Kerrang Magazine Textual Analysis

Front Cover Direct mode of address from the artists/models on the front cover which engages the target audience.

Masthead ‘Kerrang!’ is bold in the centre at the top of the page which adheres to the codes and conventions of a magazine the masthead it partly covered with the heads of the artists which could connote that the magazine has enough status to be recognised.

There is use of anchorage text, when they say “50 Greatest emo albums ever” and then they have the emo artists as the main image, and the main article inside. This helps to engage the target audience because they see the artists and will wan to read what the article is about.

The colour scheme is aesthetically pleasing as they compliment eachother and the genre of music it mainly uses yellow black and purple which is fairly bold and emos have connotations of black and darkness.

The magazine is eye catching and has a lot going on which makes it more likely to be picked up.

There is use of rhetorical questions in which helps to engage with the target audience as it is a direct mode of address

The socio economic category for this magazine would be E as it is aimed at a younger and more niche demographic.

Puffs are placed over the main image which could connote that the other articles are equally as exciting as the one that relates to the main image.

The use of dates and issue numbers implies you can subscribe to it which adds exclusivity which can attract the target audience along with having competitions for them to get involved with.

The use of the barcode and dates, mastheads, competitions and taglines all adhere to the codes and conventions of magazines,

The typography used in the masthead is square and modern whilst it has slashes through it which connotes violence which adheres to the genre of the magazine.

The magazine uses buzz words to create excitement for the target audience using words like the ‘greatest’ which attracts them to buy the maaazine.

Contents Page

The subjects in the main image have a direct mode of address which engages with them target demographic.

They use black and yellow for the colour scheme which is aesthetically pleasing and shows continuity.

The same font is used on the contents page as the front cover which shows a housestyle.

The contents page repeats the articles that are mentioned on the front cover but adds more and in more detail, this follows the codes and conventions of contents page.

The contents page is split into different sections with headings such as “news” ”features” ”lives” ”reviews” this helps to keep the contents tidy and organized, so that it is fulfilling the purpose of a contents page.

Masthead challenges codes and conventions as it is situated at the top right hand corner compared with being on the left which mages the layout more individual.

The masthead on this page is in a different font to the rest of the writing on the contents and on the front cover which again challenges the house style but adds individuality.

The use of dates and issue numbers implies you can subscribe to it which adds exclusivity which can attract the target audience.

Double Page Spread

Has page numbers which makes the page organized and follows the codes and conventions of a magazine.

Uses a bleed of the picture to make the page aesthetically pleasing.

Has creative, individual and aesthetically pleasing use of font to catch the target audiences attention.

The model has a direct mode of address which helps to engage with the target audience.

The models pose is intense and fierce which creates an atmosphere and gives the article more feeling.

A triplet is used in the largest pull quote which is in place of a heading, which goes against the codes and conventions. This creates interests and attracts the target audience.

The colour scheme is dark with no bright colours at all which adheres to the emo and gothic genre.

The simplistic look contrasts with the contents and front cover which shows diversity throughout the magazine. It is also aesthetically pleasing.

Pull quotes are used to entice the reader.

There isn’t too much text that it would put the target audience off of reading further.