The document summarizes Gregory McLaney's research findings for developing a magazine focused on the hip-hop genre. It discusses conventions of music magazines, marketing strategies, research on real magazines like Vibe, and a survey of the target audience. The key findings are that the magazine will focus on hip-hop themes and artists like Kanye West, have bright colors and photos, cost $2-3, and include interviews, gossip, and information on gigs that appeal to the 16-24 year old target readership.

1. Gregory McLaney
Summary of all Research Findings - Preparing For The Formal Proposal
General Information About Music Magazines
• Music magazines offer information on artists and their current up to date
affairs. This information is relevant because audiences want to know about
their favorite celebrities and the new gossip.
• Particular magazine genres target their audiences by giving them what they
want to read. For example hip-hop magazines will contain features relevant
to hip-hop artists, gigs and the music.
• All the magazines themes need to link. There cannot be irrelevant images.
Everything is in the magazine for a particular reason
• Every magazine that I’ve researched has its own house style and they use
consistent fonts and mast heads.
• There are main artists that feature in a certain issue and they’re highlighted
on the main cover and double page spread. This offers a main attraction for
the audience.
AIDA – The Most Significant Magazine Market Method
• A – Attract audience, use of bright colours, image and text
• I – Interest, articles and sell lines should entice the audience.
• D – Desire, lure the reader by adding competitions, posters or give freebies
• A – Act – people to buy your product, motivate them into purchasing, for
example, creating a sense of urgency with a limited-time offer or limited
supply.
Research into Real Music Magazines (Summary of Findings) Generic Conventions of
Music Magazines
Front Covers Contain:
• Title
• Main Image
• Selling/Cover lines
• Mast Head
• Barcode, Date and Price
• Flashers
• Hints of What's Inside
Contents Pages Contain:
• Page Numbers
• Subscription Sections
• Page Listings
• Mast Head
• Logo
• Contents Title
• Dominant Main Images
• Secondary Images (Optional)

2. Gregory McLaney
• Website Link
• Date and Issue Number
Double Pages Contain:
• Title (Usually Links With The Artist(s)
• Main Image
• Page Number
• Information (Text) – Usually 3-4 Paragraphs
• Writers Text
• Secondary Images (Optional)
Front Cover, Contents and Double Page Spread Links Contain:
• Themes
• House Styles
• Typography
• Images
• Artists
• Information
• Colour Schemes
Summary of Research into genre
My chosen genre is hip-hop and I found that:
• The genre hip-hop has very strong links and connotations of the ghetto which
expresses the theme of graffiti throughout the genre.
• The genre has strong association with young Afro Caribbean males. This
helped me chose my target audience.
• The Hip hop genre is a form of music expression and artistic culture that
originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s.
• DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing,
DJing, breaking and graffiti writing. Other elements include beatboxing.
Summary of research into my chosen style model for my magazine which, is the
magazine Vibe
Below are images of my chosen magazine on which I would like to base my
magazine:

3. Gregory McLaney
Idea I will Take from Vibe
Firstly, I’m going to create my magazine based around the hip hop genre and base a
name around this. I’m going to consider something that has connotations of hip hop.
Just like ‘Vibe’ the name has connotations of music and bass which has a major link
with the hip hop genre.
In addition to this the images, front cover, contents page and article are all going to
be hip hop orientated this will be done by creating mise-en-scene which is linked to
‘Vibe’. I will do this by including attitude like images of artists and basic colour
schemes like the ones created by ‘Vibe’.
Adding to this, I’m going to add various bits of information which relates to hip hop
in my articles. I’m going to create a story based around hip hop artist and adapt it to
fit in to my magazine and my images.
I will consider themes such as graffiti which links with hip-hop. Finally, I will adapt
elements such as the selling lines for example ‘Rap Beef 2.0’. Taking these element
along with colour schemes and backgrounds, I think I could create a strong hip-hop
magazine.
Target Audience Research
This is an overall conclusion of my target audience and research using
questionnaires. I can conclude the following and will summaries how this will affect
the making of my magazine:
• I will target my magazine at 16-24 year olds who are interested in hip-hop
music.
• I will take themes and connotations from popular artists such as: Kanye West,
Eminem and Jay-z

4. Gregory McLaney
• I’m going to make the lyrics of the songs and the instruments and vocals a
key selling point in my magazine, as this was a clearly important from the
information in my questionnaire.
• I’ll make my magazine £2-£3 as this was the results of my questionnaire and
then my target audience will be willing to pay this price for their magazines.
• Respondents answered that they like varied styles in hip-hop magazines, I’ll
take this in consideration when creating my final magazine.
• Most candidates who answered my questionnaire responded that they think
magazines are too expensive, there for, I need to get the price correct and I
think £2-£3 will be the correct price in creating my magazine.
• A lot of the candidates who answered my questionnaire responded that they
think free gifts will be a good aspect in my magazine. I may do this as it will
help attract the target audience.
• I found out that audience’s mainly consistent themes when they look at
magazines which will help me in deciding colour schemes and house styles.
• It was evident, that from my research those respondents want pictures of
bands/artist. Also, the majority of respondents though it’s a bad idea to
include musical props and instruments in my magazine. Finally, the majority
also voted that I use bright colours. A large majority responded and voted for
me not to use dark colours. I shall definitely follow this research and it will
hopefully fulfill audience’s expectations.
• I’m going to consider using gigs and guides as an attraction point for
audiences as the information I received from the questionnaires showed that
this is a strong category. It’s also evident from the research that audiences
want general information and gossip, this will help me when creating my
double page spread and contents page.
• Interview with a Hip hop artist/band Article about the Hip hop scene –
Results from this question were answered by the respondents and the
majority voted 4 meaning that the questioned respondents think that an
interview would be a good aspect to the magazine.
• General article about main Hip hop developments -The majority of
respondents voted 3 meaning that it would be a good idea to have a general
article but not an amazing idea.
• Musical instruments/props – The majority of respondents voted 4.
Henceforth, it would be a good initial idea to include props and instruments
associated with hip-hop.
• Bright colours – The majority voted 5 for bright colours. Therefore,
respondents think that it would be a good idea to include bright colours in
hip-hop magazines.
• Darker colours – The majority voted 2 for this. Evidencing, that it wouldn't be
an amazing idea to add dark colours in to a hip-hop magazine.
I’m going to consider all of the above findings from my research. This will
definitely help me develop a strong magazine cover in the hip-hop genre.