music magazine double page spreads

This double page spread from NME has a large image of the left hand page. As this image is on the left hand side, it is where the eye is attracted to first -as we read left to right- and therefore gives the audience an image as to what the story is to follow. This main image connotes youth, freedom and a relaxed view of the world- this also being shown in the bands name, “the teenagers.” This portrays that the values and aspirations of the audience ay feature within these ideas and it means that they can direct relate and identify with the story in their own lives.

The stand first of the magazine connotes the exact connotations of that of a stereotypical teenage boy. Therefore, this means that the image of the band sold is that of every other boy around, which makes them more relatable to the reader and allows them to more easily personally identify with them. The stand first introduces the band as any other normal person; however, the word “filthy” suggests that they may have more to them. This suggests that in order to find this the reader has to read on and delve into the article. This word separates the band from everyone else- thus showing a contrast and

allows the reader to aspire to be more like them as they are similar to themselves.

The “need to know” box allows the reader to be completely up to date with the featured artist and can therefore make them feel as though they know them as well as the magazine itself.

The right hand side of the page is largely text orientated; showing a contrast from one side of the page to the other and it allows a deeper insight into the bands world/lifestyle within music. By the text of the furthest side of the right hand side page having a black background it suggests visually to the reader that it’s separate from the interview with “the teenagers” which could make the reader feel appreciated and at ease if navigating around the page.

The headline keeps to the house style of the magazine as the font is in full capitals, as is the masthead on the main front cover, and the colour keeps to the scheme being used throughout the magazine- black being one of the most consistently seen throughout.

The article talks about the music they produce, the genre they fit into and their social life surrounding their job as musicians- which most readers will want to know so that they can relate to them, identify with them and perhaps even aspire to be like. Throughout the article the band make it obvious that they value what they do and they love the lifestyle that they live within- something which any person would like to be able to say in circumstance of their own life.

This double page spread from MIXMAG is mainly image lead, which, like the contents page, sticks to the house style of the whole magazine. Again, this may have been done to attract a younger audience who like to read visually. This shows that reader’s values are to lead life the easy way- thus showing that this magazine accounts for all their needs. Moreover, it could show that their lifestyle follows this same focus (take things as they come, but try to make them as easy as possible to enforce). Again, showing that this magazine focuses mainly on imagery is that the text itself is quite small, and although it’s in detail, by it being small it shows that the magazine doesn’t want the text to run the page or be the main focus.

There are four columns of text of the right hand side page. Firstly, by the text being on the right hand side of the page, it means that the eye is not naturally drawn towards- whereas, if it was the on the left hand side, or even the left third, then this would not be the case. This again proves that the imagery is more important, and possibly even the title. Secondly, and this contrast the previous points and shows that the text does have some importance, is that by ordering it into columns it shows organisation on the page and makes it easier for the

reader to orientate around the text and get to grips with the actual story.

The title attracts a lot of attention as the colours and layout scream out at the reader as soon as they enter the page. One way it does this is because of the colours; bright blue, pink and crisp white contrast the dark skin tone of the person that’s the image and also the dark background it has been placed on. Moreover, the font style sticks to the whole house style of the magazine and the styles of font that have been seen previously in the magazine- curved, bright, bold, loud.

The stand first contrast the one in NME magazine as it states more factual information about the article, whereas the one in NME is more opinionated. This makes the reader feel as though they are up to date with previous facts that may be included within the article and perhaps offers them information that may not have been made obvious within the article.

The overall layout of this double page spread is quite casual in terms of appearance and this connotes that this is how the reader is made to feel when reading the magazine. It suggests that they value simplicity, but still wish to know all that’s relevant in terms of the things they aspire to have, know, or value- such as different music genres, artist lifestyles and general “need-to-know” information.

This double page spread directly follows the house style of the whole magazine and shows how the magazine flows from page to page fluently. This allows the reader to move through the magazine smoothly and means that they can, metaphorically, fall into the different stories in the magazine and feel as though they are really included in the conducting of the actual interview. This could inspire them, on a deep level, into a career choice and could change the things that they value of the lifestyle they choose to later lead.