Understanding genre in music magazines

Emo:

A typical emo magazine would consist of dark colours; black and grey. Black and grey are typical colours that emo’s wear both for clothes and make up. To make the text stand out they may use white against a black/grey background. The images that the magazine editor may use are images containing teens dressed in a similar way to emos if not an emo band. Emos are labelled as freaks, as well as teenagers who abuse themselves (slitting their wrists). Although the music is aimed at emos some people who may not be emos might find the music interesting.

Although most emos are perceived as attention seekers their not. Emos are given a lot of bad press because of what they do to themselves. Some Emos slit their wrists to join their fellow friends but some do it because of depression and issues at home school. In the magazines it might advertise piercings because many guys and girls use lip, ear, belly, tongue, eyebrow, hip, nipple and other piercings. This can be used as another form of advertisement for both tattoo and piercing shops.

Two page spread - Kerrang

Layout:
There are three columns apart from a box at the bottom informing readers "what are rolo tomassi made of?" One whole page consists of the group "teen spirit" and on the opposite side it informs the reader - containing the text. The effect the column has is that its in depth but also its not too long for readers to get scared and think its too long. The ratio of text to image is 50/50 but also the title takes a lot of room. My eye is drawn to the title in red and capitals but also the image because its different and weird. There are sub headings "It all" "to date"

NME double page spread

Layout:
Its organised in four seperate columns underneath the title which takes up most of the page. The effect this has on the page spread is that the small amount of text makes it more appealing as the reader has less to read. The ratio of the text to the image is a vast difference; the image takes up the right hand side of the page spread. My eye is drawn to the title and effect of it. This is because the title uses a variety of bold, capital and lower case letters meaning that its very eye catching. There aren't subheadings this could be because the title fully explains what the article will be about. The main colours being used are black and white, but the girl on the two page spread is wearing a stripey red shirt which adds colour to the spread. The connotations of this makes you think that Lily Allen cares about the readers thoughts/opinions - because she's tilting her ear.

Text:
The mode of the address




Image-
There's only one image on the two page spread which takes up most of the room available. The lighting doesn't seem to be too bright, so its a normal lighting. The shot type seems to be from a medium distance as you can see part of her body. Her facial expression looks happy but curious at the same time. The clothing used makes her look modern. There is only one dominant image this could be because the article is strictly about Lily Allen not someone else.

Kerrang magazine contents page

- Quirky layout, this attracts a younger age group, may be too cluttered/jammed for older people to look at
- Insight to what will be featured in the magazine - This makes the magazine formal telling the reader what will be featured inside, giving away the summary but not the full story. This means the reader has to buy the magazine to read the rest
- Message from the editer as its signed from them - This makes the reader feel like there talking to them, making it personal
- Previous kerrang issues - For local readers to catch up or see what they have missed. This also shows the commitment they have for their readers to give them feedback on the last issue.
- Page numbers to tell the reader where the information is
- Consistent white, black and yellow colours
- Bold artists names to stand out
- Quote to metallica fans
- Variety of images
- Bold - eye catching, this means readers are attracted to it

Kanye West - RnB magazine contents page

- The arm over the artists shoulder shows what he may be like
- The connotations of the colour red is romance, sexy which could be symbolising that his personality may be like that
The artist is looking at the camera, meaning that he will be looking at the reader, focused - eye to eye, contact with the audience
- He looks upset and angry which could give the wrong meaning
- The artist has his hands in his pocket making it present him in a chilled, laid back approach
- The text used for the title's is calm and classy
- The title will draw attention because its in bold and in capitals
- Colours and basic but stand out because the background is simple

- Simple layout
- Contains the artists/bands on the right side jumbled, making it look funky
- Has the title's of the stories/headlines on the left
- Uncluttered, simple to read
- Simple colours
- Doesn't need to be made more vibrant, essential because its a monthly magazine

Rock sound contents page

- Contents page is displayed on two pages

- Contains a variety of images with numbers and the bands name next to it

- Tells the reader what their favourite bands are 

- Word "ccontents" is in a boring colour, not standing out

- Informing readers of new bands coming into the industry

- Uses friendly language "BE COOLER THAN THOSE FOOLS"

Mixmag contents page

- Contains a image taking up the most of the page
- The word "CONTENTS" is in the same text as the front cover but it has lines slashed across the words
- It displays the title of the magazine on the left hand side of the contents page with "september 2012" next to it
- The contents page sticks to black and white which is simple, but the picture of the model has a variety of colour as its advertising an Ibiza club girl
- There are page numbers on the left hand side of the title's informing where the reader can find them
- Bottom left hand side it informs the reader about the free sub focus CD
- On the image of the model it displays "124" in the same font as "contents" but it says that its an ibiza club guide continued

Vibe, RnB front cover magazine

Layout: The masthead stands out as it takes up the whole of the top part of the magazine "VIBE". The cover lines are positioned evenly around trey songz so people are able to see the model and his body. The bar code is positioned at the bottom left sideways to not inter fear with the image.

Colour: The magazine sticks to three simple colours; black, red and white. This is to make the magazine stand out and give it and advantage as it appears more mature.

People: The age group this magazine targets is 16 to late 20s. This is because young children won't know much about the music genre as well as parents maybe not allowing them to view such a sexual picture. The image is to stand out to female but the topics are for both female and male.

Clothing: The male model on the magazine doesn't wear clothes as he's topless but you can see that he's wearing Calvin Klein boxers which is a form of advertisement as males viewing it see that someone famous uses them that they have to buy them too.

Background: The background is very effective because it makes the model appear stronger and bad - presenting him as a boxer/fighter maybe in a cage.

Shot type: The shot is taken from a medium distance. Allowing the reader to see the body closely and the background behind it.

Framing: Trey songz is in the centre meaning that he's the most important. The cover lines are placed around him. The masthead is underneath him but trey covers the letter "B" with his head.

Overall style: I like this magazine as its very edgy and doesn't contain a vast amount of colours, making it simple and unique. It also informs the readers without sounding too dull.

Classic pop magazine front cover

Layout: The layout is very simple and basic, not standing out. The masthead is in red and then black, to stand out and emphasise that the magazine is "POP". The cover lines underneath aren't very effective as it looks jumbled up and careless.

Colour: The colours used are boring and don't stand out, apart from the masthead.

People: The age group for this magazine appears to be for older people; 20's. The magazine doesn't contain an iconic sign, making its appearance low. The images are quite iconic because most people know who the petshop boys are due to appearances on the TV and adverts which contain their songs. The gender directly hits males, as the two men on the front cover are male and the other images on the top are male.

Clothing: The two main male are wearing casual clothes but the male in a stripey t shirt seems to be more fashionable than the other who seems very casual.

Text/Wording: The language used is very basic, saying who they "interviewed" and "reviews", This leaves the reader wondering what may be inside that they haven;t mentioned on the front cover.

Shot type: The shot type is medium, allowing the reader to see them from a close/but not too far away position.

Framing: The framing is basic and original. By having a grey background it makes the readers pressume it was a photoshoot.

Overall style: To conclude the magazine is average, not standing out from the other magazines on the market. The picture idea isn't very different from the usual but the male in the stripe t shirt presents himself in a wild, different way. I wouldn't buy the magazine if it was my decision as it appears very boring, but it may appeal to an older age group.

Rock sound magazine

Layout: The masthead "Rock sound" identifies what the magazine is about as well as having style and standing out. It's in white to matching with the bands t shirt. The way the band are presented in the middle states that there the main cover line.


Colour: The magazine sticks to four colours; red, white, yellow, black and blue. This could be to keep a low burst of variety otherwise the magazine would look extreme.


Denotation:  Magazine of rock, interesting, contains posters and a free CD. 

Connotation: Can be interpreted as a death/emo music magazine

Target Audience: 15 - 20 year olds, non religious as some people may say the devil associates with screamo/rock music. The images are very iconic as teenagers copy the music/tattoos that the artists create. The magazine focuses on white but contains the band name in red to stand out, but it also uses blue, black and yellow to attract your eye.

Clothing: The rock band "Bring me the horizon" are all wearing casual clothes, t shirts/long sleeves. In the image they're all wearing white, this could be to match with the masthead or just to prove that wearing casual clothes is fine, you don't always have to wear branded named clothes. The tattoos and piercings state that their a rock group. 

Background: The background is a plain baby blue colour. It doesn't associate with the band or cover lines.

Text/Wording: The language used is formal as its giving the reader information about new albums and things they can win. It uses a lot of persuasive language to draw the reader in more. The language used is also mature "uncensored" children at the age of 13 wouldn't understand. 

Shot type: The shot type used is a medium/close up shot because you can see the top part of there body and there face close up. 

Overall Style: The magazine works extremely well. It contains a variety of images; top right, top left, bottom left and in the centre. This gives the readers a chance to have a quick look at what is inside. The cover lines aren't too long which makes sure that the reader doesn't get too much information. Having a free CD in the magazine stands out more for readers because they have the chance of listening to up coming new groups/ groups they like.

£3.99 - Not expensive, meaning a variety of people can buy it not a selected group this means more income for the company

Magazine front cover sub focus 2

Main title:
The masthead is in white, making it easy to see, standing out to customers.
Layout:
The layout is neat and easy to read. Its in an orderly manner starting with the most wanted reading topics at the top and the not so important ones on the bottom.

Age group:
This magazine is targetted at people over the age of 18 as you can see one of the cover lines informs the reader how they can win a trip to ibiza clubs and people can only enter if they have ID which implys 15-17 year olds are too young, but can still read it if they wish.

Advertisements:
Ibiza advertisement for people aged 18+ , this is a big deal to young adults because Ibiza is the biggest clubbing island. The magazine also contains a free CD meaning more people may find the necessity to buy it; This also helps the band because it gets people to listen to their music.

Model:
You can't see the main subjects clothing but you can see his face/hair, he's good looking which would attract females to the magazine. The model also looks modern and fresh, giving the magazine a better name.

Framing:
The image is in the centre, showing that its dominant. The text is around him, with the main special section title underneath him.

Price:
It's priced at £4.50 this suggest that the price is more expensive than your average magazine, so it must be of high quality. It also suggests that the magazine must be interesting if the buyers buy it monthly with a high cost.

Shot type:
The shot taken is quite close up, although you would be able to see his top body if the titles/text weren't in the way. It could have been taken close to show the features of the male models face more clearer.

Tone:
The tone of the picture makes the magazine appear mellow and different. The way the model looks down could be to suggest that the songs are "thinking", "inspiring" songs that people can relate to.

Text/wording:
The magazine wording is formal as it informs the reader with the latest information but also what is contained inside (different topics/deals).

Overall style:
As a whole the magazine works very well. The masthead and layout are simple but very effective making the magazine stand out from the tacky and over the top magazines. As the layout is simple it suggests that its for a older age group (teenagers 16-20s). The image isn't the usual type of picture you would expect on a magazine; the use of reflection makes the magazine stand out even more. The offer of a free CD and a chance to win a closing party trip to Ibiza makes the magazine more attractive as young people enjoy CD's and chances to win free trips.

Textual analysis Rolling Stone front cover magazine 1

Appearance:

Looking at the model you can see that his facial expression is blank, as if he isn’t thinking about anything. The camera is positioned in front of the model, making the reader feel as if there sat in front of him. The clothes used are very casual; a simple orange hoodie with pink zip lines. The models facial hair isn't trimmed or shaven as to present him in a more casual perspective.

Cover line:

Above the main cover line it presents two other cover lines which are in BOLD to stand out to allow the customer to know what the main stories in the magazines are.

Layout:

The layout of the cover is spaced out evenly, not in a messy unattractive way – this makes it easy on the eye. The contents are displayed on the left hand side but on the bottom right it contains a barcode for scanning and a price for customers to know the price. It also has a website for customers to visit – this means they can find deals, more information, local monthly delivery etc. At the bottom of the magazine it contains the main cover line “To hell and back WITH ROBERT DOWNEY Jr” the way it makes the reader feel is as if it starts quite small (using a normal font) but proceeds on with the name of the model in capital letters as if its shouting his name, assuring the reader who he is and to make the article show that it’s the main.

Colour scheme:

The colour scheme used is very basic; sticking to three colours. This could be frowned upon as it doesn’t consist of more vibrant colours or it could be a positive because it’s simple and easy to read without distracting colours which may be unwanted and unnecessary. The contents are related to males as the model is male and the cover lines look directed to the interests of males. Its respectable because it talks to the reader in a mature manner.

Front Cover

Contents Page

Evaluation

To conclude I thought this experience helped me gain awareness on Photoshop for future tasks. I was able to change the font of the text and added ‘stroke’ to the title of the magazine. As well as that I edited a picture to black and white. I enjoyed my experience because I was able to gain knowledge and understanding.

The target audience for the magazine is for students from 16-18 year olds. Both for females and males. For any ethnic groups. The Magazine doesn’t focus on a specific issue, it informs you on a few topics and events.

The content consists of information about the college, questionnaire to see if they would enjoy it at voldymorty but to also see what subject they should consider taking, Ofsted’s feedback of the college – persuasive language used to draw them in, Food – notifying the students of the wide range we have, our motto, courses – to ensure you know what we offer, past exam results which make our college stand out – ensuring that you get the best education you can possibly get to provide a bright future for the students, pictures which show the environment they would be working at but also the friendly atmosphere at the college, Student discount information to notify scholars of which shops and restaurants they can have a reduction from, Gigs that may appeal to students, The head teachers personal message to the students influencing them to do everything to the best of there ability to achieve greatness – making them feel positive, Extra curricular activities that students can take part in to keep fit, Fundraisers to get money for things the students may feel a necessity, Trips that students may want to go on and dress codes not being important – variety of different styles, everyone’s accepted

On the front page of my magazine for the college it consists of a male student at college who appears happy (suggesting that the college is good), The colour used for the text combines well with the clothes of the student – this way the colours don’t clash its also easy on the eye. I’ve used 4 main cover lines, not too many to scare away the student with reading lots.

I’ve used digital cameras before because my dad has one, so it wasn’t a new experience for me. Macs is a recent technology that I’ve started to use, when I first started to use it I found it very difficult to get to grips with the different programmes but after a day I slowly got a custom to it.

The skills needed to work on for a successful main task is a strong knowledge of Photoshop and a good eye to detect order and colours; so that the magazine doesn’t look over crowded with words.