DETAILED ANALYSIS

1. Detailed analysis of front cover, contents page, double page spread.
The font style used across the magazine is serif, this
fits the magazines genre as it creates a hard, angry
look. The bold text is eye catching and draws the
reader to that particular piece of text, this why the
important things such as the cover line and masthead
are bold. The editors made Linkin Park the boldest as
it is a popular name and may intrigue the reader to
buy the magazine. Using the name of the artist was a
clever idea as people who like linkin park may
purchase the magazine in order to discover new
bands with a similar style which would strengthen
Kerrang’s market. As the genre is rock, the
typography needs to be dark and give the sense of
anger. It achieves this by using quite a dark colour
scheme with reds and blacks with the exception of
yellow which is there to catch the reader’s attention.
They also using bold, block-like text which would
appeal to kerrang’s target audience. The typography
fits that as a rock magazine which appeals to an older
market, 16- 25 and the colour scheme orientates it
towards men.
The main colours used are dark and light red, white
and yellow. The different shades of red connote
anger, the white is there to contrast and balance it
out. The yellow is an exception to the dark colour
scheme and is there to emphasis certain bits of text,
so the yellow draws the readers to ‘linkin park’. The
white is also there to compliment the yellow as a
lighter shade, as in the yellow draws the attention
and the white conveys the message in a more subtle
way.
The image used appeal to the target audience as they
are extremely popular artists of that particular genre,
the artists featured are:
Linkin Park, You me at six, Metallica, Motion city,
Green day, Black veil brides, Josh and Oly, Biffy Clyro,
black Sabbath.
These artist are all influential for those of the
magazines target audience, the images used are all in
the rock genre and hence fit the magazine. Most of
the shots of individuals are close ups so they can
identify the artist more and hence make them want
to find out about the said artist.
The magazines layout is in-between cluttered and simple. I
think this is so it looks busy and hence appealing but not over
done to the point where it looks daunting and a bit child-like.
This appeals to the target audience as it is eye catching and
bold like the genre rock but also set out in a way that is not
patronising to the reader. The route of the eye is used, first
you see the masthead which would appeal to the user as it is
a highly popular magazine, then it goes to the cover artist
which will make the reader want to read and buy the
magazine as it features a highly influential artist in the
particular genre the magazine targets. It then goes across to
side story’s featuring popular artists such as Metallica which
may once again widen the magazines audience as they will
want to buy it to read about their favourite bands and artists.
The magazine includes the image of the cover artist in the
middle, this is because the eye tends to go straight to the
middle and hence they will see that first and want to read it.

2. As the left side is the most dominant side it has been taken advantage by including popular artists stories indie, this is
because the left this is the part that the reader will first glance at and it’s hence important to include the most
interesting stories.
The language used on the magazine is simple but also deep and fairly depressing, this was used to make the reader
sympathize with artist such as ‘this time its emotional’ and also ‘the naked truth’ which makes the reader want to read it
as they feel like the artist is being honest and they could get to know some person and private things. The mode of
address is mostly formal using proper English, this is conventional as the target audience are generally more mature and
don’t need slang and gossipy words to appeal them. The magazine is fairly depressing and achieves this with lines like
‘this time it’s emotional’ and ‘how the black album almost destroyed Metallica’.
The front cover relates to the genre rock because of the dark red background which represent anger and blood. The
mode of the address is a key convention for this magazine and affects if people buy it or not, the target audience will be
able to relate to stories such as green days album and will want to read stuff about the actual music, if the stories were
all gossipy about romance etc, the target audience may not read the magazine.
The font is mainly all Serif, this makes it appeal to the
target audience as it is more sophisticated, which
would appeal to the older target audience, it is also
bold which relates to the genre rock. The way the
images have a number on them, makes it easier for the
reader to read about their favourite artists and also
gives them the freedom to skip pages.
The yellow writing is once again featured on important
pieces of information, as it is an eye catching colour it
gets the reader’s attention and it means they can more
easily see the stories featured and the page numbers
of each story, the yellow also follows the colour
scheme set by the front cover. The white background
gives it a more formal, less busy look and hence
appeals to the target audience.
The Mise en scene are a pistol and a microphone, this
is because the microphone obviously relates to music
and the gun relates to the genre rock as it is
stereotypically hard and dangerous. The Images are
mostly close ups, this was used so the reader can more
noticeably tell the artist, and hence make them read
the page.

3. The font of the page is mainly serif once again, this is because curls wouldn’t really appeal to the target audience of the
magazine, they used the quote ‘we’re being the best MCR we can be’ in bold to draw the user attention at first glance,
the reason they want to do this is so the reader reads the quote and wants to find out more about the story and see in
what context is what said. They use big bl ocky writing which fits the rock genre. They also include a ‘world exclusive’ sign
which would appeal to the user as they think they will be reading something that hasn’t been said before. The main
story’s font is fairly small and there is a fair amount of this, this suits the target audience though as they are generally
older and don’t need large fonts and short paragraphs to hold their attention.
The layout is fairly clear and uncluttered, this is to appeal to the target audience. The left side of the magazine is mainly
made up of images, this is to catch the reader’s attention and then they want to read the particular story more. The
images almost work as a boarder to the main story, which could attract the reader to look at the story more. The route of
the eye was used, it starts by catching the reader’s attention on the dominant left side with the biggest picture, it then
takes it across to the large, bold quote which would capture the readers interest, it would then go back to the bottom left
and look at the 3 smaller pictures on the bottom until they eventually read the article.
The colour used are black and red which fit the genre rock, as the black connotes darkness and evil, and the red connotes
blood and danger. The text was white and red so it contrasts against the black and stands out, so the reader gets drawn
to the quote and can see it clearly. The kicker was red one again as a contras against the black background and white
writing and will then draw the reader’s attention to the story.
The images are large and dominate the page, this is so the reader sees who the artist is at first glance and will want to
read a story about that particular artist. The shot types are mainly close ups this was once again so the reader can easily
identify the artist and want to red on about them. The mise-en-scene were things such as a microphone, guitar and piano
this obviously fits as they are associated with music in general.
The language used is also proper and the story is well written, this is because the target audience will be able to
understand and appreciate this. The biggest quote was ‘we’re being the best mcr we can be’ which will be uplifting for
fans of the band to hear and will make them want to read the story.

4. The masthead is black bold font with a white background, the
white background is there to contrast against the black
writing and hence make it stand out. The writing is black
which connotes darkness and the writing has cracks in it
which looks like shattered glass and symbolises violence.
The main image is of a popular band/artist, this helps
broaden their market as people who like that band may buy
the magazine. The way they are standing also helps with their
brand identity as they are standing in an intimidating way,
with serious way which once again connotes violence. The
image I also fairly close up which was used so people will
recognise the artist at first glance and will entice them.
The pull quote was written in red and is against a black
background as the colours contrast well the mode of address
is accessible and it helps the quote stand out, it also sticks
with the house style. The red writing suggests the person
who said the quote is quite an angry and violent person. The
name of the band who they quoted are written under the
quote in white and big letters, this so it stands out and draws
the reader in.
The smaller images along the bottom stick with the house style, close ups and with intimidating poses to fit with the
genre rock which is often perceived as violent. They have the name of the artist in white to contrast and stand out an
on running thing throughout the magazine.