Second analysis of Music Magazine Cover.

Second analysis of Music Magazine Cover.

This is going to be the second of three music magazine covers that I am going to analyse as part of my music magazine re-search, this will help me in the step by step process in producing my own music magazine cover. The three music magazine covers that I am going to analyse are going to be of the same genre that I have chose to base my music magazine on which is heavy metal / rock. The second music magazine cover that I am going to analyse is going to be an edition of “ NME “. I will analyse the cover using the LIIAR technique.

Language – On the cover of this issue of “NME”, the masthead is positioned at the top left corner of the cover. Even though the letter “E” is slightly covered due to the models head, the reader still knows the name of the magazine is “NME” because underneath the masthead there is a piece of text which reads what “NME” stands for “National Music Express”. The masthead is in a dark red colour with a white border featured around it. This makes the masthead stand out because this is the only text on the cover in that particular font and colour with a border around it. This makes the masthead an individual piece of text because there is no other font and colour like that featured on the cover. The main image on the cover of this issue of “NME” is an image of …. Which has been taken at a medium close up camera angle. It is medium close up because we can only see the upper body and the face. The way that Julian Casablancas Is positioned it looks like the viewer is looking at him at eye level, as though you are having a conversation with him. If “NME” magazine reaches its best aims for its target audience, by featuring Julian Casablancas on the front cover, it will make the readers want to buy it because their role model is on the cover. The audience aspire to be just like him. “NME” magazine use a consistent house style with their use of text on the cover if this issue. They use font colours that contrast well with each other, red, white and gold colours are colours that go well with each other. These font colours are also easy to read, so even those readers who don’t have the best of eye sights will be able to read the masthead and subheadings within the best strength of their eye sight. There is a main headline featured to the left of the music artist on the cover, it reads “ JULIAN GOES SOLO, But what does it mean for The Strokes? “. In my opinion this is a very clever headline to have on the cover of the magazine. First “JULIAN GOES SOLO” is in capital letters which emphasises that it is a major headline, it is also the largest text on the cover of the magazine. Then in the headline it leaves an unanswered question for the reader, “But what does this mean for The Strokes?”. This will make the audience want to purchase the magazine because of this unanswered question which is revealed within the contents of the magazine.

Institution – “NME” is published by a company called Bauer, which is a large German publishing company based in Hamburg.  Institution is also used on the cover of the magazine by featuring Julian Casablancas on the cover. By him allowing “NME” use him as the main artist on the cover of their magazine, it helps “NME” sell thousands of copies of this particular issue that he is featured on and in return “NME” have a write up for featured in the magazine on Julian Casablancas promoting his upcoming tour and gigs etc, this is called synergy, were both sides are helping each other out. The publishing company for “NME” magazine, “Bauer” only produce one type of music magazine for the one specific music genre which is rock. They only produce on rock genre magazine. This is because if they was to produce more than one type of rock magazine then they would be eating into their own budget. “Bauer” want the magazine that they publish to be the best one out of their of that specific genre and want to compete against other publishing companies who release magazines of the same genre.

Ideology – The ideology on this magazine cover, are the messages, morals and values that the company/magazine has. “NME”, their ideology is to get the newest music to you as quickly as possible. It also sounds like enemy, which suggests it is an enemy of mainstream music. The genre that I am going  to do within my  music magazine rock / heavy metal. Giving an insight look at a wide variety of heavy metal and rock bands that are followed and listened to world wide in a huge capacity by their specific target audience. Their aim is to make their magazine as interesting as possible and also to insure that the same people who purchase the magazine the previous week will buy it again when the next issue gets released on a weekly basis.

Audience – This issue of NME, appeals to a specific target audience. I think that the target audience for this magazine is for an audience who have an interest in the rock music genre. Just by looking at the cover, it is clearly shown that this magazine is for rock music fans. This magazine is priced at £2.30 which is a reasonable price for this particular magazine, considering that a new issue is released on a weekly basis. So this magazine is affordable to people in most classes, whether they are students, in the working class or upper middle class etc, it is affordable for most people.

Representation – When looking at the representational features on the cover of this magazine, its is important that the person featured in the main image represents the target audience that the magazine is aimed at. in relation to this specific magazine cover, Julian Casablancas is someone who the target audience aspire to be like. He is representing himself in a positive way to the audience, making them purchase the magazine.