Fifty-seven issues in and So Young is still doing it on its own terms. The format hasn't changed — and why would it? A slightly oversized 245×172mm, wire stitched, lightweight uncoated stock inside and out, filled with the kind of music writing and photography that doesn't condescend to its readers. There's a confidence in that continuity, a trust in the formula that only comes from knowing it works.
So Young is one of the UK's most respected independent music zines. The slightly wider-than-A5 format (245×172mm) gives the photography a little more room without committing to the formality of A4. Issue 57 covers bar italia on the cover alongside features on William Palmer, Radio Free Alice, Charlotte Rose and more. Our zine printing service handles exactly this kind of recurring, high-quality project. You may also find our guide to wire stitching for zines useful.
The 245×172mm format is a deliberate inch beyond A5 — a proper publication without the weight of a full magazine, something a reader might fold under their arm for a gig. 200gsm uncoated cover gives it enough substance without any pretension. The 100gsm inside pages stay comfortable across 80pp of reading. Wire stitching is flat-opening, unpretentious, and correctly associated with music culture.
So Young's house style has always trusted its photography. A William Palmer portrait at full-page width on 100gsm uncoated gives the image a slightly matte, printed quality that suits music photography in a way that silk and gloss never quite do. The Macbeth / Charlotte Rose spread — a large yellow skull illustration beside a seated portrait — is a genuinely striking piece of design.
Josh Whettingsteel handles So Young with an efficiency that speaks to years of doing this. He emailed on a Monday afternoon, files attached, spec written clearly. Our team flagged a handful of RGB images, confirmed we'd convert them to CMYK in-house, and raised an invoice the same afternoon. Josh had paid by 4pm. The zines were at his door by Tuesday the following week.
So Young is a returning client. The files are clean, the spec is consistent, and Josh trusts us to handle production without unnecessary intervention. We convert RGB images in-house, hold quality consistent issue to issue, and work to the timeline that gets the zine to press mailings and stockist deliveries on time.
Find your format and stick with it. So Young has been 245×172mm on uncoated for years. Consistency across issues builds a publication's identity in a way that constant reinvention never does.
Uncoated is the natural paper for music photography. The slightly absorbent surface gives images a warmth that suits live music, portraits and street photography.
Wire stitching belongs in music print culture. From fanzines to the majors, wire stitched is the binding associated with music zines. It opens flat, it's unpretentious, it's the right weight for the genre.
Fast-turnaround editions need a printer you trust. We review files fast, flag what matters, and get on with it.
