Hong Kong's Music Voice
Headlines Magazine was first published on 27 May 1987, establishing itself as Hong Kong's longest-running free mainstream music magazine.
For decades, Headlines delivered album reviews, concert coverage, and music industry commentary to readers across Hong Kong. Published at the start of each month, the magazine built a loyal following among fans who valued its passionate, editorial approach to music journalism.
The publication was led by editor Manfred Wong (黃啟聰), whose deep connections to the Hong Kong music scene — stretching back to the 1970s — informed the magazine's distinctive voice. Contributors included writers like Steve Channy (陳家樂), a former Headlines writer from the 1980s who later worked in radio.
From its earliest issues, Headlines Magazine carved out a distinct identity in Hong Kong's crowded music press by refusing to sit on the fence. The publication's founding principle was simple: good records deserve praise, and weak ones deserve honest criticism. This unflinching editorial stance, combined with a genuine love for music, resonated deeply with readers who were tired of promotional fluff dressed up as journalism. Each monthly issue balanced passionate advocacy for quality recordings with a firm commitment to holding artists and labels accountable, creating a publication that felt less like a magazine and more like a trusted friend with strong opinions and the courage to share them.
Beyond the reviews and commentary, Headlines stood as a passionate defender of physical music formats in an era of rapid digital change. The magazine championed the value of holding a record, an album sleeve, or a printed magazine in one's hands, arguing that tangible music objects carry a cultural weight that streams and downloads cannot replicate. This conviction extended to the publication's own format — a free, printed magazine distributed across the city, itself a statement that physical media remains vital. For decades, the publication's team believed that good people love music and that music lovers are, at heart, good people — a simple faith that guided every page they produced.
First Published
Headlines Magazine launched on 27 May 1987 as Hong Kong's first free mainstream music magazine.
21st Anniversary
The magazine marked 21 years with a special Hong Kong music trivia feature — "21條香港音樂問題" — testing readers' knowledge of local music history.
32nd Year
By this point, Headlines had reached its 32nd year of publication, a milestone noted on the magazine's homepage.
Music Industry Links
Headlines maintained connections across the Hong Kong music industry, linking to major labels and partners including Forward Music, Love Da Records, Peermusic, Universal Music Hong Kong, Sony Music Hong Kong, Warner Music Hong Kong, and Wow Music.
What We Covered
Headlines was known for its year-end "best albums" picks, with contributors selecting their favourite releases — as seen in the 2012 and 2013 roundups. The magazine also published concert reviews, including coverage of international acts like Jason Mraz and Blur performing in the region.
Editor Manfred Wong contributed features on high-fidelity audio formats such as AMCD and K2-HD, blending technical insight with personal recollections from Hong Kong's music history — including memories of meeting George Lam (林子祥) at EMI's Hong Kong office in early 1976.
Reader engagement was central to the magazine's identity, with Q&A sections, trivia features, and the Headlines Club offering ways for fans to connect with the publication.