This is my music magazine front cover analysis of different genres.

1. Masthead: The masthead is behind the artist on the front cover as the target
audience already know the magazines layout therefore they do not need to see the
whole masthead as they already know. This also could be because the artist sells Kerrang!
the issue rather than the magazine itself, the masthead is in a rebellious style
as it is all cracked like a mirror – or a guitar amp being connected. Kerrang!’s
masthead is always the same style every time and normally the colours, black
, white, red or yellow, this could be because red represents anger and blood – as
Kerrang! is a rock magazine – this represents the magazine well.
Competition: There is a competition
Main coverlines: The main coverline is in which you can win rare signed
situated next to the main image as this merchandise.
is who the coverline is about.
Coverlines: The coverlines on this Image: The main images of Billie Joe
magazine are scattered around the Armstrong who is slightly to the left of
page, this could be because the central – this could be because to make
magazine is more of a rock genre and the composition more interesting – the
this genre tends to not be neat and image looks like Billie Joe is performing
ordered. on a stage, the light behind him adds
contrast to his tone as the light shines
from behind areas of his face are blacked
out. As this is a rock genre this suits
the magazine well as it adds darkness and
mystery to him. Billie Joe is playing a
guitar – which is closely associated to
Banner: On this front cover there is a banner, the indie and rock music.
banner contains extra contents, allowing the reader
to see what is also contained in the magazine. This
is yellow which goes along with the colour scheme of Barcode
the magazine as kerrang!’s which are normally
black, white, yellow and red. This magazine has
features that have green on them, this is because
Green day’s key colours are green.

2. Masthead: NME masthead is in front of the image as
this is the house style for NME, this is red because
the colour scheme for NME is red on the majority of
their magazines. The masthead is always situated in
Date and cover price
the top left corner of the magazine. NME is
abbreviated for New Musical Express, NME sounds more
Image: The main image is of Carl
modern than New Musical Express and thus can relate
Barat, his face is brightly
to a younger audience as it sound more youthful and
contrast, but in comparison to his
rebellious.
face his t-shirt and hair are very
dark. This puts emphasis onto his
face and eyes as his eyes are
Coverlines: The coverlines are piercing blue. He is looking directly
either side of the image as the at you which engages the audience.
image is the main selling point. The
coverlines are in red which stand Pull Quote: The quote is above the
out from the rest of the text but main coverline and is in blue
where it is not as big as the main which follows NME colour scheme.
coverline or masthead as it is not It is a different font to the main
the selling point. The black text coverline as it looks as if its
beneath is to further the coverlines hand written.
point to allow the audience to get a
even better idea what is contained
within the magazine. Main coverlines: The main
coverline is situated next to
the main image as this is who
the coverline is about.
Cross acts a an ‘&’ or ‘plus'
however this cross relates to the Barcode
pull quote as it is done in a
similar fashion.
NME (New Musical Express)

3. Masthead: The masthead for Classic Rock magazine is very simplistic in a
simple, easy to read font. The colour of the masthead is in white. This
could be because the background colour is black and thus being white it Classic Rock
contrasts with the black background and making it stand out. The ‘Rock’
is about 3 times the size of the ‘classic’ as this is to tell the target
audience that this magazine is a rock magazine. The ‘classic’ is in
between a stars as this can represent that the rock artists featured in
this magazine are rock stars or legends.
Main coverlines: The main coverline
of this magazine is a dark
orange, in a simple font that has
Features: There are little features been edited so that the masthead
such as the stiller offering a free look more appealing and rebellish.
CD and with the front of the CD in Underneath is a sub coverline, this
the middle bottom of the magazine. expands on the main coverline
There is also another sticker giving a bit more of an insight
containing the issue number, these into the article.
all entice the audience as they feel
like they are getting free
merchandise. Coverlines: The coverlines for this
magazine are neat as they are either
side of the image and box out. The
coverlines are in white and the sub-
coverlines are in orange, the same
colour as the main coverline.
Image: The image is in front of the masthead as this
could also represent that it is the artist that sells
the magazine and not the title. The image is of Axle Barcode
Rose, the lead singer of the Guns N’ Roses who is
very well known among most music fans and in
particular those who like the rock genre. Although
Axle is looking directly to the audience you cannot
see his face as it is covered by shadow which adds a
rebellious mystery about him.

4. Masthead: The masthead for Q is very simple as it is
just a capital Q in a red square box, Q stands for Q
the music. The masthead is so simple as the target
audience already knows the magazine as they would buy
it often. The masthead is simplistic, however it stands
out from the other music magazines on the shelf as the Image: The image is of Florence Welch
red is very eye catching. The logo/masthead is normally as for this issue she is the main
in front of the images like in this case. article, this image is a close up as
you can only see her face. You cant
see any clothes as her hair
complements her very pale face and
Coverlines: The coverlines for Q makes the magazine pop off the page.
are to either side of the main area The eye make up she is wearing
of the image (Florence’s automatically makes you attracted to
face), these are white as they her eyes as it’s the only other
match the Q and this is the colour colour on the page other than the Zane
scheme. Most if not all of Q Lowe sticker.
magazines have this colour scheme.
Main coverlines: The main coverline of
Q is at the top by Florence’s
Features: There are stickers on
fringe, this is the main coverline
this issue of Q that point out because it is in a bigger text than the
certain aspects that will be other coverlines even though it is the
contained in the magazine as same colour and it relates directly to
this one points out that Zane the image as any music fan would know
Lowe (a well known radio 1 DJ) that the image is Florence and the main
is inside. coverline says Florence.
Barcode
Q

5. Masthead: This Rolling Stone masthead is situated behind the image as
you can still make out what it says because everyone who listens to any
music knows or has heard of the Rolling Stones and thus even this Rolling Stone
masthead that Is mostly covered you can make out says Rolling Stone.
The masthead is in a respectable font as it is in a serif font. The
colour is red as this magazine is the majority a rock magazine although
it does contain artists of different genres, such as, Snow Patrol and
Block party. The colour of the masthead changes depending on the colour
of the background and the image. Sometimes the masthead is in front of
the image, however on this one it is not. Image: The image is of Pink who is a
mixed genre artist, she has created music
Banner: There is a banner of sorts
that is R&B, Pop, Pop/Rock and Rock
at the top od the page in front of therefore she would entice a wide
the image, it gives a small audience for this issue. The image is to
insight of what other music the right slight from the centre of the
artists the magazine will contain. page. She is dressed like a rebel, biker
of sorts and is wearing cloths that
Main coverlines: The main represent a rock artist as she also has
coverline is again dark piercings. She is in front of the
grey, next to pinks head in the masthead as for this issue she could be
top left corner ‘the dark side selling the issue and not the magazine
of pink’ entices the reader to itself as she is so well known. Pink is
buy it if they want to read more looking directly at the audience which
about this, it is how they sell makes the audience feel they are being
their magazines with a gripping engaged with by her and this makes it
insight to what's inside. feel more personal.
Coverlines: The coverlines for Features: There is a yellow sticker
Rolling Stone are to the left of in the right corner that
the image in a dark grey in again automatically captures the audiences
a serif font. eye as it is in yellow and is the
Barcode only yellow on the page.

6. Masthead: The masthead for the magazine is very simple as
it has ‘smash’ written in a handwritten font style and
the ‘Hits’ is very simple white with a drop shadow of
red. This makes the masthead stand out from the
background. The smash is in black whereas the Hits is the Image: This image is of Adam Ant who
part that stands out as this is what the magazine is takes up most of the page, there is a
about and allows the audience to automatically understand border around the image in the A4
what this magazine would contain (hits). rectangle, this makes Adam Ant look as
if he is popping out from the magazine
and his had is in front of the border as
Coverlines: The coverlines are in if he is leaning on it. Adam Ant is know
the lower left corner, there is not for being eccentric and ‘out there’
specific colour scheme as there is thus all the make-up and the hair, this
an explosion of colour on the page was acceptable as his genre was new-wave
as the image, masthead and and post-punk, however at the time he
coverlines all contain different was very ‘popular’. Punk misenscene
colours. was ‘out there’ and very rebellious
and goes against the norms of society
on a daily basis. Adam Ant is looking
very mysteriously to the audience as his
Background: The background is a eyes are very dark and you can see that
mix of red, blues and he is puling a natural face.
purple, these colours are faded
into each other, however these
are warm tones and thus make
help give Adam Ant a glow to his Main coverlines: The main coverline
skin that may not be there is in red which matches the colour
without the background. of the drop shadow from the
masthead. This is in a slightly
Date and cover price bigger to show that this is the
main coverline and what the main
story is.
Smash Hits

7. Masthead: The masthead for Classic Pop is simple but eye
catching as it is a simple white font on top of a red and
Classic POP
black box. The box puts emphasis on the white writing as
it makes the ‘pop’ pop out from the contrasting
background. Date and cover price
Coverlines: The coverlines are in a Cover Image: These images are a lot
simple font again that are either smaller than the main image as they
side of the image of Kate Bush. are just a ‘taster’ of what is in
They are situated around her neck this magazine or in an upcoming
line and go in at the points of her magazine.
neck.
Image: This image is of Kate Bush, it is
a close up as you can only see her head Main coverlines: The main coverline
and neck. She looks to be wearing a head is a different font to the
piece which is glittery and eye coverlines as it is a serif fonts
catching. This image I similar to Q’s whereas the covrlines were a sans
as it looks similar to Florence Welch as serif. It is also on Kate Bush’s
Kate Bush also takes up most of the page neck which makes it stand out from
with her face and hair. the coverlines. There is again a
sub coverline which expands on what
the main coverline.
Features: There are badges in the
lower left corner, this also Barcode
represents a pop magazine as ‘back
in the day’ people used to always
wear badges of their favourite
song, artist ect.