1. Analysis of magazine front covers
Cover 1. NME Sept 2009
Dizzee Rascal Edition
Cover 2. KERRANG! Magazine.
Paramore Edition.
Cover 3. SPIN Magazine.
The Strokes Edition
By Natasha Stapleton.
2. THE MASTHEAD
This masthead is big, bold and has an
FRONT COVER ANALYSIS THE HEADER
black outline to stand out on the white Gets the reader more interested in buying
background. It is in normal block capitals the magazine as there is a ‘special’ inside. It
which suggests that this magazine is targets the audience of young people by
serious about music of several genres and giving out a ‘tour special’ which would
concentrates on the music itself rather interest them if they frequently went to gigs.
than having an ego. It doesn’t take up all THE MAIN IMAGE
the space across the top which can
suggest that it isn’t that important for This main image is large and has the attention
people to know the name because it is of the audience due to the fact it takes up the
already a famous magazine. entire magazine. The camera is slightly tilted on
an angle which could be a pun on the name of
USE OF A FLASHER the artist ‘Dizzee’. He looks happy and friendly
The use of the flasher shows that the and his expression relates to the pull quote.
magazine is full of information that This again also shows how this magazine is for
everyone would want to know. The bold young adults and isn’t for high class people. He
red background stands out on the white is looking directly at the camera which makes
background which suggests that this is the audience feel involved in the magazine and
important. Wozee zowee shows that the that it is targetted directly at them.
magazine is informal and exciting and this THE COVER LINES
helps them to relate to their target The cover lines help the magazine attract a
audience of young adults. wider range of audiences because they
include different bands with different genres.
BACKGROUND Blur are an indie band from the 90’s who
The background of the image is bright are very different to Dizzee Rascal who is a
rap artist from the 21st Century. They add in
and colourful. It has graffiti on it which information that would attract the eyes of an
relates to their young target audience. audience who like Blur.
The colour helps Dizzee Rascal stand
out as he is wearing white and therefore THE MAIN COVER LINE
you can see him clearly on the colourful
background. The main cover line is in block capitals and
in white to stand out against the
USE OF A PULL QUOTE background and it has a shadow which
helps it to stand out against Dizzee’s white
The language in the pull quote is vest top. It covers a large proportion of the
informal; the use of the word ‘man!’ shows cover and therefore would attract the
that this magazine isn’t for Group A or B attention who likes his music. As well as
people. It mentions ‘Joy’ which relate to the image itself, Dizzee’s name is on a
the fact that he is smiling in the people. slant which helps it look targetted at an
audience of young adults.
THE FOOTER BARCODE, DATE, ISSUE,
Adds more information about the bands PRICE
inside the magazine. This shows how
The barcode and the information at the
this magazine can be targeted for people bottom of a magazine is essential as if you
with a range in music tastes as all 4 RULE OF THIRDS/THE LEFT THIRD want a particular issue then you can find it
bands and the main article artist are This magazine slightly follows the rule of thirds however because the easily. In this particular magazine the
different genres. The footer also has the image is on a slant it looks quite strange. The left third is the most barcode is very small which shows that it
barcode in, which demonstrates how the important as it has Dizzee’s head in it, the masthead, the pull quote, isn’t as important as the music and the
music is more important than the the flasher and parts of the header and footer. This third looks rather articles and image are the main attraction.
barcode. busy which shows how packed this magazine is with information.
3. THE MASTHEAD FRONT COVER ANALYSIS THE HEADER
This masthead says a lot about the genre ‘WIN!’ automatically attracts a reader’s
of this magazine. First of all it is stretched attention and ‘VIP TICKETS’ will always attract
right across the top of the page, which attention and convince people to buy the
suggests that it is loud and bold. The magazine as if meeting your favourite artist or
magazine is called Kerrang! Which is band could be won by just buying a magazine
onomatopoeia as if you say the word it you’d want to buy it.
sounds angry and dangerous. The lines
through the text and the bold, white font THE MAIN IMAGE
used on the black background suggests This main image takes up the entire space of the
that this magazine will have attitude and right third. Hayley is wearing a vest top (which
the stereotype that rockers ‘break the rules’ looks like it has been cut by her herself) saying
is shown in this masthead. The masthead ‘SECURITY’ on it in block capitals and this
is overlapping the image slightly which shows the style and attitude she has. Her hair is
shows it is important to know the name of a dyed orange colour which is unusual normally
this magazine. and isn’t seen as a normal colour to have and
USE OF A PULL QUOTE her eye make-up isn’t very elegant and formal
but styled in a rock like fashion. Even though this
This use of a pull quote shows that this woman is not dressed elegantly you can tell she
woman has attitude and she doesn’t care is a role model for a lot of people as she is the
what people think of her. This relates back face of a rock band. She is posing quite
to the target audience of this magazine as strangely and she isn’t smiling which connotes
it shows confidence and fearlessness. the fact that she has attitude and is confident
The ellipsis used causes suspence which enough to have a photo shoot.
makes the audience want to buy the
magazine to find out why she would have
anything to prove anyway.
BACKGROUND
THE MAIN COVER LINE The background of this magazine is a plain white
one which helps all the texts and the woman
The main cover line isn’t much bigger than Hayley in the image stand out. This helps show
the other cover lines on the magazine and the colour scheme of this issue of magazine
this shows that this magazine likes to
cluster a lot of information and articles on (white, black and yellow) as you can see all
the magazine cover and if they put the colours on top of white.
main cover line really big then you won’t BARCODE, DATE, ISSUE,
be able to fit much on it. The font of the
text ‘PARAMORE’ is like the masthead; it PRICE
has cracks through the letters and the bold The barcode is plain and out of the way of all the
black text stands out on the white sell lines and this shows that even though it’s
background. ‘Hayley’ and ‘your’ are important to know the date and the price of the
highlighted to make the audience feel magazine it’s more important to show the music.
more involved with the artist. This helps USE OF A FLASHER
the audience want to buy the issue. This flasher works well to attract the readers attention as it has an RULE OF THIRDS/THE LEFT
THE COVER LINES outline around it and the first word is ‘HUGE’ written is bigger block
The other cover lines are written smaller capitals. This ‘7-Day Rock Guide’ would attract readers who enjoy THIRD
but they still stand out as the bold colours going to gigs and the fact that over ‘800 gigs’ are listed then there The rule of thirds in this magazine is used quite
look really visual on the white background. must be a range of artists inside. well. Most the sell lines (including the main sell
The photos used show the attitude of
rockers with serious almost arrogant faces. THE FOOTER lines) are in the left third which looks quite
packed and messy. The right third however just
They are different types of rock genres as This footer is packed full of different artists in rock. There is pop has the image in, one small sell line and the
well which helps the magazine attract more rock, pop punk, death metal and alternative rock which gives the barcode which leaves a lot of space for the
readers. The constant use of block capitals magazine a wider audience. ‘PLUS!’ suggests that even this image to stand out and be seen. This shows that
suggests shouting which goes with the magazine thinks that they have a lot of information and they are this magazine thinks that it is important to have
stereotype of rockers being loud. giving the audience more reasons to buy this magazine. the artist stand out.
4. THE MASTHEAD USE OF A FLASHER
This masthead is similar to the FRONT COVER ANALYSIS This isn’t a usual flasher that would be used
in a magazine as it doesn’t look like a sticker
masthead in the NME magazine. It is however I believe it could be seen as one as
plain simple font but in bold white it says ‘FREE!’ and it is on a different colour
capital letters that stand out against the background to the other cover lines. The fact
bright primary colour red background. that it doesn’t look like a sticker makes it
Unlike the Kerrang! Magazine this look a bit more mature and less tacky which
masthead looks a lot more serious with leaves us to believe that this magazine could
less attitude. It doesn’t look posh and it be targeted for people in the B or C category
still does look confident but it’s a people.
different type of confidence.
THE MAIN IMAGE
THE COVER LINES This image says a lot about this band and
The cover lines in this magazine are this magazine. They all look confident and
scattered around the image of the aren’t smiling which suggests that they
band. They are in standard simple font believe music is a serious business. One of
but in block capitals so it is easy to the bang member’s heads are covering the
read. Inside of letting the text overlap masthead which suggests that this magazine
the image there is a fill around them so is popular enough and this band are too
they definitely stand out on the image famous to be covered with the masthead.
and don’t clash with the image’s They are dressed in leather jackets, have
colours. They don’t give away much scruffy hair and one of them is wearing
information as they just have names of sunglasses. which suggests they have an
bands and titles of articles which leaves attitude it’s just not necessarily dangerous
the reader intrigued and wanting to buy but rather quite pretentious.
this magazine.
BACKGROUND
THE MAIN COVER This background is plain white which helps
LINE make the image stand out more and this
The main cover line is a larger font to plain background helps make the magazine
the rest of them and is also the look original and targeted at a more mature
opposite colours to the names of the audience.
other bands. This is the only cover line
with a bit of information from the article BARCODE, DATE, ISSUE,
‘The Secrets behind their Comeback’ PRICE
which would attract the reader if they
were a Strokes fan. Something I found Another unusual thing for a magazine is that
rather strange was the fact that they this one does not have a barcode on the
showed who the article was written by front. Whether it has one on the back I don’t
and the name of the photographer know but it shows how the editors don’t
which is never normally on the front believe the barcode is important and maybe
cover but this gives this magazine a think the barcode spoils the layout of the
sense of individuality. magazine.
USE OF NO FOOTER OR
HEADER RULE OF THIRDS/THE LEFT THIRD
This magazine doesn’t feature a This magazine uses the rule of thirds pretty much exactly as you should. The main cover line is in the middle of
header or a footer and this makes the the cover, the image is in the centre, the other cover lines are on both the left and right hand side and the
magazine less clustered and more masthead is in the corner. This shows that this magazine like to follow the rules and look sophisticated but cool at
casual. It again gives the magazine a the same time.
sense of individuality and makes it
look a lot more cool and original.
