music magazine analysis
Post on 18-Jul-2015
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Approx. age range of audience 17-30
Gender of audience Mainly male
Genre(s) of music they like Alternative rock, punk
Examples of favourite bands/artists The Cure, Twin Atlantic, The Jam, Curtis
Harding, Green Day, Yak, Sundara Karma,
Years & Years, Purity Ring, Action
Bronson, Krill, Lxury, Spoon, Cat’s Eyes
Types of clothes they wear (include
examples)
Leather Jacket, tight jeans, converse
shoes, typically darker colours, casual
blazer
Types of jobs the audience might have Jobs within the ABC1 secotr as the
statistics show (73%)
Hobbies / interests Likes to stay involved with interactions
such as festivals or concerts
Price UK = £2.50 US= $8.50 ES=€3.90 CN=$6.99
Advertisers (mag) Austin Hotel, Morrisey concert tickets, NME awards (self promotion), Mann Friday,
Fopp (films), Twin Atlantic Concert Tickets, Fall Out Boys, Dead Crow (Beer),
Cash Concert, Sean Rowe, Young Kato, Young Fathers, Philips
Reader Interaction Crosswords
Promotions &
Competitions
Subscription from just £18.24. The readers saves up to 46%
Content Articles, reviews, advertisments, about new albums and artists, events
information; concerts, festivals, gigs, top album list
Demographic Mainly male, aged 17-30, working full time or full time studying, music fans who like
to be involved with interactions such as festivals or concerts
Geographic UK Wide ( based on gigs )
Language use Effect the language has
Use of quotes
In many articles we can see multiple uses of quotes from
the celebrities a given article is about. For example
“Something that I really noticed, once I had distance
from the band is that there was really no clear
successors or predecessors”. By the use of a quote, it
gives an impression that the celebrity ‘speaks’ to the
consumer by the use of the magazine, which draws the
consumers attention.
Persuasive tone
Throughout the magazine, there are signs of the editor
using persuasive language to emphasise the objects which
are visible in the article. For example, in one of the
articles we can see a phrase “Americas best rock band” or
“Americas best punk band, EVER”. By the use of this
language, the magazine makes the subject of the article
seem exclusive which creates a positive image in the
readers head.
Rhetorical question
“Are you sure?” and “Is everyone ready to go for it” are
good examples of rhetorical questions used in one of the
NME’s articles. By the use of a rhetorical question they
get the reader thinking about the topic, working out the
answer to the question which as a result makes the
article interactive. Moreover, rhetorical questions are
used to emphasise the topic in order for the consumer to
focus on the information mentioned in the article.
Power of three
In the article which I have looked at we can see a really
good example of using this technique to highlight a
particular word. “There can be power, there can be
dominance, there can be control” is where the power of
three has been used. By this, the phrase “There can be”
is repeated over and over again which makes the overall
sentence be encoded in the readers head. By the use of
this technique the information is remembered quicker, by
which the audience can easily associate these words with
the given article.
Feature Purpose Denotations Connotations
Links to
target
audience
Column GutterIn the article it has been
used in order to space out
the columns away from each
other which makes the page
layout very clear and neat
“The space between columns
of type”
We can see that between
the columns there is a
sufficient amount of
negative space which as a
result spreads the text
apart from each other.
This creates a neat layout
on the page, presenting
the information clearly.
By the use of a column
gutter the target audience
notices the text as easier
to read because the
columns do not merge with
each other. This allows
for easy, quick and error-
less reading making the
magazine enjoyable.
Negative SpaceThis is used in order to
balance the positive space
which in this case is the
text. By this the page
gains on volume making it
look clean.
“Negative space (or white
area) the area of page
without text, image or
other elements”
On this article we can see
a lot of negative space,
especially around the
text. The negative space
creates a border around
the outline of the page.
The negative space can
have both a positive and
negative effect on the
reader. If it is balanced,
it makes the page look
clean and organised
however if used too much
it causes the article to
be tedious
Drop CapThe purpose of using drop
cap in a magazine is to
attract the consumer to
the beginning of the
article in order for him
to acknowledge the article
and begin reading.
“A large initial letter at
the start of the text that
drops into the line or
lines of text below”
In this particular article
the drop cap use is not as
effective as the letter
used for it is very
simple. On the other hand,
it signifies where the
article starts.
The use of a drop cap in
the article shows the
audience where the
vulnerable information is
placed. Therefore this is
considered as a guide for
them, to show where to
begin reading from to gain
the best information
SubheadBy using the subhead on
the page it shows the
reader what content is
visible on the page, but
not in such a emphasised
tone as the headline.
“A smaller one-line
headline for a story”
The use of a subhead on
this page can be seen in
the top far right corner
of the magazine. When the
reader flicks through the
pages the subhead is the
first thing he sees which
introduces him to the
topic and the article on
the page.
By the subhead being a
simple phrase it only
shows the name of the
celebrity. As a result of
this, the reader will be
interested on what is said
about the celeb which will
lead him onto reading the
article.
Approx. age range of audience 30-40
Gender of audience Aimed mostly at male
Genre(s) of music they like Alternative/modern/classic music
Examples of favourite bands/artists Rihanna, Adele, Radiohead, Lady Gaga,
Cheryl Cole, Coldplay, Michael Jackson,
Beatles, Jay-Z
Types of clothes they wear (include
examples)
Modern stylisations
Following new trends
Role modelling celebrity styles
Types of jobs the audience might have 72% are ABC1 and have a high disposable
income
Hobbies / interests Alternative music, following trends / top
lists
Price
Promotional offer = £2.99 2 for £5 – This way the magazines are sold together at one price, as they are put in a pack
with
The barcode on the packaging. NOT TO BE SOLD SEPERATELY
Advertisers (mag) The new BMW i8, Asus Transformer book, Strongbow, Festival No6, Vodka, Albums, upcoming concerts
Reader Interaction
NO READER INTERACTION
Promotions & Competitions Two magazines sold together ( Q & Empire)
Content Reviews, festivals, articles, advertisements, events (concerts/tours), recommended retailers
Demographic
People that have an avid interest in music, young affluent and heavy consumers in music, 30-40 years old, interested in
alternative music
Geographic
UK Wide ( based on Gigs)
Language use Effect the language has
Emotive language
Throughout this article we can see a variety of ‘wow’ words which when reading, signify to us the importance of the information which they describe. On the other
hand, in this case I have come against many negative examples of the emotive language use. For example, in the article we can see words such as “death”, “satanic”, “devils”, “fear of his life” and “danger he faced”. A positive wow word which has been used in this article which to me was very effective was “erupted”. By the use of these emotive phrases the reader can easily imagine the atmosphere, and the feelings the
subjects of the article has had during the past events.
Formal language
Due to the fact that Q magazine is targeted at 30-40 years old audience, by the use of formal language they meet the requirements of the audience. This means that the audience when reading this magazine, feel as if they are reading something which
suits them, is mature enough and is value-for-money. This makes them feel valued by the magazine as the language that they use, is tailored to the audience. In
comparison, if the magazine was written using informal language, it could have been pretty hard for the audience to understand what the article is trying to convey across
to them.
Similes
“The satanic verses, as blasphemous to Islam” is a example of a simile used in one of the articles in Q magazine. The use of a simile, is to use a second object in order to
express the first object which as a result could be considered as a form of comparison. In my opinion the writer of this article has done this by purpose, as the use of a simile easily creates a image inside of the readers head as to the effect the
object/event had, allowing him to add flavour to the text.
Informative language
While reading the article I have come across many information about past events, exact dates or even life events of particular people. By this, the article conveys both
the history and the past of the subject of the article. The use of informative language in the article which I have read has been used intentionally as by this it allows the
reader to get familiar with the ‘celeb’ and fully understand their history, which links to the story which is mentioned in the article. This benefits the readers which are not
familiar with the subject of the article as they can gain sufficient information in order to understand this article.
Feature Purpose Denotations Connotations
Links to
target
audience
Facing
pages
The feature has been used
in order to show the
vulnerability of the
topic. By this it takes up
more space in comparison
to other articles.
Additionally it continues
the story over two pages
making it seem longer
“In a double-sided
document, the two pages
that appear as a spread
when the publication is
opened”
We can see that the image
takes over the complete
left page and a quarter of
the right page. The rest
of the free space is the
headline and article in
text format.
The use of facing pages
creates interest in the
audience as by this the
magazine makes them think
that the content is
vulnerable as it takes
over more space in
comparison to the rest of
articles
CVI
(image)
The purpose of using a
image which in this case
is the CVI is to attract
the audience visually.
“The prominent item on a
page usually a headline,
picture or graphic”
The image used presents
two famous celebrities in
a medium shot. By this the
image clearly presents to
the audience the
authorities in the image.
When the audience sees the
two celebrities which they
recognise, it would cause
them to be interested in
what the article is about
which will make them read
on.
Caption
(image)
Caption is used in order
to explain what is
happening in the
photograph stating the key
facts such as the date or
people in the photograph.
“An identification (title)
for an illustration,
usually a brief phrase.
The caption should also
support the other content”
In this article we can see
the caption being placed
in the bottom right corner
of the image, in a very
small font. It states the
people in the image and
the date
To the audience which may
not recognise those people
which are captured in the
image, the caption allows
them to read and
ackowledge who these
people are, to understand
the article
Headline
The purpose of having a
headline on a article page
is to introduce the
consumer of the magazine
to the topic the article
is about.
“The main title of the
article. Should be in
present or future tense to
add to urgency. Must fit
the space provided.”
The headline placed on top
of the left page of the
facing pages clearly
states the topic of the
article, making it clear
to the audience what the
article is about
This is the largest text
visible on the page and is
placed against a negative
space which as a result
stands out and is the
first thing the audience
sees. By this they know
the topic of the article
Approx. age range of audience 37
Gender of audience Male
Genre(s) of music they like Contemporary & classic music ; including
rock, folk, soul, country, reggae,
electronic
Examples of favourite bands/artists David Bowie, Bob Dylan, New Order, George
The Poet, The Who, Miles Davis
Types of clothes they wear (include
examples)
Leather jacket, tight jeans, converse
shoes
Types of jobs the audience might have Jobs within ABC sector as this will
provide them financially to purchase the
magazine
Hobbies / interests Music interest in contemporary and
classical music, likes to attend events
such as concerts/festivals, likes to be
informed and educated within the music
market
Price
UK £4.80 US $9.99 CAN $13.50 = Multinational
Advertisers (mag) Technics (music), Cargo Records (music), HMV, “Jimi” movie advert, Amazon, self promotion (subscription), Tour adverts
(Seasick Steve, The Black Keys, Nickelback), Magzene (magazine app), Yamaha (bikes), Motorcyclenews
Reader Interaction Crossword
Promotions & Competitions MCN ( win a Yamaha MT-09 tracer), Free CD
Content Articles, reviews, advertisements, music artists, events (concert/tours/festivals), recommended retailers
Demographic
Male (approx. Age=37), average income, time rich, obsessed with music
Geographic
UK wide (Gigs across the country)
Language use Effect the language has
Persuasive tone of text
Throughout whole of the article we can see that a persuasive tone of text has been used. By this technique, the subject which the article is about is rather
emphasised which makes the reader have a positive opinion. We can see the use of persuasive tone when the magazine speaks about the David Bowie songs,
saying “The 100 Greatest Bowie Songs”. This technique is widely used throughout magazines as by this they perceive a positive point of view.
Informal language
In comparison to the rest of the magazines which I have looked at, this particular example uses informal language. The use of informal language makes the
magazine more “down to earth” which as a result, makes the magazine better to understand by typical readers. Additionally, the use of informal language results in common phrases to be used. As a result of this, when the consumer reads the
magazine, it makes it seem as if he is having a friendly conversation with the magazine, making the magazine more consumer appealing.
Conjunctive verbs
In the article which I have chosen we can see a wide variety of conjunctive verbs being used. For example, a good example of conjunctive verbs are
“furthermore”, “however” or even “on the other hand”. By the use of conjunctive verbs in the article, the writer allows the text to flow as by this the
sentences are joined well together. This benefits the reader, as the text does not get tiring as much which makes the article more enjoyable for the audience to
read.
Repetition
“Become” is where the repetition has been used in the article. By this word being repeated over and over again in the article, it gets stuck in the readers head. By this technique the words has been underlined in the article. As a result of this
word being used in this article about David Bowie it underlines it’s image of being a celebrity. This is not such a visible technique, however by it being used in a very
clever way it appears only to us when reading.
Feature Purpose Denotations Connotations
Links to
target
audience
Pull quote
The purpose of containing a
pull quote in a article is
to pick out a important
piece of text and emphasise
it on order for the
consumer to notice it
separately from the
article. This adds
importance to a piece of
text or phrase.
“A brief phrase (not
necessarily an actual
quotation) from the body
text, enlarged and set off
from the text with rules, a
box, and/or a screen.”
On the right page of the
DPS we can see a red
background with black/white
text on it. By this the
quote which is pulled out
of the article is
emphasised and shown much
bigger for the audience to
notice.
This pull quote is grabbing
the audiences attention as
of the bright background.
This plays a role of a
attention grabber as by
reading so small about the
article the audience is
persuaded to read on.
Facing pages
In the article this feature
has been used in order to
show the vulnerability of
the topic. By this it takes
up more space in comparison
to other articles.
Additionally it continues
the story over two pages
making it seem longer
“In a double-sided
document, the two pages
that appear as a spread
when the publication is
opened”
In terms of both the images
and the text we can see
that they have been
continued over two pages.
The members of the band
have been spread out across
the pages as well as the
box with writing.
By having such a
composition spread onto two
pages it makes it seem more
as a poster. This increases
the attractiveness of the
page which makes it more
pleasing for the eye of the
customer.
WOB
The White On Black feature
is a good example of
positive/negative space use
as by this the text gains
on contrast. By the high
contrast the text is easily
visible making it trouble-
free to notice and read.
“White text on a black or
other coloured background”
All of the article text
which we can see on both of
the pages uses WOB. This
feature is not widely used
on other magazines
therefore this article
looks more unique
When the reader looks at
the page the white text on
the background attracts his
attention more than normal
black on white text. This
results in higher
consumption of the article
by the audience
FillerBy the use of a filler the
editor limits the negative
space, making the page more
interesting for the reader.
“Extra material used to
complete a column or page,
usually of little
importance”
On the double page spread
we can see a image of a
singer being placed between
the text or small images of
albums being positioned on
top of the negative space.
By the use of a filler the
audience will not see the
page as empty because even
if the content is not
interesting there is
something to look at. By
this the audience will not
see the magazine as boring.
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