Magazine analysis

Existing Music Magazine Analysis

George Loftus

General Information on Music Magazines

• A Music magazine is a magazine that looks at the latest trends in music related to the sub-genre that the magazine is related to such as Q magazine which is aimed at Indie/Rock people.

• In a music magazine I would expect to see a majority of photos as people prefer photos than text in a music magazine. There will be key stories about musicians and new artists which will be featured in the magazine. There should be also album releases, Song reviews and tour dates.

• Images that I would find in a music magazine would be about artists that are featured in the magazine. There will be pictures , of album covers, live gig sessions, pictures of fans. I believe that images in a music magazine are a key feature, this is because people can easily relate through images rather than just text which will also bore people.

• The characteristics and features that I would find in a music magazine would be that there is always a barcode on the magazine, the language that is used is important as people relate with different types of language such as a R’n’B magazine would use a lot of slang as this is a characteristic of its audience. The word you will be expressed a lot especially on the front cover and eye contact with the main image, this is done to make it feel personal to you and makes you buy the magazine.

The four Magazines

Similarities amongst the Magazines

• All the magazines have a main image of an artist on the front of their magazine. This is done to show the audience who is featured in this magazine, and the image is usually relevant to the genre of the magazine as they both will be the same.

• They all have either a big bold title or a logo which the magazine is called and is situated at the top of the page so that the reader can easily identify the magazine by just quickly looking.

• They all have a running colour scheme throughout all there magazines, this is because it makes it easier for the audience to recognise the magazine through its colours so it makes it even more simple to find the magazine.

• All the magazines include the conventions on a front cover such as Date, Issue Number, barcode, price. This is done to add continuity to the magazine so people know where to find these things.

Differences amongst the Magazines

• All the magazines cater for different types of music (Sub-Genres) therefore each magazine has a different colour scheme to suit the target audience and the gender of the readers. For example, magazines such as Q and NME use lots of red and Black colours to signify power and danger which is also shown within the artists they show in there magazine and the genre it is.

• Font styles represent the different genres of music they contain such as ‘Top of the Pops’ has a more curly and friendly look about the text because its genre is more Pop and Chart music which attracts a young feminine audience.

• Artists on the front are of different genres that fit in with the magazine such as they are both from the same genre. For example, Billboard which is a Hip-Hop, RnB magazine features Drake on the front who is also of that genre.

• The camera position on the main image is different as some contain Long shots and medium shots and other contain Close up. This suggest that the main image is a key aspect to attract the target audience into buying the magazine.

Analysis of Front Covers

Analysis of Front CoverHeader – Mode of address as the word has been abbreviated giving the sense that the people who know this magazine have a good knowledge about this festival. Big and bold and in a Sans Serif Style making it more vibrant different use of colours to masthead makes it more ‘special’.

Masthead – conventional as it is in top left corner and represents continuity of colours and theme of magazine fits in with the style and other captions on the front cover.

Main Image – Image of Jay-z at Glastonbury Festival, they can relate to target audience although jay-Z is not a big icon towards this magazine he is at Glastonbury which is a main topic for this magazine and relates to the well to the ‘Glastonbury Special Issue’.

Use of Puffs – attracts audience into looking at the extra information on the front cover adding more reasons to buy the magazine.

Design – AS it is a special edition they have spent more time on the front cover adding extra detail. This magazine has used a design of flowers to create a summer effect were as we all know in summer there are festivals linking back to the main topic of the magazine.

Footer – Showing the audience that there is more when you buy the magazine perhaps about your favourite band making another reason to buy the magazine.

Barcode, Date and Price – Gives normality and continuity for the magazine. Out of the way and just part of the ordinary features of the magazine.

Analysis of Front Cover 2Masthead – Bold and conventional as it is top of the page showing continuity. Stands out but is covered partly by singers head showing that it doesn’t have to be all seen to know what magazine it is.

Headline – Parallel to Image of Janet Jackson as she is the main topic of this months magazine shows the audience what is featured on this weeks magazine.

Main Image – Janet Jackson, looking at camera making people buy the magazine because it is featuring Janet Jackson.

Barcode, Date and Price – Gives normality and continuity for the magazine. Out of the way and just part of the ordinary features of the magazine.

Header – Featuring Busta Rhymes people who are interested in his ‘Untold Story’ want to find the gossip. The mode of address is informal to match the artist and the buyer as the person who will buy this will be attracted by the type of music that this magazine offers.

Design – The design of the magazine fits the type of audience that it attracts this is because the colours and font style are not fancy as they are in a sans serif font.

Analysis of front Cover 3 Masthead – Font in

Serif so goes with the style of music as it is for an older age of audience. ‘F’ in a different colour stands out and attracts audience into the masthead and makes it look like Radio.

Headline – Parallel with the image Straight to the point, about the artists in the magazine. Font in style Serif which could link to the title as Serif font is a classical font and the title of the magazine is called Classic FM.

Inserts – Picture of the 2 free CDs that are included with this weeks issue making more reasons to buy the magazine.

Barcode, Date and Price – Gives normality and continuity for the magazine. Out of the way and just part of the ordinary features of the magazine.

Main Image – Parallel to the headline, main issue of the magazine. Clothes are smart and sleek, wearing white like an angel. Fits the type of music this magazine offers.

Mode of address – fits the audience as they would be more ABC1 categories than others as the price is £4.25 showing a high value for a magazine stating a higher status n target audience. Also, the style of writing is more formally addressed.

Analysis of Contents

Analysis of Contents 1

Images – the use of images is quite frequent with all Images anchored to text and page numbers therefore making it easier for the audience to find the pages on the topic. The images are not just about one main topic which is shown on the front cover but about a variety of other topics that are included in the magazine

Layout -simply set out with using rule of thirds to make it easy to read and well presented. House style is still used shows continuity in the magazine and fits with the design of formality and softness as the music is also this. The magazine fits with its iconography.

Footer – Matches front cover as it is same style and same topic giving the audience guidance about the free CDs.

Font – In Serif style font which is a classic font, this ties well with the title of the magazine as it is called Classic FM. The colours of the Font match the house style and Masthead of the magazine which stand out against the white background.

Title – Clearly stated at top of the page so it is easy to establish the magazine by just looking at the contents.

Date – under title stating the month of the issue and continuity of the monthly magazine.

Analysis of Contents 2Title – ‘Q’ clearly stated so making it easy to establish what this magazine is and continuity as this style is in every monthly issue. Contents at top of the page keeping to codes and conventions making it easy to spot.

Layout – simple, making it easy to read. This is done by using Rule of Thirds so it makes the contents look neat and orderly categories towards the most important parts of the magazine.

Subheading – What is featured in this magazine is split up with what is featured every month, giving change to the magazine but keeping a similar style. This creates change and continuity in the magazine offering other reasons to buy the magazine.

Strap lines – All in capitals and are either black with white background or white with black background. This contrast in colours is obvious and stands out to create it easier for the reader to read and understand.

Main Image – Image of Madonna taking up nearly 2/3rd of the page, showing she is a main topic of this months magazine. She is in a Medium – long shot as the props she is holding is important and suggests something about her personality. Image anchored down easier for reader to go straight to the page.

Text box – Q well known for their reviews as they are on every month makes people want to read them as they have good ratings for there reviews.

Analysis of Contents 3

Title – Big, bold and Conventional. This makes it stand out and gives it normality as this is in every weekly issue of NME.

Layout – Rule of Thirds makes the contents look neat and orderly categories towards the most important parts of the magazine. ‘Band index’ in every issue showing continuity in the contents of the magazine.

Date – simple, under the title making it easy to see.

Editors Comment – gives the audience an opening to the magazine. This one in particular links to the main topic of the magazine making the audience get a slight knowledge what the topic is about and anchoring the picture.

Subheading – Whit on black makes it stand out and thing things much easier. Big and bold in Sans Serif font suiting the house style and the type of music.

Puff – relates to front cover making it easier for the audience to find the information about Glastonbury.

Text Box – Subscription to NME, straight to the point and eye catching so it makes, Active buyers of the magazine pay for the subscription making them get more money in the short run.

Analysis of Double pages

Analysis of Double pageTitle – Bold and in capital letters make it easy to see and makes you think about what is said. The use of Red and black is important as the whole page has this theme of red and black this could be to make ‘Noel’ look more menacing and stronger.

Drop cap – used to make the writing look more inviting to read for the audience. Red with black background contrasts the white page makes it more obvious to readers to see the start of the text.

Layout – Double page is evenly split with picture and text. To me, this makes the double page spread not as connected as some other pages as the picture is on a completely different page to the text. However, the running theme of the red and black makes it more obvious these pages fit together,

Main image – Noel is looking straight down at the camera gives him more of a domineering role to the audience. The image connects well with the title, “The importance of being Noel”, this is because Noel is looking down at the camera he looks an important figure so links well to the title. The image is also anchored.

Text box – Connection between the two pages as it is hinting on his greatest moments which connects to importance that is in the title.

Analysis of Double page 2Main images - Image of ACDC takes up half of a single page indicating that they are the main topic of this double page spread. Also Paul McCartney takes up a majority of the right hand side page showing some importance to the double page spread.

Layout – Majority of the page is image but the text is relevant to the images as it is talking about a new DVD of theirs. The pages have been designed in a rule of thirds layout so it makes it easier for the audience to read it.

Colours – There is a running theme of the colours blue, white and grey this makes them work well together to create a calm atmosphere which this magazine, ‘Uncut’ creates.

Title – the title of the page is important to the magazine as it links to the contents page and makes it easier for you to find the page that you were looking for.

Content – The page itself is not the most exciting page in the magazine but it uses a good layout which makes it easier for the audience to read the magazine.

Analysis of Double page 3

Colours – There is a running theme of the colours blue, white and grey this makes them work well together to create a calm atmosphere which this magazine, ‘Uncut’ creates.

Drop Cap – Blue in colour fits well with the running theme that is created by the colours. Makes the page look more inviting to read.

Inserts – Images are inserted to the page connects the two pages together. Colours in black and white give the page a more professional look and fits the age range of the person in the main topic.

Main image – The photo is in Black and white which makes it look professional. This indicates that the artist is more classy and of a higher status of music. The Image goes over both the pages linking that the pages are connected.

Title - Indicates what the topic is about and giver you a tease into what the story is about which makes you read the article.

Layout – In rule of thirds make it look tidy and neat to the audience.