magazine analysis: kerrang!

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Magazine analysis MAGAZINE 3: KERRANG!

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Page 1: Magazine analysis: Kerrang!

Magazine analysisMAGAZINE 3: KERRANG!

Page 2: Magazine analysis: Kerrang!

Introduction

Kerrang! is a UK magazine with the genre of rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on 6 June 1981 and is supposedly named after the sound made when playing a electric guitar. It comes out weekly with a circulation of 42,077. it is found mainly in most news agents.

Page 3: Magazine analysis: Kerrang!

Front cover This magazine uses conventions and codes that attract rock and indie music lovers into buying the magazine. Their main design used to engage their audience into picking the magazine up is the usual convention of masthead at the top, slightly being covered by the main image but is still visible and recognisable. There is a skyline placed over the masthead with a buzz word that as something the audience will see first on shelf, will attract them even more into reading more. The cover lines have equally been distributed along both outer thirds of the page, with the main cover line that associate with the main image going right across the front page, making it eye catching and noncable. The main text is a san serif font that makes it less formal, with a yellow colour that stand out against the dark background. This is the colour of social communication so engages us to read it. The overall colour scheme of the magazine is a dominant use of black, yellows and reds that is more of a house design for the magazine so is used throughout the item. These colours are targeted for an older audience, which is conveyed in the content of cover lines with mentions of older bands. The main image of this issue is medium close up of a member of You Me at Six during a live performance, which makes it less posed and more natural and realistic that the audience can relate to. There is no direct eye contact and instead looks sort of nervous which ties in with the pull quote “and frightened!” This lets the audience relate this emotions to show even though he’s famous he still gets nervous, and so engages the reader. The masthead of the magazine Kerrang! And all the other cover lines end in exclamation marks that almost convey the noise made by each of the bands included in the magazine. The masthead itself is white to stand out, but worn and shattered to show they edgy look and feel of rock music that predominantly shows it is part of the rock subgenre of music magazines. It uses a lot of buzz words within the skylines, cover lines and puffs to show there is a lot on offer in one magazine. Moreover the puff on the right hand side doesn’t specify any particular gig or artists, making it more open for different people to read. Language also addresses the reader, with their use of generalisation as “the UKs biggest gig guide “in the puff that suggests their gig guide is the best and to get the lowdown on new gigs, this is the only magazine you should turn to. Overall the front cover gives a good indication as to whets inside, with an array of cover lines and features that address a younger and older audience.

Page 4: Magazine analysis: Kerrang!

Contents page

Within the contents page, there is a continuous use of reds, yellows and whites for the text, keeping in with the house design of the magazine. This again gives a daring and exciting approach to the text that grabs the reader’s eye. The page is split up into 5 columns with the main image of that page spreading right across the top. There is a clear gutter and text boundary between each column of articles that keeps it still edgy and exciting but organised and clear to read. Again, only san serif is used for all the text which reduces formality and makes it easier to read. The mastheads worn and smashed look is continued with a repeat of it on the contents page, as well as it featuring on some of the yellow writing that relates to the rough and edgy appearance that rock singer seem to entail. Like the front cover, the main image is a medium close up shot of Emilie Autumn performing at a gig in surreal outfit and makeup, which with no explanation of the article than her name, gives you reason to look through the magazine to see what this article is about. It’s slightly different to what you would usually expect from a rock concert, so this picture represents a different side to rock that might interest a wider audience. The other smaller images are posed, one showing the band Deft ones with a summary of the article next to it. The other small pic of the man and woman is more posed in an inquisitive manor that relates to a quiz article and brings humour to the page. With each article listed there is a small summary attached to show what the article is about, and to address the audience’s interests that might feature within the article. It is easy to identify the concerns at a glance as it is organised into different sections so specific articles are easy to find. Within these summary’s, they include a lot of hyperboles to exaggerate the content of the articles, such as “The Florida meatless destroy Nottingham” which makes the article more outrageous and daring, that attracts the audience as it gives an insight to the bands tour as well as relating to the daring lifestyles of rock stars. Overall it gives good overview of what the magazine involves. It represents the rider’s interests by including more than just articles, with advertisements for subscriptions that not only benefit the reader to get every issue that can, but will benefit the company too. Its overall appearance relates to the edgy and exciting look that the subgenre of music rock involves itself with, making sure that rock fans can relate to this magazine and so will want to purchase it.

Page 5: Magazine analysis: Kerrang!

Double page spreadThe double page spread future article on Skindred shows a selection of elements that this is an article for a rock magazine. Firstly, the man colour scheme of the page is a mix of red, white and black that again keeps in with the house design, as well as the images specially chosen to follow this rule too. The use of these dark colours reinforces the dark and mysterious look that rock relates itself to. The first page is simply made up of a selection of photos from their tour, with some relating top what’s said in the text. The pages are all very organised, with images straight on and linking into each other as well as 3columns dividing the text equally on the page, giving a larger picture ratio to text that engrosses the audience more. A long drawn out interview with the band would be quite boring and very long, so a shorter article with more images keeps the reader engaged to the article. The font used is repeated throughout the magazine, as sans serif gives a simple and less formal look to the articles, and that in this article gives more attention towards the images instead. Although there are a selection of images, the main one is of singer Benji Webbe from the band caught whilst playing at a gig. The picture is not posed but looks quite regimental with the outfit he is wearing. This doesn’t necessarily represent formality in style of the band or the article, but shows a creative and different group that challenge the conventions of what the jacket should be worn for, and is worn just for fun and individual style instead. This idea is reinforced even more with the sideways holding of the microphone showing the daring nature of the band. The main cover line of the article is a pull line from the interview that includes explicit vocabulary. By incorporating this you can relate to the band members emotions while playing gigs, and feel the buzz that they get performing. The explicit vocabulary increases the rebellion against formal magazine conventions, which clearly represents the idea of it being a rock magazine. Also the subheading gives a clear overview of the article, with the audience intrigued by the “secret” they are willing to share of their rise to fame. The main headline is very clear to see, with the supporting images giving a clear idea as to what the article is about.