KERRANG! MAGAZINE ANALYSIS

What is Kerrang! magazine?

Kerrang! is a the worlds biggest selling British weekly music magazine totally devoted to the genre of rock. It is published by Bauer Media Group and edited by James McMahon. The logo and masthead 'Kerrang' comes from the sound made when playing a power chord on a distorted electric guitar. The target audience of the magazine is 14-21 year old's of both genders who are interested in rock music. Due to the rising fame of the magazine and the large number of customers EMAP launched Kerrang! radio in 2000. The digital radio station 105.2 airs across the UK playing a back-to-back sequence of rock and alternative music. In 2001 EMAP launched Kerrang! TV due to the success of the magazine and radio station. The channel  covers the more mainstream side of the rock music as well as classic rock bands.
The contents of the magazine features interviews, posters, competitions, new album/single releases and concert announcements. The theme of rock of music is very consistent and referred to throughout the magazine appealing to the fans of the genre. This includes dark colours, scary fonts and images or rock artists.

Front Cover

The theme of this magazine is very obvious. The colour scheme connotes Halloween as orange, yellow and blue are used which are also very vivid colours attracting the readers eye. The theme is also reflected from the main image where the model's are eating sweets which are shaped as worms making the image a bit more gruesome The mise en scene of the models is very effectual as the clothing clearly represent the main music genre of rock. The clothes are all black connoting death and fear showing the music genre is powerful, tough and hard. This darkness contrasts well with the bright colours on the page avoiding the page looking too overpowering. Halloween related words have also be incorporated within text such as 'terrifying', 'blood', 'devil', and 'zombie' to emphasize that the features inside are also related to Halloween. The font is cartoony spooky style which is very bold and dominant of the page. Of course this relates with the seasonal theme and would attract younger audiences. The variety of images on the page is also very visually pleasing and are a quick way of attracting attention. The small images in the left third are an effective way of advertising the exclusives to the magazine making the issue more special and valuable Other advertisements of free puzzles and secrets are positioned in the header bar, a standard convention presented on most front covers. The small puff advertising a competition is in a interesting shape and of a luminous colour in the right agreeing with the original convention. 

I felt this magazine front cover was too crowded and busy resulting in the page looking messy and hard to read. The Z rule is very hard to follow as the conventions have been positioned randomly at different angles across the page. It is not obvious who is the star image is as the names of the artists cannot be easily found on the page. The main image overlaps over the masthead making it illegible for people who are not common readers of the magazine. The masthead is also the logo of the magazine meaning the reader needs to be able to quickly and easily recognize the product in a shop.

Contents Page

Overall I think this is a very good contents page because it fulfills all the main and standard conventions making the page look professional and legit. This includes how the page includes 50% images and 50% text and informative details such as the cover date and issue number. In the right third there is a note from editor which is a very common feature found on a contents page. The Halloween theme expressed on the front cover clearly continues onto this page as images of pumpkins have been used with text layered over the top. The image captions can been seen as humorous particularly on the main image, as the image looks very gory however really it is quite innocent 'jam sandwiches'.Images from chosen articles are included of a variety of sizes helping the reader visually seen what the article will be like or who's it about. The list of articles has been divided up into appropriate subheadings such as 'Albums' which all relate to the genre or theme of the magazine.

However the page does not follow the Z rule as the masthead is positioned on the right rather than the left hand-side. There is no means of advertisement such as social media information or subscription offers which can be good ways of attracting a reader's attention to the page. I do not think the colour scheme reflects the music genre very well as I think more bold and dark colours could have been used such as the background colour.

Double Page Spread

Again this is a very good double page spread as it looks professional, stylish and most importantly a piece of artwork. The theme of Halloween conveyed on the front cover and contents page is very consistent and also presented on these pages. The black and white colour scheme is very spooky and sinister which the models in the star image (same as front cover) as also connoting. The mise en scene of the stars fits accordingly to theme as they are dressed in all black connoting intimidation and mystery. However this is made more light-hearted by the prop of trick or treat pumpkin buckets, usually associated with children not rock stars. The font of the masthead is the same as the horror television series called 'American Horror Story' which is very iconic and unique. 'American' has been slept incorrectly so it is not identical or directly related to the TV series. Common conventions such as pull quote, drop cap and columns have also been used. I think the insertion of spiders webs in the corners of the page makes the mood more spine-chilling and creepy, linking to the music genre and current theme.

To improve this double page spread, I think the text and images could have both overlapped over two pages instead of them being on two separates. As well as one large main image, smaller images could have been placed on the page taken from the same shoot. However overall I think this is a very good example of a double page spread and one that I shall take inspiration from.

NME MAGAZINE ANALYSIS

What is NME magazine?

NME (new musical express) is a weekly British music magazine featuring genres such as rock, alternative and indie music. NME are proud of their colourful history and of their unique inside information. They regularly give their readers exclusive contents and the latest news from the world of music. Their articles are informing as they tell their readers new album releases, tour dates, celebrity interviews, up and coming artists and more. The magazine does not gossip about celebrities, instead they give factual information about them.

I have chosen to analyse particularly an NME magazine as their content includes features about the music genre I want to base my own music magazine on, indie rock. 

Front Cover

Overall NME follows the standard conventions of a magazine front cover. The masthead is positioned at the top of the page meaning it follows the Z theory. It is in a bold sans-serif font meaning it is very clear and easy to read from a distance therefore the customer will recognize on the shop shelf. The cover lines are also brightly coloured so that stand out against the harsh black in the main image. The coloured text boxes and blue underlines are a very effective and clever way of emphasizing the text. An excessive amount of cover lines is not used which makes the cover look not overcrowded and more visually pleasing. The main image completely fills the page where the model is making eye contact with the reader, catching their attention. The cover lines have been cut into different blocks of bold colours which make the cover look modern and edgy. The colour scheme has been well designed as only three colours have been which is standard for a front cover. The red is immensely dominating against the black and white used making the masthead and cover lines especially projectile. In addition to this, the correct amount of different fonts are used which complement each other instead of clashing. The basic conventions such as barcode, price and date are situated in a suitable place of the correct size in the bottom right hand corner. These conventions are key as they inform the reader. The main image of Liam Gallagher is very effective and is easily connected to the music genre he is representing. He looks very rock 'n' roll and cool as he casually takes off his sunglasses. The pose is very simple and effortless.

However this front cover does have some faults. The model should be positioned in the center of the page which would make it easier to position the cover lines around the model. I think the composition of the model is very poor as it doesn't advertise the famous artist very effectively. The cover lines overlap over the main image instead of fitting the shape of it which can make the magazine look messy. If the model was positioned in the center of the frame and page then it would make it easier to position cover lines around the image making the left and right third even. This suggests the editor has not stuck to the standard framing of a magazine front cover. There are many sparse areas of the page (bottom left hand corner) which look very empty and wasted. This makes the mise en scene of the front cover poor as I think the page is not very well organised. The cover line 'FREE POSTERS' should be styled to look more like a puff meaning it should stand out more in bright coloured shape or different font to attract the reader’s attention. The masthead also overlaps over the model's head making it very blocky and harsh.

Contents Page

Overall this contents page is very well organised and structured as the text is sectioned into three clear columns. The layout of the page is very good and easy to read making it convenient for the reader to find the article they want to read. The index of bands on the right hand side makes it simple for music fans to find their artist they are interested in especially as the list is in alphabetical order. The text has been sectioned under sub headings such as 'regulars' or 'features' which are larger than the main body text so that they stand out more. They are also in coloured black text boxes making the words project off the page against the plain background. The NME logo is positioned at the top of the page following the Z theory and reinforcing the compnay the magazine is made from. Common conventions such as the date is used to show when the magazine was published. The colour scheme distinctly flows from the front colours as colours such as white, black and red are used again. Overall the contents page is very simply designed and fulfills its purpose. The page looks very retro and cool fittting with the main image on the front cover.

This contents page does not follow the convention that the page sjould include 50% images and 50% text. There is only one small image randomly placed near the bottom of page that doesn't clearly relate to a particular article. No social network information or subscription offers are advertised which is usually positioned here. The page overall doesn't look like piece of art or well designed, instead it looks dated making modern audiences uninterested. The page numbers are not obvious as they are not positioned in the standard space at the bottom of the page. This could confuse new readers making them not want to buy the product again. The contents page should flow after the front cover which is not expressed here. The design of the contents page is very different front the cover as the cover look modern and the contents looks dated. This means the theme of the product is not consitent.

Double Page Spread

This is a good double page spread as it has been well designed making it a piece of artwork. It continues the style of the front cover as the same star image, colour scheme and typography is used. The main image presented on the front cover of Liam Gallagher mid taking off his sunglasses connotes he is taking odd his protective shield and opening up to NME's audience. On the double page spread Gallagher has been composed directly facing the camera emotionless, wearing the common prop of sunglasses.  This connotes that the reader must read the article in order information that is presented on the opposite page. The monochrome colour scheme makes the spread look old giving a vintage sense, fitting in with the star image of an older indie artist. Similar to the front cover and contents page there are random bursts of colour of colour adding some modern touches, this is more apparent on the following pages. 'Liam's Lost Weekend' stands out to the reader as it is in a bold black text box projecting the text off the page, this effect is a house style of NME. By Gallagher wearing the large sunglasses blocking his vision and avoiding any eye contact, it suggests why his weekend was 'lost' as he is lost. The use of the convention of a drop cap indicates the reader to where they should start to read the article. The layout of the text in columns makes the page look consistent and organised. The names mentioned in the kicker/sub title have been underlines meaning they are of some important significance.

It could be argued that this piece of artwork has not been successfully created into a double page spread as the two pages look very separate. There is only one main image on one page and then just text on the other meaning the conventions have not been spread over two pages. Particularly, on the second page there is lot of blank space making the page look empty and therefore not attractive. In addition to this the page looks dated reflected from the dull colour scheme resulting in the reader easily flicking past the pages as their attention has not been grabbed. The dated look would not appeal to NME's prime target audience as young people want bright colours and modern artists.

TYPOGRAPHY

What is it?

Typography is the technique and art of arranging typed matter to make the language visible. This include text size, design, size, colour and how the text is displayed. The arrangement includes point size, line length, spacing between letters and words.

Why is it important?

Typography is important and should be taken into great consideration especially in magazines and other informational text. The purpose of the magazine is to entertain but most importantly inform the reader which can only be done if the reader can easily read the text, otherwise they will be disinterested.  In the presentation process the typography should link or emphasize the theme or genre of the page otherwise it can completely change the look and feel. This means if it is used effectively it can covey a certain mood or feeling where the audience needs to understand the message you are trying to send them. For example if the theme of a magazine is Halloween, a scary and dark font should used to alliterate the theme. The typography sets the tone of the text before you even begin to read it. If the text is too small or cramped together the reader could immediately ignore the page and refuse to read if it is too small. Different font sizes especially on a front cover can be very effective as they can emphasize different parts representing how important they are. Buzz words like 'plus' are usually larger to catch the reader's attention to that particular area of the page. Repetition of the same font or style should be used throughout a magazine to show fluency and simplicity and continue the theme. Depending on the layout of the page, text should be positioned in a orderly manner and synchronized with any images. The text should not overlap but fit the shape of an image particularly on double page spread. By doing this the text appears organised and in proportion tidily. The font style used for a masthead or logo is essential so that the reader can recognize it time and time again. This means the style should be quirky and not alike other logos otherwise this can confuse the reader and not distinguish the product.

Serif and Sans-Serif Fonts

Magazine front covers, contents pages and double page spreads use a range of different serif font and sans serif fonts. The obvious difference between the fonts is that each letter of a serif font is decorated with thin strokes or edges on the end of each letter. Sans-serif fonts are smooth, bold and are far simpler. In a magazine the masthead is commonly a sans-serif font as they are easier to read from a difference, an advantage for customers in a shop. The masthead is less likely to appear blurry from a distance making it recognizable and clear to read. Smaller text is usually typed in a serif font which are far more interesting and unique. In addition to this it easier to differentiate the letters of a serif font as they are individually styled.

Kerning

Kerning is the adjustment of space between letters in a word. Correct kerning helps the text look optically correct by the letters being in correct proportion with each other. Incorrect kerning can cause greater difficulties when reading text therefore downgrade the appearance of the page.

COLOUR WHEEL

The colour wheel was designed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666. It is a visual representation of colours arranged according to their chromatic relationship. The colour wheel is designed so that virtually any colours you pick from it will look good together.  Colours with fixed relations in the colour wheel are called colour harmonies or colour chords. These colours combined are considered to be particularly visually pleasing. These colours are opposite to each other in the colour wheel, such as red and green. These colours together create a vibrant look and make something extremely stand out. However on a magazine this should be carefully taken into consideration and not used for text otherwise it can make the colour scheme look too over powering or unprofessional. The colour wheel is split into two; cool and warm shades. The left is a variety of cool shades such as blue which connotes calmness and relaxation. The right consits of warm shades such as red which connote power, fire and energy. Analogous colour schemes consist of colours directly next to each other in the wheel e.g. purple, red and orange. On a front cover an average of three colours are used which usually contrast well and a from an analogous colour scheme. The first colour should be the most dominating, the second should be similar to the first but support it and third as an accent alongside a black, white or grey shade.

CONVENTIONS OF A DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

 

What is a double page spread?

A double page spread is one article spread across two pages inside of a magazine. The article's purpose is to either sell a product, primary feature or the cover star who appears on the front cover. Articles usually include interviews with the cover star where there will large images or lots of small images of the interviewee. The question and answers will positioned around the images depending where they are located on the pages. The spread is a piece of artwork and is carefull and sophicately designed to make the reader attracted the page. It is important that the two pages flow meaning text and images should overlap over the pages to make it look one big giant page. The spread should work with the front and contents page to show consitency and continue the theme of the magazine. The following conventions should be followed in order to make the spread look professional and most impotantly captivate the reader.

Images

Different magazine spreads use different sized images and amounts. If one large main image is use it will usually cover the entire page or overalap onto the second. If many small images are used the editor will usually put them into some sort of organised order or a collage instead of randomly scattering them over the pfage. The image will relate to the main body text and the rest of the magazine. The model should look attractive and be posing in a interesting way so that they are the focal point of the spread. The photograph is usually a mid shot of the model meaing the reader should be able to easily recognise the celebrity as only the upper of their body is show. The model should be creating eye contat with the reader to create a close connection and catch the reader's eye.

Captions

Captions and images should work together as a unit. The purpose of a caption is to simply state who the image is of or who it is about to help the reader learn more about the article. The caption should relate to the image it is about, meaning it needs to positioned close to the image. The caption should be typed in a simple font of a very small size as it could get confused with a pull quote. The text needs to positioned underneath the image not above as this would be a example of bad design.

Main Body Text

The main text is one of the most important features of the spread. The content needs to be interesting and good otherwise it will bring down the design of the rest of the page. The text will usually be contain an interview of the celebrity/s featured in the main image and front cover. The questions asked will be in a different colour to the answers of the star to distinctively seperate out the text. Generally size 11pt ariel font is used which is a standard for most magazines. The text is divided into columns between 2-4 to ive the spreas some sense of structure and order, otherwise the page would look untidy and messy. The main body text will be written informally so it feels like the reader is reading a chatting conversaion. This makes it easy for the reader to read and relaxes them.

Drop Cap

The drop cap is one letter which is far larger than the rest of the text it is next to. It is the first letter of the main body text and is  in a different font, usually a serif. It's purpose is to guide the reader to the beginning of the text where they can continue to read the spread.

Headline/Pull Quote

The pull quote is usually used as the main headline of the spread. The purpose of the headline is to atrract the readers attention which the a pull quote does. Pull quotes are taken out of the most interesting part of the story and emphasized and are usually controversial or shocking designed to grip the reader. Instead of being used as a heading pull quotes can be positioned next to or on the main image in a smaller font. They can be placed within the main body text to break it up into smaller paragraphs and add more interest to the text. To make the quote more noticeable some editors chose to place them in exaggerated quote signs or frame it using vivid colours. Other headings can include the name of the artist/s which would immediately entice a fan of the artist/s or fans of that genre the artist/s belongs to. The headline will be positoned at the top of the page, sometimes overalpping over the two pages as it is the largest text on the page. However the text may be slanted or wonky making the page looks less formal and more fun.

Kicker

The kicker positioned directly underneath the headline, is used as a small introudction to the article. It consists or one or two sentenances summarising what the main body text is about or consists of. It is usually in the same font or slightly less bold as the headline but is sized smaller to differentiate between the two conventions.

Credits

Positioned very small in the corner of the page, commonly in black or white is the credits. The credits tell the reader who captured the photograph, the editor or journalist of the spread. This to give recognition to the person for their hard work and contribution to the artwork.

Page Numbers

Page numbers are commonly positioned in the bottom right or left hand corner of every page of the magazine. It is very important that this is done to prevent confusing or irritating the reader if random pages are left out. This could also cause production issues as the pages may get mixed up making the magazine randomly organised. Page numbers are linked directly to the contents page as they help to guide the reader to the article they want to read.

CONVENTIONS OF A CONTENTS PAGE

What is a contents page?

The contents page is one of the most important pages within the magazine as it is the first page the reader sees when they turn from the front cover. The key thing for the contents is that it must be easy and clear to read. This is so the reader can quickly find the article they want to read from the menu that lists all the articles in chronilogical order. The contents page gives a sense of the purpose he magazine as it gives an overview of the magazine. The reader can easily tell the theme or genre of the magazine, for exaple if there is a list of music related aritcles such as concert reviews and new album releases then this is obviously a magazine magazine.

Layout

The layout of a contents page includes the standard conventions such as masthead that it as the top of the page with the main text and images underneath. The page is organised into three or four columns to make the page look structured and easy to read. If the page looks messy or too crowded the reader will find it hard to read and underneath making them less interested in the magazine. Usually on the left hand side is where the list of articles are posiitoned with special feautres, regulars and images positioned in the other two columns. In one the columns will be headings such as 'exlusives', 'regulars' or other buzz words to help the reader find what article they want. At the bottom of the page will be social media information, subscription or a letter from the editor. The contents page will follow the same theme as the front colour by using the same font style and colour scheme to add consitent flow.

Masthead

The masthead will usally read something like 'contents' which brings the reader straight to the point of the page. In addition to this the font will usally be a sans-serif font meaning it will  bold and very easy to read. The masthead will be positioned at the very top of the page so that it follows the Z theory meaning it will be the first thing that the reader readers. The colour of this convention should be bright as well as matching the colour scheme of the front cover so the magazine presents some fluency.

Logo

Next to the masthead in the top right hand corner is where the magazine's company logo will be positioned. This to remind the reader on what magazine they are reading and to emphaise how proud the company is of their logo. The logo may include the name of the magazine but in the same font that is presetned on the front cover.

Images

On a contents page there should be 50% images and 50% text. The images should relate to particular article of the magazine which will be linked together using a caption. This is done so the viewers attention is grabbed by the image where they will  waant to learn more about it. The caption will assist them and guide them to right article. Sometimes the page number that the article is linked to in layered over the image so the reader an turn straight to that page. The images will also be related to the magazine theme, for example for a rock magazine images may include photogaphs of rock artists or concert venues. A fashion magazine may include images of celebrities, models and clothes. Most contents pages will feature a main image that will be the largest image on the page. This main image will also be linked to the main story of the magazine.

Typography

The articles listed on the contents page are ordered into different sections such as exlusives, news reviews or regulars. Each section will have a heading that will be in a different fonts to the rest of the text. This is done so they stand out far more to the reader to catch their attention. This font is larger than the main body text, again to accentuate to the importantance of it. This can only be done if the page is easy to read and identify the different sections. The text needs to be spread out and not clustered together so they text can be read and understood. This is done by sepearating the page into  three columns where specific text is designated to order and give easy directions.

Colour

The contents page should be paraell to the colour scheme presented on the front cover. This is because the colour scheme usually reflects a specific theme applies to the whole of the magazine e.g. a halloween issue would feature orange, black and purple. By doing this it also adds fluency consistency to the product  making it obvious the contents page is related to the front cover of the same magazine. The colour scheme is a very important convention as it should give the magazine a professional and sophisicated look. This would exclude colours that clash against eachother as this suggests the magazine has been designed badly.

Sub headings

The sub headings are headings given to different sections of the page. They help to direct the reader to what articles they want to read. They organise the magazine as they provide different sections such as exlusives, regulars or news etc... The subheadings are positioned in one of the of the columns where the appropiate articles are listed in chronilogical order underneath. They all use the same font which is different to the masthead so the reader can distinguish between them.

Advertisement

Advertisement can include special subscription offers, free prizes, concert dates, new album or single releases. The company will pay the magazine to feature this advertisment on the page. To attract the reader to the advert bright colours are used as well as bold fonts and images of the product or offer. Adverts will also be in different coloured text boxes showing it is seperate to the rest of the page. If it is a special offer the reduced price or the savings will be sized larger to shock and woo the reader.

CONVENTIONS OF A FRONT COVER

What is a front cover?

The front cover is the most important part of the whole magazine. It will advertise the features and content of the magazine which should excite the audience and make them want to read the magazine.  In addition to this it is the selling point of the product and the first thing the customer sees in the shop therefore it is essential that it visually catches the reader's attention. This can be done by making the magazine look professional, attractive and genuine  by following the standard conventions of a magazine. The magazine should follow fluent theme throughout which should be easily established just by looking at the style of the front cover. The theme should be obvious and recognizable to the audience meaning the right font, colours and images should be taken into consideration. The front cover should also be suitable for the target audience so that the right person purchases the right magazine.

Main Image

On the front cover of any type of magazine there is only one main image which covers the entire page as is used as a background for the text. The main image of a music magazine is usually of a artist/s from the genre the magazine belongs to.  The person/s in the main image will have a special feature written about them inside the magazine - this will be advertised on the front cover giving a direct link to the reader.The photograph is usually composed as a portrait mid  or close up shot the of artist/s. The artist/s must looking straight head so that they are making eye with the reader creating a close bond between the two. The model/s should be positioned in the center of the frame with some background space so there will be plenty of room to insert cover lines later. The background behind the model/s should be plain or simplistic otherwise this can be too overwhelming for the reader and distract their attention away from the model and text.

Masthead

The masthead is positioned largely, centrally and boldly at the top of the page. The masthead is the main title/headline of the cover as it usually tells the reader what the magazine is and gives a sense of the company. It also indicates the genre and attitude of the magazine helping the reader to understand the purpose of the product. The masthead to needs to be pleasing to the readers eye so that they follow the Z theory and continue to read the rest of the text. As well as this the masthead needs to look attractive so it attracts the reader attention against other competitors on the shelf. The style of the font also makes a big difference to the appearance of the masthead which will suit the style of the magazine. Fashion magazine such as vogue use sophisticated serif fonts compared to gossip magazines that use bold block letters in a sans-serif font. From the style of the font we learn the genre of the magazine and who the target audience is. The colour of the masthead is also essential and makes a big difference to look of the front cover.  Usually the colour is the same as the cover lines and different to the colours within the main. This is so the masthead stands out in front of the main image so it can be read easily.

Colour

Generally, a front cover will follow a general colour scheme so that it does not look unorganized or random. 2-3 different colours will feature on the cover so it does look to chaotic or over the top as this can repel the reader. Common colour schemes include pastel colours, autumnal or monochrome. Different colours have different connotations e.g. red connotes danger and love, blue connotes peace and tranquility, white connotes innocence and purity. These connotations will make a difference to the mood and attitude of the magazine and will make the reader feel differently.  To ensure the cover looks professional the colours used need to compliment each other and not clash. If the colours contrast then the magazine will look badly designed and thought through.

Typography

Typography is the style, arrangement and appearance of text. Using the correct style of font for a particular magazine genre is vital for the theme to be presented clearly to the reader. For example, if the genre is classical music and you use a edgy font that belongs to a rock magazine the page will look odd and not fluent. Excluding the masthead, two different fonts are usually used to emphasize different words. It is important that the fonts do not clash as this will demonstrate poor typography making a poor impact onto the whole magazine. Deciding whether to use a sans-serif or serif font should also be taken into consideration. Sans-serif are usually used for cover lines as they can be easily read from a variety of distances. The font will be very clean, bold and basic so they stand out on the page. Most likley the masthead will be in serif font as this style is more interesting as each letter is decorated. This will also help the masthead link the theme or genre of the magazine as the font can represent or enhance it. Another factor to take into consideration is kerning which is where you adjust the spaces inbetween characters within a piece of text. This is so that text looks proportionate and organised to achieve a visually pleasing result. Bad kerning will result in the reader struggling to read the text which would make them not want to buy the product.

Logo

The logo is the most important thing for the business's branding as it identifies the company in the marketplace. Usually the logo is one of the first things the reader notices therefore it is important the company makes a good first impression.The logo needs to be recognizable but unique so it is disguished  against other competitors. To do this the logo should be positioned in the same place on every issue so that the reader automatically reassured that it is the same magazine they are buying. The logo should communicate the reader something about the company e.g. is it unprofessional or classy? The popularity of the company is important as people will turn towards logos they recognize instead of less known brands that are unheard of. The colour of the logo plays a key part in what the logo announces to the reader. Different colours have different connotations and meanings. If the logo is monochrome then it will make the company look very dull and serious but if it brightly coloured then it will appear fun and energetic.

Cover Lines

The cover lines on a front cover a designed to tempt the reader by giving them clues about the contents of the actual magazine. These clues are very short and snappy to they quickly advertise some of the articles/features inside the magazine,  for example 'exclusive interview with Katy Perry' or '25 new fashion trends you need to know'. Particular words that the publisher wants to emphasize are in a different font and enlarged more compared to the rest of the text. This words may include 'exclusive', 'Katy Perry' or '25' as this is what makes this particular issue special. Some of the cover lines will be anchored to the main image showing a clear link between the conventions which will explain why that particular person is on the front cover. For example, Katy Perry is the main images, next to her would be a cover line saying 'exclusive interview with Katy Perry'. This would also be the main cover line as it is promoting the main article of the magazine. This would be smaller than the masthead by far large than the other cover lines making it the second thing the reader will notice. The cover lines are usually positioned in the outer thirds around the model in the main image and should not overlap.

Barcode

The barcode is usually positioned in one of the corners of the page as it is one of the least important conventions of the page. It does not contribue to the theme or genre of the magazine as it is used on all magazine. The barocde holds important information about the prodcut and helps to identify it. This is done by reading the barcode using a barcode scanner that tracks the number of sales and relationships with customers. This is an advantage for the company as they can see how many magazine they ahve sold which will tell them if their product has been successful or not.

 

Strips

Strips are found along the top or bottom of the magazine containing a list of item that are featured inside the magazine. It is like a menu for the reader as it makes them excited and curoius for the articles within. Strips convey that there are lots of interesting features inside meaning the customers is getting value for their money.

 Dateline and Price

These two conventions give valueable information to the reader. The dateline will identify when the magazine was published so the reader can ensure they have the latest issue. The price tells the reader how much the magazine is, meaning they can compare this with other magazines to find the best value for their money. These two conventions are positioned above or underneath the barcode in very small text so they do not distract the readers attention away from the other text.

 

MUSIC MAGAZINE GENRES

What is a music magazine?

A music magazine is a type of magazine that is totally dedicated to publish music related content. This content could include posters of musicians, interviews, photo-shoots, news, up and coming music events and more. The main target audience of a music magazine is quite simply the fans of that music genre of any age or gender. In addition to this if a particular musician is a special feature to the magazine then the fans of that musician would also be interested.

Genres

Pop

Pop magazine usually have a very bright colour scheme consisting of mostly neon colours. These neon colours are usually stereotypically feminine such as pink and purple meaning the magazine is aimed a young girls. The common conventions found on these type of magazines include large and small images, puffs, masthead, cover lines, anchorage text, slogan, skyline and more. These particular conventions are usually coloured vividly to quickly attract the young audiences attention. Because the magazine has a young audience informal language is used so that they can easily read the text. Sometimes even slang is used so looks as if the magazine has been written by someone of a similar age. This also makes the magazine appeal more friendly making the reader feel like they are talking to a friend rather than reading information written by someone much older. These magazines will usually feature a popular and current pop star on the front cover whose interview or photo shoot will be inside of the magazine. Also inside of the magazine will be celebrity gossip, articles about new songs or albums as well as beauty tips suiting the target audience.

Rock/Heavy Metal

Rock/heavy metal magazines use very dark shades of colours and lots of black and white. These colours connote the darkness and heaviness of the music that the magazine is about. The target audience for this particular magazine ranges from teenagers to middle aged adults. However I would say usually this genre would appeal more to men than women as women would stereotypically  prefer lighter and more happy music. The age range is very wide because rock magazines usually include a wide variety of musicians from different eras that appeal to different ages. These different musicians can appear on the front cover at anytime where they will be the main image positioned centrally and boldly in the page. The masthead is usually in a big bold font at the top of the page with the name of musician featured on the front cover, positioned along the center of the page. The structure of the front cover is usually quite busy and unorganised with lots of cover lines and large titles across the page. This is done to reflect the audience of the magazine who usually dress quite untidy and casual. The contents of the magazine will include interviews, news, photo-shoots, events that are usually advertised on the front cover.

 

Classical

Classical music magazines are very different from rock/heavy metal and pop magazines. These magazines are mainly aimed at the older generation who enjoy enjoy listening to calm and slow music. Because of this the front cover does not look too chaotic or busy instead it is very organised with little text. They follow a subtle colour scheme consisting of browns, black, reds and white. These colours are not obvious or loud keeping with the relaxing mood that the reader wants to feel. The contents of the magazine will include historical and factual articles about previous composers, up and coming musical events, crosswords/quiz's and more.

Some magazines may even include music sheets so people can learn to play the music themselves as well as gaining advice given by professionals. The language tends to be formal as it designed for older people to read meaning they will not be able to understand modern slang. The conventions this genre generally follows are cover lines, masthead and main image which are the basic necessities.

Hip-Hop 

The target audience of hip-hop magazines are usually teenagers of both genders as this is the generation that mostly listens to the genre. This is also reflected from the language used which consists of slang and the way it is informally written. The colour scheme consists of dark tones giving the magazine a harsh and edgy feel reflecting the tough music genre. The main image on the front cover is usually of a current rapper which is commonly a mid shot or head and shoulder shot of the artist. The artists generally pull sturdy and tough poses showing off their tattoos or jewelry making them looks powerful and strong.However some of the main images can be quite explicit and rude echoing some rap lyrics. The font is very bold and straight making it clear to read. The text on the front cover is written in capital letters so it feels as if the magazine is shouting to you which is quite aggressive. 

 

INTRODUCTION

I have made this blog in order to display the work I will be doing in order to make a music magazine. This work will include research into the conventions of a magazine, planning the design and then evaluating and analyzing the finished products. By doing lots of research into music magazines this will help me to gain lots of knowledge on how to successfully produce a professional product.

My blog will finish with me displaying my three finished media products including a front cover, contents page and double paged spread. All of these media products will be based on the same genre of music with similar designs and layouts.

After successfully creating my school magazine (linked here) I now feel comfortable with using software's such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe CS4 InDesign as I am now more familiar with the different tools. I also think I am more well informed about how to make a magazine look official and realistic. In addition to this I can now learn about from my mistakes from my previous magazine and over come them so they do not happen again.