Deconstruction of Indie Music Magazines Contents Pages

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Deconstruction and Analysis of Three Indie Music Magazine Contents Pages

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3 deconstructions of contents pages

Transcript of Deconstruction of Indie Music Magazines Contents Pages

Page 1: Deconstruction of Indie Music Magazines Contents Pages

Deconstruction and Analysis of Three Indie Music Magazine

Contents Pages

Page 2: Deconstruction of Indie Music Magazines Contents Pages

Branding and logo in the top right hand corner as this is where the reader’s eye is drawn to when they look at the page. It also reinforces the idea of brand and the magazines image which is very important as without a credible or fashionable image it would not sell or be respected.

Band index included which lists bands included in the edition and page they’re found on as this provides even more incentive for the reader to buy it and read it as they will only want to if it contain something that interests them; such as bands they like. It also connotes the breadth of music contained within the magazine. It implies the NME has a USP of containing so many bands so therefore appeals to a large target audience.

Topical news event/story included on the contents age with an easily identifiable image engages the reader and provides more incentive to read it.

Simple colour code used with contrasting colours of black, red, white and yellow. This mimics the house style of NME and again connotes professionalism, It is also extremely eye catching and easy to read. The use of white text in the headings also connotes the magazines purity and that hat they write is the ‘truth’ so is credible and believable.

Advert to subscribe to NME included at the bottom of the page as the reader has just read what the magazine contains and is supposedly looking forward to the edition so this is the optimum time to advertise subscription. Also placing it at the bottom of the page means that it’s the last thing the reader will see so will stay in their minds for longer.

Including “The UK’s No.1 Gig Guide” connotes the magazine’s importance and credibility again which is essential because if it wasn’t perceived as believable then the reader would not care about it’s opinion on music and subsequently wouldn’t buy it. The importance is also connoted through the change in colour codes from the background normally being black behind white text to being red which makes it more eye catching. Also through placing it on the bottom of the page in the right hand corner it means it’s the last thing the reader will see so makes it more likely they’ll read it.

Page split into thirds of the band index, recent story and contents. This makes the page more accessible and aesthetically pleasing. It also connotes professionalism as it’s been well organised. The contents has also been clearly structured into separate categories so that information is easily accessible to the reader. However there is a lot on the contents page and it’s very busy and appears to be almost disorganised which connotes that the target audience is slightly younger than Q’s. It also implies that the target audience are possibly alienated or disassociated with mainstream conventions and prefer the oddness of having a busy and seemingly disorganised house style.

Date underneath the headline to show that it’s topical and refers the recent music events.

Headline of ‘This Week’ which instantly reveals the purpose of the page so engages the reader.

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Large and bold masthead placed on the top of the page so that it is easily identifiable as the contents page.

Date of the edition shown underneath the title so the edition is easily identifiable. Main articles positioned on the

contents page with an image, quote and subheading which act as a lure and provide incentive for the reader to go to that particular article. The quotes tend to be vague and enigmatic as this again acts as an incentive as the reader wants to understand what the article is about. The main content is then revealed in the sub heading underneath the quote which solidifies the reader’s interest and encourages them to go to the article.

Page numbers clearly shown in the corner of the image that is associated with that article so they can easily be found by readers.

Limited colour palette used of mainly black and white as this is easy to read which is very important on the contents page as the purpose of it is to inform the reader where to find the articles within the magazine. The black and white also links to the photos used above the articles so creates a sense of unity and professionalism.

Listing of the types of articles found within the magazine and where shows that the magazine is split into different section with different types of articles within and reveals easily to the reader where to find them.

Informal and some offensive language used which shows the mode of address as informal and personable. This also connotes that the magazine relates to its younger target audience and has freedom of expression, just like the music it contains, as it swears openly. The language is also quite derogatory and offensive which connotes the seemingly snobbish attitude of indie music which in order to appear individual and different has to first find fault in other music genres.

Advert for a subscription to the magazine placed in the bottom left corner as this is the last thing the reader sees and after all of the incentive of the contents page and the breadth of articles within they hope by placing the advert here the reader will be encouraged to subscribe to it.

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Contents split into three distinct sections of features, every month and review. Under each heading is a list of what they are in this edition and page numbers. This instantly informs the reader what they will find within the magazine and provides incentive to read on. Each article heading starts with the page number so it’s easy to find, then the main tag line of the article which often creates enigma so the reader reads on, then the sub-heading which reveals a little more and provides even more incentive to read on.

The same font is used throughout the entire page which connotes professionalism and unity and makes the magazine appear more credible. However the size of the text differs thus connoting how some stories and text has more importance than others and the reader’s eye is drawn to the larger font. Artist’s names are also in bold which makes it stand out amongst the rest of the text and instantly tells them which articles will interest them.

Use of branding and logo with the Q on the top left hand side of the page. This reinforces the magazine’s identity and brand which reiterates its pride and credibility.

Bold and easy to read headline with date on as well making it more accessible to the reader as all the information they want to know such as what that page is about can be told from a single glance.

Most of the page is used with a photo that refers to the main article of that edition and cover. This technique engages the reader and draws them into reading the rest of the text. It also creates a sense of unity within the magazine as everything is linked.

Clearly structured contents page with easily identifiable sections. This makes it easier to read and again connotes professionalism and credibility. However it could also connote that Q is slightly more mainstream than other indie magazines and this structure implies that it fits the norm.

The colour codes used within the contents page are red, white, grey and black which are all contrasting colours and are therefore eye catching. They also connote the brand as Q always uses these colours. This again reinforces the concept that Q cares a lot about its brand image and credibility. The language and mode of address also connotes this as it’s quite sophisticated and not as informal as NME.

Changing the colour code for the review section connotes its importance and including the tag line “The World’s Biggest and Best Music Guide” connotes the magazine’s prestige and credibility. This all implies that Q is for a slightly older and more sophisticated target audience and is more high brow.