 Around 1983, "Spex" gained recognition as a major music magazine thanks to the quality of its editorial line, competing with British music magazines such as the "New Musical Express" or "The Face".The magazine's strength was to focus on pop music in the context of pop culture, while still covering social and political issues in a humorous and ironic tone.Some "Spex" writers saw their profile rise as they started writing opinions columns, such as Diedrich Diederichsen, Rainald Goetz, or Clara Drechsler's editorials, which earned her comparisons to Julie Burchill.