The document analyzes conventions used in music magazines. It summarizes key facts about prominent UK music magazines like NME, Q, and Kerrang. It then examines magazine covers, contents pages, and double page spreads to identify common conventions. These include displaying the masthead on the cover and contents page, using color schemes of black, white, and red, including pictures on contents pages to represent articles, and utilizing large primary images and pull quotes on double page spreads.

1. Music Magazine
Market Research and
Textual Analysis

2. Prominent Music Magazines in UK
These are some of the music magazines that are published in
the UK:
NME
Q
Kerrang!
Mixmag
Classic Rock
Uncut
The Wire

3. NME
Key Facts*:
Circulation: 33,875
Readership: 325,000
– Male: 74%
– Female: 26%
– Student: 42%
– Median Age: 23
– ABC1: 68%
Publisher: Time Inc. UK
*NME recently turned into a free publication in September 2015 due to dwindling sales, leading to a large
alteration in statistics. The statistics presented here are from June 2010, as information concerning the free
publication is difficult to attain.

4. NME
Reader Profile
This reader profile encapsulates the target audience of NME.
Heavy emphasis
on male brands,
implying NME is
aimed primarily
at men.
Alcohol implies a target readership age of over
18
Clothing and
hair gel:
stylized, well
dressed reader
inferred
Range of brands
indicates a
varied
readership
Featured
brands/items are
stereotypically
male; the ‘manly
man’ is targeted

5. Left-aligned
title
Headline
emphasis on
Julian, shows he’s
the frontman; it’s
his band
Communicates the
‘macho’ nature of
the band
Mise-en-scène places Julian
closest to camera while the rest
of the band is behind him on the
wall; further shows that Julian is
the frontman, as he is the main
focus of the photo
Casual, cool outfits, reflects the
style of the band
Light pink compliments the stark
red of the logo and subheadings
Colour scheme of
black, white and red
Consistent font
for headings and
cover lines
creates visual
symmetry
Plug text is arranged in the
third right, with the text
aligned to the right to
match its position; it fits
visually and blends well
with the rest of the design
Fonts are entirely sans-serif,
making it easy on the eyes and
visually appealing
The entire layout is
vertically aligned, with no
tilts or rotations, creating
a mature, smart look
Splash feature
entices and intrigues
the reader
Large, eye-catching
masthead, makes it
iconic and easily
recognisable
Similar dress style for all
members, conveys a certain
dress sense to the reader and
has the potential to influence
the reader
The manly ‘gang’ style of the
picture appeals to the NME’s
primarily male audience
Splash image is a medium long shot of
Julian, long shot of the other members,
further indicates the levels of status in the
band
Subimage shows what else is in
the magazine, draws the reader
in
The barcode is aligned in the bottom right corner, it has the magazine
tagline, price and date so the magazine knows if the issue is recent and
affordable

6. Red, white and black
colour scheme, creates
consistent synchrony with
cover
Masthead is present again but smaller
than on cover, aligned near centre so it
is still a focal point of the page
“INSIDE” indicates to the
reader that this is the
contents page
Date of the magazine is
printed so the reader
knows how recent the
issue is
Simple, smart block
layout, reflective and
consistent with the cover
design
Only one picture, rest of the
page is very formal and text-
based, indicative of the
mature target audience
Mac wears very average clothes
and the picture is taken in a very
homely room; this emphasises
the rags-to-riches success story of
Mac.
Since he’s the only picture on the
contents page, it is implied that
Mac is the main feature musician
of the magazine (after the cover
band)
Feature subheadings are
larger than the others in
order to draw attention to
these main articles
Short summaries of the features
contents are used to pull the
reader and encourage them to
read further
The formal style of the
contents page makes
finding specific articles or
sections easy for the
reader

7. Image shows Mac’s pursuit of freedom and self-identity,
placed dead centre to infer that this encapsulates his
personality
Pull quote is used to summarise Mac’s attitudes and
disregard to popular ideas; emphasis on profanity
showcases his rejection of social norms and acceptable
behaviour
Article writer adopts Mac’s style of
speech subtly in the article, better
conveys Mac’s personality to the reader
Layout of
article is
simple, black
and white:
reflects Mac’s
dress sense
and image
Timeline shows Mac’s rise to fame, also
shows events that contribute to the
representation of his weird personality
Simply
dressed:
shows a rag-
to-riches type
character
Boombox and
mixtapes
show Mac’s
passion for
music and his
rural Southern
origins

8. Q
Key Facts:
Circulation: 48,353
Reader Average Age: 34
Reader ABC1 Status: 71.8%
Reader Employment: 70%
Publisher: Bauer Media Group
Mission Statement:
Q is the ultimate guide to modern music, distilling it down to the good stuff. Well-respected by artists and
labels, we have unrivalled access to music’s biggest names. Employing the world’s best music writers and
photographers, we deliver our features with the depth and craft only a monthly music mag can – taking the
time to get to the core of a story and producing a magazine you can truly luxuriate in. With our website, social
media channels and partnership with Absolute Radio, Q reaches over one million music fans a month.
Passionate but not prescriptive, we deliver something for the novices and the experts in everything we do. We
know our stuff; we’re eager to share it with anyone who wants a friendly, informed hand to guide them
towards the best records, the absorbing stories and the fascinating personalities.

9. Q
Reader Profile
This reader profile demonstrates the main audience of Q.
The reader profile is very focal on
the target reader’s interest in
music. For the target reader
described here, music is not just a
hobby, but a passion. This implies Q
is for very serious music fans, rather
than casual listeners. The picture of
Lily Allen printed alongside it infers
that the reader should find this
attractive. As Chris is a man, a male
target audience is heavily implied.
The Q target reader is indicated to
be a well-paid, fully employed
individual, therefore the magazine
appeals to those of the ABC1
status.

10. Plug/puff encourages
reader to purchase the
magazine, partially covers
masthead to ensure it is
noticed by viewers Another plug to entice
the reader, making them
want to buy the magazineLarge masthead, very
recognisable, aligned to
the left and takes up a
relatively large part of the
page; the size and bold
red colour draws
attention to it so the
reader knows what
magazine it is
Splash image features
Dave in the foreground in
a long shot, signifying his
importance and role as
the frontman of the band
Other band members
stand in background,
indicating that this is
Dave’s band
Top strip contains a secondary feature, pull quote suggests
the tone and basis of the article and the personality of its
subject musician
Members on left of Dave wear
light t-shirts and dark
trousers, while the members
on the right wear dark clothes
with light trousers; Dave
wears all dark, making him
stand out even more as an
individual and ensuring
attention is focused on him
Splash feature is biggest
font size on the page,
draws the reader’s
attention
Smart dress style portrays the band
as grown-up and mature, appealing
to Q’s readership
Quote creates interest,
makes the reader want to
read on to see what
Dave’s life-changing event
was, prompting them to
buy the magazine
Subheading hints at article contents
but is deliberately vague so that the
reader is compelled to buy and read
the magazine
White, plain backdrop further emphasising
smartness and maturity, making the magazine
look formal and appealing to the readers
Cover lines in right third
summarize other sections of the
magazine; gives the impression
there is a lot of content, which is
appealing to the reader

11. The Q logo and “CONTENTS” is aligned in the
centre, grabs the reader’s attention and shows
clearly it’s the contents page
The date of the issue is clear, ensuring the reader
knows they are up-to-date
Close up of
Noel shows
hardened facial
expression,
reinforces his
personality to
the reader
Colourful lighting, long hair,
guitar and pose
communicate a hard rock
tone; the hand extends out
of the picture box to further
emphasise how hard Dave is
rocking
Full shot of Prince to show his
extravagant outfit, conveying that
Prince is unique and different
Picture of a smiling, placid-
looking woman further
juxtaposes her hip-hop career
against her other occupations as
it defies reader expectations and
makes for an interesting story
The third clause of this
description contrasts the
others before it, generating
reader surprise and interest
Dark background, black-and-
white picture creates a gothic
tone, indicating the ‘dark rock’
style of Lucinda’s music
Short summaries of each
feature specify the
contents of the articles to
the reader
The darkness
in the
background
infers the tone
of FKA Twig’s
music
Her outfit reflects the
style of her music and
the basis of her persona
Low angle to show
status and power
Page numbers inform
the reader where
articles are in the
magazine
Block layout, efficiently shows each feature
article clearly
Pull quote used to infer
tone and content of
article

12. Long shot of Prince, on his knees with the
guitar, shows his musical prowess
Dominates left page and some of the right,
conveying his massive stage presence
Deep purple lighting and costume conveys
a mystical quality, and also references
Prince’s most acclaimed album, Purple Rain
Huge font, introduces the reader to Prince:
the massive letters ensure the reader
knows that Prince has huge status
Pun references Prince’s album Purple Rain,
tying in to colour scheme, and also shows
how prominent he is
Picture is of Prince’s first concert
in London: is him introducing
himself to Britain, just like the
article is introducing him to the
reader
Engrosses the
reader,
colossal
feature size
implies
immense
importance
Drop cap T is
consistent
with colour
scheme and
visually
appealing,
starts the
article with an
impact

13. Kerrang!
Key Facts:
Circulation: 44,013
Readership: 421,000
Reader Average Age: 22
Reader ABC1 Status: 52%
Consistent Readers: 87%
Publisher: Bauer Media Group

14. Kerrang!
Reader Profile
This reader profile shows the target audience of Kerrang!.
The Kerrang! reader is depicted as being ‘fanatical’
about rock music. While Q refers to a more broad
music taste in its reader profile, Kerrang! is entirely
focused on rock music. This is emphasised by the
headbanging picture. This implies the ideal reader is
very passionate about the magazine’s subject matter.
It can also be inferred from this profile that Kerrang!
desire readers with a strong individual identity that
communicate themselves through clothes and looks.
Appearance is clearly an integral part of the Kerrang!
readership.

15. Top strip features a plug for 6 posters included, which
is a draw for the reader and creates a better value-
for-money impression Use of vocabulary piques
interest, makes the
reader contemplate the
contents of the article
and feel more compelled
to buy the magazineMasthead is aligned in the centre,
takes up the entire width of the
cover, implies importance and
confidence
The two subjects of the splash
image cover the masthead,
implies that the magazine is iconic
and powerful enough to afford to
have its masthead partially
obscured
Pull quote from article
conveys the importance
of integrity, an essential
concept to the Kerrang!
readership
Cover line has image of
tyre wheel: relevant to the
article subject and is
visually appealing, implies
the article is exciting
Splash feature line is huge: the
unique logo of Twenty One
Pilots conveys a specific
identity
Very unique look,
interesting eye-catching
costumes, further
conveys the identity of
the duo
Pink hair and sunglasses
combine to convey Kurt
Cobain’s persona
Subtitle has 96 in bigger
font to emphasise the
long amount of time and
detail in the article
Cover lines are in the left
third below the logo so
that attention is drawn to
them but they’re not
invasive
Dark, post-apocalyptic background, infers the
tone and style of the picture subject
Orange and red colour scheme;
two colours that blend well and
create a visually appealing cover
Plug for tickets placed in left third and
some of the centre left so it is easily
visible and likely to entice the reader

16. Contents headline
indicates to the reader that
this page is the contents:
large font so that it can’t
be missed
Dateline states the issue
number and the date,
ensuring the reader is
informed that this is the
latest issue
Image takes up huge
portion of the contents
page, shows that this is
feature is the focal point of
the magazine (second only
to the cover feature)
Visual emphasis is key, the
page is dominated by
images and logos while the
page number text is small
and takes up a very small
percentage of the page:
reflective of the
magazine’s heavy visual
nature
Medium shot of Crossfaith
frontman, striking a pose with
his hand outstretched, shows he
has status but also implies a
slight comedic tone, conveying
an easy-going personality too
Humorous subtitle further
supports the comedic tone
Background shows large
Asian statue, helping
communicate where the
band is from
‘Devil’ imagery should
incite fear, but the photo
subject is refusing to be
scared, inferring that he is
rebellious and different
and doesn’t conform: an
appealing figure to the
Kerrang! readership
With the backdrop of the
devilish statue, the power of
the band frontman is also
inferred
Low-key lighting on
musician conveys power
and mystique; audience in
background are raving,
showing their devotion to
the band
Subcategories are displayed
in eye-catching, clear logos
Page numbers and band names are in bold, so that the
small text does not affect the visibility of the
information

17. “THE BIG STORY” grabs
reader’s attention
Pull quote emphasises the importance of this
article, as it implies Jenna has gone through a
change and this article will describe it
Yellow font is
consistent with
yellow, black colour
scheme
Medium shot of Jenna and her
musician friend, implies a connection
between them and that he might be
related to the article’s contents
Two pictures of Jenna
in the studio, shows
she’s hardworking and
dedicated
Humorous
captions on
the pictures
correspond
with Jenna’s
light-hearted
personality
Questions in
bold and
italic so they
are easily
visible;
divide the
article up
into sections
and makes it
easier for
the reader
to navigate
Main picture
takes up the
majority of the
DPS which
signifies the
importance of
the picture
Jenna is closer
to the camera
and takes up
more of the
picture than her
friend, leaving
no doubt that
she is the
subject of the
article
Lighting and
peacefulness of
picture conveys a
spiritual tone, directly
relating to the article
text

18. Conventions
By analysing and examining these magazine covers, contents, and double page spreads I have
identified common conventions for the music magazine that I will be utilising in my production.
These include:
• Masthead displayed in top left corner of cover page – as seen in NME and Q
• Cover page colour scheme using black, white, and red – shown in all 3 magazines
• Masthead appearing next to "CONTENTS" at the top of the contents page – as seen in Q
• Contents page using pictures for features – shown in both NME and Q
• Use of headings on contents page to divide the contents into sections – shown in NME and
Kerrang
• The double page spread using a main picture to reflect the article tone and subject – seen in
Kerrang and Q
• DPS emphasis on heading and subheading – used in Q
• Displaying pull quotes from the featured artist in the article on the DPS – shown in NME and
Kerrang