1. Music Magazine Front Covers
By Shafiqur Rahman

2. Identify the
features/characte
ristics 4 front
covers all have

3. They all have a house style (specific fonts
And colours)
which Carries continuity across the whole
Cover.
All of the front covers have the
Main image composed at the
Centre of the page and the shots
Are either close ups or group shots
They all have a masthead that
Flows and doesn’t clash with
The house style of the magazine
They all have coverlines and
Different fonts/sizes
All have barcodes/issue no./
Date/price
The colours and font are
Suited to the target audience
e.g. top of the pops is dominated
With pink and their target audience
Is girls.

4. Why are these
features
present on all
of the
magazines?
Why are they
important?

5. All of the features that are present on all of the magazines are media conventions that are there to attract readers and engage current
audiences of the magazines. They are also there to bring in potential new subscribers/buyers.
Features and there importance:
Masthead: A masthead is present in all of the magazines. The importance of a masthead is for readers to know what the magazine is called
and as the masthead remains the same in every issue of the magazine; it creates familiarity for the reader as they are able to recognize the
magazine through the specific colour /font and appearance of the masthead.
Specific House Style: The reason why a specific house style is present in all magazines is so that the interests of the target readers are met
through the colours/composition/layout etc. e.g. top of the pops has a pink cover and simple font and their target audience is teenage girls
and the simplicity of the font and the colour pink automatically associates the target audience with the styling of the magazine.
Main Cover Image: The main cover image is probably one of the conventions that are paramount in importance in comparison to other
conventions such as the barcode/price. The image on the front of a music magazine is normally of an artist that the specific target audience
may have an interest in. From the above examples this is clear as ‘KERRANG’ have their main picture of ‘Black Veil Brides’ who are a
metal/rock group and the target audience is also people who are keen on this genre of music.
Coverlines: coverlines are there to give a vague insight into what is contained within the magazine and the specific articles that are included
Barcode/Issue No/Date/Price: these are all essential as the reader knows they are buying the latest/most up to date issue and these are
needed in order to sell copies of the magazine
Rule of thirds: This is a photography term for the image on the front cover and is used to create a more interesting visual perspective to the
magazine cover/image and this is also a way to attract more readers. Sometimes the rule of thirds is also challenged

6. 5 differences between the magazines and why
1. Each magazine has a different house style and the reason why they have this is so that the style is specific to the intended
Target audience of the magazine. Kerrang has more dark and bleak colours and this associates with rock/gothic people
(target audience of kerrang)
2. The type of artist in the images on the cover are different in accordance to the genre of music
Each magazine covers. Kerrang has an image of a rock band and their target audience is a rock
Market. Drake is on the cover of this magazine which may be a magazine intended for the R&B niche
Market. The Jonas Brothers are on the cover of ‘Top of the Pops’ and they are a pop band and Liam
Gallagher is on the cover of ‘Q’ and the reason being is that they may intended to attract more of an
Indie/alternative audience.
3. Both ‘Billboard’ and ‘Q’ connote more of a serious tone through their front covers and the reason why I think they do is because they use minimal
Colours and less slang to reach out to their audience unlike top of the pops. Billboard also have their picture in Black & White and this may also
Emphasise the more seriousness of the magazine in comparison to kerrang and top of the pops, also the reason may be that the target market is an older
Audience and various colours are not needed to attract them.
4. The only magazine with what seems to be more of an extreme niche audience is ‘Top of the pops’. The magazine is dominated with pink and bright
Colours and by lines such as “no more secrets’ which instantly suggests gossip which is something that teenage girls are interested in. The colour pink
Also shows that the magazine has a very narrow target market of just girls and maybe a homosexual.
5.Both Billboard and ‘Q’ have decided not to add a footer on their cover and this may be because they want to emphasize on their simplistic and more
Serious theme and approach in the design process. Or the reason why they have a serious tone to their front covers is because maybe they have more
Informative things within their magazine instead of gossip; like top of the pops would typically have.

7. Take one of the
magazine covers
and say what type
of music magazine
it is and provide 4
specific examples
from the magazine
that supports your
claim that It
belongs to this
particular genre.

8. TOP OF THE POPS
The genre of ‘top of the pops’ is that it is a pop magazine
Bright colours connote fun The name of the
And so does pop music, Magazine is a clear
Therefore the use of bright Indication of the
Colours links in with the genre Genre of music it
Of pop. Belongs to
Gossip stories are there
Fashion and shopping And gossip is normally
Advice and tips that are Associated with pop
Normally in pop magazines
Magazines.
Picture of boyband and boybands are normally
Associated with the genre of pop.

9. TARGET AUDIENCE
The target audience of this magazine (top of the pops) is obviously teenage girls, the reason why
I make this judgement is because there are many aspects of the magazine which associates
Girls with the style and conventions the magazine includes. For example
- The colour pink is the main colour of the magazine and this automatically links to girls
- -the use of ‘the jonas brothers’; a band which many girls are attracted to because of their
Looks etc and music. With them being the main image, this emphasises the fact that this
Magazine is aimed at teenage girls. Also the cover has cheryl cole on it and she is a person
Many girls aspire to be like; because she is flawless and a successful woman
- Fashion and shopping advice is present in the magazine and this links to the target audience
Of teenage girls as teenage girls are very image conscious and there is the stereotype
That girls love shopping and looking good.