1. A music magazine is a type of media text that covers a specific type of music.
It provides information and updates for a certain genre of music.
There are three main purposes of a music magazine:
1. Entertainment- people buy magazines to read and enjoy. They will be
entertained because they are reading about something they are interested in.
2. Information- by reading a music magazine the reader is getting information
about new and current artists/bands.
3. Advertising- Tour dates, albums and merchandise are advertised in music
magazine which is what the reader will want to see as it relates to the specific
genre of the magazine.
The reader will vary depending on what the genre is- for example rock music is
associated with men 20+ whereas pop music is a more young female genre.
Music magazines used to be for the musicians however now it’s for the
listeners. The magazine editors know their audience and they create their
content around what their audience want.

2. There are certain conventions of music magazines that they all
have such as:
• Interviews with artists- these are often labelled on the front
cover as ‘exclusive’ or ‘new’ to get the reader to buy a copy.
• Reviews on songs or albums- this interests the reader as it
shows them what’s good and what’s not in the genre that they
enjoy to listen to. It makes it easier for them to find new music
they like.
• Tour dates- the reader are given the opportunity to see bands
they already like, or will like, live.
• Photo-shoots of artists displayed in the background of
interview articles, the visual appearance keeps the reader
interested.

3. These are some images you are likely to find in a
music magazine:
• Photos of artists/bands- they are relatable for the
reader, especially if they are well known in that
genre.
• Photos of venues- giving information on upcoming
events and creating a feel of excitement if the
reader has tickets to a certain event.
• Studios- gives a behind the scene exclusive feel.
• Merchandise- Advertising.
• Brand identity- logos and front cover layout that are
used in every issue of the magazine makes a
magazine unique.

4. General characteristics:
• Masthead
• Coverlines down the sides
• Main image
• Language- informal and genre specific
• Frequency of publication- if it’s monthly the magazine will be
more expensive than weekly. Music magazines are usually
monthly.
• Cost- £2.50-£4.50
• Paper type- If a magazine is well known it will have glossy
good quality paper, if not it will be thin and newspaper like.
• Online presence- Many magazines have social media
accounts and an online website. For example, NME Magazine
is now only available online which shows how readers are
developing.

5. • Cover lines- to show what the articles are
about.
• Masthead- at the top to draw attention and
so that you can see it on a shelf.
• Main image of an artist/band- to appeal to
the target audience.
• Barcode, date and price
• Colour theme relating to the mood of the
genre.

6. • The features are all typical
conventions of a magazine and by
seeing the cover lines the reader can
see that it’s a music magazine for a
specific genre.
• Without these conventions it would be
harder to identify it as a magazine
compared to other types of media
text.

7. • Black background gives off a
dark/gothic vibe.
• The font of the masthead is edgy and
bold. The lines through it makes it look
like it’s been scratched out which
comes across as angry and
aggressive- linking with the music
genre.
• You would guess by looking at the
cover that the target audience is
young adult males, however the reality
is that the reader profile is quite
diverse, with teenage girls also buying
this magazine. However, the colour
scheme and nature of the magazine
would make you assume that its made
to appeal to males.