Music Magazine Research

Magazine Research

NME Magazine Cover

NME (New Musical Express) is a British magazine that is published weekly by IPC Media.

Every issue of NME magazine follows the same theme and layout style. Each issue also uses bold colour and thick and bold text.

This particular cover uses a basic yellow and red coloured theme. These are neutral colours and so therefore appeal to both males and females.

NME are most known for being closely associated with punk rock music.

The main photo of the cover is of a popular band; The Automatic. The photograph used is creative and adds a fun and appealing edge to the magazine cover.

The Red and yellow colours are used as a contrast to the black and dull colours of the band's clothes in the main photo. This makes the cover more eye-catching and appealing. The magazine uses appealing and interesting features to 'advertise' on the cover to give an insight into what the magazine contains in the particular issue. The features are outlined in red and are in large and bold lettering with a small image to make the cover more visual.

The magazine cover for NME follows some typical magazine conventions such as having the barcode, price and date on the cover. However, in many magazines it is a typical convention that the title and masthead of the magazine is central to the top of the page to make it eye-catching. However, NME Magazine puts the title in the top left corner and this challenges the typical conventions of a central masthead.

The text and language used on the cover is non-conforming and the sentences are shortened and abbreviated. This makes the text easy to understand and will therefore attract more people as it can be a light read for the audience.

Therefore, the cover of NME magazine is appealing to both males and females but from extra research, it can be believed that NME magazine is more popular amongst males.

Smash Hits Magazine Cover

Smash Hits magazine was a popular music magazine aimed at a young teenage audience of females. It mainly focused music but also has fashion and television aspects included.

The cover of this particular issue is mainly in pink which makes it appealing to the female audience. There are more pictures than text on the cover which also makes it more appealing to the younger audience as the pictures are more visual and colourful; therefore more appealing.

The language used on the cover is non conforming and this is also appealing. It uses laid back language such as ‘stars exposed’. As well as this convention of a magazine aimed at a younger audience, it also includes the date, price, barcode and the masthead/title on the cover.

The masthead is central to the top of the page which is also a typical convention of a magazine.

The layout of the cover is very simple and it uses photos of popular celebrities that are well known amongst the target age group. Different fonts also add a variety to the cover and make it appealing.

The cover gives indications to some of the features within the magazine so that the readers and target audience will have an idea of what to expect from the magazine and will also make them want to buy it if they know that there are features in the magazine that they are interested in.

'Top of the Pops' magazine Double page Spread

By analysing a double page spread in 'Top of the Pops' magazine it is clear to see that the magazine does not fully focus on music. The double page spread is an interview with the pop band; McFly. The questions asked in the magazine are not music based although the magazine is known as a music magazine due to it's name from the television show; 'Top of the Pops'.

Questions that asked and answered are more general and personal based rather than talking about the music. There is one main picture as the background of the page and the band are smiling which makes the page seem 'happy' and non conforming.

The interview uses non conforming language and uses a lot of colour to make it visual. The use of vocabulary such as 'Exclusive' and 'cute boy alert' is language that will attract and appeal to the readers of the magazines target age group. The layour of the interview is different to normal interviews and does not follow the typical conventions. At the end of the interview, it promotes new release singles by the band and their website and this is a typical convention of interviews with music bands and artists.