The document analyzes the front covers of 10 different magazines. It discusses the masthead, barcode, main image, graphics, and skyline of each cover and how they follow magazine conventions or relate to the genre of music featured. Key elements like the masthead, barcode, and graphics are used across magazines to identify them as professionally made media and draw viewers in.

1. Front Cover Analysis 10 front covers that I’ve chosen

2. Masthead The masthead of this VIBE magazine follows the conventions of a magazine by having it at the top of the cover and it being bold so that it is the main thing on the cover that draws you in; the focal point of the cover. All this helps with the fact that the masthead is usually the part of the magazine that is used to draw someone in to buying it, as it is usually all cover but the masthead. As the masthead white against the black background it is a very high contrast therefore very eye-catching. Barcode The barcode on the front cover of this magazine follows the conventions of having the price and issue information on the front of the magazine. This makes the magazine feel more official and lets you know that it is professionally made media text. Main image The main image of the hip-hop/rap artist, Drake, adds to the effect that the graphics create, it follows the same colour scheme of Drake only wearing black and white clothes. Graphics The cover has a primary colour scheme of black, yellow and white. The black and yellow connote that the magazine is dangerous or is afraid and is willing to cause harm, as these two colours are usually linked with warning signs, like nuclear waste or corrosive. The simple colours could connote to the readers that the magazine is easy to pick up and read of the shelf. Sky Line the sky line of the cover makes sure that even if the readers or just passers by the shelf that its on, will stay interested in the magazine even if they don't like Drake, so they will still look at the magazine for the other artist that they may actually be interested in.

3. Masthead The masthead has a smashed effect which goes with the smashed image, these two things cohere with the metal genre, as it is seen as a heavy kind of music and very powerful. With the masthead as metal ‘HAMMER’ this also coheres with the smashing of the glass in the main image, as this could be achieved with a hammer itself. Barcode This magazine follows the codes and conventions of music magazines, as it has the price and issue information written on the front which shows that the magazine is professionally made and can be trusted. Main image The main image is of the heavy metal band Disturbed and the man in colour is their lead vocalist, while the uncoloured ones are the lesser parts of the band. The coloured man is bursting through the glass which I believe connotes that he is breaking the glass with his voice as he is screaming like they do in many of their songs. Graphics The cover has a theme of black, red and white, these colours could connote danger or harshness which again ties in with the heavy metal genre, the dark feel of the people in background is contrasted by the lead singer of Disturbed, bursting through some glass. Sky line The skyline shows other bands that will keep people that like the genre occupied other than if they didn't like the main band shown and there wasn't a skyline, they may just not take any notice of the magazine.

4. Masthead The masthead is bright and bold and follows the convention of being right at the top of the page where it is the most focal point of the cover and is easily seen from afar. Main image The main image is of a lot of artists, this will keep the passer by interested as there is probably a band that or artist that they are interested in on the main cover, they will be easily recognisable as they are all arranged so you can see there faces and recognise them instantly. Lure This text, ‘Every Important Release’, makes you want to read the full story inside the magazine. Graphics the colour scheme of this cover is red, black and white, the red is a vibrant colour that has been used to draw the eye of passers by, the white background also helps with this. Main story The main story of this mgazine is the “Albums Of 2011”, as NME cover a wide range of music genres this means that people will be interested to see what the main albums are, and if their favourite artist is in the mix to be the best, this is also bigger than the masthead so it even attracts the eyes of people more than the masthead, as 2011 is written in a bigger font than the NME i the masthead.

5. Masthead The masthead of this cover has a cracked effect added which shows that the magazine has an audience that is younger as and more rebellious, the exclamation mark that is at the end of the title also adds to this tone. This also follows the conventions of magazines by being at the top of the cover and spanning the width of the page, these make sure that it is the focal point of the magazine and draws people in. Cover line The cover lines that are on this magazine of KERRANG! are all in the left third of the page which is so that the majority of the text on the cover doesn't cover the main image of Billie Joe from Green Day. Main image The mise-en-scene of this image fits in with the rock genre of this magazine as there is a guitar being used as a prop and the lighting in the background suggest that he is on a stage performing, which also enhances the fact that the main story is a report of the Green Day U.S. Tour and is highly influenced by other festivals, e.g.. Reading and Leeds Festivals. Graphics The main colour scheme of this cover is green, yellow and black. These are also rebellious, sharp colours, these tie in with the effect of the title; rebellious. The dirty look of main story line, ‘GREEN DAY’, also adds to this theme. Barcode This magazine follows the codes and conventions of music magazines, as it has the price and issue information written on the front which shows that the magazine is professionally made and can be trusted.

6. Masthead The masthead of this cover has a cracked effect added which shows that the magazine has an audience that is younger and more rebellious, the exclamation mark that is at the end of the title also adds to this tone. This also follows the conventions of magazines by being at the top of the cover and spanning the width of the page, these make sure that it is the focal point of the magazine and draws people in if the rest of the cover is covered. Buzz words Words like plus! are used to draw the eye of the reader and make them want to read more of the stories that come after the buzz words. Main Image The main image complements the graphics as the people in the image are either wearing a union jack or blue which is a main colour, these colours emphasise on a sense of patriotism. Graphics The colours that are used are red, blue and white, this is clearly a reference to the union jack of Britain, this gives a patriotic feel that is emphasised by the fact that the band, Enter Shikari, are British and that they are wearing the union jack over their shoulders. Barcode This magazine follows the codes and conventions of music magazines, as it has the price and issue information written on the front which shows that the magazine is professionally made and can be trusted.

7. Masthead The masthead has a fade from red to black which shows that the magazine means business. The masthead is covered slightly by Eminem’s head, which makes him seem more important than the title itself. Cover line The cover lines that are on the cover make the readers want to read more of the stories that are inside; gives them a taste of what is inside the magazine e.g. “who is the best rapper ever? You decide” which involves the audience and draws them in. Main image the main image is of Eminem who is a well known rapper. He is the most forward image that is on the cover, this makes it seem that he is the most important thing that is I the magazine and he is the centre of attention, this draws in fans of the rap genre of music that are fans of Eminem, as he is the focal point. Graphics The main colour scheme is red, black and white which gives a sense of danger emphasised by the presence of Eminem on the cover. Sky line The sky line shows other artists, rappers in this case, that are inside the magazine, which keeps non-Eminem fans interested in the magazine.

8. Masthead As the masthead is a single letter, ‘Q’, this makes it the focal point as it has to be large to make the one letter visible. Part of the masthead is covered by the main image which shows that these people are important, which is emphasised by the heading ‘Exciting People’. List of artists The list of artists that are in the left third of the page, these are artists from three different genres of music so this makes sure that a wide range of people will by the magazine as it does not focus on a single genre, as either VIBE or Metal Hammer do. Main image The main image is of Jay-Z, Lady Gaga and Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, these artists are highly acclaimed ones and the mere presence of them on the cover makes a huge variety of people interested in the magazine, as these artists are all from different genres of the music industry. Graphics The graphics are effective on this front cover as the black and red elements of the colour scheme reflect the harsh nature of the rap and rock genres that Jay-Z and Dave Grohl represent, the masculine side of the magazine. The pink on the cover reflects the more relaxed and feminine pop genre of Lady Gaga. These elements attract a wide variety of potential buyers. Barcode This magazine follows the codes and conventions of music magazines, as it has the price and issue information written on the front which shows that the magazine is professionally made and can be trusted.

9. Masthead The masthead on this magazine follows the codes and conventions of magazines, as it is in the top third of the magazine so that even if it is not the most forward magazine on the magazine stand the masthead is still visible. Barcode This magazine follows the codes and conventions of music magazines, as it has the price and issue information written on the front which shows that the magazine is professionally made and can be trusted. Main image The main image is of the band called The Script, they are all wearing black leather jackets and backed by a red background, this makes them stand out a lot and makes the band the focal point of the cover as they are also covering a part of the masthead. Graphics The colour scheme of the cover is red, black and gold, these colours give the impression of a very high quality magazine and that it can be trusted to provided good reliable information on the music industry. Main cover line The main cover line also reflects the fact that The Script are the main focal point of this cover as the name of the band is actually bigger and bolder than the masthead itself.

10. Masthead The masthead is nearly completely covered by the cover image, this may deter some people from looking at the magazine as if they didn’t know of the KERRANG! Magazine then they will not look at this one; not a first KERRANG! Magazine for someone. Main cover line The main cover line is of the metal band Stone Sour which is a very niche market for the magazine to target as they are not a well known band, but this is the kind of audience that KERRANG! Target. Main image The main image is of the lead vocalist of the metal band Stone Sour, Corey Taylor in his garden doing a barbecue, this gives the audience the feeling that they can react with the famous man and can relate to what he is doing, which develops a relationship with the consumer. Graphics The main colour scheme of this magazine is green and yellow, these colours give a sense of the army which ties in with the helmet that Corey Taylor is wearing in the main image. Buzz words Words like plus! are used to draw the eye of the reader and make them want to read more of the stories that come after the buzz words. Main cover line The main cover line is of the metal band Stone Sour which is a very niche market for the magazine to target as they are not a well known band, but this is the kind of audience that KERRANG! Target. Graphics The main colour scheme of this magazine is green and yellow, these colours give a sense of the army which ties in with the helmet that Corey Taylor is wearing in the main image. Main image The main image is of the lead vocalist of the metal band Stone Sour, Corey Taylor in his garden doing a barbecue, this gives the audience the feeling that they can react with the famous man and can relate to what he is doing, which develops a relationship with the consumer.

11. Masthead The masthead is stained with blood which emphasises a theme of violence and also ties into the name of the magazine itself as the them could be directly achieved with a hammer itself. Main image The main image is of the band, Defenders of the faith, they are a metal band which ties in with the niche market that they are targeting. The man at the bottom of the image seems to be crazed, this shows that the band are energetic and are up for the quote that is on the cover under the main cover line, “this isn’t music. Its war”. Graphics The colour scheme is red and black which also emphasise the theme of violence and danger. The blood stains throughout the cover image also show that the band on the cover are violent. Barcode The barcode on the front cover of this magazine follows the conventions of having the price and issue information on the front of the magazine. This makes the magazine feel more official and lets you know that it is professionally made media text. Sky line The skyline shows other bands that will keep people that like the genre occupied other than if they didn't like the main band shown and there wasn't a skyline, they may just not take any notice of the magazine.