Focus Group Analysis

From holding my focus group I was able to get more accurate interpretation of what my target audience likes about my ideas and what they think should be included in the magazine.

The questions I asked in my focus group were:

Do you think that the name Phoenix is appropriate name for an Indie Rock music magazine? Why?

How much do you think an Indie Rock Music magazine should cost?

Do you think that the magazine should include a free single/cd?

Do you think that having a band index on the contents page will help with the sale of the magazine?

Do you think that the magazine should include competitions to win tickets to concerts and gigs?

Which model do you think suits the Indie Rock Star image more?  Leah OR Josie?

The focus group agreed that Phoenix was an appropriate name for an Indie Rock and then they gave reasons for why the thought that it was appropriate. One of these reasons was that fact that I could easily create a logo for the magazine.

The focus group told me that they believed that £3.50 was an appropriate price for a music magazine because of my target audience is teenagers and young adults, who are unlikely to have a lot of money; therefore £3.50 is a good price for them. The focus group also believes that £3.50 is an appropriate price for the content that will be provided.  Therefore I am going make my music magazine cost £3.50 because these are all valid points for why the cost of the magazine should be £3.50.

The focus group told me that they think that my magazine should not include a free single/cd because it might not appeal to everyone because they might not like the artist or bands whose single/cd it is. Also including a single/cd would mean that the price of the magazine would have to be increase which might make my target audience to buy the magazine because it might be too expensive for them. Therefore I am not going to include a free single/cd in my magazine because of these reasons.

The focus group helped me to realise that not everyone knows that a band index is, however once it is explained to them they believe that it is helpful, because it provides additional information. I personally don’t believe that the band index will help with the sale of the magazine therefore I will do additional research to find out if my target audience would like to see a band index on the contents page.

The focus group told me that they thought that the magazine should include competitions to win tickets to concerts and gigs. They thought this because they thought that it would make more people want to buy the magazine because of the chance to win something. Therefore I am going to include competitions to win tickets to concerts and gigs in my magazine because it will either make a good cover line on the magazine front cover or an advert on the contents page.

The majority of the focus group told me that they thought that Josie would suit the Indie Rock star image more than Leah would because they thought that she looked more ‘edgy’. However because I need to include different people on my contents page, I will still take photographs of Leah and will use clothing and makeup to make her appear more ‘edgy’.

Focus Group

I decided that I should hold a focus group to do more research and gain additional opinions from my target audience on my initial ideas. It is important to do research because it allows me to gain extra ideas and research as well as feedback; this will then allow me to create a music magazine that it well catered for my target audience. I decided to film my focus group with three of my friends, Emily, Kaye and Charis Mills. You can watch my focus group below: 

Questionnaire Results

After giving my questionnaire to 20 people of different ages and genders I calculated the results and decided that it would be best to turn the answers into pie charts so that I could easily analyse the results.

The pie chart shows that out of the three names Phoenix, Indi and InTune; the most popular is Phoenix because 60% favoured it. I personally prefer the name Phoenix however to get further research I will create a focus group asking if they agree that Phoenix is an appropriate name for an Indie Rock magazine and why they have this opinion. 

                 

The pie chart shows that out of the three different colour schemes, the most popular colour scheme was red, black and white. Whilst I agree with this decision I also think that I should use a colour scheme that is related to the colours in my main image. However I will make sure to include red, black and white font through out my magazine because I believe that the colours compliment each other nicely. 

The pie chart shows that 90% of the people I asked think that my music magazine should be released monthly. I agree with this decision because it will allow for the issues to be made to a high standard. 

The pie chart shows that out of the 5 different price options; £3.00, £3.50, £4.00, £4.50 and £5.00; the most popular option was £3.50 because 35% of people choose that option. The pie chart also shows that nobody would willingly pay £5.00 for a music magazine therefore I will not sell my magazine for that price option. However I believe that £3.50 is not a high enough cost for a good quality music magazine that will feature many articles. Therefore when I hold the focus group I will ask for their opinions on what the cost of the magazine should be. 

This pie charts shows that 65% of the people I asked would find a band index on the magazine contents page useful. However 20% would find it very useful and 15% wouldn't find it very useful. This therefore suggests that people would prefer to have a band index on the contents page rather than there not being one. Therefore when I hold the focus group I will ask for their opinions on either they think that a band index on the contents page will help with the sale of the magazine. 

The pie chart shows that out of the 5 different double page spread article ideas that the most popular article idea was about the artist answering questions and talking about their new album or tour because 45% of the people asked choose it. The second most popular article idea was the artist answering questions and talking about what tour is like for them. I like both of these article ideas equally however I feel like I will be able to come up with better questions for talking about their new album or tour because there is more content to cover. 

The pie chart shows 95% of people believe that I should include competitions to win tickets to concerts and gigs whilst 5% disagrees. I think that competitions might come across as tacky and might not seem legitimate which might potentially put people of off buying the magazine. Therefore when I hold the focus group I will ask for additional opinions on if I should include competitions to win tickets to concerts and gigs. 

The pie chart shows that out of the 6 different location ideas for the photographs for the magazine front cover and double page spread there were 2 options that were equally popular. These were; Brick Lane or Camden (Graffiti Backgrounds) and 5 Arches Park. I like both of these ideas and I also like the idea of taking photographs in a studio location using different coloured backgrounds. Because I will need to take a variety of different of photographs for the magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread I think that I will take photographs at all of these locations and then using social media and focus groups to choose the best photographs for the magazine. 

The pie chart shows that there was an equally divided opinion on whether the magazine should include a free magazine or cd that is related to the genre of the magazine. Whilst the free single or cd will attract more people to the magazine because it appears that they are getting better value for money, the price of the magazine might have to increase to ensure for that artists or bands who single/cd is will get their moneys worth. Therefore when I hold the focus group I will ask for their opinions on whether the magazine should or shouldn't include a single or cd. 

Questionnaire

I have created this questionnaire because I want use it to find out what my target audience would like the magazine to be like. I can then use the answers from the questionnaire to help with my decisions for my final ideas. I will give my questionnaire to at least 20 different people within the age range of 15-25 so that I have a variety of answers that reflects the whole range of my target audience.

Software

To create my magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread I will use Adobe Photoshop CS4. I will use photoshop because it has a variety of tools that I can use to create professional looking magazine. Photoshop is easy to navigate because on the left had side of the document it shows each layer that you add to the file; this make it easy to see what you have added and makes it more easy to edit each individual layer. Along the top of the photoshop document there are sections that split up each of the tools; this makes it even easier to navigate and find the tools and effects that I want. Some of the tools on photoshop that I plan to use are the transform tool, to adjust the size of shapes and images, the textbox tool to add different text and fonts to my magazine and the shape tool to add rectangles and lines to specific parts of the magazine.

I will also use the website “Picmonkey” to edit the additional images that I add to my magazine. For example the extra images that I add to my double page spread and any other images that I add on my contents page. “Picmonkey”  is clearly laid out which therefore makes it easy to navigate around and edit images. 

I will also use DaFont.com to some of the fonts that I use on my magazine such as for the Masthead. DaFont has thousands of different fonts available to download therefore I will have many font styles to choose from. 

Initial Ideas

After researching different music magazines and their genres I have decided that I want the genre of my music magazine to be Indie Rock. I have decided on this genre because it is the genre of music that I listen to and is a similar style to my own; therefore I feel like I will be able to produce this genre of magazine to the best of my ability. I am going to use the original NME as inspiration when designing my music magazine.

Before deciding on my final ideas I am going to produce a questionnaire to find out my target audiences opinion on all of the favourite ideas. This will help me make a successful magazine because it will be based around the ideas that my target audience liked the most.

Target Audience: 
The target audience for my music magazine is teenagers over the age of 15, young adults as well as aspiring indie rock bands/artists. This will allow me to use a mode of address that is colloquial however is still vaguely formal; this will then make it appropriate to all ages.

Masthead/Name Ideas: 
I came up with 6 possible name ideas for my magazine, these are;
- Phoenix
- Indi
- InTune
- Base
- Clash
- Beat

My favourite names out of these three are Phoenix, Indi and InTune, therefore I will use these three names on the questionnaire that I will produce to find out which name is most popular.

Colour Scheme: 
I want to use a black, red and white colour scheme for my music magazine because I feel like these colour best reflect the genre of the magazine. However when I produce a questionnaire I will feature different colour options on it to find out what colours will be most popular.

Star Image Mood-board and Ideas

Star Image Ideas: 

For my magazine I will use a female model. I will take a variety of photographs of the model wearing different clothing however I will make sure that the clothing is of an indie/alternative style that is laid back so that my model becomes an indie/alternative icon. The items of clothing that intend to use are black skinny jeans, light blue boyfriend jeans with distressed knees, green and purple flannels and either plain t-shirts or graphic t-shirts, i.e. band t-shirts. The model will also wear either combat styled boots, chelsea boots or converse.

For makeup I want the model to have relatively grunge makeup. To create this I will use warm toned brown eyeshadows, clumpy mascara and possibly winged eyeliner.

Initial Ideas Brainstorm

Star Image

The theory of ‘Star Image’ was created by Ricard Dyer. In this theory he proposes that celebrities and icons are constructed out of a range of materials by institutions for financial gain. Dyer has split his theory up into different sub-sections, these are; Constructions, Hegemony (Cultural Beliefs) as well as  Audience and Institution.

Constructions: 
Dyer believes that celebrities are built for an audience instead of being a real person; for example, stars are sometimes built to be different to create originality and likeablility. This construction is then emphasised through magazines, music videos and advertisements. Record companies are usually responsible for the construction of a “star”.
Audience and Institution: 
Dyer believes that celebrities are built only to make money. Therefore every “star” is constructed to met the interest a specific target audience to generate revenue for record companies. The “stars’ are constructed to be what the record companies believe audiences want.
Hegemony (Cultural Beliefs): 
Dyer believes that celebrities are constructed to have certain beliefs, values and attitudes. Therefore audiences relate to them because they have features/ideas that they share or admire. This results in audiences seeing “stars” as role models and aspiring to be them.

There are many examples of bands/artists for all genres of music which posses a star image, some of them are; The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Rhianna, Lana Del Rey and One Direction.

The Red Hot Chilli Peppers: 

The Red Hot Chilli Peppers are an alternative band from Los Angeles who formed in 1983. The band has an easily recognisable logo which is a star. This logo appears through out all of their work; on album covers, merchandise as well as in their music video for their song ‘Californication’ . This helps to successfully sell the band because the audience will become familiar with the logo which will help the record company to make money. 

The Red Hot Chilli Peppers are portrayed to have a ‘don’t care’ attitude which denotes the idea that they are cool. This attitude will attract a specific type of audience, if the band lost this attitude it is likely that they will suffer a lack of sales. 

This research on star image suggests that artists/bands must posses a star image in order for them to be successful and popular within the current culture. Therefore I am going to create a star image for the individual on the main image that appears on the magazine front cover, contents page and double page in order for my magazine to sell successfully. 

Mode of Address

Mode of address is how the media talks to the audience. There are four main types of modes these are; first person, third person, formal and informal. First person is used when someone is talking about themselves, as in “I and Me”; the first person mode is likely to be used in a magazine when someone is being interviewed. Third person is used when talking about someone, as in “He and She”; the third person mode is likely to be used in a magazine when someone is writing a review. Informal modes are be presented in different ways, for example by colloquial language or expletive language. Colloquial language is usually involves words that have been abbreviated, which can be interpreted as ‘slang’. Colloquial words are more acceptable in writing than expletive language, which is also known as swear words.

The mode of address for music magazines are affected by the magazines genre, the format of magazine and the magazines target audience.  Therefore if the genre of the magazine is rock or alternative it is unlikely that the text would be formal because it doesn't fit in with the genre. It is more likely that a rock or alternative magazine would use colloquialisms and expletive language because it fits the genre better.

Colour

To find out what colours might work together or might not work together you can use a colour wheel chart. The first colour wheel was designed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666 however it was actually more of a pie chart because the bands of colour were dispersed in wedges around a circle. In the current colour wheel there are 12 colours and they are split up into three sections; primary, secondary and tertiary colours. The Primary colours include; red, yellow and blue. The secondary colours include; green, orange and purple. Tertiary colours are made when primary and secondary colours are mixed together; they are then named after both of the colours involved for example blue-green and yellow orange.

If a colour scheme is not harmonious it can look dull or chaotic however if the colour scheme is too monotonous then it can also look boring. Which will make the reader uninterested in the text or image, therefore colour is important when designing a magazine. You can use the colour wheel chart to create colour harmonies. Colour harmony is pleasing to the eye because the colours work well together which creates a sense of order a balance; this helps to capture the reader attention. There are seven different colour harmonies however the main two are; Complementary and Analogous. 

Complementary colours are colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel, for example blue and orange.  When complementary colours are used it creates vibrancy, therefore complementary colour schemes needs to be managed to make sure that they are not too striking. Complementary colours are bad too use for text because they make it difficult to read so should only really be used to make something stand out. 

Analogous colours are three colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel, for example green, green-yellow and yellow. Therefore the colours work well together and create fluency.  Usually one of the colours is more dominant and has the most pigment. Analogous colour schemes are pleasing to the eye which makes the appropriate to use when creating an image. 

For a magazine to appear sophisticated it must have an appropriate colour scheme. Colour schemes play an important role in selling the magazine because the colour is what will capture the audiences attentions when looking at a magazine. Therefore when designing a magazine front cover, designers have to make sure that they use colours that work well together yet still stand out. The colour wheel is a useful tool for designers to use because it shows a range of colours that do and don't work well together. However colours also connote different ideas and atmospheres, so designers have to make sure that they use colours that promote the correct idea about the magazine. For example red is a colour that is often associated with danger and love. It is also very intense which creates attention. So if therefore good to use for mastheads, headlines and logos.

When designing my music magazine I will make sure that I use colours that work well together to make sure that my magazine is aesthetically pleasing. I will not use complementary colours for large sections of text because they are difficult to read, however I will use them for text that I want to make stand out.

Typography

Typography is the way text is presented and arranged within a page. Typography includes factors such as; font, colour and spacing. Typography is very important when it comes to designing and producing a magazine, because the font style, font size and font colour can determine whether someone decides to buy or not to buy the magazine. When producing the magazine you need to make sure that the font is easy and clear to read at arms length, you also need to make sure that the colours don't contrast with other colours on the page because otherwise it will be difficult to read and people will be less likely to buy it.

The most common typography fonts used for magazines are Serif and San Serif. Serif fonts make distinctive shapes, using small decorative lines on the end of certain strokes. Popular examples of  Serif fonts, are Georgia, Century, Times New Roman and Book Antigua. San Serif fonts do not use small decorative lines at the end of strokes. Popular examples of San Serif fonts, are Arial, Calibri, Lucida Sans and Verdana. According to multiple studies, most people find San Serif fonts harder to read than Serif fonts. Because of this San Serifs fonts are usually used for smaller amounts of text such as captions or headlines.

Kerning is also an important feature of typography. Kerning refers to adjusting the space between characters, so that the font is in proportion which creates a visually pleasing structure to the text. Kerning helps to make certain letters combinations look better, for example MW, WA VA, and TA. A lack of kerning can result in difficulty to read groups of text or articles. 

From analysing magazines I have realised how much of an important role typography has in the overall look and effect of the magazine. If the magazine has poor typography it will make the magazine look less aesthetically pleasing to the reader/audience, this will therefore effect the magazine negatively because less copies are likely to be sold. However if the magazine has good typography the magazine will look aesthetically pleasing and will have fluency which means that more copies are likely to be sold.

When designing and producing my music magazine I will pay close attention to how I structure my typography. I will make sure that I use San Serif fonts for large titles so that they are easy to read. I will also ensure that I sure appropriate kerning so that large amounts of text and titles are clear and easy to read. 

NME Analysis

What is NME magazine?

NME is a British music magazine that focuses its content on rock and alternative music. NME is released weekly and is edited Mike Williams. NME has been published since March 1952. However in July 2015, NME changed to a free, lifestyle magazine that is available to pick up in train stations, universities and retail stores.

For my analysis of NME I am going to annotate an older issue of NME when it was completely dedicated to music and then the a newer lifestyle issue of NME.

NME Front Cover: 

The newer style/editions of NME follows barely any conventions of a magazine front cover and is therefore completely different in style to the previous edition of NME. Because the newer style/editions of NME don't follow many conventions it makes the magazine front cover less busy and chaotic which some people might proffer. Overall I think think the previous style of NME's front cover is better because it allows the audience to find out more of what is inside the magazine and allows the audience to identify the individual/individuals in the main image because of the headline.

NME Contents Page: 

Both editions of NME don't follow that many conventions of a magazine contents page, for example the 50:50 ratio of text to image. However the new style/edition of NME has kept some of its previous features for example having page number written in red font and keeping the name of the sub-headings the same. I think that the original style of NME's contents page is better because it has more detailed anchorage text, provides more articles and involves more colour which makes it eye-catching.

NME Double Page Spread:

Both editions of NME follow various conventions of a double page spread, the style and layout of the article will affect how many conventions are on one double page spread.

Generally the newer style/edition of NME follows less conventions of a magazine than the first/original editions of NME however this is probably because it has changed from being 100% music magazine to being lifestyle with a small amount of the articles being about music. Therefore I am not going to use the new style/edition of NME as inspiration when designing my own music magazine because I feel that it is too minimal and doesn't follow enough features. However I will use ideas and concepts from the first/original editions of NME when designing and producing my own music magazine. 

Mojo Analysis

What is Mojo magazine?

Mojo is a UK based music magazine that focuses its content on classic rock music. Mojo is released monthly and it edited by Phil Alexander. The first issue of Mojo was releases on October 15th, 1993, which suggests that the magazine is successful and sells thousands/millions copies of each issue. Mojo regularly includes a cover mount CD thats ties in with the magazines main article/feature.

Mojo Front Cover:

Mojo Contents Page:

The issue of Mojo that I brought to analyse had two contents pages both feature different techniques so I decided to analyse both of them to fully understand the conventions of Mojo magazine.

Mojo Double Page Spread:

Kerrang! Analysis

What is ‘Kerrang!’ magazine? 

Kerrang! is a UK based music magazine that focuses its content on rock and pop punk music. Kerrang! is released weekly and is edited by James McMahon. The first issue of Kerrang! was released on June 6th, 1981 which suggests that the magazine is successful and sells thousands/millions copies of each issue. 

Kerrang! Front Cover: 

Kerrang! Contents Page:

Kerrang! Double Page Spread:

Magazine Double Page Spreads

The importance of a double page spread: 

The double page spread is the main article/feature within the magazine; it is usually based on the main article/feature that is shown on the magazine front cover. However there is often more than one double page spread within the magazine. Therefore the double page spread has an important role in selling the magazine. Double page spreads are two pages that are next to each other within the magazine and work in conjunction.

The conventions of a double page spread:

Main Image:

The main image on a double page spread usually dominates half of the spread this is to draw the reader attention onto the image rather than the text. The main image relates to the article/feature to the main image on the magazine front cover and contents page. In the main image the subject is usually making eye contact with the camera and often has a friend facial expression; this makes the reader more interested in the article. Sometimes double page spreads will include other images; however these will be smaller in size in comparison to the main image. 

Headline:

The headline on a double page spread is used to grab the readers attention, therefore making them want to read the article/feature. The headline is the largest text on the double page spread and is usually a short a statement or phrase; this also helps to grab the readers attention because it is easy to read. The headline is often written in a different font to the rest of the text on the double page spread which helps it to stand out. Headlines are usually placed at the top of the double page spread because that is where the readers eyes will look first. 

Stand First: 

A stand first is placed below the headline but before the main body text. It is placed below the headline because the headline will make the reader curious about the article/feature and the stand first will resolve their curiosity. A stand first is used to set the tone of the article and briefly summaries what the article/feature is about. 

Main Body Text: 

The main body text is the largest part on the double page spread because it contains all of the information about the article/feature.  The main body text is usually split up into a few columns, this is done so that there are spaces between the text which makes it appear shorter than it actually is; which means the reader is more likely to read it. These columns are operated by a thin vertical liked called a ‘Gutter’. The gutter helps to show the reader the divide between the columns. The main body text will relate to the main image and headline that are also on the double page spread. The main body text usually is informal because it makes it more personal to the reader. 

Pull Quote: 

Pull quotes use the most interesting parts of the article/feature and empathise them. Pull quotes can be taken directly from the main body text or can be summarised extracts. Pull quotes have a larger font than the main body text, so that it ‘pulls’ the readers attention. They also often are written in a different colour font to the rest of the article which makes them more visible to the reader. Sometimes pull quotes are framed; this helps to draw the readers attention to them further. Pull quotes are a good way to break up large sections of the main body text to give the article/feature a more interesting look.  Pull quotes are useful because when the reader scans the article/feature, the pull quotes will stand out to them and then they will want to properly read it to find out the context of the quote.

Drop Capital: 

A drop capital is a large letter at the beginning of the main body text. They often vary in size, but most usually drop down by 8 lines. The drop capital helps to give the article/feature a more interesting look. 

Running Head:

The running head is a navigational element used on double page spreads to help guide the reader. Running heads have the same headings as the subheadings on the contents page. They are usually placed in brightly coloured boxes so that they are visible to the reader even when the magazine in closed. Running heads aren't found on every page but are usually placed at the beginning of each section. 

Gutter: 

The gutter is a small amount of space between the columns of the main body text. The gutter is sometimes marked with a thin line to clearly show the space. The gutter helps to show a clear divide between the columns of the main body text which makes the article/feature less chaotic. 

Typography: 

A double page spread will often have various different fonts, font sizes and font colours to make the article/feature more eye-catching and interesting to the reader. Typography is important in making the double page spread appear aesthetically pleasing. 

Magazine Contents Pages

The importance of a contents page: 

Magazine contents pages are used to inform the audience of all of the articles that are inside that issue of the magazine. The contents page has a structured layout and is usually divided into different categories and headings; this makes it easier for the audience to navigate around the magazine. Magazine contents pages should follow a 50:50 ratio, of text to image; this means that they have a balanced structure. Magazine contents pages tend to all follow the same conventions however they layout and style of them will differ from magazine to magazine to make each one unique.

The conventions of a contents page:

Main Image:

There is always one main image on a contents page and it is the biggest image on the page. The main image usually relates to the main article/feature within the magazine and the image on the magazine front cover. The main image is used to frame the contents page because the text is position around it. However there are also other images on the contents page. These other images are usually smaller than the main image and have the page number to its article and have anchorage text. The anchorage text is usually written on top of the image or is written below it; the anchorage text is usually a short description but it can occasionally be a pull quote.

Logo:

The logo is positioned next to the masthead; across the top of the contents page. The logo is placed next to the masthead because it is one of the first things the reader looks at one on the contents page. It is important to have the magazine logo on the contents page because it helps to advertise the magazine further and means that the reader is more likely to remember if they see it frequently throughout the magazine.

Masthead:

The masthead on a contents page, usually just starts ‘Contents’ so that the reader is aware what the page is. The masthead is the biggest text on the page because it is the most important text on the page. The font of the masthead is usually the same or is similar to the other fonts on the contents page; this shows how they are connected and make the page more fluent.

Subheadings:

Subheadings on a contents page are used to categorise the articles on the contents page into different sections and topics. By categorising the articles on the contents page it helps to create an organised layout which makes it easy for readers to navigate around the page and find the specific articles that they are interested in. There are usually a couple of subheadings on the contents page so that each article is in its relevant section. 

Advert: 

Adverts on the contents page of the magazine are usually advertising the next issue or a subscription plan. The advert might include details of what is in the next issue or the costs of a monthly subscription. Occasionally the advert might be the names of the magazines social media profiles and contact information. Adverts are used so that the reader can find out additional information about the magazine. The adverts only take up a small section of the magazine contents page because it isn't the main focus of the page. 

Colour Scheme: 

The colour scheme of a contents page usually follows the same as the magazine front cover; this is to show fluency within the magazine. 

Magazine Front Covers

The importance of a magazine front cover: 

The front cover of magazine is a vital part of selling the magazine. A magazine front cover is important because it is the first thing the audience/reader will see, therefore it needs to be eye-catching. Each magazine front cover has to be different from the previous issue however similar enough for their audience to recognise it. On every issue of the magazine the masthead and logo will remain exactly the same in size and will stay in the same place. However it is likely that the colour scheme will change to make it related to the main image on the cover. When designing magazine front covers, several ideas should be tried and tested with a target audience. However most magazine do not have enough time to do this, so they have to make sure that they spend time on seriously designing the magazine front cover.

The conventions of a magazine front cover:

In order for a magazine to sell successfully, they should follow the conventions of a magazine. The conventions of a magazine help to make the front cover aesthetically pleasing to the audience as well as provide a solid structure for the magazine. If the conventions are poorly followed or aren't followed at all it will make the audience less likely to buy the magazine. 

Masthead:

The masthead usually appears across the top of the magazine front cover, because of this it is the first thing that the audience will read. The masthead is written in bold, large font this is to show that it is the main title on the magazine front cover; it is also written in a different font to headlines, cover-lines and bylines on the front cover, this helps to reinforce the idea that it is the main text on the front cover. The masthead needs to be the similar on each issue to make it instantly recognisable to its audience. This means that the target audience will easily be able to find the magazine when it is placed on a shelf filled with other magazines. The colour of the masthead will often vary on each issue so that it matches the colour scheme of the magazine front cover.  The masthead of a magazine is usually just one word because it is easier for the audience to remember because it is brief. 

Main Image:

The main image is the most eye-catching image on the magazine front cover. The image usually shows the person/persons looking at the camera; preferably smiling. The main image is often linked to the main article/feature within the magazine. In most cases the person/persons on the front cover are the main reason why the issue sells; this is why some magazine front covers with celebrities on sell more copies than ones that don’t.

Headline:

The headline summaries the main article/feature within the magazine to a sentence or phrase. The headline is always linked to the main image on the magazine front cover. The headline font is smaller than the masthead but it bigger than the cover-line; this is to make it stand out amongst other sell-lines to show that it is the most important article/feature within the magazine. 

Coverline:

A cover-line usually has smaller font than the masthead and headline, but has larger font than the bylines. Cover-lines are used to give more information about the main headline article to make you read on. 

Byline: 

A byline is the headline and text of a smaller, less important article/feature within the magazine. Bylines are usually found on with the left or right hand side of the magazine front covers so that they don't cover the main image. Bylines have a small font, this is to highlight that they are not the most important article/feature in the magazine. 

Colour Scheme:

Colour schemes are used on magazine front covers to make them more eye-catching and atheistically pleasing. When a magazine determines its colour scheme they consider what colours will work with the main image and the genre of the magazine. The colour scheme helps to add a specific atmosphere to the magazine front over and emphasise the genre of the magazine. The colour scheme of the magazine will help to attract the target audience. 

Strap-Line:

A strap-line is a thin band of text, either at the top or bottom of a magazine front cover. The strap-line previews the articles/features that will be inside the magazine. It helps to show the audience that they magazine is full of articles and will therefore be getting good value for money. 

Barcode:

A barcode is a small image of bars and spaces, they are usually found in the bottom left hand corner of the magazine. Barcodes do not contribute to the theme 0r design of the magazine however they are compulsory because they are used to identify the product. 

Puff/Starburst:  

A puff/starburst is a shape used to draw attention to the text written on top of it. It draws attention to it because it is different to the rest of the magazine however it dos follow the colour scheme of the magazine front cover. 

Pug:

A pug is usually found in the top left hand or right hand corner of the magazine (it usually appears under the masthead).  Pugs usually contain the price of the magazine, the issue number and the date. 

What is a Music Magazine?

A music magazine is a magazine that is completely dedicated to music. In a music magazine you will usually find interviews with artists/musicians, concert reviews, photoshoots, record reviews as well as music news. Music magazines focus their entire content around one specific genre such as Indie, Rock, Hip-Hop or Pop to attract a niche audience; this means that the genre of the magazine will determine who will buy the magazine. A niche audience is a relatively small audience that all share a specific interest, such as fishing or music. 

Comparing Genres:

These are two examples of music magazines, they are both different in genre and are trying to attract different audiences. The main image on the magazine cover is of a specific band/artist; this helps to determine what genre of music the magazine is focused its content on and what audience it is trying to attract. 

The first magazine is NME which predominantly features rock and indie bands and artists. The front cover shows the Indie Rock band Peace. The magazine cover also features the names of other Indie Rock artists, this will help the magazine to attract people who are interested in these artists and the genre of music. Using an Indie Rock band on the cover helps to reinforce the genre the magazine is based on. The second magazine is VIBE which predominantly features Hip-Hop and R&B bands and artists. The front cover shows the R&B rapper/singer Drake. The magazine cover also features the names of other R&B artists to attract people who are interested in these artists and the genre of music. Using a R&B artists on the cover helps to reinforce the genre the magazine is based on.

Different genres of music magazine offer different content and features to try and persuade their target audience to purchase the magazine. I decided to research two other music magazine genres so that I could fully understand the different techniques that they use to portray their genre. 

Rock music magazines include articles that strictly about music (no gossip). They tend to use dark colours such as red, black and navy blue, this is to connote a serious atmosphere because it is aimed for people of an older audience. Some rock magazines offer the free gift of a CD sample to emphasis that it is a music magazine. Rock magazines use more text on the front cover to give out of context snippets of what is inside the magazine so that the target audience will want to read more. 

Pop music magazines include articles about mainstream artists.  Their articles are mainly focused on gossip about these artists, this is to attract their target audience who aspire to be like them artists. Pop magazines use bright colours such as pinks, yellows and blues, this is to connote a positive and fun atmosphere. They also often provide free gifts such as nail polish and makeup, this makes the target audience want to buy it more. Pop magazines use short headlines/headings because their target audience is younger, and therefore use more images than text to keep them interested.