By the time PERSON@1 handed the editor 's chair to PERSON@2 in mid-1973 , the paper was selling nearly NUMBER@1 copies per week and was outstripping its other weekly rivals , Melody Maker , Disc , Record Mirror and Sounds .

In mid-1973 , the paper was selling nearly NUMBER@1 copies per week and was outselling its other weekly rivals , Disc , Record Mirror and Sounds .
