Task Two - Detailed Analysis of Music Magazine

1. Louis Angus – AS Media Coursework
Task Two – Detailed Analysis of Music Magazine
Typography – A mixture of serif fonts and
sans serif fonts are used on the cover of this
magazine. The serif fonts make some of the
text look like handwriting which makes it
more appealing to young teenage girls. This
gives a more relaxed feel to the front cover,
appealing to a younger audience. The range
of different fonts also give variation to the
magazine rather than using the same font
and the cover being very uninteresting and
plain. The bold text draws the reader’s
attention to the cover story, making it
stand out compared cover lines that
surround it. The colour theme of the text is
pink and white which will again appeal to
young girls. The celebrity names such as
“Aston”, “Justin” and “One Direction” all
help to appeal to young girls as these are
the people they look up to. The main cover
line is in bold sans serif fonts which make it stand out.
Layout – The layout of the cover of this magazine follows usual magazine conventions as the
‘route of the eye’ is used. In the primary optical area is the mast head which tells you what
the magazine is called, the route then crosses over the main image, down to a picture of Aston
Merrygold and then the terminal area is a picture of well-known band, The Wanted. All the
text and images have been crammed into whatever space they can to, without putting them
on top of the cover image, fill as much of the front cover as possible. This gives it a
disorganised and incoherent look which will appeal to a younger audience. The crowded text
gives it a very informal feel and therefore follows conventions related to appealing to its
target audience. The button in the middle of the cover will draw attention as it’s the only one
on the cover. By the button in the centre of the magazine, it will draw attention as it’s the
only circle on the cover and the use of an individual shape tells you that it’s the cover story.
This cover also uses the rule of thirds with the images and text on the page. The cover lines
are on either side of the page while the main image of Justin Bieber and his cover story are in
the centre with his face positioned on the intersecting points. The contrast between the white
writing and pink background makes the text stand out even more, making it clear it’s the main
story. The main image is Justin Bieber who is instantly recognisable to the younger generation.
Bieber is smiling in a medium close up shot.
Colour – The entire colour scheme is pink and white which is conventional as this magazine is
targeted at young girls. The masthead is pink with a white bold outline which makes it stand
out prominently against the pink background. All of the cover lines are all white or a different

2. Louis Angus – AS Media Coursework
Task Two – Detailed Analysis of Music Magazine
shade of pink which makes them stand out but still carries through with the colour scheme.
Bieber is wearing a light blue shirt in his picture which makes him stand out compared to the
rest of the images. This is conventional as he is the main image of the magazine so he will
need to be the most eye-catching figure on the cover. His lips are also a pale pink colour which
ties in with the whole look of a pink-themed magazine, aimed at young females.
Images – The main image is a picture of Justin Bieber which will attract the target audience
of teenage girls as these are the people who listen to his music. This will make this magazine
stand out to them compared to other music magazines with artists on the cover who they do
not know. This image is a medium-shot which enables you to see the top half of his body
where he is smiling which is connoting a positive message and making the magazine more
appealing for the target audience of teenage girls. Images of other well-known artists are
also on the cover such as boy-band One Direction. The image on them on the top left hand
corner shows them huddles together which shows their close friendship with one another.
The fact that they are smiling and laughing also shows their closeness with each other. The
small image of Selena Gomez is conveniently placed on top of Justin Bieber. This is because
of the continuous dating rumours that surround the couple which the young girls will be
familiar with.
Language – Alliteration is used when describing The Wanted. By calling members of The
Wanted “Romantic Romeos”, it makes it catchier and therefore stands out compared to
other cover lines on the front cover. The language used on the cover is very informal using
words such as “snuggle” and “naughty” which make it more appealing to a younger audience.
Conventions – The most obvious convention that is used on the cover of this magazine is the
prominent use of ‘girly’ colours such as pink and topics such as fashion which is typically found
in a magazine aimed at young females. This cover is also very crowded and busy with text
which is commonly found in this genre of magazine. A cluttered cover is seen as exciting by
teenagers and by doing this it looks interesting and they are more likely to want to read it.
This cover also features artists and groups who are popular with this age group. Bands such
as The Wanted and One Direction are current in the pop scene and are expected to be on the
cover of these types of magazines.

3. Louis Angus – AS Media Coursework
Task Two – Detailed Analysis of Music Magazine
Typography – Sans serif fonts are used on this spread which give it a contemporary feel,
making it appeal to young girls. The large fonts used make it easier to disti nguish that it’s the
cover line and draw your eye automatically to this. The pink text makes the page more
appealing as well as fitting in with the continuous colour scheme of pink, white and black. This
choice of colours also again appeals to the target audience and fits with the image of Cher
Lloyd who is known for being a young a fun artist. By putting the cover line in speech marks
you know that it’s from the article and a sentence with impact is used so it makes you want
to read more into the article. By highlighting some of the text in the article it makes it stand
out, suggesting that they are key pieces of information that the reader will find most
interesting. The kicker at the beginning of the article also draws your attention to the start of
the feature and is in bold text to make it even more prominent.
Layout – This double page spread is split into two, with all the text on the left and an image
of Cher Lloyd on the right. The text is organised which gives the spread a more mature and
look, which is conventional due to the article being an interview. The route of the eye starts
with the primary optical area where the headline is, then it moves across o an image of Cher
Lloyd, back onto the left hand side and across a smaller image of the artist, hen back finishing
at the terminal area where the majority of the text is. The image is alone on the right hand
side which makes it look more ordered and not cluttered, making it seem a lighter read.
Colour – The colours used in this magazine follow the scheme that is carried through the
magazine. Yellow, pink and white are the main colours used which connote positivity, while

4. Louis Angus – AS Media Coursework
Task Two – Detailed Analysis of Music Magazine
appealing to a younger audience. The pink is also a more feminine colour which follows
conventions as it’s a magazine aimed at young teenage girls. The blue top that Cher Lloyd is
wearing also stands out as it does not follow the colour scheme.
Images – The main image on this spread is a picture of singer Cher Lloyd bending over, posing
with an old-style camera. Her unusual pose shows hoe different and quirky she is and
reflecting her music. She is dressed in clothes that young teenage girls would wear, again
appealing to the target audience. She is promoting positivity as she is pulling a funny face.
The smaller image on the left page which is surrounded by text shows Cher Lloyd being
photographed by what seem like her fans, which is suggesting that she has a celebrity status
and is very popular with young girls, which is the target audience for this magazine.
Language – The language that is used is very basic which makes it easy for the younger
audience to read and also more appropriate for a younger audience. Many abbreviations are
used in the article which is relatable to the reader and the target audience. The imperative in
the stand first, “read this interview now”, makes the reader more inclined to read it.
Conventions – The colours used for this cover fit in with the colour scheme chosen but at the
same time follows conventions of this magazine by being typically girly colours such as pink
and yellow. The image on this spread also follows conventions as a pop magazine usually has
an artists in an unusual pose, which is apparent in this particular one. This connotes a sense
of enjoyment and enthusiasm which will reflect onto the reader and make the article more
enjoyable to read.

5. Louis Angus – AS Media Coursework
Task Two – Detailed Analysis of Music Magazine
Typography – The masthead of the
contents page is bright pink with white
writing which automatically pulls you
to this primary optical area. The serif
font used gives it a more informal feel
and a handwritten look which will
appeal to younger readers. The fonts
for the titles of sections for contents
are in a feminine serif font with hearts
in some of the titles which obviously
appeal the magazines target audience
of young females. The text in the
different sections of content is in a
sans serif font which gives it a formal
and organised which is in a mixture of
normal and bold text to quickly point
out the key points. Also, the stories
that are considered most interesting
are highlighted to make these more
prominent and to also add colour
while at the same time keeping in with
the colour scheme.
Layout – The contents page of this magazine uses the rule of thirds. The columns which
contain the different sections of the magazine are all aligned and look organised which makes
it easier for the reader to navigate and locate the pages that they want to read. The images
on this cover are all placed strategically along the route of the eye. This is to ensure that the
reader is very likely to see them at first glance and by seeing artists that they enjoy listening
to, they will be more inclined to read it.
Colour – The consistent aspects of this contents page all tie in with the colour scheme of pink,
white and yellow. Whereas the images that are placed throughout the page are all different
colours to make sure that they stand out compared to the plain background.
Images – The images on thirds contents page also follow the rule of thirds as they are aligned
in columns down the page. This fits in with the whole organised feel of the contents page and
makes it easier to navigate through the magazine. The images are situated behind or in front
of the text boxes to give it a sense of depth. For example the image of One Direction is in front
of one text box but behind another which make it more interesting rather than all having the
images and text all in one layer. The image of the leopard print purse is made too big to fit in

6. Louis Angus – AS Media Coursework
Task Two – Detailed Analysis of Music Magazine
the box which gives the contents page a sense of informality, bearing in mind that this is still
a fun, pop magazine that is targeted at young teenage girls.