Magazine Front Cover analysis

1. Target Audience: The target
audience is clearly for adults aged
around 15+ as it contains
information about Noel Gallagher,
who was a member of Oasis which
was a well-known band formed
around the 1990’s. The genre is
alternative rock as main image uses
direct address and the colours used
are grey which is synonymous to the
alternative rock genre and also has
red which contrasts with the grey.
House Style: The general house style
is that red is commonly used in all
NME magazines with the masthead
being red and NME magazines tend
to have the coverlines down both
sides of the front cover. NME also
has a banner on the top of the front
page which is also an example of the
house style for this magazine. On the
first page, the same theme runs
throughout all NME magazines with
a main image on the left hand side
and ‘Inside this week’ contents page
on the right, followed by a main
image in the middle with images
around it. The next page is also
similar as the same technique is used
but with ‘On Repeat’ on the left hand
side and a main image on the right.
Design principles issued: The
magazine uses the Gutenberg design
principle by using the masthead in
the primary optical area and then
putting ‘NOEL’ in red, bold writing in
the weak fallow area to bring the
readers eye towards it. The
magazine cover also uses badges in
the strong fallow area and contains
some cover lines in the terminal area
and on the right hand side to attract
the reader’s attention to the whole
of the magazine.
Main Images/Image: The main
image features Noel Gallagher
dominating the whole magazine
cover wearing a white shirt
against a similar colour
background, however the
shadows within the image gives
the magazine a more grey
colour scheme. Noel is giving
direct address with a serious
facial expression which is quite
formal, attracting the target
audience, but his facial
expression is also quite careless
but aggressive which may be
synonymous to the ‘rock’ part of
the alternative rock genre.
Masthead: The masthead ‘NME’ is in
large, red, bold, writing in the
primary optical area and that is
where the reader’s eye will
automatically be drawn towards. The
colour red is used throughout the
magazine, but also it helps to make
the masthead bolder and capture
the reader’s attention. ‘NME’ is an
abbreviation for ‘New Musical
Express,’ however the name has
been abbreviated for the masthead
to show the popularity of the
magazine. Noel Gallagher’s head is
also covering part of the letter ‘E’ for
the masthead to show how the
reader will automatically recognise
the magazine when it’s covered up.
Lead Article/Model
Credit/Coverlines: The lead
article begins with ‘Noel’ in
large, red capital letters which
shows that the main article of
the magazine will be about Noel
Gallagher, which will attract the
target audience attention as
Noel Gallagher is popular and
has been hugely successful for
the past 20 years, making
people over the age of 15,
predominantly male, be
interested in what information
the magazine contains about
Noel Gallagher. ‘Noel starts
over’ also reminds the reader of
the history of Noel Gallagher
and the band, Oasis, which will
make Oasis fans more
interested in what the magazine
has to say. The quotation “It’s
like when ‘Definitely Maybe’
came out. Everything feels out
of control” makes people be
intrigued as it suggests that
there is an interview with Noel
Gallagher, giving personal
feelings about his new life,
which may not be able to be
read anywhere else.
Genre: The genre is alternative/indie
for people that are beginning to start
becoming more interested in music,
aged/indie for people that are
beginning to start becoming more
interested in music, aged 15+. The
magazine cover suggests that the
genre is indie/alternative rock as it
has Noel Gallagher at the front, who
is a member of Oasis and uses the
colour scheme of red and grey.

2. Target Audience: The target
audience of this magazine is for
people, mainly male, aged 16-35
maybe older as The Smiths are the
main image, which were more
popular in the 1980’s. The masthead
also uses serif writing which may
make the target audience be aimed
at adults rather than 16 year olds as
the writing is more formal.
House Style: Main Images/Image: The main
image features The Smiths
bands containing only 2 of the
members. This is because the 2
members are the main band
members, Johnny Marr and
Morrissey, which the target
audience will be more
interested in reading about.
Both members are wearing
black clothing like a leather
jacket which is synonymous to
the alternative rock genre which
the magazine is part of. The
main image is in black and white
white is also quite iconic to the
genre and they are close
together in terms of proxemics .
Lead Article/Model
Credit/Coverlines:
Genre: The genre of this magazine is
alternative rock for people
interested in older bands such as The
Smiths, but also newer bands within
this genre such as the 1975, who are
mentioned on a cover line. The
magazine suggests how the genre is
alternative rock as it has the main
members of The Smiths as the front
cover and uses the colour scheme of
black and white.
Design principles issued: The
magazine uses the Gutenberg
principle by putting the masthead in
the primary optical area in a red
background with white writing,
making it so that the reader will
notice the name of the magazine
straight away. The magazine cover
also uses cover lines within the weak
fallow area to make the readers eyes
draw towards it. ‘The Smiths’ cover
line is in the terminal area which the
reader will automatically be drawn
to, which will advertise the magazine
well as fans of The Smiths will be
able to find out that there is
information of the band as there is
an image and a main cover line.
Inserts such as ‘The 1975’ is in the
strong fallow area also to help fans
know that they will be in the
magazine.
Masthead: The masthead uses a
serif font which attracts the target
audience. It is also in the primary
optical area, which the reader will
instantly look at so the name of the
magazine will be memorable and
noticeable. The colours that the
masthead has are bright and bold
such as red and white, which will
attract the reader’s attention alone.

3. Target Audience: House Style:
Design principles issued:
Masthead:
Genre:
Main Images/Image:
Lead Article/Model
Credit/Coverlines: