Music magazines come in a variety of genres such as rap, pop, classic, heavy metal, hip hop, country, and rock n' roll. They contain interviews with artists, information on tours and concerts, advertisements, and profiles of new and upcoming musicians. Images typically feature prominent artists and props reflecting the genre. Common features of music magazines include mastheads, cover lines, pull quotes, and color schemes tailored to each genre.

1. General questions about music magazines:
1. What is a music magazine?
A music magazine is a publication that prompts music and features music artist’s
or bands. There are many sub-genres in different music magazines, here are some
examples:
• Rap
• Pop
• Classic
• Heavy metal
• Hip hop
• Country
• Rock n’ roll
• R&B
Here are some examples of current magazines that fit these genres of music:
• Rap/ Hip hop - Vibe
• Pop- Top of the pops
• Classic – Classic magazine
• Heavy metal – Kerrang
• Country – Maverick
• Rock n’ roll – Rolling stone
• R&B – YO RAPS
2. What content (text/copy/writing/articles/stories) would you expect to find in a
music magazine?
Interviews – This is an essential part of a magazine which appears in all
magazines as it promises the reader inside information about an artist or band
which will therefore appeal the audience to buy the magazine, this is a device used
the ‘unique selling point.’ As mention interviews are found in all well known and
established publications as it is a main attraction of a music magazine and will
therefore lead to more people buying magazines as they are getting the latest
information on their favourite artists as they see them as someone they can relate
to.
Competitions – This are found in all magazines and are used to entice the target
audience to spend their money in exchange for a chance at winning a prize which
could be a product or a holiday for example, publishers often use emotional
manipulation in order to persuade the reader to part from their money.

2. Information on tours/gigs – This is key content that appears in a magazine as it
provides information of music events regarding that particular music genre which
will therefore lure and entice the target audience into buying the magazine as they
believe by buying it they will receive exclusive information that only they know,
by which the publication is using emotion manipulation in order to make the
target audience what to buy the music magazine.
Adverts – This is another content present in all music magazines, they are present
within the magazine as company’s pay the publication in order to raise awareness
for their products in order for the public to buy them and they are often products
similar to that genre of music or relevant to the target audience.
New and upcoming artists – This is present in many magazines as it gives the
reader information into new talent regarding that genre which will give them more
information and lead to them wanting to buy more magazines in the future to see
what new artists or bands are emerging.
Image – You would expect to a an images or just a main image of an artists or
band as it draws the audiences attention towards the magazine as someone well
known and famous it plus, this will also lead to the target audience wanting to buy
the magazine as their favourite artist or band is on it.
3. What images would you expect to see in a magazine?
In a magazine, images you would expect to see are:
An artist or band – An artist or band would appear on a magazine because when
the public see it particularly the target audience who like this musician or
musicians it will prompt them to buy it. Although there will be image of an artist
or band within the magazine the most important and attractive photograph will be
selected to go on the front cover to lure the target audience to purchase the
magazine.
Prop – You would expect to see an image of a prop of something that reflects or is
relevant to the music genre for example hip hop you would expect an artists to be
wearing jewellery.

3. 4. Identify general characteristics/features that you would expect to find in all
music magazines:
• Masthead
• Rule of thirds
• Variety of camera shots
• Mise-en-scene
• Colour scheme
• Text
• Strap line
• Pull quote
• Header
• Footer
• Cover line
Questions about music magazines front covers (look at any four)
1. Identify the features/ characteristics they all have:
• Masthead
• Picture of a band or artists
• Pull quote
• Header and footer
• Barcode
• Cover lines
• Colour scheme
• Formal or informal mode of address
• Serif or sans serif font

4. 2. Why theses features are present on all of the magazines? Why are they
important?
Masthead - The masthead is present on the page as it is the name of the
publication, the reason why it is important is because within it the
audience would not know what publication it is or what genre it is catering
for.
Picture of a band or artist – This is present on the page as it draws the
people of all audiences towards the music magazine as it is off a famous
artist this is importation as it will make them interested and will cause
them to look at the magazine which could then lead them into buying the
magazine.
Pull quote – This is present on the magazine as it gives a brief description
on what the artist or band has said i a interview, this is important as the
target audience will then be enticed to want to know what has been said in
the rest of the interview leading to them wanting to buy it which will
therefore lead to more magazines being sold.
Header and footer – A header and footer are present on the front cover on
a magazine as they give extra information regarding what is inside the
magazine, this is important as the audience may become interested in
something that is being displayed which will appeal them to buy the
magazine.
Barcode – A barcode is present on a magazine for the retailer to be able to
sell a magazine to any member of the public, this is important as with it
they would not be able to sell any magazines to anyone.
Cover lines – Cover lines are present on a magazine as they provide
information regarding what is inside the magazine which is important as
whatever is displayed will either lead to the audience wanting to buy the
magazine to see what is inside or it could lead to them not wanting to buy
the magazine.
Colour scheme – A colour scheme is present on the magazine as it makes
the magazine stand out and become more visible to the audience, this is
important as it makes itself become more noticeable than other magazines
leading to the audiences eye being drawn to it which will therefore make
them become interested to see it which could then lead to them buying the
magazine.
Formal or informal mode of address – This is present on the page as it
creates a tone for the magazine and can either create a more relaxed or
official approach regarding on the magazine, this is important as if the
magazine appears to be more relaxed it makes the audience feel more
relaxed which will make the more comfortable which invites the audience
to read the magazine therefore leading to them having to buy it.

5. Serif or sans serif font – This is present on the page as it can make the
magazine seem either luxurious or more regular, this is important as it can
effect whether the audience want or do not what to buy a magazine.
3. List 5 differences between the magazines and account for theses reasons?
Colour scheme – The colour scheme is different as classic music has light
and soft colour reflects the gentle sound of the music whereas Punk Rock
for example has a colour scheme of dark and gothic colours which reflect
the mood and tone of the music, so whatever tone of music that genre has
the colour scheme will reflect it.
Pictures of artists or bands – These are all different as different magazine
has different artists to portray the genre, and the artist used in very
important as it can appeal the audience to buy the magazine or lead them
into not wanting to buy the magazine.
Publication Company – Each magazine has a different publication
company as each is published by an different company for example one
magazine is published by Harris publications whereas another is Warren
publications
Target audiences – Each of these magazines have a different target
audience that they are aiming at as each genre has a different audience
therefore Vibe would have a different take audience than Kerrang
Cover lines – Each of the magazines has different cover lines offering the
reader different news or gossip as each magazine has a different genre and
therefore they will focus on different artists and music.

6. 4. Take one of the magazine covers and say what type (GENRE) of music
magazine it is. Provide at least 4 specific examples from the magazine that
supports your claim that it belongs to this particular genre.
The magazine cover I will be discussing is ‘Vibe magazine’ the genre of
the magazine is hip hop. One example that supports my claim is the image
of the artists that appears on the front cover, it is of an artist that has songs
in this particular genre and reflects that genre, so in this case Kanye West
being on Vibe magazine allows the audience to immediately know that
Vibe magazine is a hip hop magazine as the artists has songs and is
associated with that genre of music.
Another example that supports my claim is the pull quote which is
“KANYE WEST: I AM HIP HOP” this clearly outlines to the audience
what the magazine’s genre is revolving around and as shows what the
artists is saying and by the artists name being displayed they reflect him to
the genre which therefore makes it clear what type of music magazine it is.
In addition the cover lines give information on what artists are within the
music magazine and by the names being displayed on the front cover the
target audience immediately know that they are hip hop artists and
therefore the magazine must be catering the hip hop music genre.
Furthermore the header also supports my claim as it is discussing concerts
to be won to see the artists perform; this supports my claim that this is a
hip hop magazine as the artists himself is a hip hop artist which therefore
allows the audience to know that this magazine is catering the hip hop
genre.