1. NME is a popular music magazine published in
the UK weekly since March 1952. It started as a
music newspaper, and gradually moved toward
a magazine format during the 1980s, changing
from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British
paper to include a singles chart, in the 14
November 1952 edition. It was the best selling
British music newspaper in the 1970s and
during the period 1972 to 1976 it was
particularly associated with gonzo journalism,
then became closely associated with punk rock
through the writing of Tony Parsons and Julie
Burchill. An online version of NME,
www.nme.com was launched in 1996 and
today has 5 million users per month.

2. Whilst looking through images of NME cover pages, I noticed that the magazine
does not necessarily follow a certain pattern. Each week there is a stark contrast
between the different covers which suggests they try to cater for their wide
audience.

3. NME COVER
The Muse poster is free Here it says “what the
which will entice fans thought”. This
readers to choose this shows the magazine is
music magazine over very fan orientated and
another. their opinions are valid –
its not just the opinion of
a music critic.
The price of NME is
£2.30. This price is The dominant image is of
fairly low which the front man of the
suggests the magazine band Biffy Clyro.
is aimed at a younger Because he is the only
audience with a low person in the image it
income as they would suggests he is the most
be able to afford it. important and
recognisable figure in
The only colours used the band.
on the cover of this
edition of NME are The bold font will make
black, white and red. the magazine stand out
These three colours on the shelf and
aren’t gender specific potential readers will
and therefore suggest easily spot what artists
the magazine caters for are featured in this
both male and female. week’s edition.

4. NME CONTENTS
The ‘Band Index’ along ‘THIS WEEK’ tells the
the side of the page is audience the magazine is
an important feature of a weekly production.
the contents. It
highlights what kind of The headings down the
bands will be featured side, News, Radar,
in the magazine and Reviews, Live! and
what articles to expect. Features help the
It also shows the type of audience to see clearly
genre that is most what kind of articles are
covered in NME, which featured in the magazine
is rock and indie music. and can easily navigate
to specific articles.
The colours used on the
contents page match The offer on the left
the colours used on the hand bottom corner of
cover: red, white and the contents page is a
black. Again these are subscription for NME. By
unisex colours and are offering a saving it
closely linked with entices the readers to
rock/indie music in subscribe to NME and
other aspects of the then receive it weekly
media. rather than purchase a
different magazine.

5. NME ARTICLES
The highlighted texts The main picture in the
helps to distinguish the article has the front man
questions from the of Ash positioned at the
answers. front. This gives the
impression to the readers
The article says, ‘the that the lead singer is the
power-pop trio on most important member
being fed drugs, bowls of the band and the other
of semen and watching three are less significant.
Kurt buy clothes’. This is
essentially like a With the exception of the
summary of the article questions being
and the reader knows yellow, the article follows
what kind of things are the same colour scheme
discussed in it. as the cover and contents
page, red, black and
The vocabulary used is white. The main picture is
fairly simple and easy to also black and white.
read. Slang and phrases
used by the younger The facts in the right-
generation are used in hand bottom corner are
this article. in red which distinguishes
them from the question
and answers.