Analysis of Music Magazine Front Covers.

Charlie Pugh

NME AnalysisA music magazine published by Ipc Media, edited by Krissi Murison and was first

released to the public in 1952

Masthead- Red capital letters

Central Headline- Albums of 2012 instead of central image

Sub-headers on the bottom of the page in red and black text written in informal language.

Puff on winning concert tickets

Images form a ring of images around the main headline all medium close up images.

Bar code and price tags which is £2.40.

NME 07/01/2012 Contents Page

• The Masthead tells us what's inside the magazine.

• The images are located at the left and right sides of the contents page.

• The main image can be identified by three points, the location at the Centre of the page, the large text and the fact that it’s the largest image.

Contents Page- Continued

• Visual style- most shots are obviously posed as they are trying to be hip or “gangster.”

• Pictures of younger people, about the same age of the audience.

Grimes Analysis. This is a double page spread about a rock-star with a deranged electro style. On the first page we see a photo, shot in black and white which shows Claire Boucher, the subject of the article with a seemingly dirty, grimy face, which is a reference to the title of the article.• The top left hand corner shows us a puff which tells us that this feature is part of a

series.• The Second page has a large headline featuring the name of the band.• Above the title is a short sub-heading which gives us an introduction to Claire’s

interview. The type of text used remains in the same style of text and the same color with the exception of the word “Laura Snapes” which is written in purple text as it’s the name of the interviewer.

• Underneath is the article which is divided into three paragraphs, in the middle of this is an mauve puff which features a quote from Claire herself.

• At the bottom of the page, there are five small images which detail the “ ingredients for pop weirdo” arranged in the style of a maths sum.

Kerrang! Analysis- Front PageA Weekly Magazine dedicated to rock music, edited by James McMahon and released it’s

first issue on June 6th 1981

• The Masthead is located at the top of the page and is written in white capital text.

• The central image displays the four members of the Mastodon rock band.

• The other images promoting other bands such as The offspring and Tonight Alive are located at the left hand side and bottom of the page.

• The puffs advertise a new band being announced, the secret history of panic at the disco.

• Barcodes and price tags are located at the bottom right of the page.

Kerrang Analysis- 28/01/2012 Contents Page

• The page is divided into two columns on a white background.• The titles of the sections of the contents page are written in yellow

text in a black background.• There are three main images with page numbers telling us where to

find more information on the images.• At the bottom of the first column on the layout, there is an editor's

welcome which informs the reading audience about an injury sustained by Deryck Whibley and the fate of the planned tour featuring their band.

• The second column has a list of all the avavilble contents and the page numbers are in red.

• At the bottom of the list of contents there is a subscription advertisment which is used to promote the magazine

Night of the Hunters Analysis• This double- page spread catches the audience’s attention by having the headline cover

half of the first page and how the last word in the headline is written in a different style of font which gives us an allegory of the word “hunter” as the colour is blood-red and the black scribbles in the text seems to reference the fur of hunted animals.

• The sub-heading gives us an introduction to the MASTODON band by telling us about an event that occurred during one of their tours.

• The main article is written in smaller white text and is divided into three columns on a black background with the initial letters of the first and third columns in a large red font.

• A photo of the band is located on the second page which covers nearly the whole second page except for a red textbox which tells us “The A-Z of Mastodon”

• Speaking of the photo, the type of shot is a group long shot which is positioned in a slightly lower angle to make them look powerful. They all wear black clothes which make them blend into their surroundings which is either a prison cell or a burned out house.

Drum analysis- Front Page

. The Masthead is written in grey text and is located at the top of the page and has an explanation mark at the end to balance the page, or to give the audience the impression that the title is loud as the magazine is about music.. The headline covers almost the entire middle section on the front page. Special note goes to the last word which is written entirely in capital letters..The lower sections are riddled with puffs, sub-headings and the price tags..The drums on the left-hand side of the page are the main image with the smaller image being a drummer on the M of DRUM!