ANALYSISOF CONTENTS PAGESMUSIC MAGAZINES

NMEMasthead= The iconic NME masthead is included at the top left of the contents page to reinforce the fact its NME’s contents page.

Band Index= The band index is a quick navigation system for readers to find the bands they’re interested in and skip to the page they are featured on.

This Week= A short and snappy name for the contents page featuring the issue date underneath in small print. It’s in capitals so it is bold and instantly grabs the readers attention.

Contents= The contents that will be featured within the magazine is displayed to the right of the page and is separated into categories to make it clearer and easier for the reader to understand and navigate. It also gives the magazine and organised structure.Main image= The main image

relates to the main headline on the page, which advertises one of the main features of the magazine (not necessarily the main feature from the cover).

Ad Banner/Puff & plug= NME have used an Ad banner to advertise a subscription scheme for the magazine. The writing is bold and in bright yellow to draw the readers eye to it.

Main story= In bold, black writing so to stand out.

Buzz words= Some buzz words are featured to grab the readers attention and draw them in to read that specific article. In this case “kicked off” is used to create excitement and to stand out from the rest of the sentence. “Plus” is another example used to make the reader think they’re getting extra content.

Q MAGAZINE

Q magazine has a double paged contents page which is deviating from the codes & conventions of most magazines, having only one contents page. I think this is because Q is such a large magazine with a lot of content, they need a larger contents.

Masthead= Iconic masthead ‘Q’ is featured so people easily recognise it.

Features= List of features within the magazine with page numbers and a small description.

Images= To display the main features Q uses several images randomly placed around the pages in an abstract fashion so to make the contents visually interesting and draw the reader in . Each image has a page number for easy navigation.

Main image= The main feature (that relates to the cover) is the biggest picture on the left page, and is what the reader looks at first. The page number is beneath it, also clear and bold.Regulars= The

regulars list is the parts of the magazine that are featured every week but just with different artists and films etc. This is unusual and again deviates away from the codes & conventions of most music magazines.Puff & Plug= This

advertises a story (in this case a review) that will be within the magazine and shares a small part of it with the reader, with the intention that they’ll read on inside the magazine.

Issue number is clear and featured at the top of the page, so it is immediately seen.

There is a simple, coordinating colour scheme featured throughout the magazine, and is evident on the contents page.

WE LOVE POP

Masthead= Featured at the top right hand corner so it will defi9nitley be recognised by the reader, if not at first glance, when they turn the page instead.

Banner= The banner at the bottom acts as a puff & plug showing the posters you get free (as an extra) with this issue.

Puff & plug= Instantly grabs the readers attention and tells them what extras they are getting with this issue.

Pull quote= Gives the reader a snippet of the article, therefore making them want to read on. It is usually taken out of the main article, and this case it has been.

Editors note= Short section always on the left third of the contents page, explaining what the magazines about etc. and is written by the Editor of the magazine. Most music magazines don’t have an editors note/ letter, and it is more common for gossip, celeb and fashion magazines. I think We Love Pop has used this as although being a music magazine, it adopts a gossipy, celeb style to it’s writing and features etc. This means it is deviating from the codes & conventions of music magazines. Inside this month= The main bulk of the contents including bold page numbers.Images= There are several images on this contents page helping to show readers all the different content the magazine has to offer. Some of these are in the right third accompanied by pull quotes, captions and page numbers, two are used for the editors letter and the poster banner, and the largest image relates to the main feature (probably similar to the front cover).

Simple, coordinated & complimentary colour scheme to make the page more visually appealing and interesting.

Web address and actual page number.

THE FLYIssue date= Featured stretching across the top of contents page and is bold and coloured red and one of the first things you read. This is unusual as the date isn’t one of the most important parts of a contents page.

Main image= The main image is very large and takes up at least two thirds down of the page. It features a page number, and elates to the main article and most probably the cover image. Compared to most music magazines, this contents page is very different as it contains only one image, which is the intended main focus and most important feature in the magazine.

Contents= Is very limited and only the features the important articles that will be inside. The most important ones are in fact underlined to grab the readers attention.

Contents= The title of the page is called ‘Contents’ and is very, very small and can hardly be seen behind the issue date. This is deviating away from the codes & conventions of music magazines.

Tagline= Going down the left hand side of the page vertically, is the magazines tagline. This is the slogan or catchphrase coined by the magazine that it’s readers will recognise and associate with The Fly.

After analysing four different covers of popular music magazines all sporting different genres, I have found that NME, Q Mag. And We love pop, follow the codes & conventions of music magazines whereas The Fly completely deviates and has it’s own unique style, which could relate to the genre of music it is based on (alternative and small, upcoming artists). I have decided to that my music magazine will follow most of the codes & conventions and I am also going to incorporate a side panel similar to NME’s band index into my contents page as I feel it looks good, makes the page interesting and is a simpler and quicker way of navigation for the readers who perhaps want to find things really quickly etc.