The third and final magazine I’m going to analyse is an issue of ‘rock sound’
Front Cover
Layout: The route of eye of this front cover goes across the masthead, through the main image and coverline to the band names down the bottom corner then across to the barcode with important information above it. This shows that these are the most vital things for the reader to see. Unlike the other two magazines, this layout is very cluttered, so you can see quite a lot through a quick glance along the route of the eye even though is isn’t necessarily important. In the primary optical area there is an offer of a free cd, drawing the reader in, and the start of the masthead. This also appeals to the audience because of the style of it, and you can see a slogan beneath it saying ‘new music first’. In the terminal area there is the barcode, price, issue number and date. This is in small text because it is not too important but it must be there because it is vital information for the reader to know. The coverlines on the front cover are still down the side but are tilted and dotted about slightly more randomly, looking a lot more messy and cluttered. The layout of this front cover gives the impression that it is for a younger audience because the cluttered layout draws the attention of the audience in and holds it. There are two pugs on the page to fill areas that look empty, offering things you can win or just advertising other bits of the magazine such as an article. There is a line of text across the top of the page above the masthead, once again filling a gap but also to make it more appealing as the lines are about various popular indie artists. The main coverline is situated in the centre of the page overlapping the image because it is one of the most important things on the page and needs to draw the reader in and get them to pay attention to the magazine because of it.
Images: Unlike the other magazines, there are lots of images on this front cover other than the main one. There are three images that have writing on them and white outlines to show that they are posters. These are smaller versions of what you get with the magazine, appealing to the audience by showing them what they get with it. These images are also of artists and bands that would be relevant to the target audience. They are all various shot types, costumes and backgrounds, connotating different things about each of them to show that even though it’s the same genre of music, they are all unique. There are also other images near the bottom of the page and terminal area that are of two completely different artists. By placing them in this way it contrasts the two together even though they both appeal to the target audience. They are both mid shots so that you can see their body position and costume and identify them through that as well as their faces. The main image is a medium long shot as you can see them head to toe and the background behind them. It shows their costume, body position and who they are clearly. Their costume is plain and old fashioned colours like brown and cream. Their clothing also looks quite old fashioned as they are wearing tweed, long coats and smart trousers. This suggests that they are stylish but as a band they are a bit old fashioned although unique. They all have quite a serious look on their face suggesting that about the band as well. While three members are facing the front, there is another off to the side interacting with the fake background. This gives a sense of playfulness and from the unusual background that the group is creative. The background goes with the colour scheme very nicely so as not to draw too much attention away from the colour scheme. It is very unique and like a fantasy which draws a certain fascination and grabs the attention of readers.
Colours: There is a consistent colour scheme of black, white, yellow and blue used on the cover to keep it simple. The black and white are used as basic colours that make the magazine look smart yet simple. You can always place on or the other over a background or image and it will still be readable and stand out. The other two colours are different from the red usually used in this genre of music magazine. But they are still both extremely bright colours that stand out and don’t appeal to a specific genre, widening the target audience. The colours complement each other and the background extremely well and seem to connotate fun more than seriousness. This once again implies that this magazine is appealing to a younger audience than the other two. The main coverline is in the bright yellow and not much else is, this implies that the band is also quite fun and perhaps adventurous (because of the background). The band names at the bottom vary in colour, so that they all stand out rather than just being a list in the same colour that you wouldn’t really pay attention to.
Font: There are about 4 different fonts used on this page which make it seems quite messy but is very effective at the same time. For example the list of band names at the bottom of the page not only varies in colour but each different colour is in a different font. Once again this is so that each one stands out because they look different so more appealing. In most of the coverlines, it is split so some of the text is in one colour, and the other is in a different colour and often a different font too. This is to make it less boring and draw more attention to the front cover. The masthead and lots of other text is in a bold font that looks quite worn and rough suggesting and aggressive feel of the magazine. It also looks quite gothic, hinting at a possible target audience or type of music inside. The masthead is the biggest text on the page so that it is clear and easy to see what the magazine is called. The text underneath is much smaller and in a different font to once again make a clear distinction. The main coverline in the centre is in a completely different font than anything on the rest of the magazine because it is a font associated with the band, making it so it is easier for people to recognise them and know who it is. Most of the fonts are sans serif to make it easier for the audience to read. But a few of the fonts are also serif to give a more interesting look to the magazine and to vary what words are said in what font. The serif fonts seem quite creative and look smarter than the worn away rough fonts. There is also a font used in a quote that has the effect of looking like it has been handwritten. This makes it look more like a quote than just something the magazine has said. The text on this page is all put in various sizes to show that some coverlines are more important than others and so they’re the ones that draw your attention first.
Mode of address and language: The mode of address is very informal as the layout is cluttered and the colours seem quite bright and childish. It is aimed at a less mature audience than the other two and the language shows it. Even though this front cover uses cultural capital of the audience, the language seems a lot simpler to make it clearer for the audience. Words/phrases such as; ‘ultimate story’, ‘inside the mad world’, ‘huge new record’ aren’t as mature as the other two magazines although still appeal greatly to the target audience. The things said on the magazine about indie/rock music and the artists on it seem to be more important than how it is said, although it is important that it is written so that the target audience can understand it. So as this one is aimed at a younger audience, it must be more simple and clear when reading.
Contents page (1)
Layout: The route of eye of this page goes across the title, through the article names then across the image of ‘panic at the disco’ to the name of the magazine, issue number and date. This shows that the reader needs to see the title first to understand what the page is about, then the articles so they know what kind of things the magazine includes and whether it appeals to them. Then finally to the image of the group as this isn’t as important as the article names since there was also an image of them on the front cover. The information in the terminal area just reminds you of the magazines name and gives you information again that was on the front in a very small font. Unlike the front cover, the layout is quite simple and order, to make it clearer to read and find the article you are looking for or that appeals to you. The position of the article names is quite unconventional as they are normally down the side. However, they are still in columns rather than just dotty messily about the page. The title above them also separates the two columns, looking much more ordered. There is also a small statement about panic at the disco in the primary optical area to fill the gap and also gives a sense of humour to the magazine.
Images: There is only one image on this page unlike the front cover to keep it simpler and smarter. It is once again a picture of panic at the disco as the main story is about them. They are seated around a common household sofa all looking quite serious and smart. Like the front cover, there is reality collided with fantasy as there is vines and birds around the sofa and members, suggesting a creativity and uniqueness about the magazine and band. Their clothing is the same as before, so looks quite old fashioned but stylish, implying that about the band. The shot used is a medium close up so as to fit head to toe of each member in but also to fit the sofa in. It is also used so that we can see the whole group and the surroundings, including their body positions.
Colours: This page does not follow the style on the front cover, instead is simply red, white and black. This makes the page look much simpler and mature, also easier to understand. The article name and description underneath are in black and the page number and title in red to separate them. It makes it much clearer to see what is what and also makes the page much less boring by having the two colours. It is all set on a white background to keep it simple and to also draw attention to and not clash with the colourful image at the bottom. The image at the bottom of the screen is very colourful due to the birds and vines compared to the plain and boring sofa (that fits the colour scheme) and simple colours of the members.
Font: There are only a few different fonts on this page to avoid looking so cluttered and messy. The title and name of the magazine are in the worn down, rough looking, bold font to make them stand out from the rest. The article name is in serif and bold whereas the description is smaller and in a simple sans serif font. This is done to make it easier to distinguish between the two and clearer to read. In the description, whenever the name of the magazine is mentioned, it is put into capitals to make it stand out more so you remember what the magazine is called and it sticks in your head. The article names and title are also in capitals which again gives an aggressive feel to the magazine as if it’s shouting out.
Mode of address and language: The mode of address is informal and uses cultural capital of the audience. Phrases like ‘the noughties reinvented fab four’, ‘guns, weapons and gods’ and ‘the only thing to sink will be the booze’ imply an audience that would understand the words used and relate to them. It is still quite simple text but this page overall seems more mature.
Contents page (2)
Layout: The route of eye of this page is slightly more confusing as it goes across some article names, to the editor’s note, through some more article names and across to some rock/heavy metal advertisements. It shows that rather than certain bits being important, everything on the page seems to be of quite equal importance. Other than the small information in the dead area which is things you might want to know but don’t need to. The primary optical area contains an image of a man shouting and jumping next to some article names, implying that the image is relevant to one of the articles so is important. The layout is quite ordered as the page is split into different areas that have different information in them. The article names are conventionally down on side of the page so to look neat and easy to read. There are also titles above them as to class the articles into different categories making what you’re looking for or what appeals to you easier to find. The advertisements are placed at the bottom because even though they aren’t that important to the magazine, they still need to be seen as they may appeal to the target audience reading the magazine. They are mainly placed there so to fill gaps and because they are relevant to the type of music inside the magazine.
Images: There are only two images on this front page, and both are of someone to do with indie/rock music so are relevant to the magazine. Both are mid-shots so that you can see what they are wearing but also because you don’t need to see a whole body shot to recognise them. Their clothes are quite casual and informal suggesting that the bands aren’t posh and serious and their positions suggest a sense of humour for both of them. This implies that the magazine is aimed at a younger audience as it is trying to be funny to better appeal to them. Neither of the images have a background so as not to draw too much attention to them away from the articles.
Colours: There is a consistent colour scheme that matches the other contents page of red, white and black. The white and black are smart and simple colours whereas the red makes the page stand out a bit more and makes it look more appealing and interesting. The boxes down the right side are different colours so that it is clear that there are different things in each and so that they don’t blend into one box and confused readers. The articles titles in the ‘features’ section have the band name in black then what it’s about in red to distinguish between the two, making it clear for the reader. Where the text meets the image, it is outlined in white to make sure it stands out and is easily readable. The image of the man jumping is quite colourful which makes him seem quite casual and fun. Whereas in the other image, they are wearing quite plain clothes that only stand out against the white background because they are dark colours. The two adverts at the bottom are in very dark and gothic colours so as to appeal to the specific target audience that like heavy metal music.
Font: Once again, there are only a few different fonts used on the page to keep it simple. The name of the magazine, and headers for the article sections are in the rough, worn down font to make them stand out from the rest of the text on the page. In the ‘regulars’ section, the title is in a bold black, then the description is in a much smaller font even though it’s the same colour. This has the same effect of distinguishing between the two without changing colours and drawing too much attention to the description. They are also two different fonts which emphasises this effect. There are extra page numbers in a larger sans serif font underneath the images showing where to look if you want to see them. This makes it much easier for the reader to navigate their way around the magazine and find what they want.
Mode of address and language: The mode of address is informal and you can tell this by some of the words and phrases used. In the note from the editor he says things like ‘I don’t know about you’, ‘musical nourishment’ and ‘having it larger to municipal waste’. The language he uses relates to the audience not only by the things he says and how he relates it to music and the magazine but how it’s like he is talking directly to you is very appealing. There is also humour used in the paragraph and in the article names for example ‘bullshit detector’ and ‘we take a chainsaw to them of course’. These appeal more to a younger audience who relate to the language and find it humorous. Like in all pages so far, cultural capital of audience is used to make sure the target audience is able to understand and relate to the phrases and topics used.
Double Page Spread
As with the other two magazines there is a double page before the article introducing it to the audience, making it more appealing. This usually consists of a title, stand first and large images of the person/band. However on this one, the images of the band aren’t very big as there is a lot of text on the page and the first section of the article are on there. The route of eye goes from the stand first to the kicker, across the image to the name of the band then across to the article. This is placed so that at a first glance of the page, the reader see’s all the most important and appealing bits, drawing you in. The stand first is in the primary optical area because it tells you interesting bits of the article appealing to the audience. The one image on the page is a long shot of them walking forward; it makes them look quite powerful and interacts with the background. They are dressed quite smartly but also old fashioned which is a trend associated with panic at the disco. The background image is like a fantasy and is extremely colourful. This connotates theatricality and slight childishness which is associated with the band as their style of music and performances are very theatrical. The font that is used in the sub headings, the titles, the kicker and the stand first are in a serif font that can be associated with the band as their signature font. Therefore it relates to the brand identity of them. The font used in the article is sans serif to keep it simple and readable as it is a very small font and may be confusing if it was serif.
Layout: The route of the eye goes from the image, across the name of the band, through the article to the stand first and then across to another image. This shows that at a first glance, everything is placed so that the reader see’s the most important bits on the page. It is quite an ordered layout with a large picture on one side and the text on the other side. This and the way it is arranged into paragraphs with sub headings makes it a lot clearer to read and also shows a more mature audience. This makes it a lot clearer to read since all the writing is on one side, rather than overlapping in on the image. It also gives the chance to place a much larger image with more detail and so you can see more of the band, appealing to then audience. The overly large image also shows that if someone if scanning through the magazine, and they see the image, the theatricality and style of it will draw people in. There is text and the large image within the hotspots showing their importance to the article.
Images: The image is a collage of all the band members as they are overlapped over each other. So they are all various shots but mainly long shots so that you can see their whole body. The way that they are placed, how they are spread over the page makes it more appealing as there are no blank bits. The composition makes it a lot more interesting because they cover everything. Their body positions also make them look quite theatrical and childish in the way they are interacting with the fantasy background. The background is extremely colourful making it seem childish but the fantasy look can be associated with the band. This makes it much more appealing to their fans and target audience because it draws attention to it. They are wearing the same outfit as before which is shows them trying to look quite old fashioned, keeping with the theatrical theme. The background is also quite a natural setting which shows a bit more a mature audience. The other image at the bottom of the page has a line of text above it saying ‘let’s just sit here until the drugs wear off’. This is explaining the fantasy type images and insinuates that members of bands that are involved in the indie music take drugs. This suggests an older more mature audience. The image of them sitting on the sofa is from the contents page so relates to the article as if you saw it on the contents page and then again on the article gives a sense of familiarity and makes the page more appealing. It is once again very colourful to stick to the theme and although it would seem quite childish when seeing it on the front cover it has now been explained.
Colours: As I have said, the images on this page are extremely colourful to give a sense of fantasy and theatricality that the audience would relate with the band. This therefore makes it appeal to them greater if they are fans of the band as it would be familiar. Their clothes are quite bland and old fashioned colours to make them stand out compared to the background so it distinguishes the reality fro the fantasy. The text is black placed on a white background to keep it simple, smart and look quite classic. This theme is repeated throughout the magazines which kept the focus on the text and images rather than a colourful background. The band name and outline for the pull quote are in a bright pink colour which seems quite girly but considering the very colourful magazines and extraordinary style of the band, it fits the theme very well. There is also a pull quote over the image which is white so that it stands out. The mixture of colours with the simple text makes it seem quite messy and cluttered, perhaps aiming at a younger audience to draw their attention or just too simply associate things with the band.
Font: The font used is a simple sans serif font to make it look simple and smart. As the font is very small, if the font was complicated and detailed, it would make it much harder for it to be able to be read. There are only a few fonts on the page which keeps it uncluttered and simple compared to the over use of colours. The signature panic at the disco font is used once again to appeal better to the audience because they will associate it with the band.
Mode of address and language: The mode of address is informal because the cartoons and bird and butterflies make it seem quite childish. Even though there are topics such as drugs which seem quite mature. The article is very in depth and personal which is a frequent style of these magazines to better appeal to the audience. This is because they want to know personal details about the band rather than just a shallow fact file. Cultural capital of the audience is used because they need to appeal to their specific audience and know what they want to read. Phrases such as ‘until the drugs wear off’, ‘it was a love story’ suggest quite mature topics that would appeal greatly to the audience.
Content: The content of this magazine is reviews of music, articles about various indie/rock artists and groups and other topics to do with that type of music in general. All of these greatly appeal to the audience and the more appealing articles; the more likely they will be drawn to the magazine. There are also plenty of advertisements, mainly to do with different music artists whether it is a new album or a tour.
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