The codes and conventions of a music magazine cover.
The headline is usually one word/letter or letters long
The headline is usually aligned to the left.
The headline uses unique font.
The headline is always the biggest font on the page.
There is always a consistent colour scheme.
The main image is of an artists.
The artists on the main image look at the camera.
The artists on the front do not usually smile which conveys attitude.
Creative photography is used.
A slightly lower camera angle gives the artist the air of power.
There is usually smaller pictures of performances or artists.
A strip at the bottom or top lists additional information.
The barcode is always on the bottom right corner.
The barcode is always on the front because the back page has been bought for advertisement.
Puffs advertise "something for nothing".
They typography is either sans (with) or serif (without).
There is always an issue date and price.
Codes and conventions of a magazine contents page
The contents page usually contains the email address of the magazine and contact details.
Sometimes there is an editorial letter (not always) which has a picture.
There is one main image.
Then some smaller images.
Creative photography is used.
There is a consistent colour scheme.
Page numbers on the pictures anchor the image to written content.
There are usually two to three columns.
There is sometimes subscription details.
They have white backgrounds the majority of the time.
The title of the magazine is repeated.
There is an issue date.
It has the page numbers and then text (about the article).
The sub line is in smaller text.
There are regular (articles which appear in each issue) and feature (articles which are a one off) article.
The main image takes up a whole page of more.
The main image is bleeds across to the next page.
The headlines usually stretch across the two pages.
Strap lines or boarders often bleed across the two pages.
There is sometimes drop capitals at the start of an article so you know where to start reading from.
Bold type is used on the first paragraph which has a slightly bigger type face.
More than one image is usually used.
Codes and conventions of a magazine double page spread
The stand first has a larger font size.
Smaller images are used to break up the text - which makes me more inviting.
Panels and quotes can also be used to break up the text.
Quote are sometimes used on the main image.
There is a byline which is the name or the artist who wrote the article. (usually in or by the stand first or the end of the article)
There is usually a credit (the name of the photographer).
Stand first goes under the headline.
The headline doesn't have to make sense.
Creative, eye catching headlines.
The artist's names are highlighted.
Page numbers are at the bottom of the magazine with the issue date.
There is usually a website address.
There is a limited use of colour.
Usually laid out in columns (3 or 4).
There is usually a creative use of photography.
An informal style of writing is used.
The personality of the writer comes through in the article.
The articles induces opinions
Task Two
NME
Price: £2.20
Frequency: Weekly
Average Issue Size: 66 pages
Q
Price: £3.90
Frequency: Monthly
Average Issue Size: 160 pages
UNCUT
Price: £4.40
Frequency: Monthly
Average Issue Size: 154 pages
KERRANG
Price: £2.10
Frequency: Weekly
Average Issue Size: 63 pages
Regular content:
News
Editors letter
Gig/concerts
Cross words/games
Competitions
Interviews
Bands/artists
Reviews
Feature Content:
An example of one magazines feature content:
WILD BEASTS
The Kendal indie rockers might just be the best new British band in years, mixing high art with unforgettable tunes
RICKIE LEE JONES
The boho jazz-folk songstress on her greatest works
THE SLITS
“We’ve been written out of history!” claims Ari Up, back to cause trouble with her punky reggae crew
THE CLASH, THE DAMNED AND MORE
The British invasion that brought punk to our French cousins at the Mont de Marsan festival in 1977
NEARLY 200 REVIEWS!
IN MUSIC
Norah Jones, Bob Dylan, Broadcast, Mark Eitzel, Elvis Costello, U2, Chris Bell, Tricky, and many more
IN FILM, DVD AND BOOKS
The Coen Brothers’ latest, A Serious Man; Ang Lee’s festival comedy Taking Woodstock, plus The Men Who Stare At Goats On DVD: Brilliant Polish war drama Katyn, plus Peep Show, Moon, and a career-spanning Roxy Music documentary Read James Ellroy’s Blood’s A Rover and the hilarious I Am Ozzy!, by Black Sabbath’s Prince of Darkness himself
PLUS!
Edwyn Collins, Jools Holland and Roland S Howard…
Questionnaire Results
Are you male or female?
8 males
12 females
By having more females than males answer my questionnaire the results may be biased towards the male gender. Therefore, when producing my magazine production, I will have to take this into account.
How old are you?
The majority of people i asked were aged between 16 and 20. This will come in handy with the production of my music magazine as most of the people who answered my questionnaire where in my target audience.
What music magazine/s do you read?
Most of the people questioned read "Kerrang". This is a music magazine which is very similar to mine, therefore, i could use it to help me with the production of my magazine.
How Often do you buy music magazines?
When twenty people were asked which frequency of publication they preferred most of them said monthly. This will effect the frequency of publication of my music magazine.
How much do you usually pay for a music magazine?
The results of my questionnaire show that no people were willing to pay more than three pound for a music magazine. Therefore, my magazine will cost three pound or under.
What are your two favorite colors?
The most popular color was blue. I will take this into account when creating my music magazine. I will also take into account that the colors pink and green were not very popular, therefore it is unlikely that i will use those colors.
What is your favourite genre of music?
Indie
Rock
Techno
Classical
Country
R&B
Punk
Alternative
Metal
There is a variation of music type that were given. However, my magazine will be an 'indie' magazine. Therefore, my questionnaire results are relavent to the type of magazine I will produce. This means that I can use answers given in the questionnaire when making desisions during production.
List three words you associate with indie music:
Festivals
Gigs
Converse
Bands
Checkered shirts
"geek" glasses
Guitars
Bright colours
heavy eye makeup
Acoustic
Individuals
Freedom
Who is your favourite artist?
All American Rejects
Fall Out Boy
Glasvegas
Mumford & Sons
Florence & the Machine
Trip
Hollywood Undead
Go:Audio
Editors
Arctic Monkeys
The White Lies
Dizzee Rascal
Beyonce
Kings Of Leon
MGMT
The King Blues
ACDC
The Killers
Which do you prefer?
What is your favourite thing about the music magazine you read?
The freebies
Posters
Gig updates
Upcoming festivals
Upcoming music
The articles
What do you dislike about the magazine you read?
The adverts
The lack of unsigned artists
The price
How thin it is
Task Ten
Publication Plan
Title: THEMIX
Positioning statement: All indie music
Frequency of publication: Monthly
Price: £2.70
Distribution: News agents, gig venues and supermarkets like Tesco and Asda, also in shops such as WH Smith.
Rationale: The aim of my magazine is to offer indie music fans with the latest music news, upcoming bands, the hottest gigs and interviews with the latest artists. Opinions will be offered in articles and unsigned bands will feature along side signed bands – giving the reader insight on what’s new.
Style: The magazine gives plenty of information on the topics but also offers an opinion. It uses simple vocabulary and the writing style is informal yet opinionated which lets the personality of the author show in the text. Images will be equally as important as text in the layout of my magazine.
Regular content:
Editor’s letter
Gig guides.
Upcoming Albums
Fan Mail.
Your questions answered!
What you’re listening to this month.
Stalked – A day in the life of The view!
Top ten unsigned acts.
Win a bag of swag
Jamie’s behind the scenes
Guitar TAB of the month!
Feature Content:
Kings of Leon – Is there a new queen on the throne?
The white lies tell the truth
The arctic monkeys hit sunny Salou.
The extroverts – will they make it?
Are the filthy youth no more?
No country makes the big screen
Have you been FOBed off?
The Killers are back in Whitechapel
The king blues go pink
Passion Pitiful
Take a ride on my Foal.
Five Hottest Festivals!
MGMT dance to joy division
Radiohead – shown us their house of cards.
Muse-ic we’re mad about!
Who’s Geraldine?
The unholy trinity of the stone roses
Tyson hit’s the deck
When Win Butler slept in a submarine
London’s calling the clash
Louise takes music to the streets
House Style:
Cover lines: Arial Narrow and Arial
Headlines: Gill Sans Ultra Bold
Standfirst: Arial Narrow 14pt. Byline to be included in standfirst.
Captions: Arial narrow 8pt
Features first paragraph: Drop Capital Arial Narrow 6 lines deep and the first line are in capitals.
Body text: Times New Roman
Colour scheme: Blue, white and a bit of black
Front cover image
The front cover image will be of a model standing against a brick wall which connoted “the streets”. Moreover, she will be wearing a brightly coloured dress and heavy makeup which is a convention of “indie”. The lighting will be bright as I will take the picture in mid day and the model will have an expression of attitude.
Coverlines for my front cover
Is there a new Queen on the throne?
The white lies tell the truth
Have you been FOBed off?
Louise takes music to the streets.
Part time pandas full time job
Text for contents page
Page 3 Editor’s letter
Page 7 fan mail
Page 10 What you’re listening to this month
Page 12 The arctic monkeys hit sunny Salou
Page 17 Top ten unsigned acts
Page 18 Take a ride on my Foal
Page 23 Gig guides
Page 28 In a town full of rubber plants
Page 31 Passion Pitiful
Page 36 Is there a new queen on the throne?
Page 40 your questions answered!
Page 43 The white lies tell the truth
Page 45 The part time pandas full time job
Page 47 Are the filthy youth no more?
Page 51 Upcoming Albums
Page 52 No country makes the big screen
Page 58 Have you been FOBed off?
Page 63 Stalked – A day in the life of the view
Page 65 The Killers are back in Whitechapel
Page 69 The king blues go pink
Page 74 Five Hottest Festivals!
Page 80 MGMT dance to joy division
Page 83 Muse-ic we’re mad about!
Page 86 Who’s Geraldine?
Page 92 The unholy trinity of the stone roses
Page 94 Tyson hit’s the deck
Page 97 When Win Butler slept in a submarine
Page 100 London’s calling the clash
Page 103 Jamie’s behind the scenes
Page 104 Win a bag of swag
Images I will need for the contents page
All American rejects (Tyson)
Person wearing big head phones, next to a big boom box type radio building a house of cards.
The genuine articles performing at the 02 academy
The part time pandas full time
The double page spread
I am planning on doing a biographical article on the band Radiohead. For this, I will use the internet and magazines to find out relevant information on Radiohead.
The main image I will use for my article will be of a person in a black shirt with a radio for a head.
Task Twelve
Questions for interview:
How many Radiohead gigs have you been to?
When did you go?
Where was it? What was the atmosphere like?
Did the band preform well?
Did Thom Yorke say anything about the song "creep"?
Task Thirteen
Front cover:
Not used:
Used:
I used this image as i believe it portrayed attitude in the model's expression more so than the other images. Moreover, the way she is standing against the wall is relaxed which also connotes indie music. Also, this image has good positioning and framing which enables me to put the cover lines around the model.
Contents page:
I used the bellow image, however, i used Photoshop to change part of the picture into black and white, leaving the remaining part of the picture in colour. I did this to create creative photography and bellow the original picture i have included the edited picture which features on my contents page.
Double page spread:
I used the above two images to create the main image for my double page spread. Using the magic wand on Photoshop i was able to cut out the radio and place it over my models head. Moreover, i cut out the speaker and replaced the background with a tinted version of that. Bellow is the finished image.
Task forteen 
This is the rough sketch for my double page spread. This was my initial idea for my double page spread, however, during the progression of my double page spread my ideas changed when i came to see what looked professional. Therefore, my double page spread looks different to what i initially planned. Moreover, due to the length of my article i had to add another page to my double page spread to accommodate the amount of text.
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