Contents Page Analysis

The image on this contents page Is very simple and it doesn’t look like it has been edited to look really nice etc, because all this image Is doing is showing the gig venue which is supporting the article of

THE END OF THE ASTORIA which is a photo tribute of three decades of gigs there. I like the fact there is just one image on this contents page because I don’t think a contents page should give too much

away about what’s on each page of the magazine, I think there should just be and main feature on the front cover then a different

main feature on the contents page.

This magazine is pact and is mainly text-led which is the way a contents page should be laid out because the main purpose of a contents is so readers can navigate a page easily. This magazine is clear and easy to read and its layout is set out well because it has split the pages up into categories e.g. Features and News. The form of this magazine has been dictated

through the fact that it is a music magazine because it has a band index on the left had side

which then gives the page a margin and becomes an extra for the magazine because not a lot of

magazine gives index’s on bands, this makes it easier for any readers that want to just skip to the page with there favourite band on etc. It has been formed and shaped around a feature in the middle (the gig venue) and the text has then been laid out

around this image.

‘NME this week’ as the headline of this contents page is acting like a news title as it hasn’t stuck with the title of ‘contents’ so this magazine is becoming an information

source each week.

The colour scheme is the same throughout the page of red, yellow, white and black and these colours are NME mains colours in which they used on the front covers as well. And when you think of the NMW logo those

colours are used as well.

On this page the numbers are clear to see and I like the fact they have a short

sentence explaining what’s on that page so readers can quickly scan this page to see what they want to read before they

turn to the next page.

The extras on this page are offering the readers

more e.g. the subscription offers of saving money and the PLUS written in

the right hand corner are pages that don’t come under a category or it’s

not normally in NME magazine and it’s an extra

of this issue.

These contents pages from Kerrang are very busy and lively and there area lot of different photos about what to offer inside this magazine. This contents page is different to the NME one because pictures are a main feature on this page and they have made more than one page stand out. They have included a picture for each main feature that appears on the front cover and all these picture

are effective because it gives sneak previews about a solo artist or band and a reader who may not know a certain artist can see pictures of them and maybe become interested to see who they are as they may be new to them. Also when a magazine have more than one picture it can attract the more visually orientated readers as some readers prefer to look at picture than read a long piece of text. The more pictures there are also put an emphasis on a theme that runs through a type of magazine and for Kerrang it’s the rock and heavy metal theme so showing the pictures

that feature inside the magazine are showing the recurring rock artists and it shows people what to expect so then people who pick this up in a shop open the contents to see what’s in the

magazine this month and they can see if it is worth buying the magazine.

This contents page is clear and easy to read as the numbers and what’s on that page have been written in a large and normal font whereas if it was small and decorative it would be hard to read as some readers might not be able to read smaller writing so I

think it has been writing thinking of all readerships. The pages have been split up and put under categories which have been written in bold and highlighted to show they are headings not pages. On some of the pages of artists they have in brackets

who they are or what band there from e.g. Neil Fallon (Clutch).

This page included a direct quote which not many music magazine contents pages include. This makes Marilyn Manson the a main feature as they’ve also written main

exclusive across the picture of him. Also a main feature is the largest picture of the band The Bronx and its an article

which is a double page spread.

Kerrang magazine features a small paragraph on there contents page which is from the Editor of Kerrang and its basically an update on what he’s up to and what he thinks of this weeks Kerrang and the bands they include etc. And it’s just a diary. This gives the readers an insight into what the Editors like, and they can read about how they got the

bands and where they went etc.

Kerrang contents have also included an advertisement on subscription offers and discounts. Some magazines have

other adverts because contents pages are attractive to advertisers as all readers turn to this page first and notice

adverts quickly.

Kerrang have kept it simple and kept with the headline contents, and they have written the issue no which

comes in handy if you are a Kerrang lover and collect them and it also includes the date as well.

Q contents has included two images but they have used a different way of presenting them. They have split the

picture under where they feature, THE COURTEENERS is under the features heading because the page number is

written in bold red and the picture of NICK CAVE is under the heading Q REVIEW and its been made into a contents of it’s own as it had the picture and then is had a load of pages a page number separate to the others, they have

also included a small sub title saying ‘The world’s biggest and best music guide’ this makes Q’s contents really neat

and easy for readers to navigate there interests as they can look under the headings a find what they want to go

straight to and read of it helps them to pinpoint what the interview, review, story etc comes under.

Q magazine haven’t gone for the usual layout of other magazines which have pages set out under many different headings, Q have stuck to just

two; every month and features which makes this very simple for reader’s. Features are what’s on offer in that months issue and under every month are regular articles and pages which obviously appear each month and

it’s separated so readers can easily find them because some readers who buy this regularly might have a favourite page and because it’s under

Every Months heading then it’s easily navigated.

Q magazine features a special each issue which draws in readers interest because Q magazine has a different

‘special’ each time other examples are that Q has had a section on the contents page with a box round it like the one on this issue, they have had ‘the Lennon issue’, and ‘100 greatest albums ever’ and this seems to be a regular thing in which they feature an extra for readers to look forward to each week. This link is an example that I've

found http://farm1.static.flickr.com/35/67483401_87cebc49b8.jpg?v=0

This contents comes across as being very organised and this fits with the house style

of the magazine which is contempory because this is a very British indie

magazine. The colour scheme is red, white and black which is also used for the logo.