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.