Research into existing music magazine front covers.

1. By Connor O’Reilly

2. There is a clear and large area for The band name “The Killers” is
the logo of the magazine which is shown in a giant font across
very striking. This technique is often Brandon Flowers’ chest which
used so the audience can identify would immediately draw in
the magazine easily. The “Q” logo is attention from the audience if
a very simple but effective logo they are fans of the band and
which makes it stand out more than also just because it is so
other magazines with more boring distinct on the magazine front
logos. The letter Q is the letter in the cover.
alphabet that represents innovation
There are some puffs in the
too. The logo then creates a positive
bottom right hand corner of the
and creative connotation of the
front cover. These give a more
whole magazine as a result of the
informal feel to the magazine
logo.
which would appeal more to a
There is a clear house style of teenage audience.
mainly black and red text. Clear This front cover is FULL of
house styles often show the lures. This is often used in
audience that the magazine is very magazines to entice the
professional as they are keeping in audience so they purchase the
uniform with the whole magazine magazine. There is a range of
and audiences like uniformity. articles that are advertised on
There are many different font styles the front cover to try and find
used but there is a main font which something that would appeal to
is used for the bigger attractions. a range of people that consume
This creates a link between the the magazine.
more interesting parts of the
magazine and the font style which The main image is of Brandon
entices the audience into Flowers who is the lead singer
purchasing the magazine. There are of “The Killers”. The lighting
sans serif and serif fonts used with and low angle of the
the sans serif used more for lures photograph shows his bad-boy
and the serif fonts used as attitude. This entices the
descriptions or just to keep the audience because they might
The front cover includes a price, bar code and date of want to read more about
formality of the magazine intact. The
publication. This makes it clear to the audience that this Brandon Flowers. This main
sans serif fonts are used for the
magazine can be bought and what month it was released in. image uses direct address
bigger lettering and big titles so it is
easier for the audience to The text is wrapped around the main image which is effective use of and gaze theory to entice the
read/notice the front cover from afar. space but there is some overlapping and under-lapping too which is a reader into consuming this
good composition to look at which attracts the audience more too. magazine.

3. There is a header which tells the There are other lures
audience what is in the magazine around the main image
which also acts as a lure. These which have lines above
are separated by red stars which and below them which
make them easier to read for the attract the readers
audience. The puffs (red stars) attention and then entice
attract the audience and also the reader to buy the
make the audience instantly magazine to read those
aware that these people are articles.
“Stars” I the music world which
There is a clear house
may entice the audience to read
style with the colours red
more about them.
and white. The same type
The logo is partially visible behind of font (sans serif) is
the main image but it is still clear to used all over the front
the audience that this is an NME cover
magazine as the logo is very well The central text shows
known. This technique is used in the importance of this
many music magazine front covers lure on the front cover s
because the logo/masthead is one this is the central focal
the first things the audience looks point of the magazine.
at to see what magazine it is and it Most magazines put their
is easily identifiable. best lure in this central
The main feature of the magazine position as it is the
is made clear on the front cover of easiest to look at for the
the magazine because there is audience.
the text “Damon interviews The magazine also
Gorillaz” in a massive red and includes the
white sans serif font which can conventional bar code,
be easily read from afar. The front price and month and year
cover is particularly targeting of publication.
Gorillaz fans as the main image
features the famous cartoon
characters that are in “The
Gorillaz” and the word Gorillaz is
big and red on the front cover so it
can easily attract their fans. This
text is almost central on the front
cover which also shows its Like the header of this front cover, the footer also has lures as to what is
importance. in this magazine apart from the feature article.

4. There is a header which tells the
audience what is in the There are many lures
magazine which act as lures. that are wrapped around
There is a bold “FREE!” in the the main image which is
header which would attract and effective
readers as most people like free convention used by
things. There is also a little popular magazines
download symbol (puff) which worldwide.
tells the audience that you can
download the free songs too.
The logo of the
magazine is partially
The main image is of Eminem,
behind the main image
who is an extremely popular
which draws the readers
white rapper. The photo is a
attention because it is a
clear example of how direct
clever composition of
address and gaze theory have
items on the front cover.
been used to draw entice the
This is a convention of
audience into buying the
mainly the well-known
magazine.
music magazines as
their logo can be
identified vey easily by
The first thing the audience
the audience. The logo
notices is usually the main
is the only thing that has
image and logo of Eminem
red in it which draws the
which shows the audience that
attention of the
this is one of the main features
audience too. The focus
of this issue.
is on Eminem rather
than the logo of the
The fonts mainly used on this magazine because the
front cover are sans-serif fonts. logo is behind the main
This tells the audience that this image.
is a less formal and modern
music magazine which would
appeal to a younger audience.