[2] In 2003, a survey by Nielsen Media Research showed a monthly readership comparable to Rip It Up, New Zealand's leading music magazine.
[4] Among local media, its demise coincided with that of Pulp magazine, MTV's withdrawal from New Zealand, and Back2Basics merging with Rip It Up.
[6] Real Groove was first edited by music historian John Dix, author of Stranded in Paradise: New Zealand Rock'n'Roll, 1955–1988.
[7] Subsequent editors included Nick Bollinger,[7] John Russell, Brock Oliver,[8] Duncan Greive, and Sam Wicks.
[9] Among the other writers whose work appeared in the magazine are Chris Bourke,[1] Gary Steel,[5] Graham Reid,[10] former Creem music critic Richard Riegel,[11] Russell Brown,[12] and Adrian Osman (2010).