A music magazine is a publication focused solely on music, the music industry, and artists. It provides insight into artists' lives and typically covers a specific music genre. Readers can expect to find interviews, stories, and photos of artists in that genre, as well as information on tours, festivals, album releases, and charts. For more educational magazines, tutorials and references to past music may also be included. Across music magazines, standard features include articles, advertisements, photos, and mastheads on the cover with cover lines, bar codes and publication dates.
2. What is a music magazine?
A music magazine is a magazine solely based on music, the
industry and the artists. Usually music magazines are based on a
certain genre of music which flows from cover to back page.
Music magazines provide insight into the lives of artists in the
music industry, dates for festivals, tours and album releases.
They are generally very informative of the industry.
Some music magazines are made to educate and not gossip.
These magazines teach the reader about music, how its
made, what instruments etc.
3. What content would you expect to find
in a music magazine?
In a music magazine I would expect to find stories on a certain
genre of music, e.g; rock, rap, indie etc. I would expect
interviews and stories based on artists of the type of music, an
almost backstage pass to the music industry.
Tour dates, new CD/artist releases, music charts and gossip
(generally in pop magazines) would be expected in a music
magazine. I would expect a main story with photographs on a
certain event, festival or artist; this is usually featured on the
cover also.
For an information music magazine I would expect references to
past music, tutorials of instruments, classes for music and
possible sheet music to learn from.
4. What images would you expect to find
in a music magazine?
I would expect to find images of various artists within the music
genre chosen as it would be unusual to feature a rap artist in a
country music magazine. Photographs from recent tours and
festivals are usually featured as an advertisement or as a feature
story on the event. Album covers are usually featured
throughout the magazine as small pug advertisements for the
artist, usually unknown or up and coming artists who need the
advertisement. Also there would be photographs from specific
photo-shoots of the main feature artist, usually featured on the
double page spread of on the following pages.
5. General characteristic/features that
you would expect to find in all music
magazines?
There is a pattern throughout music
magazines, articles, interviews, advertisements, photographs etc.
On the cover there is always a masthead, coverlines, main cover
line/s, model or artist, bar code and date of issue, this is because music
magazines generally follow convention when creating their cover.
Other features which are widely used are pugs(for small
advertisements/stories) and selling lines. These features are not
necessary however they are used in most magazines. Including them
does not break or challenge convention, they build upon it.