Deconstructions and Analysis of Three Indie Music Magazine Front

Covers

Masthead placed in the top left corner of the page as this is the most seen place meaning that the magazine is easily identifiable to readers. The colour is also bright red which is bold and eye-catching so again draws the reader’s attention to it as they look at a many different magazines. The red also connotes passion, danger and anger which could imply that NME includes rock music, is passionate about music and perhaps a danger to mainstream music. The font used is also a very unified and cohesive one. This connotes a sense of professionalism which increases the reader’s perception of the magazine as one that is reliable and to be trusted which is vital because if the reader did not believe it to be credible then they would not buy it. It could also connote pride and a strong sense of identity, mainly that being indie is something to be proud of and that through being part of this genre you are part of a group. This is important to the readers as they often feel alienated and different, just like the music they listen to, and this makes them feel like they are part of something.

There is a very limited colour palette used on this front cover with the image in black and white and the only colour seen in the masthead and in part of the coverlines. The monochrome connotes an atmosphere of finality and death and makes the image feel dated. However it also gives an impression of respect. The red connotes the brand of NME and shows that whilst the cover image may be downplayed and a little dreary the rest of the magazines contents is not.

There is also a juxtaposition of font types on this front cover with a more conventional and formal font used within text relating to Joy Division thus connoting respect and a much more free and handwritten style used in text about other artists. This implies that the magazine wishes to be respectful of Ian Curtis but does not want to be too serious to its fairly young target audience so reiterates that this is a fun and engaging edition through the use of the personal loose font. However even within the more informal font they have placed a large red cross instead of an and which has religious connotations and again implies that the magazine is being respectful of the dead. This also reveals the magazine’s mode of address which is largely informal and personal but is formal on occasions.

Use of a strong striking image on the front cover with clear eye contact which draws the reader in. It is also an iconic and historic image which captures the atmosphere of the 80’s and has become infamous after Ian Curtis’s death because of the connotations of the cigarette; showing self destructive nature. Everything about this image connotes severity and darkness from the severe haircut, the dark coat which hides most of him to his almost dead expression. This coupled with the hand in front of the face creates a sense of enigma and therefore draws the reader in and demands attention in a fairly subtle way.

The lure of the “anniversary special” and “exclusive interviews” connotes to the reader that this is an important edition of the NME and attracts them to the magazine as it shows the magazines U.S.P.

Use of branding and logo in the masthead which makes the magazine easily identifiable to the reader and also positioned in front of the person in the image connoting that the brand is more important than the contents of the edition. However as this is a special subscriber’s edition it doesn’t fit the conventions of most front covers and the positioning of the masthead in front could alternatively connote that the brand is more important because it is this particular brand that the subscriber wants.

There is a limited colour palette used which consists of mainly white with red and black. The red signifies the brand and could also connote anger or passion again possibly passionate about music and the white could reference the purity of the magazine and possibly the purity of Alex Turner; all he cares about is the music.

Use of unusual striking image which defies conventions of front covers as there is no eye contact which is normally used to draw the reader in and entice them into reading the magazine. However the enigmatic look to the side creates a sense of mystery and connotes a sense of oddness. It also implies that Alex Turner is almost trapped within his own mind and this again is intriguing to the reader. The oddness of the whole image connotes the genre of music that Arctic Monkeys are; indie as the image is unique and doesn’t fit the conventions of most front covers just as indie music is unique and defies conventions. An unusual and slightly risky image has been used because it’s a subscriber only cover so they know that it has been bought already so instead of focusing on enticing potential customers its aim is instead to create something visually dynamic and interesting without the usual constraints.

There is only one coverline on this cover and it’s positioned in one of the least visible places but this has been done again as it is a subscriber’s edition. However the use of only one coverline that relates to the image means there is a limited lure with this cover as it only attracts people who like that band so is not therefore that successful as a conventional cover but as a subscribers front cover I feel it is incredibly successful as it’s a striking image that connotes everything I would want to connote through an image; uniqueness and individuality.

Lyrics scrawled in the background connotes that the magazine is focused entirely on the music and also implies that Arctic Monkey’s music is an art form that is again focused exclusively on the music and not the celebrity culture of mainstream music. The fact it’s handwritten also connotes that it’s personal and specific to Alex Turner. This personalism reinforces the theme of understanding Alex Turner’s unique mind and the lyrics in the background make it look like an insight into his mind which is what the main cover story is about as seen through the only coverline on the cover which states “Arctic Monkeys Inside Alex Turner’s Head”. It also implies that he reveals himself and his beliefs through his music and in order to understand him you have to listen to his music.The handwritten lyrics also connotes again an oddness as the writing changes a lot and has been doodled on appears to have no set structure which again connotes the genre of music. I really love how personal and odd this image is and would love to create something similar to this.

Use of thirds on this cover with the top third containing the masthead and lures to attract the reader’s attention, make it easily identifiable and give immediate incentive for them to buy it. The next third portrays the band that the cover story is about and the final third is a list of some the artists that are within that edition. This has been done due to how we read a text, from top to bottom. It places the most attractive items at the top to grab the reader’s attention then reveals the main subject matter of this edition then shows other artists to provide more incentive to open the magazine and read about the plethora of bands within.

Use of puns on the coverlines and informal language used thus revealing the mode of address to be fairly informal and relaxed as its target audience is relatively young and it wants to appeal to them and they way they talk.

Lures placed above the masthead and below it as this is the most visible part of the cover so draws the reader in and gives them incentive to read the edition. These lures are reinforced with smaller images of the people they are about which makes it even more easily identifiable to potential readers and therefore more appealing. There is also well known logos used on the cover of Reading and Leeds which has again been used as a lure to entice the reader in through iconic images.

Use of a striking image with a clever use of proxemics to portray the band in a visually interesting way. The spearhead formation connotes that they are a team but that the front man has more importance than the rest. The hair over the face also connotes a sense of enigma and possible anxiety and shyness as they are hiding behind their fringes. However the front man is pushing his hair out of his face thus implying that he is revealing himself to the reader and this creates a relationship between the reader and image and is engaging.

There is a limited colour code used on this cover with the main colours being black, red, white and yellow. These are complimentary colours which are bold and have been used as they are eye catching and because of the specific connotations they have. For example the red connotes passion, possibly about music, the black connotes darkness, potentially within the genre of indie implying that it’s darker and more intense than mainstream music and it also references the band on the cover so creates a coherent cover which looks professional. The white connotes purity and suggests that this magazine is focused purely on music and the yellow implies a vibrancy and celebratory atmosphere of the magazine about indie music. However there is then a clash of colours used underneath the name of the band which appears to be paint splatters which connotes that the band are artists. These bright colours contrast drastically with the dark clothes of the band and connote the change in musical direction they have taken with their new album which is described as “psychedelic” which is also suggested through the bright colours.