By Kirtan Bhachu

Analysing music

magazines

A cover line, the main one can be counted as a pull quote, this is to give the readers a clue about what’s inside that certain issue of the magazine, gives the audience expectations

Cover stars, the featured artists, Foals, looks like they’re giving the bones to the audience, a way to attract the audience, a group shot, relates to the cover itself

Again, referring to the cover stars and what to expect, in a different font to show the importance of the band, because they’re the cover stars, in a yellow font to stand out from the background image

Barcode - convention of magazines. Usually has the issue number, and the price.

The masthead is on the left hand top corner, usually around here. Written in big, bold, capital red copy, stands out from the main cover image - Long established brand. The fact that the masthead has been placed here is so that the reader can see this when going to buy it, because magazines are usually placed with the left hand side of the cover showing.

Header, giving the audience what to expect

Other images relating to the header, giving a variety

Image relating to the header

Dateline - convention

Pug – aesthetically pleasing – pleasing to the eye, to attract the audience Cover lines, they

basically sells the magazine, yellow and white colour scheme for font to bring out the writing because of the background image

Mise-en-scene= all of the band members are wearing normal, regular, casual clothes. They look clean and tidy. They’re holding a bunch of bones, as if they are giving the bones to the reader, high key lighting also used, as they are the cover stars. Their facial expressions link to the pull quote, they have a serious looking facial expression. The bones also relate to the cover line under the pool quote. They are all standing up straight, which again links to pool quote, a very serious stance.

Yellow and white font colour scheme, accompanied with the black background to make it stand out, the font is all capitals, just like the header.

Main cover stars, Maroon 5. The image is at a slightly high angle. It’s a group shot promoting the band Maroon 5. Also the band has been shot under the masthead. They are all dressed in regular clothes, which are stylish. Their body language reflects on the main cover line about them

Big, bold, capital yellow font to make the main cover line stand out, also to boast the image

Plain, black background. To let the image of Maroon 5 stand out and also to let the font stand out.

Main cover lines. Unusual to put them at the top. This has been done to let the main cover image of Maroon 5 stand out, from the black background. A yellow and white colour scheme for font, again to stand out from the black background.

Barcode – convention of magazines

The masthead – bold and stylish font. Letters are filled in with different colours which show the genre of the magazine, which is mixed genres

Possible cover lines, also has the yellow and white colour scheme for font.

Further information about the magazine, such as the website, the issue number and the date.

Stylish font has been used, this is to reflect on Billboard’s reputation of being a stylish music magazine

Pug/puff to advertise something important to the audience

Main cover image of Chris Martin, the main band member and lead singer of Coldplay, he is dancing on the front cover.

Masthead of the magazine, placed on the top left hand corner due to where it is stacked on a magazine shelf

One of the main cover lines, big and in capitals to stand out from the background, and also to attract the reader with the feature of ’50 albums of the year’. In a white and yellow stylish font, this is to stand out from the background.Other cover lines again in a white and yellow font to stand out from the background. The background is very colourful which could relate to the main cover star

Barcode – convention of magazines, it also has the date and price on there

Q magazine’s tagline, so that people will recognise that it is that specific magazineMain cover line, written in a graffiti style font and is white. Graffiti style font matches the background, while the white makes it stand out

Other cover lines, again all written in capitals, and a stylish white font. Again to stand out from the graffiti like background. They have added a comedic ending by adding and ellipsis and ‘……A Farmer!’ to attract the reader.

Mise-en-scene- the main cover image of Chris Martin, he’s wearing casual normal clothes, with a blue shirt, tracksuit bottoms and a pair of trainers. Also he’s clean and tidy. This reflects on the main cover line about him, possibly to do with ‘Secrets’.

Another cover line written in the form of graffiti style writing and is yellow

NME header for contents page, the magazine title is written in red with a white stroke to stand out from the black background, as if it was a logo while the rest of the writing in the header, is bold and white. It is all written in capitals to make it stand out even more.

Dateline – convention of magazines

Band index to make it easier for the reader to find their favourite bands and music artists in the magazine, also fills up any dead space they have.

Main contents image, a main feature that NME are trying to promote. The magazine has

been split up into different sub-sections to make it easier for the reader to find what page they want to see and go to. Under these are the features of that particular sub-section

A main feature, to represent how long they have been going on for, as if they are discussing a memory. In a black, bold stylish font to show the significance of that feature

Again, a smaller stylish font, to represent the significance of that feature

Advertisement, letting the reader know what they can get if they subscribe

Shape of an arrow, a way to tell the reader to turn the page, possibly in an imperative way to tell the reader to go to that page

Again, more arrows to guide the reader, to tell them to go onto that page

More features to attract and keep the reader interested

Again, in a big, black and capital font, this stands out from the white background

White background allows the font to stand out

Red font flows with the red, white and black colour scheme

Similar to NME magazine contents, split into different sub sections, but it isn’t like a band index like NME, it’s split into albums, songs and charts. Placed in a very tidy format, so that its clear for the reader to see where they want to go. In a range of different colours to possibly symbolise the genre of the magazine, that it is a mixed genre magazine. The colours and the font are stylish. The colours are mixed which again suggests the genre of the magazine and the font also suggests this.

Artists featured within the magazine, accompanied with different page numbers and the bright blue, white and grey colour scheme

Dateline and issue number

Another header, explaining a different sub section. More features within the magazine, but more detailed

Stylish font, fits within the colour scheme, the main features and articles within the magazine

Defining the magazine name

Main page title, a header, written in a big black font and in capitals to stand out from the page

Again written in the same font, a stylish thin font, again goes with the magazine genre

Main feature image of the courteeners, the main feature of the magazine. A group shot accompanied by the countryside like background, this has been done to add some variety within the contents page

Dateline and issue number, convention of magazines

One specific sub section all about the latest move reviews. The font is aesthicialy pleasing to the readers eye

Another image, not the main feature but to do with the reviews that they have.

The features are split into different sub sections, just like in NME and billboard magazine. This matches the colour scheme of black, red and white. All these suggest the genre of the magazine which is mixed rock. The font is black and tends to be capital and not in capital letters. The black font stands out from the white background so its easier for the reader to see.

The header fits within the colour scheme and stands out so its easier to se.

A big pull quote, written in a letter format, a letter with no identity format. This pool quote is aesthetically pleasing to the eye and is supposed to engage/attracting the reader. This pool quote suggests something about Lily Allen’s character, and what Lily Allen fans want to hear about. This is the main headline.

Lily Allen is in a superior pose, this links within the pull quote right next to her. She’s dressed in a chequered shirt with her hands on her hips. This suggests power and superiority.

The split of a double page spread, a convention of double page spreads within magazines

Page numbers, a convention within music magazines

The main article. Its written in a small font which is a convention of magazines

Word credit – convention of magazines

White background lets al the writing and the picture stand out of the article.

This is a byline, this establishes what the article is about for the reader if they don’t know if its Lily Allen from the picture.

Photo credit, convention of magazines

Drop cap – convention of magazines

A main feature mage about the pop sensation Rihanna. She’s dressed in an outfit that a performer would wear at a concert. She’s dressed in a very funky outfit all pink with black mickey mouse ears. She’s sitting on top of something which looks like a cannon on a tank. This shows power and superiority. This is an illustration

Other feature images to do with Rihanna based article. More illustrations

Double page spread split, a convention of magazines

A pull quote explaining about Rihanna’s character and what fits within the images and the article

The start of the article, written in a stylish, black font. This represents the stylish Billboard scheme

This is a list which has something to do with Rhianna, it is written in a white and pink font to stand out from the main image which has a black background

The article writing is at a small, stylish font, which is a convention of magazines

These are crossheads, this splits the article with different headers suggesting what that section of the article is about.

This is a caption explaining the pictures of Rihanna to the audience

There is a main image of the rap artist Jay-Z who the article’s main feature. Jay-Z has been shot in a MCU shot. He has a very serious look on his face which suggests what the article is about, the serious side of Jay-Z.

Photo and word credit – convention of music magazines

A pull quote which again relates to a suggested serious article about Jay-Z

Page numbers – conventions of magazines

A header establishing what the article is about and what artist they are going to talk about, they are establishing the artist. Its written in a posh like font, establishing what Jay-Z is like within the music industry.

The article is written in a small font, which is a convention of magazines

The article starts off with a big, capital, posh font, suggesting where to tell the reader the start reading from

The big red J stands out from the background, but not too much to stand out from the font. This represents the artist’s significance in the magazine and the music industry.

Main illustration of Jay-Z