Bauer Media has decided to bring back one of its most celebrated former magazines for an issue dedicated to everyone’s favourite fashionista and pop megastar Lady GaGa. The Smash Hits one-off special will mark the third time the title has returned in almost five years.

According to the publisher, getting Smash Hits back on the newsstands for a dedicated Lady GaGa issue is "a fun celebration of the biggest pop star in the world today". The magazine will carry features such as 'Life In Fashion' and 'The Truth Behind the Rumours', as well as a look into GaGa's world before she hit the big time.

Priced at £3.50, the 64-page issue will be onsale from December 1^st and includes an investigation into the infamous Haus of GaGa entourage. Readers can also expect featured images from the star’s live shows, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at how the pop princess celebrates Christmas.

This is the third time Smash Hits has been resurrected in magazine format since it closed, with a special Michael Jackson edition published in July 2009 and a Take That issue released just a few months later in November. Originally, the magazine closed in February 2006 after almost 30 years, but continues to live on as a music TV channel, digital radio station and website.

Stuart Williams, managing director of Bauer Media's Music & Film Brands, called Lady GaGa the "perfect personality" to justify another print issue - and added that the public could expect more special issues to be released in the future.

MEC Opinion: Closing a title but continuing to publish on an ad-hoc basis is certainly a very unique approach to take in today’s magazine marketplace – but it is not one without obvious benefits.

Bauer Media will not only be able to make sure the Smash Hits output is of the highest quality possible, it can also create issues that truly 'capture the moment' by purely focusing upon key acts relevant to that time. These specials have a greater longevity than most titles and we would expect many of these one-offs to be retained by readers for some time.

However, one key disadvantage is that with special issues being so ad-hoc, an inability to properly invest in their promotion could mean that opportunities are easily missed by advertisers – especially for those looking to plan their media well in advance.

It’s clear that the approach being taken here will not be right for everyone, but for a brand with such heritage as Smash Hits, we could well see this refreshing model being adopted by other 'retro' brands in the future.