Researchin

g into

Music

Magazines

Liam Drake Media Studies

Current Music Magazines

• NME• Q• Kerrang• Uncut• Mojo• The Music Magazine (TMM)• Future Music

Magazine Logos

Q Magazine Covers

Q Magazine cover analysisLogo of Q easily identifiable. Smashed/Cracked affect represents Matt Bellamy as wild and crazy.

Big Headline on left third of cover, so it stands out on the shelf of a shop. Largetst text on the page, impying that Muse are the featured article in the magazine. Being on the left third the text will be the stand out selling point of the magazine whilst on the stores shelf.

Off-centre image of The Beatles connotes that they are unusual and go against the trend, representative of the mystery that surrounds them, and the things you didn’t know about them

Conventional of a magazine to feature a barcode, however you would not expect it usually to feature on the cover.

Use of copy running alongside the feature article can persuade fans of certain artists to buy the magazine.

Uncut Magazine cover analysisConventional colour scheme of red, yellow and black.

Reinforced by the black and white image. Creates a professional, yet stylish cover. Backed up by the expressions of the Gallagher brothers the connotations of sibling rivalry and bitterness prevails.

The use of a pun is evident, the target audience will recognise this and be influenced to purchasing the magazine.

Copy along the right third of the cover gives an idea of who the target audience is, by listing bands who will appeal to them.

Cover House Stylesand

Examples

Maximum Photo Impact

Neat, Clean and Controlled

Busy House Style

Special Graphical Effects

NME Magazine Cover

Contents House Styles

and Examples

Multiple picture reference

Controlled section

Double Page

Front Page Reference

Use of split Page effect in Kerrang magazine is used effectively.

The page features all of the conventions of a magazine contents page. Different sections are highlighted by titles as the page is split into more manageable sections. With page numbers to help the audience locate articles.

The colour scheme continuity provides a professional design to the contents page.

The presence of an editors notes section allows the reader to relate to the magazine, the use of an imagine of the editor adds personality to the text, a synthetic relationship is created between editor and audience is created. Especially the signature, which creates the illusion that the editor hand signed the magazine herself. The text in her notes uses a direct mode of address to talk personally with the reader.

Q Contents page is very clean cut with a simple layout that is very effective.

The use of a central image diverts the audience’s eye, attracting their attention to an article about The Courteeners. The target audience will know of the band, this is why they have been used to be the featured artists. They use of a pullquote from the article implies that the interview with the band is humorous. The image has positive connotations of the band. They are stood on top of a rural hill, with a town beneath them. Implying that they “the world at their feet” The band are wearing casual attire, mimicking the way in which their fanbase dresses to create a personal bond with Q readers.

Colour Continuity is used to create a professional contents, with only 3 colours featuring on the page. Red, Black, White.

This contents page is taken from NME magazine and it takes a picture reference approach. Very little typography features on this page, instead the audience is lead by the images and pullquotes.

The variety of images used creates a quirky contents page. Juxtaposition of the Klaxons bassist playing a gig, with camera effects of black and white tone along with backlighting creates a stylish presence on stage. This image is placed next to one of a man who appears to be a farmer stood in a boggy field, wearing a gaudy red sweatshirt.

More traditional elements of a contents page can be seen with the use of a list format to display other features of the magazine. However there are no captions to partner the text.

New Sub-Genre

• British Indievasion • Adapted from the genre British invasion from

the 1960’s. • A genre that is based on all Indie Bands that are

Brtish such as: The Enemy, The Arctic Monkeys and The Wombats

• This could be the Unique Selling point of a new magazine but introducing a new sub-genre