Music magazine analysis

Approx. age range of audience 17-30

Gender of audience Mainly male

Genre(s) of music they like Alternative rock, punk

Examples of favourite bands/artists The Cure, Twin Atlantic, The Jam, Curtis

Harding, Green Day, Yak, Sundara Karma,

Years & Years, Purity Ring, Action

Bronson, Krill, Lxury, Spoon, Cat’s Eyes

Types of clothes they wear (include

examples)

Leather Jacket, tight jeans, converse

shoes, typically darker colours, casual

blazer

Types of jobs the audience might have Jobs within the ABC1 secotr as the

statistics show (73%)

Hobbies / interests Likes to stay involved with interactions

such as festivals or concerts

Price UK = £2.50 US= $8.50 ES=€3.90 CN=$6.99

Advertisers (mag) Austin Hotel, Morrisey concert tickets, NME awards (self promotion), Mann Friday,

Fopp (films), Twin Atlantic Concert Tickets, Fall Out Boys, Dead Crow (Beer),

Cash Concert, Sean Rowe, Young Kato, Young Fathers, Philips

Reader Interaction Crosswords

Promotions &

Competitions

Subscription from just £18.24. The readers saves up to 46%

Content Articles, reviews, advertisments, about new albums and artists, events

information; concerts, festivals, gigs, top album list

Demographic Mainly male, aged 17-30, working full time or full time studying, music fans who like

to be involved with interactions such as festivals or concerts

Geographic UK Wide ( based on gigs )

Language use Effect the language has

Use of quotes

In many articles we can see multiple uses of quotes from

the celebrities a given article is about. For example

“Something that I really noticed, once I had distance

from the band is that there was really no clear

successors or predecessors”. By the use of a quote, it

gives an impression that the celebrity ‘speaks’ to the

consumer by the use of the magazine, which draws the

consumers attention.

Persuasive tone

Throughout the magazine, there are signs of the editor

using persuasive language to emphasise the objects which

are visible in the article. For example, in one of the

articles we can see a phrase “Americas best rock band” or

“Americas best punk band, EVER”. By the use of this

language, the magazine makes the subject of the article

seem exclusive which creates a positive image in the

readers head.

Rhetorical question

“Are you sure?” and “Is everyone ready to go for it” are

good examples of rhetorical questions used in one of the

NME’s articles. By the use of a rhetorical question they

get the reader thinking about the topic, working out the

answer to the question which as a result makes the

article interactive. Moreover, rhetorical questions are

used to emphasise the topic in order for the consumer to

focus on the information mentioned in the article.

Power of three

In the article which I have looked at we can see a really

good example of using this technique to highlight a

particular word. “There can be power, there can be

dominance, there can be control” is where the power of

three has been used. By this, the phrase “There can be”

is repeated over and over again which makes the overall

sentence be encoded in the readers head. By the use of

this technique the information is remembered quicker, by

which the audience can easily associate these words with

the given article.

Feature Purpose Denotations Connotations

Links to

target

audience

Column GutterIn the article it has been

used in order to space out

the columns away from each

other which makes the page

layout very clear and neat

“The space between columns

of type”

We can see that between

the columns there is a

sufficient amount of

negative space which as a

result spreads the text

apart from each other.

This creates a neat layout

on the page, presenting

the information clearly.

By the use of a column

gutter the target audience

notices the text as easier

to read because the

columns do not merge with

each other. This allows

for easy, quick and error-

less reading making the

magazine enjoyable.

Negative SpaceThis is used in order to

balance the positive space

which in this case is the

text. By this the page

gains on volume making it

look clean.

“Negative space (or white

area) the area of page

without text, image or

other elements”

On this article we can see

a lot of negative space,

especially around the

text. The negative space

creates a border around

the outline of the page.

The negative space can

have both a positive and

negative effect on the

reader. If it is balanced,

it makes the page look

clean and organised

however if used too much

it causes the article to

be tedious

Drop CapThe purpose of using drop

cap in a magazine is to

attract the consumer to

the beginning of the

article in order for him

to acknowledge the article

and begin reading.

“A large initial letter at

the start of the text that

drops into the line or

lines of text below”

In this particular article

the drop cap use is not as

effective as the letter

used for it is very

simple. On the other hand,

it signifies where the

article starts.

The use of a drop cap in

the article shows the

audience where the

vulnerable information is

placed. Therefore this is

considered as a guide for

them, to show where to

begin reading from to gain

the best information

SubheadBy using the subhead on

the page it shows the

reader what content is

visible on the page, but

not in such a emphasised

tone as the headline.

“A smaller one-line

headline for a story”

The use of a subhead on

this page can be seen in

the top far right corner

of the magazine. When the

reader flicks through the

pages the subhead is the

first thing he sees which

introduces him to the

topic and the article on

the page.

By the subhead being a

simple phrase it only

shows the name of the

celebrity. As a result of

this, the reader will be

interested on what is said

about the celeb which will

lead him onto reading the

article.

Approx. age range of audience 30-40

Gender of audience Aimed mostly at male

Genre(s) of music they like Alternative/modern/classic music

Examples of favourite bands/artists Rihanna, Adele, Radiohead, Lady Gaga,

Cheryl Cole, Coldplay, Michael Jackson,

Beatles, Jay-Z

Types of clothes they wear (include

examples)

Modern stylisations

Following new trends

Role modelling celebrity styles

Types of jobs the audience might have 72% are ABC1 and have a high disposable

income

Hobbies / interests Alternative music, following trends / top

lists

Price

Promotional offer = £2.99 2 for £5 – This way the magazines are sold together at one price, as they are put in a pack

with

The barcode on the packaging. NOT TO BE SOLD SEPERATELY

Advertisers (mag) The new BMW i8, Asus Transformer book, Strongbow, Festival No6, Vodka, Albums, upcoming concerts

Reader Interaction

NO READER INTERACTION

Promotions & Competitions Two magazines sold together ( Q & Empire)

Content Reviews, festivals, articles, advertisements, events (concerts/tours), recommended retailers

Demographic

People that have an avid interest in music, young affluent and heavy consumers in music, 30-40 years old, interested in

alternative music

Geographic

UK Wide ( based on Gigs)

Language use Effect the language has

Emotive language

Throughout this article we can see a variety of ‘wow’ words which when reading, signify to us the importance of the information which they describe. On the other

hand, in this case I have come against many negative examples of the emotive language use. For example, in the article we can see words such as “death”, “satanic”, “devils”, “fear of his life” and “danger he faced”. A positive wow word which has been used in this article which to me was very effective was “erupted”. By the use of these emotive phrases the reader can easily imagine the atmosphere, and the feelings the

subjects of the article has had during the past events.

Formal language

Due to the fact that Q magazine is targeted at 30-40 years old audience, by the use of formal language they meet the requirements of the audience. This means that the audience when reading this magazine, feel as if they are reading something which

suits them, is mature enough and is value-for-money. This makes them feel valued by the magazine as the language that they use, is tailored to the audience. In

comparison, if the magazine was written using informal language, it could have been pretty hard for the audience to understand what the article is trying to convey across

to them.

Similes

“The satanic verses, as blasphemous to Islam” is a example of a simile used in one of the articles in Q magazine. The use of a simile, is to use a second object in order to

express the first object which as a result could be considered as a form of comparison. In my opinion the writer of this article has done this by purpose, as the use of a simile easily creates a image inside of the readers head as to the effect the

object/event had, allowing him to add flavour to the text.

Informative language

While reading the article I have come across many information about past events, exact dates or even life events of particular people. By this, the article conveys both

the history and the past of the subject of the article. The use of informative language in the article which I have read has been used intentionally as by this it allows the

reader to get familiar with the ‘celeb’ and fully understand their history, which links to the story which is mentioned in the article. This benefits the readers which are not

familiar with the subject of the article as they can gain sufficient information in order to understand this article.

Feature Purpose Denotations Connotations

Links to

target

audience

Facing

pages

The feature has been used

in order to show the

vulnerability of the

topic. By this it takes up

more space in comparison

to other articles.

Additionally it continues

the story over two pages

making it seem longer

“In a double-sided

document, the two pages

that appear as a spread

when the publication is

opened”

We can see that the image

takes over the complete

left page and a quarter of

the right page. The rest

of the free space is the

headline and article in

text format.

The use of facing pages

creates interest in the

audience as by this the

magazine makes them think

that the content is

vulnerable as it takes

over more space in

comparison to the rest of

articles

CVI

(image)

The purpose of using a

image which in this case

is the CVI is to attract

the audience visually.

“The prominent item on a

page usually a headline,

picture or graphic”

The image used presents

two famous celebrities in

a medium shot. By this the

image clearly presents to

the audience the

authorities in the image.

When the audience sees the

two celebrities which they

recognise, it would cause

them to be interested in

what the article is about

which will make them read

on.

Caption

(image)

Caption is used in order

to explain what is

happening in the

photograph stating the key

facts such as the date or

people in the photograph.

“An identification (title)

for an illustration,

usually a brief phrase.

The caption should also

support the other content”

In this article we can see

the caption being placed

in the bottom right corner

of the image, in a very

small font. It states the

people in the image and

the date

To the audience which may

not recognise those people

which are captured in the

image, the caption allows

them to read and

ackowledge who these

people are, to understand

the article

Headline

The purpose of having a

headline on a article page

is to introduce the

consumer of the magazine

to the topic the article

is about.

“The main title of the

article. Should be in

present or future tense to

add to urgency. Must fit

the space provided.”

The headline placed on top

of the left page of the

facing pages clearly

states the topic of the

article, making it clear

to the audience what the

article is about

This is the largest text

visible on the page and is

placed against a negative

space which as a result

stands out and is the

first thing the audience

sees. By this they know

the topic of the article

Approx. age range of audience 37

Gender of audience Male

Genre(s) of music they like Contemporary & classic music ; including

rock, folk, soul, country, reggae,

electronic

Examples of favourite bands/artists David Bowie, Bob Dylan, New Order, George

The Poet, The Who, Miles Davis

Types of clothes they wear (include

examples)

Leather jacket, tight jeans, converse

shoes

Types of jobs the audience might have Jobs within ABC sector as this will

provide them financially to purchase the

magazine

Hobbies / interests Music interest in contemporary and

classical music, likes to attend events

such as concerts/festivals, likes to be

informed and educated within the music

market

Price

UK £4.80 US $9.99 CAN $13.50 = Multinational

Advertisers (mag) Technics (music), Cargo Records (music), HMV, “Jimi” movie advert, Amazon, self promotion (subscription), Tour adverts

(Seasick Steve, The Black Keys, Nickelback), Magzene (magazine app), Yamaha (bikes), Motorcyclenews

Reader Interaction Crossword

Promotions & Competitions MCN ( win a Yamaha MT-09 tracer), Free CD

Content Articles, reviews, advertisements, music artists, events (concert/tours/festivals), recommended retailers

Demographic

Male (approx. Age=37), average income, time rich, obsessed with music

Geographic

UK wide (Gigs across the country)

Language use Effect the language has

Persuasive tone of text

Throughout whole of the article we can see that a persuasive tone of text has been used. By this technique, the subject which the article is about is rather

emphasised which makes the reader have a positive opinion. We can see the use of persuasive tone when the magazine speaks about the David Bowie songs,

saying “The 100 Greatest Bowie Songs”. This technique is widely used throughout magazines as by this they perceive a positive point of view.

Informal language

In comparison to the rest of the magazines which I have looked at, this particular example uses informal language. The use of informal language makes the

magazine more “down to earth” which as a result, makes the magazine better to understand by typical readers. Additionally, the use of informal language results in common phrases to be used. As a result of this, when the consumer reads the

magazine, it makes it seem as if he is having a friendly conversation with the magazine, making the magazine more consumer appealing.

Conjunctive verbs

In the article which I have chosen we can see a wide variety of conjunctive verbs being used. For example, a good example of conjunctive verbs are

“furthermore”, “however” or even “on the other hand”. By the use of conjunctive verbs in the article, the writer allows the text to flow as by this the

sentences are joined well together. This benefits the reader, as the text does not get tiring as much which makes the article more enjoyable for the audience to

read.

Repetition

“Become” is where the repetition has been used in the article. By this word being repeated over and over again in the article, it gets stuck in the readers head. By this technique the words has been underlined in the article. As a result of this

word being used in this article about David Bowie it underlines it’s image of being a celebrity. This is not such a visible technique, however by it being used in a very

clever way it appears only to us when reading.

Feature Purpose Denotations Connotations

Links to

target

audience

Pull quote

The purpose of containing a

pull quote in a article is

to pick out a important

piece of text and emphasise

it on order for the

consumer to notice it

separately from the

article. This adds

importance to a piece of

text or phrase.

“A brief phrase (not

necessarily an actual

quotation) from the body

text, enlarged and set off

from the text with rules, a

box, and/or a screen.”

On the right page of the

DPS we can see a red

background with black/white

text on it. By this the

quote which is pulled out

of the article is

emphasised and shown much

bigger for the audience to

notice.

This pull quote is grabbing

the audiences attention as

of the bright background.

This plays a role of a

attention grabber as by

reading so small about the

article the audience is

persuaded to read on.

Facing pages

In the article this feature

has been used in order to

show the vulnerability of

the topic. By this it takes

up more space in comparison

to other articles.

Additionally it continues

the story over two pages

making it seem longer

“In a double-sided

document, the two pages

that appear as a spread

when the publication is

opened”

In terms of both the images

and the text we can see

that they have been

continued over two pages.

The members of the band

have been spread out across

the pages as well as the

box with writing.

By having such a

composition spread onto two

pages it makes it seem more

as a poster. This increases

the attractiveness of the

page which makes it more

pleasing for the eye of the

customer.

WOB

The White On Black feature

is a good example of

positive/negative space use

as by this the text gains

on contrast. By the high

contrast the text is easily

visible making it trouble-

free to notice and read.

“White text on a black or

other coloured background”

All of the article text

which we can see on both of

the pages uses WOB. This

feature is not widely used

on other magazines

therefore this article

looks more unique

When the reader looks at

the page the white text on

the background attracts his

attention more than normal

black on white text. This

results in higher

consumption of the article

by the audience

FillerBy the use of a filler the

editor limits the negative

space, making the page more

interesting for the reader.

“Extra material used to

complete a column or page,

usually of little

importance”

On the double page spread

we can see a image of a

singer being placed between

the text or small images of

albums being positioned on

top of the negative space.

By the use of a filler the

audience will not see the

page as empty because even

if the content is not

interesting there is

something to look at. By

this the audience will not

see the magazine as boring.