This document summarizes key aspects of three classical music magazines' covers that will help inform the construction of a new classical music magazine. The magazines use colors like red and prominent photos to attract their target audiences. They make claims in their mastheads about being the best or most popular classical music magazines. They also offer freebies like CDs or access to music channels. Evaluating design elements across magazines will help appeal to the target audience of 17-29 year olds interested in classical music.

1. I have decided that I will research into magazines of the same genre as the one I am going to construct. I feel that this will be very helpful in my construction process. From doing this I will be able to tell what colours or fonts can help to connote the classical music genre. I will evaluate three different magazines, and pick out the key points from each of them. Hopefully this will be useful in the future. I have also decided that I will hopefully see how the target audience is represented or attracted to the magazines. This will help for me to make my magazine appeal to the target audience of 17-29 year olds who are interested in classical music.

2. This is probably one of the most well known classical magazines, and also TV channel as well as having it’s own radio station. The name of the magazine instantly alerts the audience of the genre of magazine. The colour red is very prominent in the whole of the front page, and white and black are also fairly consistent. The main picture on the cover is a mid close up of MyleeneKlass. The image is very well lit, which makes her stand out. There are also two other pictures in the magazine, which are quite small, but link to stories. The magazine has two ‘freebies’ mentioned on the cover, one is the ‘best’ music magazine, and the other is the CD attached to the front. Also, at the top, in the masthead area, there is a puff for the magazine, claiming that it is the UK’s favourite classical music magazine. The price, barcode and issue date are in the bottom right corner.

3. This is a magazine which is produced by the BBC, so it is primarily to inform. Once again the prominent colour is red, with white as the background, and black for smaller amounts. The main picture is a mid shot, which once again is well lit. Apart from the main picture, there are no other photographs on the front cover. There are however pictures, once again to link with the stories. There is a logo at the top of the page so readers instantly know what they’re reading. Once again, at the top in the masthead area, there is a puff for the magazine stating that it is the world’s best-selling music magazine. Also on this cover there is the offer of a free CD and access to free music channel to draw the readers in. The page is quite full, and lots of stories are posted on the front, possibly to attract a bigger audience. The barcode, price, issue number and issue date are in the bottom right, and underneath the main cover line is the website of the magazine.

4. This magazine instantly appears like a classical music magazine, due to the obvious title. There isn’t really a prominent colour in this one, although my eye is instantly drawn to the big white title. The background is the image, as she hasn’t been edited out and placed against a bland background. The right side of the cover is very organized with four stories placed along the vertical side, and more information about the story written underneath in a black font. Again, in the masthead area of the magazine, there is a small puff for the magazine, ‘the news magazine of the classical music proffession’. Underneath the puff are the date of issue, the price and also the website for the magazine. The barcode is placed in the bottom right corner, next to what I assume is the logo.