Task 6 - Summary of analysis

1. From my three analyses of music magazines I have found out that the magazines often have a
masthead, this will be a large typography and usually very distinctive. The magazine will use a
font which represents them as a brand, for example RollingStone’s masthead is very unique and
retro. They use this because that is what their magazine style is based around. Another feature
that is on a magazine is the image on the front cover, there is usually one main image, this will
be the largest. Along side this image will be smaller images which are used to capture your
attention on the featured stories. Cover lines will be used so that the audience can get a sense
of what is going to be featured in the magazine, these will be small explanations or quotes from
the stories. Music magazines have many distinctive features which makes them classed as a
music magazine, one of them being ‘pull out posters.’ This is where a magazine will place a
poster of a music artist in the middle of the magazine which the audience can pull out and
unfold. Usually the pull out poster will be of the artist/s which the main feature is on. Another
feature would be the ‘top 40,’ this is where a magazine have a page dedicated to tell you the
recent UK top 40 songs out at the moment. You wouldn’t see this in a newspaper. Another
feature of a music magazine is ‘concert gossip’ this is where an article is out together to talk
about an artists concert or tour. This is common for a music magazine to feature as it is
something which would be popular interest for the audience. Music magazines often entice the
audience by using personal words and phrases, they do this so that they can draw the audience
in. For example they would use ‘look what the boys did next,’ it makes you wonder what they
did. They use phrases which want you to look further into it. ‘You’re not going to believe this,’ by
using the personal pronouns they make you feel as if it is personally addressed to you, they
want you to look at it. This is a common feature for music magazines, no matter the genre, it just
helps the magazine talk to the audience. Music magazines use technical elements which make
up their structure. They are often quite busy, you won’t find a sparse page very often, there will
always be something to read or look at. Many images will be used because thats how they show
you what they are trying to get across. If there was a story about Beyonce, they would obviously
have a photo to go along-side it. Magazines also use representation, they use their features to
give off a vibe which represents the people present. For example if Iggy Azalea was featured in
a magazine they would use words such as ‘cute’ or ‘hot’ to give Iggy that sexy vibe.