Music magazine analysis

Front cover

Kerrang style of magazine is a very ‘rough’ looking magazine with images and text all over. All of its text is in san serif suggesting it is not serious. The masthead is a white over black text with shatter marks over it. This shows that the theme of this magazine relates more to hardcore music with the target audience being 25-40

The main image is a medium close up, with his face being the only part where it is not covered with text or another image. He poses by holding his jacket collar with both hands and staring directly into the camera, this is a fairly masculine pose and goes with the pull quote “I WON’T BACK DOWN!”

This front cover also makes use of the colour yellow to highlight important words in the cover lines that they want the reader to look at first. It’s skyline is also yellow.

Kerrang continues to use the colour yellow and uses yellow on black to make it stand out even more. It is important for a contents page to be as clear as possible, so all of the sections of the magazine have sub headings such as “NEWS” and “FEATURES” that are all yellow on black. The page numbers are in red for clarity as well.

The main picture is informing the reader of a page they might want to read, it is not the story on the front cover but most readers will look at the contents page to look for something that might interest them, the editors believe that this picture and story will as it looks like a crazy party.

As readers look at the contents more then most pages, it may have advertisements on it or a page before or after the on contents. For example this magazine has an advert at the bottom right corner trying to get you to subscribe to the magazine.

Contents

The layout is three columns of text which is an interview of the Lost Prophet’s Ian Watkins, it also has a pull quote in the middle of the page. This page would only appeal to the fans of the Lost Prophets or anyone that just likes the look of the guy.

It’s typical of a magazine of this type to just be black and white colours inside. The questions are in black text in a white background to show the reader where the questions begin.

As for what is actually written, Kerrang does not go for a serious, professional style of questions but for questions that would interest the audience such as “Do you Google yourself?” The responses also contain bad language which would be censored in other magazines.

Double Page Spread 1

This page has just a picture and a text box. Kerrang have kept this simple with text on the left page, and a picture on the right. This image is less intense then on the front cover as he appears more relaxed as his body is leaning to one side. This image goes with his attitude in the interview which was not caring what people thought of him.

This image is suppose to be seen with the interview. It makes he’s interview on the opposite page seem more believable.

Double Page Spread 2

Front Cover

When you first look at this magazine you immediately know that it is a dance magazine, this is because of the bright pink colours and of the main image being three rich looking men complete with sunglasses.

This magazine is aimed at 18 to 32 year olds and uses bright colours with san serif text, this is because the genre of the music is aimed at the same audience.

Unlike other magazines the cover lines are on the right however the left third has the lead article and a CD to help attract people to buy the magazine.

For the contents page, mixmag have lost the pink from the front cover and the majority of the page is black with the text being white. This is to make the page as clear as possible.

mixmag has the image on the left with the text on the bottom and to the right, this is an organised style unlike Kerrang.

The whole page is black because it goes best with the dark image of the show girls on the left. They have used this image because they are using the girls sexuality to attract readers to the page about the show girls or the event they are in.

Contents

Double Page Spread 1

For the layout of the page they use a large picture that takes both pages. The picture is of the group Swedish House Mafia looking casual around their fancy swimming pool with two girls in swimsuits laying by them. This is to show how successful they are.

This side of the page has the groups name in huge writing, this is probably because the Swedish House Mafia are not particularly known in person and therefore need an giant title telling the audience.

All text on this page is black over white. The white backdrop of the text is very large and it covers parts of the picture behind it, this makes the text stand out.

Double Page Spread 2

This page also uses the black over white style of text, as for the text itself, It is not an interview it is more of a look at their life. When they are quoted it is jokey and you do not learn anything particular about them other then they love their fans, which is to be expected. Their quotes are separated by a brief history of their hit singles.

The women in this image have no purpose whatsoever other then to look sexy, and by doing this they are making the men in the picture seem more powerful and successful.

The colours of this page are similar to the front cover, it uses bright colours like white to give a fresh look to the band.

Front Cover

This is more of a simpler looking magazine designed for ‘old school’ music fans between the age of 28 to 45. This is a serious looking magazine as it uses powerful red colours, the group have a serious look as well. The masthead is also serif suggesting it’s a more serious magazine

The cover lines are on the right instead of the left third. This may be because this magazine is more popular on the internet or specific stores, as I do not think that this would be sold in local news agents or supermarkets.

The lead article is in the middle and uses white text with a yellow outline which is not disrupted by the colours behind it. The skyline also uses the same style.

Contents

This is a very simple design, it does not have over the top colours and is very organised with a list of content on the left and a picture of an important article on the right, this makes the page as clear as possible.

This page uses distinct colours like red and whites, which sticks to it’s original theme from the front cover.

The feature of this contents page is Dr John with a photo of him on the right. This is most likely a classic photo of him in action to attract the reader to his article.

Double Page Spread 1

There is only red, white and black on this page. Which continues the house style of the magazine. The standfast covers nearly the whole page and surrounds the text, giving it a layout to use.

The white text is just two paragraphs about the band. It gives a very brief history then the second paragraph describes their 30th anniversary release and is then followed by some rhetorical questions.

They use fonts from the Cuban revolution which refers to the unconventional style of music from the magazine. The text also states that The Clash had an “controversial album” this goes with the theme of unconventionality.

Double Page Spread 2

The images inside this magazine continue to be black and white, this goes with the old school rock theme of the magazine.

The connotations of this image are suppose to be a classic rock style. It looks like it is from the eighties. This goes with the theme of the magazine as it is not the typical style of magazine, it focuses more on original groups.

As for the photo itself it is an long shot of all the members of the band. They have intimidating poses as they do not look particularly happy there, and some of their eyes are covered by a shadow since the light is pointing down on them. They have done this because this is what they want to be viewed as.