Draft Front Cover

Draft Double Page Spread

Draft Contents Page

Double Page Spread Analysis

NME
Layout –
The NME takes quite a laid-back approach the their layouts as pieces are not positioned to be clinical but more over the place as this will go together with the target audience they are aiming for. Normally a picture would only take up one page but in this example it is shown to go over onto the other page, likewise with the quote at the top of the first page.
Colour –
The use of colour in this double page spread is quite limited as nearly all the wording is in black and white, the only parts of the pages that have colour are the big picture on the second page of Lily Allen, in a red ‘lumberjack’ type shirt with sleeves rolled up, this could suggest she is not a stereotypical woman yet the colour suggests love and romance.
Eye-Catcher –
As well as the picture of Lily Allen being an eye-catcher for the audience, the quote at the top of the page also will help as well, “People think I’m an attention seeker, but I’m just honest.” This will entice the reader and want to know what she has to say about certain subjects and with the NME having a big following the reader will trust the journalist interviewing her to ask the questions they want to see the answers for.


Kerrang!
Layout –
The layout of the Kerrang double page spread is more professional than the NME as the pictures look to be placed a lot more efficiently to save room on the other page, yet there are still words overlapping onto both pages but not as severely as the other magazine I have analysed. Again there is a picture that takes up a whole page.
Colour
The colours that are used in this double page spread are in-keeping with the house colours of the contents and front cover of Kerrang, black, white and red are used throughout the whole magazine. The photos used are all in black and white, this can give the magazine an authentic feel to it, this connotes the band in the photos have are legendary or have been around for a long time, in this case that would be true as My Chemical Romance (the band pictured) have been making music for around 10 years.
Eye-Catcher –
The main way Kerrang have chosen to entice people to read this article is by putting a tag at the top of the first page almost where you would expect a title to be, reading “World Exclusive”, next to that in the top left corner it says “News”. With this the magazine expects you to read the quote at the top of the right page, much like the NME as the use of celebrity in the pictures would also grab the reader’s attention making them want to have a copy of this issue.


Rocksound
Layout –
The layout on Rocksound’s double page spread is more like the NME magazine I analysed as the photo overlaps so it is onto both pages. The columns of writing look to be all positioned to create professionalism and to make it easy to read for the audience as there is quite a lot else going on the page which may confuse or put off a potential reader.
Colour –
As the band on this double page spread are called ‘Murderdolls’ the tone and use of colours is not going to be bright pink or yellow colours, the magazine is sensible in the colours they have chosen with dark, suicidal tones with black and dark red being the main colours, this can connote death and blood yet with the white writing it contrasts well to stand out of the page and make it worth reading.
Eye-Catcher –
The main eye- catcher for this Rocksound double page spread would be the photo of the two band members of ‘Murderdolls’ as obviously they have a very distinct look about them with long straightened hair with fringes, white faces and dark black make-up and mainly dressed in black as well. This band will have already caused a stir with the way they look therefore many people will be interested in what they have to say and their personalities so Rocksound will try and give the audience what they are looking for.


Vibe
Layout –
The way Vibe chooses to show there layout challenges more conventions than all of the other magazines I have analysed, this entails with the rest of the magazine with the sense of creativity the writers have. Especially with there being a column all the way on the right hand side away from the rest of the writing which is on the left hand page. Professionalism is still apparent as each piece that is written still looks to be positioned clinically, this would entice a potential reader as it is easier to read in this way.
Colour –
The magazine’s double page spread is very drained of colour in the same way the NME is shown with Lily Allen, this time with Solange Knowles in a piece of red clothing, but in a short dress which shows her femininity, the dress itself is very exuberate and this goes along with the tag line on the left page which says she is “outspoken” which shows she has a big personality herself. With the black and white of the rest of the double page spread it makes it easier for the audience to be able to read it.
Eye-Catcher –
At the top of the left page the first part acknowledges that her sister is very famous so this will entice fans of Beyonce to read on. The main eye-catcher would be the picture of Solange as I said above she is said to be ‘outspoken’ this means many people will want to see what she has to say, much like the other magazines I have analysed.

Q
Layout –
Q magazine has an older target audience than the NME or Kerrang, I believe this is shown in the way their layout is. Everything is neat and tidy whilst the bits they want you to see first are clearly shown and will stand out from the pages. The main tag-line is on the left hand page while a short synopsis is just underneath. Professionalism is apparent in this magazine clearly as the magazine has an arrow on the top of the right page indicating what the audience should read after the main tag-line.
Colour –
The colours in this double page spread example from Q magazine are all neutral or faded, with “The Black Eyed Peas” shown in the picture with yellows, whites and greys. They still will stand out to the reader as the clothes they are wearing are quite different from what normal people wear and could be considered over the top. The colours make everything easy to read as especially on the right hand page it is black writing with a white background which gives a perfect contrast of colour.
Eye-Catcher –
The main tag-line of this page will increase interest in people reading this section of the magazine with it saying “Will he won’t he?” The audience who are reading this will then immediately start questioning what is happening and therefore want to read on to find out the answer. The use of stars is used in the magazine are used well as they choose a very popular artist that cover a range of genres to interview so it satisfies the audience who they want to buy the magazine.

Audience Research Questionnaire Results and Analysis

Guitarists and drummers are very popular as I believe they have more idols to look up to and want to replicate what they have done in their careers, also as they will be reading a music magazine many people will want to see hints and tips on ways to play the instrument and become a better musician. People who do not play an instrument will generally be less interested in music and therefore would not be willing to buy a music magazine.



I believe that the genre of rock has come out as the most popular in this research question because there is a very dominant popularity of rock music and rock bands around the area in which I live in (e.g. Young Guns and Brother) and people can relate to where they have come from and the music which they produce can be related to where they live.

Moodboard

Three Favourite Font Options


Three Favourite Logo Options

Three Favourite Music Magazine Options

Audience Research Questionnaire

1. What genres of music do you listen to?


2. Do you research into finding new bands?


3. Do you go to gigs/festivals?


4. Do the clothes that the bands wear matter to you?


5. Are you more likely to buy a single song or an album?


6. Do you download your music legally?


7. Do you play an instrument? If so which one?


8. Who is your favourite band/artist?


9. Does sound quality matter to you?


10. How do you listen to music? (iPod/laptop/mp3 player)

Find Your Tribe

The website “Find Your Tribe” is a good way for me to find my target audience as I will then be able to relate to them as I have answered questions leading to answers on what I have in common with a certain type of person. As my main task I will composing a music magazine about new bands and as the main quote of the “Find Your Tribe” article says “You’re an innovator. Not an imitator.” This shows what why doing a new music magazine would be positive for me to undertake. When I click on the rest of the U.K the most popular tribe is ‘indie scenestar’ so this shows there will be a lot of interest around my area in this subject.

Contents Page Analysis

Vibe Magazine

Layout
The effect that the layout has on the audience is that everything is very precise and has its place, even down to Kanye West’s (pictured) haircut shows it is sharp and to the point. The word ‘Contents’ is clearly written big and is in bold, whereas the ‘Features’ and ‘Fashion’ are in bold but a smaller font to stand out from the normal text so the audience can see it is an important element for them to read.

Creativity
In this magazine it is plain to see how important the look of it is. In this example I like how everything is black and white apart from the heart which is a very vibrant red. The word ‘Contents’ is also displayed in a way to challenge music magazine conventions. The use of many different fonts and sizes is also obvious to see.

House Style
Vibe magazine uses more conventions of a fashion magazine compared to the rock and indie music, hip hop and R&B is as much to do with what clothes the artists wear as the music they make. This is shown with the magazine having a features part to the side further up and then a part for fashion which shows how much a vital part of the magazine it is.

Professionalism
In the bottom corner of the contents page it has the name of the photographer who took both the front cover and contents page pictures also it says where and when they were taken, this shows that the magazine wants the people working for them to take credit where it is due.

Rocksound Magazine

Continuity
As with all the magazines I have analysed, the date that it was released and then the issue number as well is in the top left hand corner just underneath the title of the magazine.

Layout
Contrary to the other magazines I have analysed Rocksound is a lot more flexible in its layout. The main picture takes up the whole of the page but with other pictures for like the ones at the bottom of the page look slapped on to create a more comedic effect, this will entail with the magazines target audience of a younger age.

House Style
Rocksound magazine will use the same type of layout each time with the same colours as shown in the example with red and white the main font colour. Even in some one of the pictures the two colours have again been used to show the picture belonging to the magazine.

Eye-Catcher
This magazine has the eye catcher of the main picture as it shows a vocalist in action putting his all into a performance, this shows the audience what they can aspire to be and shows there hero doing what they are best at.

Q Magazine

House Style
Q magazine keeps a constant style with fonts and sizes. They will use a mixture of white, black and red. Titles are in a larger font size so to stand out on the page also the colour they are in is white on a different background colour so there is more contrast to it.

Professionalism
This magazine keeps an air of intellectuality by how clinical everything is; meaning each column and word has its space that has been organised yet still being quite minimal and free for the reader to enjoy the main picture in the middle of the page. It even has in the top right corner who is photographed and who by.

Eye-Catcher
The tagline at the bottom of the page draws attention as it says “I fart in your direction” which will immediately draw some kind of reaction from the reader then it has who said it and which band they are in, this can lead to people wanting to read more about it.

Continuity
Within the magazine each issue will have the month and the year at the top of the contents page, also it will have the issue number, this is so the magazine then can be archived for research and collectors of the magazine.

NME Magazine

Subscriptions
The main aim of this is to advertise the magazine inside itself. The fact that it is in the contents page follows the codes and conventions of a normal magazine. It helps customers save money and it stands out as it is displayed clearly and boldly showing how to go about subscribing to the magazine.

House Style
The way the NME’s layout will always be similar with the different fonts and font sizes. A main picture will also be in the middle of the page to show the main or most important article that might not be on the front cover because it’s more to do with the people who actually know the music or go to gigs so they will know the Astoria.

Layout
As with Kerrang, the NME’s layout has everything positioned very strategically so it will benefit the audience who are reading the magazine, with The main story in the middle then news, radar, reviews, live and features to the side.

Continuity
In the NME they will always put the date and the contents page will have a band index so people can go straight to the parts of the magazine that they would normally be interested in.

Kerrang Magazine

Layout
Everything within Kerrang’s layout is ordered and has its place, with blocks to separate each different section. The titles all stand out in a bright yellow colour so they can catch the eye, this can also help understand the target audience being mid teens to early twenties. As with the titles the pictures help with people who maybe wouldn’t want to just read pages and pages of text. The bigger the picture the more important the story is within the magazine. The language they use is very informal and used in a kind of “chatty” way as the tag line underneath The King Blues says “Fucking shit up in Liverpool.” The text is all in the capitals meaning it is easier to read.

House Style
Kerrang sticks with yellows and blacks in the contents page for many of its magazines. The titles and numbers are all in the same style. This makes it clear to the reader what is what without any confusion.

Editorial
Kerrang conforms to the conventions of a normal magazine with the editor’s letter at the top of the contents page this shows however un-formal it seems to be it still is a professional magazine. It still has a signature on it which will also give a personal feel to the reader to know that the editor actually gets involved with them.

Professionalism
The issue number and cover date it helps if any archives are needed to be found and also gives it a more formal look.

Magazine Analysis


Kerrang! Magazine

This photo works well for Kerrang as it shows English bands that are going on the hard task of taking on America. It shows popular bands with a distinct look for example having tattoos and face make-up so stars are easily recognisable. It has festivals that the target audience may be attending and then showing pictures and having posters for the audience to put up on their walls. Down the bottom of the front cover it names many popular bands within the genre of rock therefore making it more appealing. The title is in black meaning it’s for the darker side of music and with lots of strikes through it, it can show danger and grittiness associated in a British magazine.






Q Magazine

Q is much more simplistic and does not show as much detail as Kerrang and I believe this is due to different target audience ages with Kerrang aiming for slightly younger teenagers and Q aiming for the elder side of the spectrum. They only need to show 2 or 3 bands as these are major pulls for buying the magazine with Metallica who are an extremely popular and well respected metal band and Foo Fighters who have achieved mainstream success including 2 up and coming sold out dates at the Milton Keynes bowl. Many readers will trust the magazine as they have been around many years and know they will have the correct music to go along with the front cover.






NME Magazine

Many people read the NME religiously and follow its every move, trend and views. It is predominately a rock/indie magazine but with extras of other genres thrown in or whatever the latest craze is. The front cover shows the band Beady Eye this is important as the band has members of popular band Oasis who were closely followed and loved by the NME. The red NME sign is very recognisable with the magazine and made even more so with the TV and radio stations which both play the same type of music that is shown in the magazine. It shows the bands that will be inside as a teaser as it does not show anything about what they will be talking about when you open the magazine.





DJ Mag

DJ Mag is very important for DJ’s as it shows up and coming releases and gigs so you can experience what the music is about. Everything on the front cover is spread out well in lots of room so it is easy to read. The fact that they are highlighted in different colours shows the difference in what they will be talking about. The person on the front cover can be seen cool because of his style therefore more people are likely to read the magazine and see who he is and what he has done and what is coming up. This magazine is definitely for DJ’s and not just music lovers as the first sub heading on the right says about vinyl which is what many DJ’s mix with and is becoming old fashioned but many turntablists are trying to keep it.



Rocksound Magazine

Rocksound is very much like Kerrang in the music tastes but slightly more towards the hardcore side instead of metal so many of the same bands will be used. The front cover of Rocksound shows death and danger with the cut t-shirts of the band Bring Me The Horizon and the magazine giving away posters and stickers as a pull factor for the audience, also it has competitions and more giveaways inside the magazine. The fact that the headings are in white shows that it is bringing new music either a new band or an album.

Preliminary Front Cover

Preliminary Contents Page