1) Music magazine covers typically feature the artist of the main story prominently through a posed studio photo that dominates the cover and directly addresses the reader. 2) Cover lines frame the main image and use 3-4 ambiguous words in capital letters to intrigue readers into buying the magazine for more details on the story. 3) Additional details like sub lines, cover positioning statements, and buzz words are also used strategically on music magazine covers within a limited color palette and font scheme to attract readers.

1. Music Magazine
Codes & Conventions
By Jack Coggins

2. Underneath the name but still in the The name of the magazine goes at the top of the
mast head is the positioning statement. cover in what's called the 'mast head'. They are
This is line, a slogan or tag line that usually top left but can also be centered.
The font used for the magazines describes what the magazine believes it
name is unique to the other fonts is about, This informs the reader about
used and is the biggest sized font what the magazine may be written The name of the magazine can be part
on the cover. about. covered by the image if the magazine is
well known.
The main image is usually a
The main images are usually posed in
picture of the artist
a studio with a plain background to
who features in the main story.
draw the readers attention to the
This image dominates the cover
image.
and uses direct address by looking
at the reader of the magazine to
draw them in. The main cover line is usually about the
artist in the main image and is placed on
top of the image to anchor it. However it
All music magazines use about 3 is never placed over the facial aspect of
fonts on the cover. Fonts used are the image.
usually, Arial, Times New Roman,
Serif or Sans Serif. They also use 3-4
colours maximum which are often Cover lines frame the image and are
primary colours that don't clash with written in capital letters. They are
each other. usually 3-4 words long and are
ambiguous deliberately to make the
reader want to buy the magazine to
Buzz words are used on the read the story behind it.
cover. These consist of words
like, new, plus and exclusive.
Sub lines are used under cover lines and they
add detail and clarity to the cover line while
The bar codes on music magazines are at the bottom still being ambiguous.
right of the magazine and also usually have the date,
issue number and price near them. They can be
either portrait or horizontal and got where there is
space rather than interfering.