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1. Market Research
Mathew.

2. Music Magazines available in the UK.
• There are several music magazines in the UK
that cover multiple genres and tastes. These
include: Kerrang!, NME, Q, Classic Rock, Metal
Hammer, Mojo, Mixmag, We Love Pop and
Top of the Pops.

3. Publishers, circulation, readers and
mission statements.
• Kerrang!, Q and Mojo are all published by the same company… Bauer Media.
• Kerrang! aim to target people around the 22 year age mark, who are enthusiastic about music and like
rock music in particular. They have a circulation of around 44,013.
• Q aim at a target audience around the age of 29, readers of this magazine are usually into Brit-pop but are
highly open minded as Q magazine offers quite a lot of fresh and new acts. They have a circulation of
around 89,450.
• Mojo aim to target people of the age 37, readers will include people who love to discover new music from
a wide range of genres, they will probably have been into music for a ling time as it is for music fanatics
who have a long maintained love for it. They have a circulation of around 91,678.
• However, Classic Rock and Metal Hammer are produced by Future.
• Classic Rock’s audience members are of the age 35+ and men. Classic Rock audiences are loyal and
engaged fans who are happily influenced by the magazine as 96% of readers report to have taken positive
action as a result of the contents. They have a circulation of 71,242.
• Metal Hammer aim to attract young men, with an average age of 22. Their audiences are engaging,
responsive and creative as 2/3 of people are creating their own music at their own will. They have a
circulation of 41,777.
• Lastly, out of the bunch, on it’s own, is NME magazine- published by ICP| Inspire. NME’s audience is a male
majority with an average age of 23. The readers if this magazine are trusting and happy to find new things
out. They have a circulation of 33,875.

4. Textual Analysis:
Masthead: the font of this title is
cracked from the K letter outwards. This
could potentially be onomatopoeia as
Karrang! Sounds like something
smashing.
Puff: this is a technique used to get
the audience to believe that the music
in this magazine is far better than any
music in any other magazine meaning
that the reader will want that magazine
more.
Barcode: A barcode is a
common necessity, this allows the
potential readers to scan the item
and pay for it.
The Date and Price: this is a
necessary convention- it allows the
reader to see whether they have missed
an issue, need the issue or already have
the issue. The price is also necessary as
it shows the reader how much the
magazine is; however, it is printed small
so that the audience’s attention is now
drawn to it as it can often be costly.
Subheadings: these are used
very often on the front and
throughout magazines- they are used
initially on the front to entice and
engage readers- making them want
to read the news that has been
published by the media.
Sub-Images: these are images
around the bold, initial picture- used to
show what lies within the magazine, what
artists the articles are going to address
and possible posters. Linking them with
cover lines helps to add more information
to the images. Often, sub-images are
used to show secondary leads for people
who are not interested in the main piece.
Buzz Words: these are mainly
used to announce to the reader ‘hot’
topics.
Layout: the layout of this front cover
mainly consists of vibrant reds, blacks
and white, this creates a large contrast
between black and white which catches
the potential readers’ attention. The red
could possible be debated to symbolise
the passion that Kerrang! have for music
and all things rock. Also, the “hot shots”
banner placed above an anchorage is
used to relate the picture the banner and
the information all together.
Main Image: the feature
article photo is very large in
comparison to anything else on the
page and also has eye contact to
interact with the reader, this
entices the reader and also alerts
people to what the contents of this
magazine are going to entail. Also,
on this magazine, the Main Image
works in tandem with the Buzzword
“Hotshots” to create a
juxtaposition, thus enticing people
even more. Plugs: these are often used along
side with sub images and sub heading
to show the audience the inside
without turning from the cover.
Freebie: freebies are largely
used to make the readers believe
that they are getting something
more from the magazine than they
were first expecting.

5. Layout: the layout of this page is simple,
mise-en-scene is used to mirror both the
article and the picture so it has a more
appealing effect on the eyes. The torso and
head are the centre piece and the arms are
the first column and last. Simplicity is key in
this double page spread because it shows
how the magazine is set up for it’s audience
of a young, average age of 22 who are
looking for simple, easy to find, interesting
information. The stage light affect as a
boarder also helps to instil the idea that
Kerrang! are able to recruit large stars for
interviews.
Main image: Mise-en-scene
is used- displaying tattoos
and an ear plug to further depict
the genre of the magazine,
showing that the audience are
hopefully going to be interested
in such music. This idea of black
on white is again used but
through mise-en-scene this time
with the picture on the shirt
being a white rose on a black
background, on a white shirt.
Centrefold: centrefolds can often divide
pages awkwardly, they separate an image
from the text. However, this magazine has
used several notions to link them back
together; the crossover of the pull quote, the
changing room lights boarder affect and the
stars around the artist and pull quote.
Pull Quote: a pull quote is often
used to allow the reader to know
instantly what the article is about. In
this case, Karrang! have extrapolated a
quote from the Q&A article to clearly
denote how the kind of topic that the
article is about.
Buzz Word: the buzz
word on this page is done
for a single reason, to
alert the reader of
further information
online… this “NEWS” tells
the reader that- if
wanted- there is a lot
more information to be
found.
Drop Caps: A drop cap is
used to draw attention the
beginning of the article. As
other techniques are used to
make the rest of the article
look appealing, the drop cap
is essential in drawing the
readers attention the
front/beginning of the text.
Subheadings: these are used
very differently to the front cover.
Where they were used on the
front cover to show different
contents of the magazine, they
are used here to highlight where
the questions are. This highlight
of questions is also done by filling
the background colour in too.
Heading: This is used to initiate the typed writing aspect of this page, it helps to invite the reader to start their
consumption of information. Without a heading, the text would look blocked and formal, thus causing the reading to be
disinterested in reading it. This is because a magazine is largely used to obtain information through brief articles. A lack
of heading makes it look like there is more reading to be done than there actually is.

6. Plug: these are used to create a
general idea of what this issue of
Kerrang! is going to involve, this is
depicted as it involved pictures of
double page spreads of features
artists and bands. Also, there are
plugs simply of numbers to allow the
reader to quickly locate the page
that the featured pictures are, ergo
creating efficiency and simplicity.
Issue number and date: the issue
number and date is printed on the
contents page to iterate when and how
many Kerrang! issues have been
produces so that readers can follow the
magazine.
Subheadings: Plentiful
subheadings can be used to
show quite literally what is
going to be in the magazine
and where to find it.
Heading: the heading of this
page is used clearly to denote
what the “contents” of the page
are- the use of denotations are to
be simple and efficient and ergo is
the outcome of the heading.
Layout: the layout of this magazine is
designed so that the page is largely
dominated by the main thing but
there are lots of little aspects to this
page that help give the reader relative
information.
Main image: the main image
here is a large picture of Taylor
Jardine who is the singer of the
band We Are The In Crowd… this
fits in with her positioning; she
has her hands out, stretched to
block you from looking anywhere
else in the picture and it makes
you focus on her face,
representing her as the main
attraction. This is a very common
convention within magazines as it
directs the focus and also take up
more space on the page.
Puff: this puff is discrete in that it
doesn’t stand out as a puff. The use
of reviews means that there have
been good things said about this
magazine- as many magazines do,
they will have left out the bad
reviews- and so they are inflating
their positive feedback through the
dismissal of negative reviews.
Buzz word: here, the buzz
word(s) are “Hello Readers”- this
gains the readers attention, thus
alerting them to the directly
addressed message from the
Editor of Kerrang!- this makes
the magazine feel personal and
makes the reader feel more a
part of the Kerrang! society. Sub-images: these are used frequently throughout this magazine. This is either to take up space so that the magazine doesn’t get
flooded with writing that is reproduced over and over again and/or it can be used to simply give the reader something to look at and
add context the writing.

7. Subheadings: Subheadings
are used to alert the reader of topics
in the magazines and second leads.
They can be Q&As, articles etc.- but
subheading traditionally are placed
with image which further illustrate
the subjects. They can even be used
as selling lines for more enticement.
Main Image: The main
image on this front page is a close-up
of Dave Grohl, this close-up
shows him as very large, which in
this music genre is very symbolic to
his and his bands success. It also
purports the type of music this
magazine represents.
Freebie: the freebie on this page
can be argued to show what
prerogatives are available to the
readers of this magazine - knowing
what prizes are in store gets the reader
to get excited and eager about the
magazine.
Sub-Images: there are few sub
images on this front cover; however,
they are a convenience and well
placed as they are out of the way but
linked with kickers and cover lines to
create a preview kind of feel, so that
the reader understands what this
magazine is about.
Buzz Words: “WIN” is used
in this magazine to show instantly
something that the reader might be
interested in. And “Musical Express”
was is used to inspire a feeling that
this magazine could take
Masthead: the big NME title is blocky, this mirrors
everything else on the front page and starts to set a tone and
theme- the big close up of Dave Grohl and the rest of the big,
blocky writing all in boxed form to show subtle sophistication
Layout: Once again, the layout of
this magazine centres around a large
main image of big celebrities- Dave
Grohl- featuring lots of red, black and
white as these are often the colours
associated with rock… contrast of white
and black showing the often controversial
private lives the artists lead and the red
representing the passion they have in
music. There is also a lot of yellow, that
mixed with red creates orange and all
three of these colours are often twined
to create a fire look- to represent fiery
passion.
Plugs: these are sticker looking
things that can contain words or
pictures- in this case… pictures AND
words- to show the reader the basis
of he magazine.
Barcode: allowing the buyer
to scan and pay for the item- this is
essential in purchasing more or less
ever item in a shop.
The Date and Price: the
barcode traditionally found in a corner
on the front of a magazine, this ensures
that the reader can see it and find the
appropriate information; however, it is
out of the way and out of sight when
looking at the rest of the cover.
Textual Analysis:

8. Heading: the
heading here is a pulled
quote. It is used here- in a
large, bold font- to
establish the intensity of
the subject as important
things are often made
large and bold to make it
noticed. Also, it has
lettering like a newspaper
to establish a magazine-y
vibe for people who often
like to read magazines.
Layout: the layout of this double page spread is very simple; picture on the
right, title up above and the main writing below- with very little crossovers. This
simplistic layout makes it easy to see every aspect of the double page spread, with
every aspect grabbing the audiences attention, but giving the writing its own space
so that the reader can scour it with easy and extract the information they want.
Although the main image, heading and main text are all separate, the picture and
heading crossing over the centrefold again links them in with each other.
Main image:
mise-en-scene is used
with the display of
tattoos and boyish
clothing on a girl to
render a
link/connection
between the writers
and the readers as this
magazine is aimed at a
very specific audience
and this audience is
likely to dress in the
same manner. Also, the
use of boyish clothes
on a girl brings both
sexes together in terms
of audience. A very
pretty girls dressed
head to toe in pink
would not attract a
man to read the article
and on the other hand-
A man dressed in very
manly, dull clothing
would not entice a girl.
This combination of a
girl in male clothing
opens this article up to
being read by both
sexes. Also, red is a
very unisex colour
which relates her to
both men and women
again.
Subheading: the
subheading here is used
to add a little more
context to the page as the
heading does very little
for context. Adding
context through
subheading is generally
an often convention as
heading are mainly used
to grab attention.
Drop Caps: a large,
bold, dropped “I”
extends the magazine
theme into the main
text; this would entice
people because
continuity is a
Mise-en-scene: the colour of red is used frequently throughout the
whole page on this double page spread- with connotation of anger and
irritation- fused with the stance of hands on the hips- with connotations of
authority- renders ideas that Lily Allen has a very strong opinion on the matter
at hand. This would intrigue readers to want to know what the issue is that has
caused her to get so rallied up and annoyed.

9. Heading & Date: the heading and date work in tandem to alert the reader of the issue and the date,
the heading denotes that this magazine is “this week” and the date- located right underneath- is used to
specify which week it is that this magazine is relating to. Subheadings: a variety
of subheadings are used on
this contents page because
they all have very different
reasons and purposes. First is
the “Band Index” this is used
to attract many people, people
have different interests and
especially when it comes to
music, so identifying the bands
bluntly, straight away will help
to attract the right audience.
Secondly , subheadings are
used to identify pages and
there contents, this is used
simply to allow the reader to
know where to go to read the
articles that they are
interested in. And lastly, is the
use of a subheading to
introduce a small, new article
that recognises a member of
the audience, this is useful
because it gets people to read
and find out how to get
recognised as many people
want to have their 15 minutes
of fame. Buzz Words: the buzz word
“PLUS” it helping to depict that
the audience is getting some
extra information and it reels the
reader in to see what is extra.
Plug: the yellow on this plug can have connotation of gold as the magazine is telling you that
you can save money (i.e GOLD) if you subscribe today. Ergo, in this context, a pug can be used to
show the audience of certain deals that they are liable to obtain.
Masthead: the
masthead is used here
to start a theme of red,
which is used to
highlight main and
important areas on the
page such as certain
pages in the magazine
from the contents, the
band index and gig
guide. This is done so
that the audience’s
attention is drawn to
necessary and important
areas of magazine.

10. Subheadings: Subheadings
on this magazine don’t entice the
reader through subject topics like
many other magazines. This
magazine uses simple artist names to
envelope the readers attention, this
works by not distracting the reader
and just showing them exactly what
they want to see… what characters
they are wanting.
Buzz Words: a buzzword
here is “Introducing”; albeit
small, this is affective because is
shows the reader what
substantial contents they have.
Freebie: the freebie on this front
cover is rather unconventional in that…
It’s not giving away anything tangible
like a sweater or a hat- they are giving
the reader a never seen story and a set
of unseen pictures. This makes the
reader believe they would be obtaining
The Date and Price: the
date and price- like the barcode- is
small as to not distract from the main
image but is essential so that the
readers are aware of the price and
know which issue it is and so they
know if they already have it or not.
Sub-Images: there are no sub- more than they are paying for.
images on this front cover as it is largely
Main Image: the main
dominated by one character- this
image on this magazine is a large
suggests that this magazine is set up for
medium close-up of Cheryl Cole.
older audiences in terms of modern
Mise-en-scene is used- through the
music as this is the genre that Cheryl
lipstick- to add to the consensus
Cole performs in- which is exactly the
that Cheryl Cole is attractive as red
age group it is designed for as the
has connotations of hot and fiery.
median age of readers is 29.
Textual Analysis:
Masthead: this masthead is in the form of a
drop cap, this makes it seem as though you are
reading the magazine straight away. And often,
this will make people want to buy the magazine
because they will want to continue reading.
Layout: the subheadings and artist
names are all in block form and are very
short and snappy, this means that they
want to stick right to the point and leave
all the information for inside the
magazine. This makes the reader have to
buy the magazine to see what is inside- it
is often people with money to spare who
buy things they know nothing
about(“More money than sense” would
be the applicable phrase). With money
comes connotations of sophistication and
also age- which is why this magazine is
aimed at people around the age of 29.
Plugs: A plug here is the freebie of
the John Lennon story- being the only
plug on the cover makes it stand out
and causes attention to be drawn to
it, thus highlighting the freebie and
making the reader want to buy it
more.
Barcode: a lack of barcode on
the front cover could suggest that this
image is the most important part of the
front cover- such a well known celebrity
plastered across the page is used to lure
people in to buying it and a relatively
large barcode isn’t necessary on the
front page; thus, it would just disrupt
the image.

11. Main image: traditionally, nudity in a magazine is very stigmatised.. The
cross over the partially revealing picture of Lady Gaga lets the audience know that
the illustrators are aware of the taboo crisis and brings a little piece of mind to the
reader. This way there is a little more context added to the article with a wild
picture of the artist- with the possible irritation and enraging of the audience being
diminished.
Layout: the layout of
this magazine is very
conventional, a picture on
one side and an article on
the other. The reason for
this is- although the reader
has something to look at
while reading- the image
does not get in the way of
the writing and the reader
can fold the page over- as
many people like to do-without
corrupting the
ability to read the article in
full. Also, the colour of the
image is black and white to
create a simplistic and
appealing match with the
black writing- with a white
background- on the other
page.
Heading: there is a very small
heading on this page. This is because,
although the majority of people know
who this artist is and don’t need an
introduction to the character, others will
not know who this is; ergo, they will need
a some context- a name.
Colour themes: although there is a theme of black and
white on this double page spread to create a certain feel, people
will often feel like there is something missing if it is entirely
black and white with no other colour as magazines usually are.
The red “L” on this page is used to add this colour to satisfy-conscious
or subconscious – the audience’s need for colour.
Drop Caps: Several drop caps are used in this magazine’s
double page spread. As this article is rather blocky and undivided by
separating lines, the drop caps are placed in to break up the text and
make it look less full and therefore entice the audience by making it
look like there is less to read than there actually is.

12. Heading: the heading on this
contents page has a clear meaning
and denotation- CONTENTS. This is
often the heading of magazine
contents page as there is little
extra information and therefore no
need for an extra heading.
Colour scheme: the colour red is used a lot on
this page, this is because, unlike a lot of other pages,
there is a lot of necessary information; the FEATURES,
the band’s names and an extra little piece at the
bottom- using any other colour than red would not
create the sense of urgency and excitement that the
magazine is aiming for.
Layout: there is a very large
difference in the picture to text ratio,
with pictures being more
predominant than text, this illustrates
for the audience how important the
acts are in comparison to the text.
Also, the heading follows a common
convention of going horizontal;
whereas, the main text heads vertical-this
is done to free up a lot of space
for images whilst still getting the
needed information on the page.
Main image: the main image is
taking up the majority of this page,
this is because the magazine is trying
to stress the importance of this
character in the music industry- as the
Muse are a very well known band.
Also, following this idea is the use of
mise-en-scene as the artist is dressed
in a shiny silver jacket, this could be
construed as a way to represent him
as worth a lot- and wealthy. Also,
there are numbers allocated to each
picture on this page, including the
main picture so that the audience
know which page to look at in order
to get the “down-low” on this
character- which are also shown at
the left of this page in the main text
column.
Subheadings: these
subheadings are used to clearly
show the location of the articles
in the magazine and therefore
create simplicity that is a
common convention within
contents pages. This simplicity
allows reader to jump to the
pages they want and avoid
wasting time going through the
pages one by one and getting
frustrated.
Sub-images: these images are
used to show the diverse music that
the magazine covers within it. There is
a man who looks a little like Jesus/the
pope/Santa, there is a guy at the
beach in speedos and there is the
main image that shows a man in a
satiable, formal attire. These different
pictures carry many different
connotations and therefore show a
variety of music types.