The current UK music magazine market: There are a wide variety of music magazines available in the UK. This variation ranges from different genres of music to visual layout and products. For example, one magazine such as ‘Kerrang!’ focuses on rock music giving details on different artists, songs, styles and albums all to do with rock music. Whereas, ‘Jazz Times’ focuses on jazz music, styles and other related topics to jazz. Some magazines have certain products which come free with a magazine. This may include: a CD or DVD of the style of music or of a particular artist; a relevant product such as a guitar plectrum specific to that particular weekly/monthly issue; a poster(s) of instruments or artists. INITIAL RESEARCH JAZZTIMES KERRANG!
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The current UK music magazine market:There are a wide variety of music magazines available in the UK. This variation ranges from different genres of music to visual layout and products. For example, one magazine such as ‘Kerrang!’ focuses on rock music giving details on different artists, songs, styles and albums all to do with rock music. Whereas, ‘Jazz Times’ focuses on jazz music, styles and other related topics to jazz. Some magazines have certain products which come free with a magazine. This may include: a CD or DVD of the style of music or of a particular artist; a relevant product such as a guitar plectrum specific to that particular weekly/monthly issue; a poster(s) of instruments or artists.
INITIAL RESEARCH
JAZZTIMES KERRANG!
“Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper. Named after the onomatopoeic word that derives from the sound made when playing a power chordon a distorted electric guitar, Kerrang! was initially devoted to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and the rise of hard rock acts. In the early 2000s it became the best-selling British music newspaper.”Kerrang! have a website, radio channel and TV channel as well as their magazine. This means they receive a lot of income and profit from all of them together. They can use each different media to advertise another, for example, using the radio channel to advertise their magazine to perhaps a different audience. Kerrang also hold their own awards ceremony. For other magazines this may not be the case however, Kerrang! do.
The Companies: Kerrang!
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I think that Kerrang! was created for people who enjoy rock music. The magazine itself includes articles about rock bands and artists long with posters and images of rock groups. It also has upcoming tour dates and events/festivals which some bands may be at. I think that it is not only a form of entertainment but a way to inform an audience about the music they love. The target audience may vary through age as rock has been around for so long. For example an older age group being Chuck Berry and Jimmy Hendrix fans and also a younger age group being fans of bands such as All Time Low and Paramore. As rock has been around for so long it can be hard to choose a specific age group. However, I believe that Kerrang! aims at a younger target audience because the artist and bands featured within are more modern. Older rock groups/artists are still featured just not as regularly. This may be because the younger generation are more likely to purchase a magazine over an older person perhaps to keep up with the latest trend and style.
I purchased a magazine called ‘Classic Rock’ and in the particular issue it was about The Golden Age of American Rock. Inside it had: a feature page explaining the contents of the magazine; lots of articles of rockers and artists through the ages; advertisements of products and apps etc; posters and a lot of other images of instruments, bands artists etc. Also a free gift was given away with the magazine which was a 15 track CD. This issue had a glossy cover with inviting and bold colours and text which made it stand off the shelf for me. I think the target audience is perhaps aimed at an older generation because it talks about bands that ‘ruled the 70s’. Therefore, people expected to buy the magazine may be fans of rock in the 70s. the issue has a lot of contents and is very thick, this added to the glossy cover and CD may be why the price was slightly more than an average music magazine.
Bold title in a unique and attractive media
Additional information about what is incorporated in the issue
Free 15 track CD
A well-presented case for the CD. As it is different artists put together it did not have a cover of its own so one was designed in the style of the magazine. It is specific to the theme of 70s American Rock.
This double page spread shows the contents page (right) and advertising (left). This is cleaver as they have incorporated the theme of the magazine into the product even though they are not related. The guitar and Amps in the background may open up the audience to a different genre. The contents page is not overloaded with information and the image is the main attraction of the page as it is large, bold and self-speaking.
This page has more advertising on again specific to the ‘rocker’ style as it is leather. This is cleaver as their product will be seen by the people who are more likely to want to buy it.
This page has upcoming tour and performance dates and venues specific to the style of music. This gives the audience who like the music and bands/artists and gives them the information they need to purchase tickets etc
These are two article pages. They explain different things about different artists, for example, the top is a tribute to an artist who has passed away. The use of having a whole page picture could be to emphasise the article and to initially get a reader’s attention but could also be to potentially inspire an audience. The style of text in each is different as they are intended to have different effects.
The left has a bold gold text as a tribute to 40 years of rock, as the title reads ‘the show must go on’ the gold may be used to represent him being a golden star of rock or that he is worthy of gold due to his talent etc. The image of what seems to be a record as an ‘O’ is a cleaver use of media as it catches the readers eye.
The cover of Kerrang! is similar to classic rock as they both contain bold images and titles which catch the eye on a shelf. They also both have examples of what some of the contents in the issue is. However, where classic rock has a free gift Kerrang! does not. Although, kerrang! gets some attention by the advertisement of winning a £250 guitar. This can persuade people to buy the issue.
Unlike Classic Rock, Kerrang! uses social networking to inform and sell. This is cleaver because their target audience is a younger generation and in modern society a lot of people use a range of social networking so they are always up to date with the company. The advertising in the magazine means more people can get involved and stay connected with Kerrang!
Similarly to Classic Rock, Kerrang! advertises tour dates and venues. As Kerrang! is an established nd popular magazine, radio station, TV channel etc is has its own tour. However, inside the magazine it advertises more bands and artist’s events.
