In the beginning...
Back in May 1994, IPC Media launched what would become nothing short of a cultural phenomenon. Loaded burst onto Britain's newsstands and single-handedly created the "lad mag" genre that dominated the 1990s. It was a proper mix of irreverent humour, birds, booze, football and whatever else caught the eye of its twenty-something male readers.
Launch and Early Success
The Birth of a Phenomenon
Truth be told, IPC Media didn't exactly bet the farm on Loaded - it was launched on a shoestring budget with precious little fanfare. But what it did have was editor James Brown, who reckoned there was room for a magazine aimed at "men who should know better" - and blimey, wasn't he right. The mag carved out its own niche with a knockout combo of comedy, clubbing, footie and proper journalism that had other publishers scratching their heads.
Capturing "Lad Culture"
Loaded landed right in the sweet spot of Britain's burgeoning "lad culture" - a time when blokes were getting a bit fed up with political correctness and fancied a return to more traditional masculine pursuits. Taking a few cues from the likes of Viz and Playboy, but very much doing its own thing, Loaded spoke to young fellas in their own language about their own interests. No pretence, no poncey attitude - just straight-up content that resonated with the readers.
Cultural Impact and Popularity
Before you could say "another round", Loaded was absolutely massive. The industry bigwigs couldn't ignore it - they handed over the PPA Magazine of the Year Award in '95 and '96, if you don't mind. By the late '90s, they were shifting more than 400,000 copies a month, making it one of the heavyweight champs of British magazines. The success was so stark that everyone and their dog wanted a piece of the action - FHM, Maxim, the lot of them - all trying to nick a bit of Loaded's secret sauce.
Memorable Content
Iconic Covers
The covers alone were worth the price of admission. Their first issue came out swinging with a moody black-and-white shot of Gary Oldman - proper arty stuff, miles away from the tacky fare you'd later see on other lad mags. Then you had Elizabeth Hurley doing her thing in lingerie, and that absolute belter with Harry Hill perched on a stuffed badger - you couldn't make it up.
Notable Articles
When it came to the writing, Loaded didn't mess about. They got Eric Cantona when he was at his philosophical peak, Prince Naseem Hamed before he was too big for his boots, and managed to get Irvine Welsh to interview Noel Gallagher - which was every bit as mental as you'd expect. These weren't your typical celeb puff pieces - they were proper conversations, usually over a few pints, that got to the heart of things.
Controversial Content
Objectification of Women
Look, there's no getting around it - Loaded had more scantily clad women than you could shake a stick at, both on the covers and inside. It copped a fair bit of flak for this, with plenty of people saying it was feeding into sexist attitudes. The critics weren't wrong - the focus on female nudity became a proper bone of contention and didn't exactly help challenge misogyny.
"Dice Man" Feature
Talk about pushing the envelope - they had this feature where some mad journalist let dice rolls decide what he'd do next, including some properly dodgy stuff like taking heroin. It was meant to be edgy, but plenty of people thought it was well out of order, worried about readers getting the wrong idea.
Celebrity Exploitation
Sometimes they crossed the line, like when they paid Sophie Anderton to pose in the buff while she was battling addiction. Bit of a low point, that - felt more like taking advantage than journalism.
Editorial Staff Influence
Party Culture and Irreverence
The Loaded office was less a workplace and more a permanent party. The staff lived the life they wrote about - proper boozy affairs, legendary nights out, the works. All that mayhem found its way onto the pages, giving the magazine its distinctive voice.
Authenticity and Honesty
What made Loaded different was that the writers weren't pretending - they were living it. No airs and graces, no trying to be something they weren't. The readers could tell it was genuine, even if it wasn't always pretty.
Key Editorial Figures
James Brown: The Father of Laddism
Before he got Loaded off the ground, James Brown had earned his stripes at NME. He wanted to create something that hadn't been done before - a magazine that could make you laugh while actually saying something worthwhile. Course, he was living the life himself - perhaps a bit too much, with the drinking and the drugs - but you couldn't fault his vision. The awards spoke for themselves.
Tim Southwell: Co-Founder
Alongside Brown was Tim Southwell, another music journalism veteran who helped shape Loaded's unique voice. Southwell wasn't just about the words - he helped create the whole Loaded vibe, that special something that made it stand out from the crowd.
Decline and Transition
Editorial Changes
When Brown packed it in back in '97, things started to change. The magazine kept its head above water through the early 2000s, but the competition was fierce, and readers were starting to want something different.
Attempts at Reinvention
By 2014, they were trying to turn things around under Aaron Tinney's editorship. They brought in some proper writers like Julie Burchill and tried to move away from the saucy covers, but it was a bit like trying to put the genie back in the bottle - the readers had moved on.
Digital Rebirth and Modern Evolution
The print mag might have waved goodbye in March 2015, but that wasn't the end of the story. The real turning point came in 2023 when businessman Stewart Lochrie swooped in with a fresh vision for the brand. Gone were the days of objectifying women - the new Loaded, now living exclusively at loadedworld.com, has properly evolved with the times. Women are still celebrated, but now it's primarily for their brains and achievements, with beauty being just one part of the story rather than the whole narrative.
Under Lochrie's stewardship, Loaded's found its feet in the digital age. The magazine's spirit lives on through its online presence, but with a proper modern twist. It's still got that distinctive Loaded DNA - the wit, the attitude, the love of sport and culture - but it's grown up a bit, reading the room in terms of what today's audience wants. By May 2024, they were marking 30 years of Loaded with a fresh digital approach that proves you can keep your edge while moving with the times.
Impact on UK Industry and Perception
Influence on Media
Loaded didn't just change magazines - it changed British publishing full stop. Everyone wanted a piece of the action, from Maxim to Dennis Publishing to Stuff. Even the posh boys at GQ and Esquire started showing a bit more skin to keep up.
The influence went way beyond the newsstand, mind. It helped shape how people thought about being a bloke in modern Britain. Some reckon "laddism" was always there and Loaded just gave it a name, while others say the mag helped create a whole new way of thinking about masculinity.
The Last Word: Loaded's Lasting Legacy
Looking back, it's hard to overstate just how much Loaded changed the face of British publishing. What started as a maverick magazine born in the smoky offices of IPC Media ended up defining an entire era of British culture. The magazine's journey from its boozy, irreverent beginnings through to its current digital renaissance tells us as much about how Britain has changed as it does about the evolution of media itself.
While the original lad culture may be behind us, Loaded's influence continues to evolve in today's media landscape. Under its new ownership, it's proving that you can maintain your identity while adapting to modern sensibilities. The original DNA is still there - the wit, the attitude, the cultural commentary - but it's matured along with its audience. What began as a cultural revolution printed on glossy paper has transformed into a digital platform that reflects how British men have grown up, showing that you can keep your edge while moving with the times.
Today's Loaded, thriving at loadedworld.com, demonstrates that the best publications don't just survive - they evolve. It's no longer about the old lad mag formula, but about engaging with a more sophisticated, inclusive audience while keeping that unmistakable Loaded spirit alive. Love it or hate it, Loaded wasn't just another magazine - it was, and continues to be, a mirror reflecting the changing face of British masculinity.