1st Music Magazine analysis Front cover In this version of NME it looks like a quite exciting magazine as MIA (model) looks like she is partying. This magazine is well known this is blatantly obvious because the model is covering the last letter of the mast head. We can tell the name of the magazine because of its iconic font. This magazine looks like it would be aimed at teenagers (boys and girls).This is because MIA is quite young and makes music that is aimed at the teenage audience. She is wearing a tie dye grungy jacket, her hair is quite messy and her pull quote is very immature ’I’m rich enough to have you killed’. She has also shortened the word I am into ‘I’m’, which gives us an impression that it uses an informal type of language. It looks quite fun and vibrant as the colour mostly used is fiery yellow. NME has broken one of the magazine conventions by not having a skyline this could be a sign of rebellion as teenagers are associated with being rebellious. Its creating a magazine within in their own rules just as the target audience would, but such as things like (music, style of dress, magazines) The lead article ‘I’m rich enough to have you killed’ makes us think that it’s a sarcastic but true statement. The designers have used a range of fonts this proves the fact that they could be a very open minded magazine. Contents Page The contents page uses a variety of fonts, a similarity of the front cover. Pictures are used to relate to each article, this adds more of an original effect; it is both textual and pictorial. Instead of using the typical ‘contents’ title they have said ‘inside this week’ it makes it sound vivacious. The use of
lines is very effective as it divides the page and actually makes it look bigger than actually is. It makes us think that the magazine is very complex, when really it has a simple structure. The main colour used of the font (front cover) is white they have kept the background white in the contents page, so both of the pages have a connection.
Double Page Spread There is a combination of picture led and textual led as they are both included in the pages. They have decided to put the main image on the right hand side, as this will interest the reader and will automatically know that this is the cover story. There are two columns in the DPS; they are both opposite each other. They have kept it to a minimum otherwise it will bore the reader. The main image is the artist on the cover story, she is wearing the same clothes and her hair is still quite ‘grungy’. She has been positioned differently, she is now releasing a cloud of smoke this creates emphasises her outrageous statement ‘I’m rich enough to have you killed’. She is making a statement.
The headline is very bold and is the same font used for the mast head. They have used the image as the colour of the font. This is very creative and unusual. The editors have used the artists quote’ the new Justin Bieber video is more offensive than anything I’ve ever made’, this can be seen as offensive to certain people but it also states the point that she is not afraid to speak her mind. She does speak in Standard English apart from shortening the ‘I’ve’, it shows that she had an education and is quite smart. The pull quote ‘the new Justin Bieber video is more offensive than anything I’ve ever made’ is coming directly from the artist and relates to her article, as she is talking about the music industry and her songs/videos. The journalist does use a variety of quotes not only from M-I-A but from YouTube (‘pornography’) and Newsweek (‘Turgid, political and meaningful’). The first word ‘I’ is written very large and bold, it is a reflection that this is going to be a very bold article. The first paragraph starts meeting M-I-A and her baby and how ‘exhausted’ she is. The journalist uses a lot of descriptive writing such as ‘camouflage’ and ’crumbles’ it really help us readers to imagine the scenario. It then talks about her controversial videos and career. I think if the performer read the stand first she would not particularly care because she does not take things in the media seriously. In the second column she seems slightly angry ‘it baffles me’. She could appear to be spoilt to certain individuals because she is complaining, even though she has stardom and money. On the contrary she could seem quite inspirational because she is comfortable in her own skin and enjoys what she does for a living. I think that this story does meet the requests for what teenagers want to see in a magazine article because fashionable images are used, the artist is young (so they can relate to her) and there is not much writing. I love the effect used on the headline, I could do this by using Photoshop. The gigantic ‘I’ is very imaginative, I would create this product by simply just enlarging my font.
2nd Music Magazine analysis Front cover The main article relates to the picture of Jimmy Hendrix ’The electric gypsy’s final year’. There is no pull quote because the following artist is deceased and not having a pull quote is like a sign of respect as they have not imitated the previous artist. It like not saying anything to remember an important person or event, a similarity to remembrance Sunday. The main image is very iconic as Hendrix was often considered to be the greatest electric guitarist in the history of rock music, by other musicians. He died at twenty seven years of age but his music is still remembered. ’Are you experienced’, ‘Bold as love’ and classics such as ‘Electric lady Ladyland’ are still listened today’s youth. His way of dressing looks very preppy and is very seventies fashion. The mast head is bold and white, it is overlapping Hendrix head. This could be because it is not a well known magazine, so therefore the vision of the title is essential. It contrasts with his clothes and skin. The colour White is used a lot for text, it stands out and it attracts us to the magazine like a ‘moth to a flame’. There is a skyline ‘Gram Parsons*Legend of a fallen angel’, this is very eye catching as it makes us readers think that there is something special about that text, because its standing by itself. The cover lines are a mixture of ‘industrial records’. For
every new story they highlight it in a different colour to avoid confusion. Contents page Instead of having ‘contents page’ like many magazines they have ’track list’ as this makes it seem more relaxed and impulsive. They have used the same font for the ‘track list’ as they did for the record collection’, there is a union between the two pages. It makes it obvious that they are from the same magazine. The date and the website to the record collection are there to update you. They have categorise the articles into three sections ‘Features’, ‘regulars’ and ‘reviews’ this makes it more clearer to understand what to expect. There are also pictures with the number of the story; this makes the magazine both pictorial and textual. It adds a more interesting effect to the page, it adds colour and makes the main articles stand out. They have stuck to simple colours for their text this is very contrasting compared to the pictures because they really noticeable.
Double page spread
There is a combination of picture led and textual led as they are both included in the pages. They have used two main images and an old article of ‘The sun’. ‘Jimi Hendrix death riddle’ brings back
memories for former fans or new information to someone who does not know about Hendrix. The editors have written five columns so far, there is a lot of writing for the reason that this is a legendary musician with a huge past. There are two main images of Hendrix one of them is are taken of him performing and the one is a portrait. Jimi is wearing very seventies fashion and his hair is quite messy in the right hand picture, he looks very tired and slightly distracted. In the performance picture they have used some special record print effect, this emphasises the fact that the magazine is called ‘record collector’, they have also used it for the other picture however it is less visible. The headline is very bold and is the same colour used for the mast head. They have used different images from the front cover this is because they are being more creative. The editors have not used a pull quote as this is more of a memorial or a remembrance of a great artist. Instead the have used ‘brothers from another planet’ this is a very unique headline, however the have added some text below it to give us a brief idea on what the article is about. Everything is written in standard English as it is a serious topic. A variety of quotes are used within the text such as Jimi saying ‘When I get up on stage, that is my whole life and ‘The group will always be together as long as they are still breathing. They have used a very important quote ‘we’ve seen some tear gas, it’s the start of the third world war. Just pick your side now that all I would say’. They have enlarged it and used a record background to highlight it. The editors have used the same font when writing the story. This symbolises that everything in this story is perhaps neutral. Firstly it starts off with the journalist writing about the night of Hendrix death and his career. It then starts talking about his life in precise details. I think if the performer was alive and could read this he would be very touched and impressed that he has been an inspirational to all musicians, and knowing that his music continues to live on. This article shows us that even though he was a fantastic entertainer he was a real person like all of us, and still committed errors like a normal human being. I think that this story is both very informative and requires everything that the audience wants (good memories and to learn more about the dead artist).
I love the effect used on the pictures (record print overlapping the images) I could do this by using Photoshop. I would use a special type of paintbrush and apply it. 3rd Music Magazine analysis Front cover In this magazine it looks like it could be a men magazine aimed at males from age 25-45.This is because the band The Clash is the main image and they look in their twenties or thirties. They were originally an English punk band in the seventies, so it is probably want to aim it at teenagers in that generation (The adults living today). They also look very serious and which is sometimes associated with someone older, the cigarette on the man’s ear also gives the impression that this is aimed at mature people as the smoking age is eighteen. As people in their twenties and thirties are more concerned with bills, work and providing for their families. The guy in front is crossing his arms like if he is in control of himself. He is wearing a t-shirt with his band name on it the others are dressed quite normal, this focuses the attention on him. They have toned down the wild hair and have stuck to more bland colours such as black and white. Some of them are even wearing suits this could me a sign that they have matured slightly, however they have not completely abandoned their signature style as the man is wearing a top that is ‘too young’ for him, and the other band member has a cigarette on his ear. They have not forgotten where they originated from. Uncut magazine has broken one of the magazine conventions by not having a pull quote; this makes the front cover seem more spaced out and insubordinate. The lead article ‘Sandista! The
untold story by Mick, Paul &Topper’ makes us more determined to buy the magazine as curiosity takes the better of us. The designers have kept to simplicity such as they have only used about three fonts and four colours. The clash are overlapping the master head this is acceptable because the letters can still be indentified. Contents page They have stuck to the tradition ‘contents’ title unlike the other magazines could this proposes that this is more of a traditional magazine. They have not used the same font for the ‘contents’ as they did for the ‘uncut’, but they have used the same colour creating that bond between the two pages. Comparing this to the ‘rock collection’ they have categorise the articles into three sections (Features, regulars and reviews) this makes it clearer to understand what to expect. There is only one pictured unlike the other magazines. They have decided to focus on one picture of the musician Dr John; it is making a statement and it is very palpable that they think highly of him. This is more of a textual page rather than a pictorial however this does not undermine the picture. The editors and the designers have stuck to simplicity when thinking about the fonts and colours. I think this is done very well they fit well together.
Double Page Spread There is a combination of pictures and text used in the pages.
They have decided to put the main image on the right hand side of the page, as this is eye catching. They have also used an image an image of old ‘The clash’ records and another album called ‘Nicaragua’, by Susan Meiselas. There are six columns in the DPS, they are all separated into paragraphs, and this makes it easier for the reader to follow the text. For every new paragraph they have decided to alter the first letter by changing the colour, font and size. The main image is of the band recording or playing their music. They all look concentrated and are dressed quite ‘rocky’. Their faces are not visible as they are looking at their instruments; this makes the reader comprehend how serious their music is to them. There has not been a lot of thought of the positioning as you can barely see certain members of the band. It is probably to remain their reputation as ‘rebels’. It is not definite that there is a headline however I think that the record could possibly be it. As it says ‘Sandista’ like the front cover. On the first page an important quote is used. They have made it bigger, changed it colour and have labelled the person who said this. The first word ‘I’ is written very largely and bold, it has been highlighted in red. Red is the perfect colour to use because they were a punk band, and in punk black and red are the signature colours. The first paragraph starts by the band having a conversation and then stating where they currently are. It carries on with the journalist writing about Sandista (their album).He uses words such as ‘hair greased’ and ‘chaos’ to form an imagery of the band. I think if the band read the stand first they would actually be quite proud because there is a lot of use of Standard English which makes them sound ‘well-read’. They are reminded of the ‘punk’ and teenagers years so in a way it is like a tribute. I think that this story does meet the requests for what adults want to see in a magazine article because it is serious, mature and relates to the past. The band could possibly come from their generation or they could simply be a fan, so they have a connection. I admire the effect used on the picture (black and greyscale); it is definitely a change from colour. I could do this just simply by clicking on a picture and pressing the option of ‘black and white’ alternative.