to highlight previously under-exposed local musics. Indeed, our readers constantly praise us for changing their musical lives!
Every issue is packed with features, news, reviews and information on the UK and international scene, and two a year come with very sought-after compilation CDs.
In Britain, we're news stand distributed; we're also sold by major music chains and independent specialist shops, live music venues and through a vast subscription base worldwide. Our circulation is high for British specialist magazines - around 12,000 worldwide (giving a readership of around 40,000), with a full national spread and approaching 40% going overseas - but our influence is even greater. We're read by everybody of importance in the roots music business and beyond.
fRoots is also keenly activist, campaigning on numerous issues over the years and involved in live music promotion and music production. We were among the legendary handful of activists who established World Music as a category back in 1987, we instigated the BBC Radio 3 Awards For World Music, co-promoted the groundbreaking Europe In Union concert series and 2005's massive Ceilidh Aid, have been hands-on involved in grassroots level tour sponsorship and artist development and much more
I am packing my steamer trunk as we speak and am soon to set sail for Londontown! My crystal ball has indicated that we will soon meet and that I will have the heartfelt pleasure of telling your fortune! Could it be true?
In any case, the stars have indicated that we are destined to be fast friends in this lifetime and the next and I have no doubt that they are correct.
In the greatest anticipation of all our future adventures, it is thus I remain very truly yours, &c.
Online Now!
