Music Magazine Research

Mark Mulliss

Double Page Spread ConventionsMain Body Text: The text on a double page spread is sized at 11 pt and some magazines make fonts fit in with the article. Some magazine double page spreads start with a drop cap to indicate the start of the article. Texts are usually spaced into columns most commonly between 2 – 4 to give the article and page structure.

Headline: Headlines on double page spreads are usually in bold text, short and usually attention grabbing quotes or sentences.

Page Numbers: Page numbers are most commonly in the bottom corners of the pages and they are there for the readers help to navigate from article to article.

Pull Quotes: A pull quote can be used as the headline or can be used within the text to break it up. Some magazines will put a Pull Quote around their main image to show the photograph has a significant input to the quote. i.e the person said it.

By-Line: Is the creditable part to the photographers, writer, interviewer etc; its usually placed around the image or sometimes above the text.

Front Cover ConventionsMasthead: The masthead is how the target audience recognises the magazine it’s usually a set

word or words in a particular style or set in a particular border etc; at the top left hand corner of the page.

Issue Number: Issue numbers come in handy for collectors of your magazine so that they can collect the magazines in a certain order and if they miss one they can always find which one they have missed.

Price: The price is usually paired with barcode, depending on the price of the magazine will depend how subtle the exclamation of the price is the cheaper it is the bigger and bolder the price is.

Date: The date goes in hand with the issue number it helps categorise when the magazine was published for collectors and obtaining information about certain articles.

Main Image: The main image normally covers the whole page, which is usually placed behind the masthead or incorporated with the masthead

Contents Page ConventionsFeatures: The features normally includes page numbers and information as to what is in the

magazine. This is placed anywhere on the page.

Image: There is always at least one image, and is usually relevant to what the contents have said is inside the magazine.

Title: The title on a contents page is the most important part to the page as it makes this page unique in the magazine. It’s normally presented in a medium size font so that it doesn’t over shadow the rest of the information its presenting.

KerrangKerrang’s target audience is for the rock and“indie” genre’s of music. It is a very popularmagazine as 6/10 people select thismagazine over NME etc. The magazinecomplies with all relative layout conventionswith the Masthead in the top left hand cornerand the article names within the right handregion. It circulates 42,077 per issue as a report from July this year.

NMENME’s target audience is for therock and “indie” genre’s of music. It is a very popular magazine as6/10 people select this magazineover NME etc. The magazinecomplies with all relative layoutConventions with the Masthead inthe top left hand corner and thearticle names within the right handRegion the total circulation betweenJuly - December 2011 was 23,924.

Classic RockAlthough firmly focusing on key bands from the

1960s through early 1990s, it also includes articles and reviews of contemporary and upcoming artists it deems worthy of note. In September 2010 it published its 150th issue and now has a higher circulation than the NME. Total circulation of 2009 was 71, 242.

Classic Rock focuses on classic rock bands and looks at creditable upcoming artists/bands.

VIBE• This contents page uses a gradient background going from dark to

light leading downwards towards the image, to give the effect of mood and ambience with an imaginary light source to make the image on the page look sexier. The woman is wearing clothing with the same tones as the background adding a purity element to her. There a shadow underneath her which is quite exaggerated, suggesting that she has a dark side giving her a more sexy attitude enticing people to read further into the magazine.The image illustrates a provocative nature with the direction of her legs in the air, paired with the v in the background. The title is quite bold and in a strong font, whereas the rest of the text, for example the word ‘features’, is in a soft, serif font. All of the information about what is in the magazine is on the right hand side of the page, above the woman adding a structure to the page. Details about the magazine are put in a smaller font in the bottom left and right hand corners of the page, doing this has incorporated the image with the writing adding a floor to the page.

Kerrang• Kerrang’s contents page has the main image at the top of the

page, instead of the title. With this main image, they show previews of what is included on double page spreads of other popular bands/artists to attract the reader instantly to there most attractive stories in the magazine.There is information about the editor, promoting an event and as a design part she has signed it. This information is placed on the left of the page separated from the categories of what’s in Kerrang’s magazine for the week.The title’s are bold and clear in yellow, adding a electrical, rock edge to the page. This placed on a black background to make it stand out more dominant than the other information to add a directional element to the reader.There are some puffs including extra information which also grabs the readers attention, due to the separation from the rest of the text and are in their own shape. It’s colour stands out the red colour is only in a few areas of the page meaning that when it is seen it attracts the reader due to the irregularity of the colour on the page.

Q• Q’s contents page uses simple a simple colour scheme of red,

black and white and the colour’s in the photos have been subdued and dulled down with the contrast. The date of the magazine is large in proportion to the title of the page showing that it is one of the most important pieces of information on the page. The have used the red colour to surround all of the titles and the important information as it is contrasting to the white font. This is same as the logo. The majority of the information is aligned to the left hand side of the page in a relatively large font. At the bottom left hand side of the contents page, they have included information that shows the reader what they will get in every monthly magazine. This is quite large and takes up a relatively large space to entice the reader to carry on through the magazine and find all of the free things inside.The review at the bottom is obviously one of the key pieces of information as it had an extra image relating to it and the word ‘review’ is almost as big as the main title of the page.

Kerrang

Kerrang’s Double Page Spread has an image in a black and white/sepia tone stretched over one page and a quarter, this add’s a structure to the photo and article. The image to the right side has been edited with a torn effect which pairs

with title font which has an etched scratched effect. There is a banner/splash titled News on the image in the top left hand corner. This adds a bookmark effect to the page, making the page look personal. The title is in a large font to

draw the reader in, adding a direction of how to read the article. The use of red on Don’t, Need, Change, Style exclaims the main points of the title and possibly the direction of the article giving the reader a subtle preview of what’s

to come. They have used bold in the interview/main body text to separate the questions from the answers with Limp Bizkit.

Q

The image on the double page spread is only on one page, not spread across two. This is to make sure that there is enough room to talk about the events she has been at and all about her. The use of the large red L printed

behind the text connotates to the red colour to Q’s logo and is of course the capital letter that starts Lady Gaga’s name. The target audience, by looking at this double page spread is for women from the ages of 16-40. They

have edited the image black and white with a sepia infusion, this add’s age and clarity to the image, conveying Lady Gaga’s new archaic style. They have used dropped caps to make certain parts of the text stand out maybe

to indicate a change in topic. This catches the reader’s attention and forces them to be intrigued as to what it might be based around. They have used the same font for all of the text except from the word ‘lady’ which has

been written in a lowercase which would resemble the artist more feminine side. However ‘gaga’ has been written in bold and in capital letters.

Top Selling Music Magazine

Q is by far the most popularly renown magazine on the internet when searching “most popular music

magazine” Q is referenced 8/10 times.

Colour: Red and White – a theme, 90% of the time they follow this theme until they break the pattern for special editions.

Font: Fonts are Sans Serif fonts and then most of the external fonts are exclusively edited to fit with character persona like Tinie Tempah to the right who’s latest album has hand written based fonts.

Images: Tinie Tempah has been presented centre stage, the graphics in relation to his latest appearance at T4 they are to the left and to the top right. They are cyan shapes with a pink gradient 3d rotation.

Language: Formal English; List of artists, quote “The Music that changed my Life”, Tinie Tempah with an informal “x” being a connotation of a kiss to a modern audience.

Layout: The convential Q style with the logo in the top left corner substantially larger and bolder than most of the rest of the images. The main article is the focus point in the middle of the page by showing a high quality image of himself. The artists name overlaps the artists photos. Leaving the surrounding text which overlaps the centre image.

Audience Response

Yanick Grimaldi:I like the composition of themagazine, I like the way theimages have been selected andhow the text compliments theimages as it is relevant to theartist.

Audience Response

Brandon Stevenson:Eye contact with the audience, makes it more personal for mewhen acquiring this magazine.As well as she is known forbeing a beautiful woman shehas a powerful seductive photo.

Audience Response

Lindsay Stanhope:I like the T4 style that seems tobe a common theme within theacts performing at the event in2012. The photo editing of BenDrew is good as the lighting isreally effective against theshadows making him almostlook slightly 3D.

Conclusion• What am I going to do now

After looking into these magazines, I’ve decided Rock and Commercial music of today has a wide market, therefore I want to create a unique different approach by looking into either “dance, house” music or “rap, hip-hop”. Both of these genres of music are my most preferred music

genres so I feel I will be able to create a good knowledgeable representation. I feel I can you appropriate techniques within inDesign and Photoshop to manifest a marketable front cover,

contents and double page spread.

• Main aspects of a Magazine I feel after conducting my research the masthead and front main image are my main focus points.

Without these key identifiable components I believe my magazine would not be able to sell within the market being a unique magazine or one of a 1000 a like it. I will choose appropriate imagery

to obtain a complimentary front cover which conveys an endearing and attracting visual connection.