The document provides an overview of different music genres and summarizes typical characteristics of magazines related to each genre. It discusses pop, indie rock, rock, metal, and jazz genres. For each genre, it describes common musical elements and then summarizes typical magazine cover designs including common colors, model poses, and layouts. The purpose is to research different music genres and their related magazines in order to make an informed decision about the focus of the author's own music magazine.

1. Laura LeeMUSIC GENRES.

2. In order to gain inspiration for my own music magazine I have
looked into various types of music genres. This will enable me
to make a decision on what music genre my magazine should
be about to make the best of all my skills. As well as
researching into the basics of the individual genres I have also
looked into the individual target audiences and the most
common colour schemes used for various magazines
surrounding the same genre, this research will then benefit me
when I come to begin the creation of my own music magazine.
INITIAL RESEARCH

3. POP
Pop music is a genre of popular music which originated in
its modern form in the 1950s, deriving from rock and roll.
The term pop music is often used interchangeably, even
though the former is a description of music which is
popular and can include any style. As a genre, pop music is
very eclectic, often borrowing elements from other styles
including urban, dance, rock, Latin and country;
nonetheless, there are core elements which define pop.
Such include generally short-to-medium length songs,
written in a basic format often the verse-chorus
structure, as well as the common employment of repeated
choruses, melodic tunes, and catchy hooks.
Pop magazines are most commonly very bright and colour in order to attract the intended audience. As we can see from the
examples above most pop magazines use bright pinks and purples which implies that the target audience is likely to be
teenage girls. The main image on the cover is either of an attractive male artist that teenage girls are likely to see as their
‘celebrity crush’ if this is not the case the image is usually of a female artist who many teenage girls will look up to and aspire
to be like. The image will always be someone who is current and is always likely to be someone who is currently appearing in
the top 40 chart as it is likely they are being listened to frequently which is why a magazine will place them on the front cover.

4. INDIE ROCK
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United
Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely
diverse, with sub-genres that include indie pop, jangle pop, C86, and
lo-fi, among others. Originally used to describe record labels, the
term became associated with the music they produced and was
initially used interchangeably with alternative rock. As grunge and
punk revival bands in the US, and then Britpop bands in the UK, broke
into the mainstream in the 1990s, it came to be used to identify those
acts that retained an outsider and underground perspective. In the
2000s, as a result of changes in the music industry and the growing
importance of the Internet, a number of indie rock acts began to enjoy
commercial success, leading to questions about its meaningfulness as
a term.
Indie Rock magazines tend to use a plain coloured background creams, whites and light greens seem to be a popular choice.
In some cases the model is wearing something brightly coloured which adds a contrast to the light background. The models
are usually over posed and tend not to face straight out towards the audience and if they are facing the audience there is
commonly a prop or item of clothing that could be seen to block out the audience from making a full connection with the
model. In some cases like with the ‘peppermint’ magazine cover the model in a sense blends into the background which again
helps with a sense of mystery. All these poses and backgrounds will stand out against others that are sold around them as
they are used to show the difference between each music genre.

5. ROCK
Rock music is a genre of popular music that originated as "rock and
roll" in the United States in the 1950s, and developed into a range of
different styles in the 1960s and later, particularly in the United
Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s' and 1950s' rock
and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country
music. Rock music also drew strongly on a number of other genres such
as blues and folk, and incorporated influences from jazz, classical and
other musical sources.
Rock magazines tend to have dark grey or red backgrounds as these are colours that can be linked to anger which is
stereotypically linked to the rock music genre. The models are also commonly wearing darker clothes and their stance is usually
confident and could be seen as fairly threatening as it is thought that rock artists and people who listen to rock music are of a
more aggressive nature. The mast head is usually white to stand out against the darker background and the font is usually bold
and slanted which I think resembles the confidence that rock artists and those interested in rock have.

6. METAL
Heavy metal (often referred to as metal) is a genre of rock music that
developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom
and the United States. With roots in blues rock and psychedelic rock, the
bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound,
characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos,
emphatic beats, and overall loudness. Heavy metal lyrics and performance
styles are often associated with masculinity, aggression and machismo.
Like rock magazines Metal magazines tend to use darker backgrounds but are usually accompanied by something that is
brighter and more in your face whilst still keeping intact with the masculinity that stereotypically accompanies people that
listen to metal music, this includes the female listeners. The pose of the models tends to seem very confrontational and
reflects the aggression that comes across in the music. The mast head text all seems to be bold and straight on immediately
catching the readers eye in the same way a metal fan is likely to do with the clothes that they stereotypically wear.

7. JAZZ
Jazz is a music genre that originated at the beginning of the 20th
century, arguably earlier, within the African-American communities of the
Southern United States. Its roots lie in the combining by African-Americans
of certain European harmony and form elements, with their existing
African-based music. Its African musical basis is evident in its use of blue
notes, improvisation, polyrhythms, syncopation and the swung note. From
its early development until the present day, jazz has also incorporated
elements from popular music especially, in its early days, from American
popular music.
Jazz magazines commonly use blue, white and grey backgrounds and some occasionally use a brighter colour like the
orange jazz journal magazine. Male models are usually used and they tend to be dressed in a black suit and are very often
playing a brass instrument. The model’s eye’s are usually focused on their instrument rather than facing out towards the
audience, this is done as a way to show the passion that they hold for the music. Using this this technique for other music
genres may make the audience feel less connected with the model but, on a jazz magazine it seems to make the audience
feel like they are connected to the model and takes them instantly on a journey into the jazz industry before they have even
read the magazine. When a female model is used the shot is usually a medium shot and like the male models she is faced
away from the audience, female models do not seem to be given an instrument as commonly as the males are which gives
the impression there is more to it than meets the eye.