These magazine contents pages include similarities; they all include sections which show what is in the magazine. Each section is labelled with a different topic. This is easy access for the reader which means that the magazine is sectioned into different subjects. All the contents pages also include a main picture which is bigger than the other pictures (if there are any others). This shows that all these magazines have a main article which includes more information than the other bands in the smaller pictures. The main picture in the contents page probably what the magazine is based on and is made for. On the NME contents page it includes a bigger font which shows the reader what the main article is, the front cover of this magazine probably had arctic monkeys on the cover, therefore this shows the reader clearly what page it is on. The sections in the NME magazines are set to the side; this is to make room for the main image in the contents page which shows the reader what the magazine is primarily based on. Furthermore on the NME contents page they include a band index section, which is put to the side showing the reader what bands are being included in the magazine. I can see that MNE is the only magazine that includes this feature. In comparison Rock Sound includes images of the bands with the page number next to the picture. Allowing easy access for the reader, including the image and the name of the band in the picture. The theme throughout the contents pages are consistent also, both of the NME pages have a red and black colour scheme, while Kerrang sticks to a black and yellow theme. These colour schemes were chosen to suit the magazine, as all these are indie/ rock music based; doing so would then attract a particular audience they were working towards, using dark and colours that are linked to rock music were chosen.
Textual Analysis
In the Kerrang magazine the main image includes a competition opportunity, which is placed in the centre of the page to be focused on when first opening the magazine. This badge that says ‘win’ attracts the attention of the reader, meaning they are more likely to participate in the contest. The badge also gives the impression that the magazine is new and exclusive and that the competition is only available for a short period of time, giving an authentic look to the magazine. Furthermore on the Kerrang magazine it includes a personal message from someone in a band. Using the words ‘VIP’ and this ‘could be you’ gives the reader a sense of anticipation and draws them in. The subheadings used include sections such as ‘feedback’, ‘Reviews’ etc. the font used for these subheadings are distressed and the font is serif and makes the headings stand out against the other fonts. In comparison with Rock Sound Kerrangs use of the side headings are quite large in comparison as rock sounds contents page and the fonts used aren’t as eye catching. However Rock Sound attracts their readers by including pictures of bands instead which appeals to the fans of the bands.
Furthermore, Rock Sound doesn’t include any additional stories on their contents page and only includes pictures and what is actually in the magazine. Compared to the other magazine contents pages this may look quite bare as it doesn’t show what the main story is in the magazine. The magazine has also included red stars to give the contents page a creative feel, making it look less bare to the reader, the font used in this magazine is also distressed, making it look messy and reckless. Which again links to the theme of rock music, the images of the musicians shows that they conform to the stereotype of people who are in a rock band. The stars used on the bottom of the page are also messy and parts are missing again showing recklessness.
How this research influences my own work
Form these contents pages I can tell that I will need to include a theme and stick to it throughout my magazine. This can include main colours that match to the genre that I am using. I therefore can be inspired by these magazines to use those colours. I may also decide to use one picture or multiple pictures on my contents page. I feel like one main image would look more professional on my magazine as it shows the main article and it doesn’t look as cluttered if I had one picture instead of a lot of them. On my contents page I will include sections like on these magazines as it will section off the different topics the magazine will include. This would therefore make it easier for the reader to know what’s in it. I will use a bold font and I will put it in capital letters to make it clearer. My masthead will be placed at the top of the contents page to make an impact. I can see that the NME magazine has a picture of the band live which shows to the reader that they are on tour, I may try and recreate this image. Furthermore on the contents page I may include a cover line on it to elaborate the story from the front cover.
Front Page Cover Analysis
Masthead- In capital letters and in a bold font attracting the reader to the magazine. I can tell that the magazine is well known as Alex Turners head is partly covering the masthead showing the reader that it’s a well-known magazine. The font makes you instantly recognise the magazine brand. Furthermore the font is in red which is a bold colour
The ‘Puff’ that is made to look like a stamp that has been quickly stamped on the page to show that the magazine is new and exclusive.
Font here is bold and large, showing that the arctic monkey is the main story in the magazine, which attracts the fans of the band. The fact they quote as the selling line by the band shows that they are on tour which would then excite people to read it. Thinking they had inside information on the band
This large section of the cover includes the words such as ‘exclusive’ attract the reader as they know its new. Using the quotes from the bands included who’s that they may include a exclusive interview in the magazine.
Barcode shows that the magazine is for sale
Shows other musicians articles and what else is in the magazine but Is smaller but not as important as nirvana
Puff- shows that the magazine is new and exclusive. The puff is shaped as a paint splatter which shows the recklessness the magazine shows. That people who like rock are stereotyped to be messy and rebellious. This also appeals to the target audience as they will probably be teenagers reading the magazine who are stereotyped to be messy and 'out of control'.
They use the strategy of selling exclusive band merchandise such as the nirvana CD. This is a way to get more money out of the customers. As Nirvana is a very popular band and made more popular by the fact that Kurt Cobain killed himself.
Masthead- Font looks scratched out to give it a punk rock theme. It has a broken glass effect, which could be interpreted as the smashing of glass. This could be with a guitar which is the stereotype to how a band performs in concert when they smash objects with their guitars. Showing a rock and roll lifestyle which is what the magazine is trying to interpret. This masthead gives an edgy feel to the magazine. The use of just one main image shows that the magazine is primarily about one band –Nirvana.
Kerrang primarily uses 3-4 colours in their magazines. This usually includes yellow, red or blue.
In this edition it includes the colour yellow which is mainly used, luckily this colour also relates to the fact that Nirvanas logo includes the colour yellow. This can be associated with joy and happiness an energy which is also good for attracting attention.
Lana’s head covering the masthead, shows that it’s a popular magazine and people would know it’s still the rolling stones even if it wasn’t covered up. They do this in the magazine as they show a very popular artist at the time to attract readers. The magazine uses a close up of the artist on the cover as they are bolder and eye catching. Lana is looking directly into the camera and at the audience showing attracting the reader to read and buy the magazine.
Main cover line is again quite professional looking. It uses a good font to show the sophistication that Lana del Rey portrays. The lines underneath her name explain her as the person she is portrayed as in the media. Her songs reflect this image as they are quite sad and thoughtful.
Masthead- Bold, red with drop shadow. The term rolling stone reflects a carefree personality who is rebellious also. The artists they use in the magazine
Bigger cover lines mention musicians to attract fans with small descriptions underneath to clarify article. However these cover lines are smaller than some other magazines. This is to not take away the attention of the artist on the front cover. This layout can make it seem more organised and professional
Denotation
The cover of this magazine consists of a black and white picture of Lana Del Rey looking directly into the camera. The picture is full length and is cut off at her knees. She is leaning on a white brick wall next to what looks like green foliage and palm tree look alike plants. Behind the woman is the rolling stones masthead partly covered. Next to her are four separate cover lines in black and white. Her name is clearly shown in black and white in a larger font than the other cover lines furthermore this font also mirrors how she is perceived in the media. The font has a classic feel to it as she is also seen as a classy woman from the 50s. Underneath her name and cover line are red lines to separate the different topics mentioned on the magazine showing that they are each not relevant to the picture. The magazine is in black and white with the occasional red which stands out against the black and white; this also reflects the 1950s feel to her character. As films were only shot in black and white her magazines and album covers mirror this feel to them.
Front Cover analysis
Cover Lines
The main cover line, Lana del Rey inside story on the modern say icon, this can attract people as Lana Del Rey has an air of mystery about her and not many know much about her. The word ‘modern’ shows that she is a modern version of Marilyn Monroe who was also idolized and has the same look that Lana has. This shows that people see her as an ideal role model who is also beautiful and classic feel like Marilyn Monroe. The fact that the magazine also states the inside story which may show that Lana may not feel comfortable with the popularity and the character that she is perceived as in the media. In recent news she stated that she knows why Kurt Cobain chose to commit suicide because of his popularity.
Masthead
The masthead of this particular magazine is a very distinctive red colour with white outlines and a drop shadow, the red colouring shows links to the American culture as the popular brand coco cola also uses the font to link up the letters together. The term ‘rolling stone’ in used in many popular rock songs in their lyrics. The term rolling stone projects an image of individuality and mystery, this reflects on the magazine also giving it an edgy look. The band the rolling stones are also a well-known classic band who were idolized by many, this shows that this is a music magazine. Furthermore the title is partly covered by the woman’s head which isn’t a problem for the magazine as it shows that rolling stone is a very well-known brand that has been around for years and the whole masthead doesn’t need to be shown for people to know what magazine it is.
Character
The cover photo is of the well-known modern day icon Lana Del Rey. This picture reflects how her fans see her. She is perceived as a musician who has the look of a woman from the 50s which also reflects the sound of her music.
Costume
Her clothing looks like a cream swimsuit that has a vintage Hollywood look to it, the clothing reflects upon the look of the magazine as it looks like she might be by a beach. Her clothing is similar to the clothes she would wear whilst advertising for her album, the colours on her ultraviolence album are the same which provides a black and white filter.
NVC
Her nonverbal communication shows a relaxed but also seductive look, the way in which both arms are near her head which shows that her body language is more seductive and showing off her body curves and her legs. This also makes her look more comfortable in the picture.
Lighting
The lighting shows that the picture is meant to be in the daytime as her shadow reflects on the white wall. This again is another sign that she is posed by the beach. The bright lighting from the white wall shows that the weather is portrayed as really sunny weather.
Setting
There isn’t a sign of a clear setting in the picture but the white bricked wall reflects a beach feel. And the plants next to her look like palm trees which reflect the sunny beach feel in the picture.
Double Page Spread Comparison
The double page spreads have some similarities and differences. The photography in the first picture is a medium long shot and the lead singer is looking directly at the camera. However in the second picture it is a group photo where the band members are staring directly at the camera. The lighting on the first picture is quite bright and clear looking so you can see the artist clearly. This is different compared to the ‘Vaccines’ magazine as the picture is quite dull and old time looking and doesn’t show clearly if the lighting is bright or not. This creates the feel that the band has a vintage old time retro look. The picture is very large and takes up most of the second page as well as it first leaving little room for text. The picture of the foals gives the main singer a creepy look as he is holding bones in his hands in the shape of a cross in both hands. Including this on the double page spread indicates that the band is quite mysterious which reflects in their music which is very alternative music that’s a bit weird at times the bones is a continued them throughout the magazine as they are all holding bones. Furthermore the props on the double page spreads are very different as the Vaccines are holding guitars whereas the Foals are holding bones which make the reader think what it symbolises. It shows that the vaccines are an actual band with instruments. They are also all doing the stereotypical band pose by all looking directly at the camera and standing close together.
The name of the band and where it’s placed in different in each double page spread, in The Foals magazine the name is too the side and covering up the artist which is more clear to me who the band is. This is compared to the Vaccines magazine which is a bit smaller than he foals magazine with a bolder font that is more classic. The Foals magazine has a more modern font with the drop back shadow. The stand first which is the introductory paragraph shows that the band is growing gradually more popular as it talks about how they’ve been a band for under a year. This draws attention for the reader as they would they be convinced that the band must be good as it would be what they first read after the headline. Using a different colour for the names of significant people highlights them to the reader and shows that the particular person is important. This is done in both magazines as in the Vaccines the font is black and important people are highlighted in blue. This is done in the Foals magazine as well. Next to the font are various shapes and lines which are made to look like tape which shows that the magazine is made to look messy and used, which reflects on the type of music they are writing about.
Stand first
The stand first which is the small bit of text underneath the masthead is a summary of what the article is going to include, small bit of information about the band. The stand first in the foals article is in a blue font, which is changed to black to highlight the name of the specific person in the band. This shows the reader clearly who that is; the different colours also give the magazine a more vibrant feel to it. In this stand first it indicates that the band is talking about filming a new video which shows clearly what the article is going to include. This is also new information to the audience as it shows that a new song is coming out which is new and exclusive for the audience. The stand first also includes the line ‘don’t ask them about the lyrics though’ which makes the reader want to read on about what the line meant, this also shows the reader that the article is probably going to be a interview with the band instead of an article talking about them.
Like in the first stand first the one magazine with The Vaccines also has a name of someone highlighted a different colour than the rest of the article? Both double page spreads use the same theme with the blue colour on some bits of the article and the rest of the text black, this emphasises the vintage effect of the article and the image. The stand first includes that they are the most talked about band, this shows the reader their success and how famous the band is.
Columns/amount if text
The magazine based on Foals has very little text as there are five pictures on the double page spread which takes up most of the space on the page. There is only one column of text which shows that the information is quite brief and simple, this would keep the audience interested as they can see there isn’t a lot of text to read and there are more images to look at instead. The sort of language used appeals more to adults and teenagers rather than children which reflect in their music as well which appeals to teenagers and adults as they create quite dark music. Another element is the stamp on the top corner says 2013 biggest albums which show that the interview is big and exclusive and it’s the real deal. Furthermore the fact that thee stamp is red against a white background really brings out the font as well as the rest of the article which is very clear to read.
On The Vaccines magazine it includes two columns of text which talk about the successes of the band, however the picture takes up most of the magazine which is done to attract the audience’s attention instead of a lot of text on the double page spread, which makes the reader want to continue and read on.
Pull Quote
The pull quote which is the small portion of text underneath the masthead this is used normal to explain what the article is going to be based on and what it’s going to include. The pull quote in the Vaccines magazine shows that the article is just going to be about them and not an interview. Whereas in the Foals magazine the pull quote shows that the magazine article is going to be an interview with questions for the lead singer Yannis Philippakis.
Analysis of Bands/Singers
The general type of music that I listen to is mostly psychedelic rock and alternative rock, this music gives a peaceful feel to the music. This type of music was created to make you feel like you’re on drugs on to enjoy whilst taking them. I listen to musicians such as
Lana Del Rey
Her genre of music is very calm sounding and cinematic, her real name which is Elizabeth Grant reflects how her recording producers create a character for her to be like. In her music videos she is normally wearing flowing dresses that draft in the wind behind her which could symbolize her free spirit. While also being in deserted beautiful places, which gives the feel that she is quite alternative and a gives an edgy feel to her music and her videos. Her music makes me feel as if I am in a state of nirvana like I’m in a trance whilst listening. In her music videos she also sometimes smoking a cigarrete which again reflects the edgy feel she is known for. Her hair also looks the same in her pictures and videos, her hair looks perfect, which shows an oxymoron as in her videos she is sometimes smoking or doing drugs and not filmed in a perfect setting. This also gives her the 50s feel that her producers want her to be like, the fact that she is in the genre of psychedelic rock and alternative she appears to not be happy and subsequently hardly ever smiles which reflect upon the lyrics of her song.
Arctic Monkeys
The arctic monkeys the band has a genre of music that is very alterative and like Lana Del Rey’s music it has many metaphors within the lyrics. Their songs have many hidden meanings in them which sometimes people can’t understand at first. This gives their songs a poetic feel to them, Alex Turner normally wears circled glasses and hair that is styled in a quiff. He Is pictured as if he is a 70s gangster, his clothes are also quite old fashioned, he would wear leather jackets and Hawaiian shirts with leather trousers. Which shows also that he is alternative is perceived as dangerous and mysterious. This makes him seem edgy and almost unapproachable, this also seems to make him look like he knows that he is good at singing, and also makes him look like he knows he is good looking. Important aspects of his music video like in ‘snap out of it’ a woman is obsessing over him which shows that he knows that women would be attracted to him. Which is like the gangsters from the 70s, who may not have treated people with respect and therefore he may think he is above other people.
Catfish and the bottlemen
Catfish and the bottlemen (CATB) are a British rock band with six members who’s genre are generally alternative rock. A main pattern in their music videos are that all band members are included, wearing normal everyday clothes and sometimes the main singer Van Mcann is playing the guitar as if they are performing live in concert. This makes the band seem ordinary and relatable. However on the other hand in the videos they are sometimes seen hanging with the wrong people and for example doing drugs and drinking. Which can also reflect on one of their videos when they are performing and the video includes a filter which gives the feeling that the viewer or that the band themselves are maybe high.
