Editing NME (section)

===2000s===
In 2000, Steve Sutherland left to become brand director of the ''NME'', and was replaced as editor by 26-year-old ''[[Melody Maker]]'' writer Ben Knowles. In the same year, ''Melody Maker'' officially merged with the ''NME'', and many speculated the ''NME'' would be next to close, as the weekly music-magazine market was shrinking&nbsp;- the monthly magazine ''[[Select (magazine)|Select]]'', which had thrived especially during the Britpop era, was closed down within a week of ''Melody Maker''. In the early 2000s, the ''NME'' also attempted somewhat to broaden its coverage again, running cover stories on hip-hop acts such as [[Jay-Z]] and [[Missy Elliott]], electronic musician [[Aphex Twin]], ''[[Popstars]]'' winners [[Hear'say]], and R&B groups such as [[Destiny's Child]]. However, as in the 1980s, these proved unpopular with much of the paper's readership, and were soon dropped. In 2001, the ''NME'' reasserted its position as an influence in new music, and helped to introduce bands including [[the Strokes]], [[The Vines (band)|the Vines]], and [[the White Stripes]].

In 2002, [[Conor McNicholas]] was appointed editor, with a new wave of photographers including [[Dean Chalkley]], Andrew Kendall, James Looker, and Pieter Van Hattem, and a high turnover of young writers. It focused on new British bands such as [[the Libertines]], [[Franz Ferdinand (band)|Franz Ferdinand]], [[Bloc Party]], and the [[Kaiser Chiefs]], which had emerged as indie music continued to grow in commercial success. Later, [[Arctic Monkeys]] became the standard-bearers of the post-Libertines crop of indie bands, being both successfully championed by the ''NME'' and receiving widespread commercial and critical success.

Also in 2002, ''NME'' relaunched in a smaller format in an attempt to boost falling sales, along with a redesigned logo.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cozens |first=Claire |date=5 April 2002 |title=NME goes glossy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/apr/05/pressandpublishing2 |access-date=2 March 2025 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

In December 2005, accusations were made that the ''NME'' end-of-year poll had been edited for commercial and political reasons.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/arts/news/story/0,11711,1656637,00.html | title =NME defends album of year poll |newspaper = The Guardian | location = London | date = 2 December 2005 | first = Andrew | last = Dickson }}</ref> These criticisms were rebutted by McNicholas, who claimed that webzine Londonist.com had got hold of an early draft of the poll.

In October 2006, ''NME'' launched an Irish version of the magazine called ''NME Ireland''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tcal.net/archives/2006/10/12/nme-to-launch-irish-nme-called-nme-ireland/ |title=NME to launch Irish NME called NME Ireland |publisher=Tcal.net |access-date=31 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117211938/http://tcal.net/archives/2006/10/12/nme-to-launch-irish-nme-called-nme-ireland/ |archive-date=17 November 2007 }}</ref> This coincided with the launch of Club NME in [[Dublin]]. Dublin-based band [[Humanzi]] was first to appear on the cover of NME Ireland. The Irish edition of the magazine could not compete with local competitors such as ''[[Hot Press]]'' therefore it was discontinued after its fourth issue in February 2007.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=36754 |title=NME Ireland lasts just four months |work=Press Gazette |location=London |date=9 February 2007 |access-date=31 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616100929/http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=36754 |archive-date=16 June 2011 }}</ref>

After the 2008 NME Award nominations, Caroline Sullivan of ''[[The Guardian]]'' criticised the magazine's lack of diversity, saying:<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2008/jan/30/thenominationsforthenme |title=Guardian blogs &#124; All guardian.co.uk blogposts &#124; The Guardian |publisher=Blogs.guardian.co.uk |date=19 August 2008 |access-date=11 August 2014 |location=London}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|"NME bands" fall within very narrow parameters. In the 80s, the paper prided itself on its coverage of hip hop, [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]] and the emerging dance scene which it took seriously and featured prominently – alongside the usual Peel-endorsed indie fare. Now, though, its range of approved bands has dramatically shrunk to a strand embodied by the [Arctic] Monkeys, Babyshambles and Muse – bands who you don't need specialist knowledge to write about and who are just "indie" enough to make readers feel they're part of a club. Like everything else in publishing, this particular direction must be in response to reader demand, but it doesn't half make for a self-limiting magazine.}}

In May 2008, the magazine received a redesign aimed at an older readership with a more authoritative tone. The first issue of the redesign featured a free seven-inch [[Coldplay]] vinyl single.