2. MASTHEAD
The masthead is usually located at the top of the front
cover, so it is the first thing the reader/buyer will see
The masthead always uses a unique font that isn’t used
anywhere else on the front cover
It can sometimes be overlapped over the main image –
suggesting the magazine is so popular it doesn’t need to
show the whole title of the magazine to people to know
which one it is.
The masthead can also overlap the Image as well
3. COLOUR SCHEME
The colour scheme is present in all the
cover lines, like the one shown on the
left – which is red and black.
Sometimes it tries to match the what
the main image is wearing
The colour scheme makes the
text/information easy to read and looks
organised
The cover line title is usually a different
colour to the cover sub lines which may
also be a smaller text as well
4. MAIN IMAGE
In a music magazine there is usually a one main image on the
front cover – of a artist/band that is a medium close up
They sometimes make direct emotive address but not always –
it could be a action shot of the artist/band playing instruments
The background of the image is usually very plain/simplistic so
the focus is on the main image and cover lines
The mis-en-scene fits into the music magazine front cover
since the main image person could be: making facial
expressions, the clothes they are wearing, the colour of the
background e.g. black can symbolise rock or R and B, brighter
colours may symbolise pop/punk music genres
Sometimes the main image is usually airbrushed to attract
people to the magazine.
5. INCENTIVES
This is used to attract
readers/buyers to purchase the
magazine for one of the ‘freebies’
that they will get
This can included things like: CDs,
posters(like the Kerrang magazine
on the left), deals/discounts on
products
Although not all the magazines do
give incentives
6. BACKGROUND
• The background of magazine covers
are usually very limited/simple so that
the background of the main image can
be used for cover lines that will stand
out from the image background
• The background usually connotes the
main image e.g. the Q magazine has a
low lit background like the artist song
genre – which is usually isn’t very happy
but isn’t really sad.
7. SPLASH/PUFF
Splashes and puffs are used to
make the information inside stand
out to the reader
It could be informing the reader
that one of the main articles is
exclusive, show the incentives they
are giving, indicate one of the
articles inside the magazine
Sometimes magazines decide to
use two or three on one front
cover whilst some don’t use any at
all
8. BANNER/SKYLINE AND POSITIONING
STATEMENT
Banners and skyline are used in magazines for either to promote
one of the articles inside the magazine or to show/give information
that might draw the reader/buyer to look at the magazine further
and purchase it
The banner/skyline usually has a background colour to make it
stand out from other the cover lines however not as much as the
masthead. If the magazine has a colour scheme then the
banner/skyline background usually follows the same colour
scheme.
The positioning statement is usually a heading/caption that is
usually above or just below the masthead.The language/
persuasive technique used can make the reader/buyer want to open
the magazine and find more about the magazine. It usually tells
you were to place the magazine on the market. Q magazine is ‘the
worlds greatest music magazine’.
9. COVER LINES
Music magazines usually have a main article they try to
promote to the reader/buyer.The front cover usually has a
picture of the main artist – the cover line is usually bigger
than the other cover lines to make it stand out more with
the artist either in bold text or a bigger size
The other cover lines are usually next to the main image or
surrounding the image, sometimes the cover lines are put all
together or sometimes it is spread all across the front cover
In Billboard magazine it has applied the cover lines at the
two sides of the main image which follow the colour scheme
Also there is a extra content line that is usually included to
suggest that there is also more content inside this magazine.
They usually have a small title in this magazine it is ‘Plus’.
10. QUOTES
Quotes are used in magazines for
example, an artist has a interview in a
music magazine and so they have used
quotes (replies that the magazine have
picked out when they had the interview)
They can convince buyers/readers to read
further why they said what was quoted –
they will become curious of what else the
artist/band has replied or said
The Q magazine has quotes in the speaker
amp that can attract readers/buyers to the
magazine to learn more
11. LAYOUT
Most if not all music magazines have
positioning for most of the layout – the
masthead and sometimes positional
statement is always at the top.
The main image of music magazines
usually have an artist giving direct address
and the cover lines on one or both sides of
the main image.
There is usually the issue number, the
date/month of the magazine, the barcode
usually at the bottom and the pricing of
the magazine.
12. CONNOTATIONS/ICONOGRAPHY
Magazines can usually be identified by the front cover since
the style or the way the magazine has positioned text or the
type of image, the clothes the band members/artist are
wearing, the colour of the background can be used to identify
what type of music genre is in the magazine.The mis-en-
scene should match the music genre which links into
iconography
The iconography of music magazines usually have interviews
with bands/artists, reviews, talks about albums artists have
produced. Iconography is images/objects that people think
will think is in that genre e.g. drums if they are showing a rock
band
13. SUB IMAGES
Sometimes front covers of magazines
have sub images to attract readers/buyers
if they aren’t attracted/interested about
one of the main articles
Sub- images are not always used since
having one main image looks more
professional and doesn’t look over-
complicated
Sub images usually show different articles
in the magazine – most sub images will
have a cover line to make it clear what the
image is about as well
14. BUZZWORDS
Buzzwords are used to promote that the
magazine has a exclusive promotion that the
reader/buyer will feel more personal since no
other magazine has had this
E.g. the Q magazine, on the right, shows with
the main cover line that Q magazine has a
world exclusive look at the band Coldplay
This can convince readers/buyers t purchase
the magazine so there is no other magazine
that has shown/written an article about
Coldplay which may contain new information
that people want to know
