First published in 1998, the aim of this catalogue is to help students, researchers and librarians determine the UK locations of over 2,000 music periodical titles held in public, academic and national libraries. Over 220 libraries in the UK have been surveyed, from St. Austell to Aberdeen, Aberystwyth to Brighton. Each catalogue entry provides detailed information on library holdings, and full bibliographic details of periodical titles, including ISSNs. The main catalogue is preceded by an address list, and by a preface outlining the history of music periodicals in Britain, together with statistical tables.

Published on behalf of the British Library, British Catalogue of Music Annual is a reseach tool for music information professionals. BCM is the most comprehensive resource on current printed music avaliable within Great Britain.