The document analyzes various aspects of magazine covers and pages from Kerrang!, Rolling Stone, and NME magazines. It discusses design elements like layout, images, text styles, and color schemes. For Kerrang!, these elements help establish the brand and reflect the playful nature and younger audience of the magazine. Rolling Stone uses a simpler design with minimal color that reinforces the formality and maturity of the publication. Photos and stories cover a wide range of music genres, making it a lifestyle magazine. Analysis of magazine covers and pages examines how design reflects the magazines' styles and targets audiences.

1. Rock Magazine Analysis
By Melissa Sebata (2014)
A LEVEL MEDIA STUDIES COURSEWORK

2. The masthead is behind the cover
picture – it suggests that Kerrang!
have established themselves
amongst their readers that by
seeing a few of the ‘edgy’ and
shattered effect lettering that
spell out Kerrang! can be seen and
the reader can tell it should say
Kerrang!
Cover features a band
from the rock genre
(Black Veil Brides)
More focus is centered
on the lead singer as he
takes up more room on
the page so the viewer
will pay more attention
to him than the other 4
members
Playful facial expression on
their faces which reflects the
informality of the magazine.
Because its an information
magazine, it shows that
Kerrang! caters for their
younger audience – who are
the majority
There is a direct
mode of address
and this creates a
connection with the
reader and draws
them in
Their all dressed in black and the
color black is the central color of
most rock bands and artists and
they have long hair and tattoo’s. By
them doing so they are following
the conventions of the rock genre
White background emphasizes the house
style of the magazine, thus reinforcing the
brand image. It also improves the
aesthetics of the content of the page
Colorful house style of red,
black and yellow which
highlights the playful
nature of the magazine
and the object (the
telephone) matches it
The placement of the barcode
is conventional and its purpose
is to say the price and issue
number
Different text styles and sizes
helps the reader to identify
the different topics that will
be explored in the magazine
which is useful considering
the busyness of the cover
The use of the color blue
breaks the color scheme
and this therefore will
catch the readers
attention
Free posters available are
almost like gifts for their
readers, perpetuating the
connection between the
reader and the magazine

3. Color scheme: Grey-scale
with gold used
to distinguish the
masthead from the
rest of the magazine
Mast head is
partially covered
but the magazine is
iconic because it is
an established
brand name
Simple layout with the
text wrapping around
the cover picture.
which is the dominant
feature of the cover,
instead of overlapping
it and it adds focus to it
since it can be explicitly
seen
Artist used as the
cover picture is not a
rock artist, suggesting
that Rolling Stone
focus on different
artists from different
genres, despite them
being a rock
magazine. Perhaps its
to extend their
viewership
The barcode follows
the convention of
barcodes being at the
bottom of a magazine
Cover model is
wearing minimal
clothing – jeans are
undone and breasts
are partially exposed.
It is provocative and it
sexualizes her. This
would appeal to an
adult audience, which
are the majority of the
people who read
Rolling Stone
The main topics of
the magazine are
written in large
sizing with the
same font whilst
the other topics
featuring other
artists are written
on the side, like a
list, emphasizing
the simplicity of
the magazine
Plain and serious facial
expression is a direct
mode of address and it
reflects and reinforces
the simplicity and
formality of Rolling
Stone

4. Direct mode of address from lead singer (Andy Biersack) and indirect mode
of address from the other members of the band so the reader will pay
more attention to Andy and this focus is emphasized by the placement of
of each member – Andy is in the center and the others are surrounding
him
Main picture takes up half the page and
the other half is filled with little
pictures so it is a picture dominant
double page spread; the mise-en-scene
relates to the main body of text
Play on words, adding an element of humor
which will appeal to their younger audience
Quote from
the
interview
grips the
reader and
encourage
them to
read the full
interview
Stand first serves to introduce
and explain the context of the
article
I is drop
capped which
id s convention
of a magazine
and it indicates
where to start
reading
Text is arranged in a column and this
makes the pages look tidy and
organized which goes against the
care-free and rebellious stance of
the rock genre
The pictures
used highlight
the lead singer
from the rest of
the group
Color scheme is
consistent to the front
cover which adds an
element of continuity to
the magazine
Headline is striking
and controversial
and this suits the
rock genre because,
in the historical
context of rock, it
was about revolting
against what is
expected of you.
The color change of
‘anything’
emphasizes this
Page number is at the
bottom to organize the
magazine for easy
navigation

5. Main picture spreads over two pages in the
middle rather than being on one side
Text is arranged around the picture in columns and there is more text than
than there is pictures so this double page spread if picture dominant
Credits take up a small portion of the
picture so the reader is less likely to
lose attention from the main image
Drop capped latter is not at
the beginning of the page
which breaks the convention
Black and
white color
scheme with
a slight color
change. It
gives the
magazine a
simplistic
feel to it and
the relaxed
writing style
reinforce
this
Slight difference
in color
distinguishes the
quote from the
entire interview
Band used look
like they
belong to the
rock genre so
the rock genre
is represented
in the picture
Date and magazine
name are displayed in
a smaller front than
the main body of text
and this is a
convention of
magazines

6. Content is divided
into different
sections and these
sections are
organized under
different headings
prominent contents page
heading makes it obvious what
page it is
Members of the rock
genre (All Time Low)
Written on a
single page
Main image is
attached to a
competition which
increases reader
awareness and
generates interest
Message from the editor
creates and identifies a
connection with the reader
Contents page as the
front cover – reinforces
the continuity aspect of
the magazine
Sub-lines give further
explanation to the different
sections and these are
written in an informal way –
perpetuating the
connection of the magazine
to the reader
Convention of
the white
background
makes the text
easier to read
The column layout
makes for easy
navigation around all
the different sections
included in the
contents page
Contact and subscription
information offers a price
that is lower than in news
agents/ other shops which
entices the reader to take
up the offer

7. No main image,
instead there is
small pictures
arranged in a
column alongside
the text
Very little color used
which is effective because
it doesn’t distract the
reader from the
information presented on
the page
The text is
written in a
column which
creates
structured,
tidy and
formal feel to
it
Includes people for different
areas (MCR – rock bands,
Bruno Mars – RnB singer,
Obama, Politian) and this
exemplifies the fact that Rolling
Stone includes a wide spectrum
of topics – making it a lifestyle
magazine
Indirect mode of
address induces an
element of mystery to
the pictures used
Pictures have numbers alongside
them so each number correlates
to which page their featured in
Basic information of the
magazine is displayed at the
bottom of the page and at
the top , along with the
credits on the bottom too.