Detailed Analysis of Music Magazines

Rock Music MagazinesFront Cover

TypographyThe font styles used across the entire magazine cover is sans serif. This is because sans serif is easier to read making it stand out more, it also gives off an impression that it’s more serious instead of giving off an impression of fun like serif font. The headline and cover line are in larger bolder font, this is to dictate where the reader looks first. Then cover line says ‘Green Day’ it’s in bold and large font so then green day fans will see it and then want to buy it. This broadens the audience of the magazine, because if they buy the magazine to read about green day they might also find similar artists in the magazine causing them to become regular buyers. The genre being rock the typography needs to be more seriousness and rougher, this would make it appeal to the

target audience.LayoutThe magazine has a cluttered layout to make the readers believe there is more inside the magazine. It would appeal to the target audience this way as they would believe each and every week that this magazine has lots of new and exclusive content every week. The route of the eye is used, drawing the audience across the masthead to help them recognise the magazine. The principles of thirds is also used on this magazine, featuring artists face in the centre. This is conventional for the artists face to be in the middle of the magazine. Colour The main colours of the background are grey and black; the typography is in white, yellow and green. This is so that the typography stands out against the dark background. The white stands out the most that’s why

the headline and cover story are in this colour as they need to stand out the most being the most important part of the magazine. It clearly displays what is the most important part which dictates where the readers look first. The background colour is conventional for being dark as usually rock is associated with dark colours and target audience will see this and understand the magazine is about rock and therefore want to buy it.ImageThe image used in this picture is off the lead singer of a famous rock band called green day. This individual is recognised by rock fans all over the world meaning that people will see him on the cover and want to buy it. The picture is a close up, this allows the target audience to easily recognise the artist because if it was a long shot with his full body in the shot it would be smaller and harder for the readers to identify him. In the image he is holding a guitar, this being a instrument that all rock artists use it appeals to the target audience making the picture conventional.Language of AddressThe language used on the front cover is controversial so it makes the audience want to pick it up and read what it’s about, for example the cover says ‘WTF’ in huge bold letters this makes the target audience want to know what it is referring to. It’s conventional for it to be referring to a swear word because rock target audience are stereotypically rebellious and dark. For the same purpose the language used is informal.ConventionsThere are many conventions in this magazine for example, the typography is brighter than the background this is so it stands out, and this is typical in all music magazines. The front cover of the music magazine is conventional because looks dark and rebellious like which is conventional of a rock magazine cover. This would appeal to the target audience (social able, young people aged 16-25) because rock music this is what rock music is meant to be like with their drug-related or anti-establishment lyrics. Therefore the cover of the magazine being dark and scary would appeal to them. It also conventional for the magazine to have a rock artist on the front cover because the famous rock artist is likely to be idolised by the target audience. In the bottom left it says about there being new albums out this is conventional that the magazine is related to music because it would appeal to the target audience because they bought the magazine looking for it to talk about music not anything different and unrelated to music.

Contents Page Typography All the fonts in this image are all sans-serif, which is easier to read and is more aggressive and in your face. Serif font is unlike this because all the curls make it less threatening. This would appeal to the target audience because rock fans are much younger and rebellious. Furthermore sans serif appeals to the younger audience because its simplified letter forms making it the best font to use. The colours used in the font is yellow, black, red and white. The font colours used are designed to make each other stand out and make it more appealing to the eye however, the main purpose is for the typography to be in your face which connotes youth, appealing to the target audience. Another

reason all different font colours used is to make the content page seem more cluttered. The designers want their content page to seem cluttered so then reader’s get excited and believe that the magazine is overloaded with content in the magazine.ColoursThe colours inside the content page follow the conventional colour scheme of black, yellow, red and white. The black is kept to the important parts of the page such as the headline and the image. This is because it’s the base colour of the magazine due to the target audience being rebellious teens. This allows the designer to put black in the parts which they feel are important to direct the reader’s attention there first. The yellow is the highlighter as it connotes youth, it also a bright and in your face colour which make the magazine feel fresh.Image The number of images on the contents page is limited compared to the amount and size of the images on the front cover. This encourages the audience to appreciate the tidier layout inside, but also highlights the

importance of the pages that do have pictures. The images include famous artists associated with rock music and advertisements for a contest which gets you backstage passes and concert tickets at a rock concert. Both things appeal to the target audience and make the magazine seem more interesting and exciting as they have a chance to win an amazing prize. The shot used is a long shot, this is so every from the band can fit in the picture. This would appeal to the target audience because they will prefer to see the entire band than just seeing one member. It also might suggest to the readers that there is many different artists in the magazine. The shot shows one of the artists holding a guitar, this greatly appeals to the target audience because it shows the band really care for music. It might also highlight that they are working on a new song which will excite the readers and might lead them to believe there will be more on this theory in the magazine. The artists holding musical instruments is conventional for the genre as music is the priority for the target audience buying the magazine.LayoutThe layout of the content page is cluttered; however, it’s slightly more organised than the front cover because box outs are used to separate different themes of articles within the magazine. All content pages should have order to it so then the reader can see what is on what page. However, it has to have some sort of cluterness to it so then the target audience believe there is a lot of content in the magazine. Language mode of AddressThe language used in the content page is very laidback and approachable, using terms such as ‘tickets and meet and greet’ which is very informal however, it’s easy to understand and a very friendly thing to hear. Even the box outs are informal; this connotes youth and appeals to the target audience.ConventionsThere are many conventions in this content page for example the content page is cluttered but organised and has box outs. The colour scheme is specifically conventional for the genre as know other genre likes black as much rock music.

Double Spread Page

TypographyAll the fonts on this page is in sans- serif font this is because it connotes youth as serif font is usually associated with old people because serif font was used back then. The font is also comes across as a aggressive because of the rough style of the font. This will appeal to the target audience because a stereotypical rock fans are mostly rebellious teenagers so the aggressive font will appeal to them.LayoutThe layout of a double spread page is to have one page to be a giant image and the other to be covered in text. This is conventional double spread page.ColourMost of the page is black this is conventional of the genre because rock music is usually associated to be dark and aggressive therefore appealing to the target audience. It also enables the designer to make the typography stand out as black contrasts with almost any colour. The white

text is easy to read and the read really stands out as a headline. Red appeals to the target audience because it symbolises danger.ImageThe image is of the artist singing this appeals to the target audience because they get to see their favourite artists looking passionate about music. The shot used is a long shot so the readers can see the singer singing.Mode of Address The language used is informal this appeals to the target audience because they are rebellious teenagers and properly hate being at school and having to be formal so reading informal things will appeal to them.ConventionsThe layout of the double spread page is conventional because it has an image on one page and all text on the other. The image is conventional because it has a picture of the famous rock artist doing something related to music. The mode of address is conventional because its informal language being used which appeals to the target audience. And finally the colours are conventional because it follows the usual colour scheme in rock being red, black and white. Red symbolises danger, black symbolises darkness and aggression and white is quite plan and not colourful and happy. These colours appeal to the target audience.