Leah Aston

Annotated music magazines with uses and

gratifications

The black background links to the target audience- creates a gothic almost moody mood. The audience will see this and is likely to pick the magazine up. Iconic man in Rock music. The target audience will see Axel rose and immediately think ‘Gun’s and rose’s’ and then ‘rock magazine’. Many rock music fans are generally die hard fans, and this magazine would be usually got from subscriptions. The fact that it’s a ‘lost issue’ would prompt fans to buy it to know more about their favourite bands. This could be an example of social integrative needs, as fans would buy this to talk to other friends about. Meet’s peoples needs as the price of this magazine is so expensive, that it’s likely the audience may need another reason to buy it- the free CD meet’s peoples emotional needs, as they don’t feel like they’re wasting money buying it. All classic rock bands- meet’s people’s effective needs, the need to be entertained. Also, knowledge of these bands could be used to gain credibility within these fandoms- personal integrative needs. ‘Exclusive’ used to meet peoples personal integrative needs as the fan’s will feel like they’re ‘in the know’ as they know exclusive information.

The colour scheme for this magazine is quite soft and light, unlike the classic rock magazine which uses dark black colours. So this magazine would meet an audiences personal integrative needs.

The use of Justin Bieber in this magazine will meet an audience’s tension free needs, as fans will use this magazine and the article written about him as a form of escapism, as it’s likely-contextually- that fans of Justin Bieber will be die hard fans, so the magazine will also get more sales as a result of this.

‘The rebirth of Justin Bieber’ – fans of Justin Bieber may have emotional ties to him, considering the change of fandoms in the 21st century, so an article on the change of Justin Bieber will link to a person’s affective needs.

The pink background links to the target audience of a pop magazine, usually this audience would be young girls, so the colour scheme meets the audiences affective needs.

The use of Katy Perry in the magazine may lend to the audiences cognitive needs as the audience will know more about her, which means they’re developing their knowledge. Also, knowledge of this singer may be used to gain credibility within a fandom (fan group) so it links to a fans personal integrative needs.

Tension free needs: Audiences will read this magazine as a use of escapism and to relieve tension. Pop audiences are most likely young, so they’ll have a lot more free time than older audiences.

The use of 30 seconds to mars in this magazine links to the audiences tension free needs. Also, fans of this band are likely to buy this magazine, so the sales of this magazine will rise.

Audiences will read this magazine and talk to their friends about it e.g. on the internet or within their friendship groups, so this magazine will meet a persons social integrative needs.

‘Exclusive’ may appeal to somebodies social integrative needs or cognitive needs as the interview is exclusive, so the audience will feel like they know information that other people don’t, and also cognitive needs as they’re learning information.