codes and conventions of a music magazine cover

1. Cover Page codes and conventions

2. Masthead.
The Masthead is placed at the top of the
page and is always a unique, bold font. If
the magazine is well known the masthead
might be covered by the main image
however if the magazine isn’t well known
the main image will either be underneath
the masthead or the masthead will be
slightly covering the main image.
On this cover page the
masthead is covering some
of the main image but it
doesn’t cover the face.
On this cover page the
main image overlaps the
masthead because of how
well known NME is.
The masthead here really
stands out to the rest of
the text because it’s a
different font to the rest
of the text and because it
is the same colour as the
cover lines its placed on
top of a red block to
make it stand out more.

3. Main image
The main image is always going to be the main focus of the magazine as its one of the
main selling points, particularly on music magazines they use an artist or a band to
gain interest from the target audience. Its placed central on the page so that the cover
lines can be placed around it. If it’s a single artist its often a close up whereas if it’s a
band its usually a medium shot or long shot. The mise en scene in the main image
shows the audience what genre of music the magazine is, if its featuring someone with
piercings, tattoos, long hair, and they’re holding an electric guitar this would show the
audience it is a rock music magazine.
On this cover page Dave
grohl is in the centre of
the page. The fire and
people holding electric
guitars in his mouth
connote its of the rock
genre, as well as his
style and facial
expressions.
Direct address is used to make the
audience feel targeted and engaged,
making them want to buy the magazine

4. Positioning statement
The positioning statement is always towards the top of the page, it could be just under the title or in the
skyline. It’s a statement that helps to sell the magazine for example ‘The UK’s best fashion magazine’. Its
how a given magazine will fill the needs of its particular audience.

5. Cover lines
On every cover page of a magazine there is a main cover line, this is always the
largest cover line and its always relevant to the main image. The rest of the
cover lines surround the main image. They give the audience an insight on the
content of the magazine allowing them to read quickly and not get bored easily.
The cover lines are
placed around the
image. The title of the
cover line is usually
bolder.
The main cover line is
the biggest and has its
own font, it shows
what the main cover
story is about and links
to the main image

6. Skyline
The skyline is at the very top of the cover page and it
often includes either the positioning statement or a
cover line.
For example the
skyline on this
contains a cover line,
showing it’s an
important cover line
but isn’t the main
cover line

7. House Style
The house style of a magazine cover is the font choice, the colour of the font, the arrangement of the font and pictures and the
language, whether its formal or informal. The house style is based on the target audience. For example if the target audience is
younger people the language will be slightly more informal, the magazine will be a bit more disorganised and will have bolder,
brighter colours. Whereas if the magazine is aimed at an older target audience it will more likely be very organised (the text will
be placed round the main image, having nothing overlapping so it doesn’t look busy), the text font will be very classic,
traditional font, there wont be many colours on the cover and it will be very formal. The house style also indicates what type of
genre the magazine is, for example kerrang has quite cracked text for the Masthead making it look very rock, along with all the
red and fire often shown on the main images.
NME looks as
though it would be
for a younger
audience as its very
busy with all the
text overlapping the
image and the use
of lots of colour. The
fonts are quite arty
making some of it
look hand done.
This magazine
cover is very
organised and
basic, there’s no
busy text, the font
choice is very
traditional and
basic bold font,
there isn’t much
writing on the
image and the
image is also very
plain.
Kerrang is clearly aimed
at a teenage audience
due to the busy writing
all over the page
covering the image, the
writing is on a slant
making it look even
more busy. Theres lost
of colours and pictures
giving the audience
plenty to look at.