Double Page Spread Analysis

The choice of band featured in the article suggests that the target audience will indeed be music fans, more specifically, fans of rock and The Muse. In the article, a vast amount of informal language is used. An example of this is the way in which the article uses words such as ‘fucking’. This is a swear word and would not be used in a formal article. This also means that the target audience is aimed at a more relatable audience, meaning young adults. Additionally, the writers are trying to connect with the audience by doing this. Colour is used in this double page article in a way to attract the readers. The lighting is low key, which highlights the mysterious feel that the members of the group have. Additionally, the pieces of glowing screens or lights in the background add more feel towards the image and may possibly attract more readers due to its artistic look. The blue background colour is also quite cool. The style of text used is big and bold, which ensures that the reader finds it easy to read and also, the text stands out. The double page spread is laid out in an overlapping form over two pages. The pages are taken up by only one image which is in the background. The texts are brought to the front of the page, but they do not cover the members of the group. The magazine is addressing the reader as a close friend. We know this because the magazine uses inappropriate words (swear words). This form of language would not be used for a formal audience. The band, through the image, is presented as a cool and collected group. They are also portrayed as quite mysterious due to background being low key and the fact that they are dressed in almost full black highlights them as masculine characters. The style of the article does not match the style of the front cover. The front cover is high key, but the article is low key. However, the band displayed (the Muse) are wearing black in both cases, which is one thing that matches the front cover to the article. The article demands a prior knowledge when reading it, due to the fact that it is based on a music group and so a couple of their songs are mentioned in the article. Without having general knowledge of the group, you wouldn’t really be aware of what the article is talking about.

Analysing A Contents Page

There are images used in the contents page. These images have been cropped and resized in order to fit around the text and make the page look a little more presentable. The images support the idea that the style of the magazine is music related, as they are pictures related to an artist’s performance at a concert. It also indicates how the intended audience for the magazine is music fans. Furthermore, the main colours in the contents page, similarly to the colours of the fonts on the front cover, are black and white. This sets off a pattern and code as to what colours will be used significantly throughout the entire magazine. The colours support the style of the magazine. The information is organised in a neat and ordered fashion, meaning each text is grouped with a picture. This ensures that it is made easy for the reader to actually read the text without finding any troubles. There are different sections shown in the contents page. These sections are: on repeat, upfront, radar, features, reviews, live, booking now, gig guide, this week in, crossword, fan mail, and brain cells. This tells us that the magazine covers a lot of different areas and so has the capability of attracting many different readers, as there may be some interested in reviews, while others interested in booking tickets. There are no promotional features used in this contents page. They are only advertising themselves, stating ‘subscribe to NME and save over £1 an issue. The magazine logo is present in the bottom right section of the page. It is in a yellow font to stand out; however, it isn’t so dominant, as the logo is not really big over here. The brand does not have any other franchises.

Macklemore Front Cover Analysis

This is a music magazine. From the front cover, we can tell that issues related to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, as well as other artists are going to be inside.

The target audience for this magazine are music fans. It might be mostly aimed for teenagers and the interest of the audience is most likely hip hop, due to the fact that the artists in the central image, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, are hip hop artists.

The central image reveals to us that the mode of address used by the mag is direct. We know this as the two men are staring directly at the camera.

The purpose of this is to try and engage with the reader. This tells us that it wants more of a personal relationship with the reader.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are on the front cover. This is because they are arguably the most talked about people in the music business at this point in time.

The anchorage text states ‘the independent sensation that’s ruling the hip-hop nation’. This gives us the impression that the artist on the front cover, Macklemore, is one who is extremely popular and ‘in’ at this moment in time, seeing as the magazine is rating him as someone who is ‘ruling the hip-hop nation’.

The overall message that the artist may be giving is that he is someone who deserves to be respected, in relation to the title ‘respect’.

Hip-hop artists, especially Macklemore, are being represented. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are being presented as quite serious through their facial expressions. Additionally, they are seen as quite cool through the way in which they are dressed and posed in the image. Ryan Lewis has his arm on Macklemore, indicating that they are synched and comfortable with each other. In relation to their dress code, Macklemore is wearing a leather jacket and also a chain around his neck.

There are a couple of ‘buzz’ words in the front cover. Examples of this are ‘RESPECT’ and ‘MACKLEMORE’. The effect that this has on the reader is that it is the words which we notice the most as they are bold and big and so stands out to everything else. It also assures us that the main focus of the magazine is in fact Macklemore.

The design of the title block is white and bold, which reflects the genre of music as being hip-hop and it is the piece of writing which stands out the most due to its boldness.

The title of the magazine, RESPECT, may infer that it is a simple magazine as the title is not hard to read or understand for anyone. Also, it tells us that the image of the magazine is one that is of an appreciative note, as it is literally showing us praise towards Macklemore. I don’t think it gives much away about the style of the magazine.

The puffs suggest that a tribute to Kanye West and an article on Big K.R.I.T will be held within the article. This tells us that the audience the magazine wishes to get is one which involves Kanye West and Big K.R.I.T fans.

The slogan in this particular magazine, I believe, is ‘respect our culture’. This tells us that this magazine is purely based on what happens to be ‘their culture’ which is this day and ages’ hip-hop, including the work of Macklemore. This helps to attract readers who are into hip-hop, music in general, or even people who are part of the newer generation. The colour used for the title is white, whereas for the finishing part of the slogan the colour used is black. This proves for a nice contrast between the colours as not only do they complement each other well, but they also help each other stand out. Additionally, the font for ‘respect’ is much larger than the font used for ‘our culture’. This might be to emphasise the word and title of the magazine ‘respect’.

The magazine uses strategies such as puffs, skylines and graphic features in order to attract the audience. Puffs lead the reader to thinking that there is a lot of extra valuable information withheld in the magazine. The skyline used involves names of very popular artists, which could attract an even bigger audience that involves fans of those artists. The graphic feature adds to the magazine’s attempts to stand out from the other magazines on the shelf.

NME Magazine Front Cover Analysis

This is a music magazine. From the front cover, we can tell that issues related to the Muse and other artists are going to be inside.

The target audience for this magazine are music fans. It might be mostly aimed for teenagers and the interest of the audience is most likely rock.

The central image reveals to us that the mode of address used by the mag is direct. We know this as the three men are staring directly at the camera.

The purpose of this is to try and engage with the reader. This tells us that it wants more of a personal relationship with the reader.

The Muse are on the front cover. This is because they are going on a ‘ridiculous’ tour.

The anchorage text says ‘welcome to our new spaceship!’ this might imply that the artists are quite strange as they are referring to spaceships which are fictional. However, it also implies that they are very welcoming as they are welcoming us to their ‘new spaceship’. The overall message that the artists are trying to give out is that they are waiting for us to come and watch them.

In this magazine, the Muse are being represented. The magazine represents them as quite cool through the way in which they are dressed and posing. Additionally, they are all wearing the same colours to signal equality. Furthermore, their facial expressions indicate that they are a serious band.

There are a couple of ‘buzz’ words in the front cover. Examples of this are ‘Muse’ and ‘NME’. The effect that this has on the reader is that it is the words which we notice the most as they are bold and big and so stands out to everything else.

The design of the title block is black and bold, which reflects the genre of music and also the fact that the magazine is aimed more at a male audience.

The title of the magazine, NME, tells us that it is a simple magazine as the title is not hard to read for anyone. Also, it doesn’t give much away about what the magazine is about, or in fact the image or its style.

The puffs suggest that a review of the spike island movie will be contained in the magazine, as well as information involving the band ‘pussy riot’ and an interview from Bobby G. This tells us that the audience the magazine wishes to get is one which is heavily in to rock music, as these puffs relate to rock bands. (I think)

The slogan of the magazine is ‘New music express’, which tells us quite simply that this magazine is about brand new music. This helps to attract readers as there are a lot of people who want to know about the latest and freshest music.

The main colours used are black and orange. These make the magazine stand out from the rest as orange is a very bright colour and the black contrasts it very well. The fonts used are quite bold to, again make the magazine stand out. The fonts are made clear by this and so it is easy for people to read.

Music Magazine Front Cover Labelled

I labelled the front cover of this music magazine picking out certain features, such as, the title, bar code etc.

It is clear how the anchorage text is the biggest piece of text on the front cover aside from the title, as it is what must stand out and catch the eye of the reader. Also, the colour scheme of the fonts are consistent, with a mixture of red and white helping the look of the cover.

Contents Page

This is my pre-liminary magazine contents page.

For my contents page, I just simply inserted two pictures of students on a red background. I then listed what information is held within each page.

Front Cover

This is my pre-liminary magazine front cover.

To begin with, I had to walk around the school and take pictures of people and their surroundings. I then used both illustrator and Photoshop in order to make the front cover. After inserting the chosen pictures through illustrator, I acquired fonts for my title and texts from '1001 fonts'. I then cropped and edited the texts and images and then finalized it on Photoshop.