Music Magazine AnalysisMusic Magazine Analysis

Liam SaxtonLiam Saxton

Kerrang Front CoverKerrang Front CoverMastheadThe masthead is the ‘title’ of the magazine. I like this style of masthead because the colour is bold and there is a smashed text affect. This magazine is well known, therefore the main cover image may cover a section of it but the audience can still tell which magazine it is.

PlugsPlugs are bits of information about the contents of the magazine which will attract the target audience. In my magazine I plan to use the posters idea but in a different layout suited to my magazine, I also intend to use the gigs but in a different ‘box’, the plugs at the bottom are common for every magazine,

but in various layouts.

Issue, Price, Bar Code and dateThese are common features of every magazine, they are important but irrelevant to the reader so they are all tucked into the bottom corner out of the way.

PuffsThese are words or phrases which are used to boost the status and get audience engaged.

Main Cover Line(s)This is the main feature article which is expected to be the main seller of the magazine. The main cover lines always show on top of the main image.

Feature Article ImageThis is the most dominant image, the main cover lines go over the top of this image but the image may go over the masthead. My magazine will have the same idea of feature article image as this mag, although my image may not cover the masthead.

The typeface for this front cover is sans serifs, this means the text does not have flicks on the end of the letters.

The layout of this front cover makes the magazine unique. The main article image is in the centre of the page with plugs and puff surrounding it. The main article image covers the mast head which, typically, goes across the top of the page. A plug above the mast head is the main plug as people may only

notice this plug and masthead whilst it is on the shelf. The house colours of the magazine are red, white, black and yellow, these colours will be present through out the magazine. Red is commonly used because apparently the colour red attracts men more than any colour.

Kerrang Contents PageKerrang Contents Page

Contents ColumnLocated on the right hand side under the title banner. The headings are a bigger yellow font in a black box, these are to categorise the features of the article.

The contents page looks neat, professional and lively.

Subscription offerAdvertised in the bottom right corner of the page just like the barcode, this is because the offer may not be relevant to everyone but is still noticeable.

PhotographerThe cover photo and contents most dominant image photographer is given credit, this is to avoid any copyright laws.

LayoutLaid across a single page. Title banner across the top which includes the page title, issue and date. Main dominant image relates to one of the plugs from the front cover.Two smaller images overlap each other at the bottom of the most dominant image, these are two other articles from the magazine, these images being the pages which the page numbers direct you to.Page numbers have been allocated to article on the relevant images and in the contents column.Beneath the main dominant image is a editorial, reader’s love to read a quick paragraph about the issue from the editor, where he gives his own opinion.

LanguageThe language used within the contents page has to be appropriate, relevant and professional but still using basic vocabulary in order for all audiences to understand what they are reading.

House ColoursHouse colours have been used throughout the page, page numbers are in a red font, it is thought that red attracts men more than any other colour, this means that due to the high amounts of red within the issue, this issue is target at men more women. The mast head text contains two of the house colours yellow and white. The Kerrang! Logo is in white font this time, but still follows the house colours. The title banner it self is black, this means that the two fonts are easily readable. Headings within the contents column are a yellow font in a black box, similar to the title banner. Texts within the contents are a black font because the page is white. The page number logos on the images have a white font, within a black star in a red circle.

TextSans Serif text face is used throughout the contents page. In the title banner the Kerrang! Logo is reused to maintain consistency.Variation of colour is used within the text although house colours are still used. The article names which are next to the allocated page number are in a BOLD font, this is due to some of the articles having a brief description under them if the name does not make it clear what the article is about. The BOLD font makes it easier for the audience to distinguish the difference between names and description. Both are in a black font

Kerrang! Double Page Spread

PicturesPictures have be distributed to the top left of the page and the bottom right of the page. The picture in the bottom right overlaps the most dominant image which is located within the middle of the double page and is split across the double pages. The smaller images have a very brief description on the corners in white font within a black box. All 3 of the images focus on the clown (Shaun) because he is the interviewee, the top left image has Shaun within it but focuses on the whole band (Slipknot).

TextThe quote beneath the image is in a huge white font to draw the reader in. The main text is set out into columns like the majority or magazines and newspaper articles. Due to the interview being more of a Q&A the questions are set in a bolder yellow font compared to the answers. On the second page small area is boxed off, the box is yellow and contains a small picture of krusty the clown, the text is black apart from the title and headings which are red and bolder. This is boxed off and contains a different colour and font scheme due to the fact it is irrelevant to the band it self but can still be linked with some aspect of the article, in this case it is linked with a band member being a clown. The text over the double page spread is in a sans serif font. The quote is in a white font but the name of who said it ‘Shaun’ is in yellow, this is to just show the difference between the quote and who said it.

Layout‘Slipknot written at top right corner of the double page.A quote from the text is under the top left image, this could be a title as the reader will view this before reading it within the text, this may cause them to want to read the text more to find out what the quote is about.The text is laid out into 3 columns, and the language used throughout the article is required to be relevant and professional but basic at the same time in order for all audiences to read. The answers on the other hand are personal opinions so they may include crude words.

House ColoursThe house colours from the front cover and contents page are still used to show consistency. White black and yellow being the most blatant used although red is present within the images and the one off box.

Metal Hammer Front CoverMetal Hammer Front Cover

Feature Article ImageThis is the most dominant image, the main cover lines go over the top of this image but the image may go over the masthead. My magazine will have the same idea of feature article image as this magazine, the secondary cover lines are a similar colour to the section of the image they cover, although they are still readable and the masthead covers the top of the image.

Issue, Price, Bar Code and dateThese are common features of every magazine, they are important but irrelevant to the reader so they are all tucked into the bottom corner out of the way.

The layout of this front cover makes the magazine unique. The main article image covers the page but has main focus towards the left hand side of the page with plugs and puffs more focused on the right. A plug above the mast head is the main plug as people may only notice this plug and masthead whilst it is on the shelf. The house colours of the magazine appear to be black, red, silver and white, these colours will be present through out the magazine. Red is commonly used because apparently the colour red attracts men more than any colour.

MastheadThe masthead is the ‘title’ of the magazine. I like this style of masthead because the magazine name is two words and the word ‘Metal’ is ‘engraved’ on the first letter of the second word ‘Hammer’. This just gives the masthead the metal/heavy effect. The masthead also has a smashed affect although this time its more a earth quake crack effect.

PuffsThese are words or phrases which are used to boost the status and get audience engaged.

PlugsPlugs are bits of information about the contents of the magazine which will attract the target audience. In my magazine I feel I could use the idea of the plugs being more like secondary cover lines.

Main Cover Line(s)This is the main feature article which is expected to be the main seller of the magazine. This main cover line is on the right hand side of the main image.

Metal Hammer Contents PageMetal Hammer Contents Page

House ColoursHouse colours have been used throughout the page, page numbers are in a red font, it is thought that red attracts men more than any other colour, this means that due to the high amounts of red within the issue, this issue is target at men more women. The contents heading is in black font and the article on the right hand side is in a black box. Headings within the contents column are a black font. Texts within the contents are a black font because the page is white. Everything within this page follows the house colours of red, white, black, silver and the odd yellow.

Subscription offerAdvertised in the bottom left corner of the page under the contents. This offer still acts within the house colour scheme.

LanguageThe language used within the contents page has to be appropriate, relevant and professional but still using basic vocabulary in order for all audiences to understand what they are reading.

LayoutLaid across a single page. Title banner across the top left column, the top right column has a separate title for the editorial.The most dominant image is in the bottom left corner in the editorial. Smaller images are dotted about across the page, two are located within the editorial text which will be relevant to the text, where as two picture at the bottom of the contents column are images of two double pages which are two independent articles. Two mini columns at the bottom of the contents column split the reviews and band reviews apart. Page numbers have been allocated next to the article titles within the contents.

TextSans Serif text face is used throughout the contents page.House colours are still used throughout the page as only red, white and black are used and the one off yellow text.The article names which are next to the allocated page number are in a BOLD font, this is due to the articles having a brief description under them . The BOLD font makes it easier for the audience to distinguish the difference between names and description. Both are in a black font.Band logos are used at the bottom of the page for two of the bands then the other 4 have a bold font then a smaller description about the article.

Contents ColumnLocated on the left hand side. The headings are a bigger black font, these are to distinguish the articles names from their descriptions.

Metal Hammer Double Page Metal Hammer Double Page SpreadSpread

House ColoursThe house colours from the front cover and contents page are still used to show consistency. White black and solver being the most blatant used although red is present within the images and the one off box.

Layout‘Slipknot written at top left corner of the double page.A quote from the text is under the top image, this could be a title as the reader will view this before reading it within the text, this may cause them to want to read the text more to find out what the quote is about.The text is laid out into 4 columns with the 3rd being a secondary support article, and the language used throughout the article is required to be relevant and professional but basic at the same time in order for all audiences to read.

TextThe quote beneath the image is in a huge black font to draw the reader in and uses a different font the rest of the article, this is to show that it is a quote from within the text and not a separate piece of text. The main text is set out into columns like the majority of magazines and newspaper articles. On the first page a small area is boxed off, the box is silver and contains a small picture of, the text is black with headings to the texting being bold and the same font is used for the main heading of the box to the quote of the main article. The text over the double page spread is in a sans serif font. The start of the paragraphs in the main article has the first capital letter in a bigger capital font, this is a typical technique used within a variety of magazines.

PicturesThe right hand side page is dedicated to pictures. The most dominant image filling the whole page with 3 more pictures over the top in the top right and bottom left corners. On the left hand side page pictures are still used to brighten up the page so it isn’t all text. A band pic at the top of the page above the quote, a picture of the band member who stated the quote to the left of it and in a sectioned off part of the article another picture which is relevant to the text.