Magazine Cover Analysis 3

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Listen Magazine.

This magazine shows a calmer style than the previous two, as it has very little happening on it's cover, suggesting a simpler atmosphere. The logo on the top of the magazine has a skinny, basic font with out a too decorative style. This could be seen as boring, but it supports the magazine's title, as little visual embellishment could get the message across that the reader should listen and concentrate on the music. The subtitle LIFE WITH CLASSICAL MUSIC shows that it is a classical magazine and use of the word "Life" suggests that the target audience are dedicated classical music listeners. These latter titles are all in yellow font, which makes them stand out from the covers monochrome theme. An unusual feature of this magazine is that it has only 4 subtitles of the magazines contents. However this is most likely to avoid the clutter usual covers have. This emphasises these titles, but could risk creating the misconception that the magazine has few articles.

There is only one image on this magazine cover, featuring in the foreground an elderly man in a suit, relaxing on a sofa and smoking a pipe. This could represent the magazines mature, relaxed sophistication respectively, giving an idea of the magazines style and contents. The man's age, combined with the black and white colours, suggest a highbrow traditional style. In the background of the image there is a grand piano. These instruments are often associated with a wealthy, higher class lifestyle, which could be reflective of the magazine's target audience. The entire cover gives a formal tone, from the short sentanced language used to the visual theme.

Magazine Cover Analysis 2

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Acoustic Magazine

This music magazine is about acoustic music and is therefore likely to have a safer and less aggressive tone than Kerrang. There is evidence of this from the logo, as it is in standard block capitals, possibly to give the a more mature appearance. However, the letters overlap each other horizontally, giving a more stylistic form to the text. This would suggest that the target audience are people with a similar style to the magazine, stylistic yet mature, which can appeal to all ages. The subtitle to the logo reads The UK's only dedicated acoustic guitar magazine. This informs the reader of the magazine's status and would appeal to people who take acoustic guitars seriously, as they have no other option. Both titles are in white, a colour which stands out well over a dark blue colour, helping the magazine to attract attention. Other titles which inform of different articles are titled in yellow. This colour is used to standout, making them easy to read on the blue background. It is also used as a stamplike logo informing us of a competition used to promote the magazine, so you can tell you have a chance of winning a prize just from the front cover. However, the prize does not say what exactly it is, just giving the brand name Washburn D10 SCE. A newcomer to acoustic music is unlikely to know whether this is an acoustic guitar, an amplifier or another object. This shows that experience with acoustic guitars is needed to understand the contents, suggesting the target audience must have some previous knowledge on acoustic guitars before reading.

The main image of the cover is of the musician Taj Mahal. His name is also written in white and is of a similar style to the magazine's logo. This not only causes his name to stand out to attract existing fans of his, but also keeps consistency within the cover's titles. From the man's image, it is possible to assume that he is a blues musician. Evidence of this includes how he is in blue, he has a white trilby, is holding an acoustic guitar and is wearing a suit and tie, all of which are associated with blues fashion. This also is supported by his African American ethnicity, a race which is credited for the rise of blues music. His formal clothing give the impression of sophistication, but his facial expression and colours of blue and yellow are vibrant and colourful, deviating him from the norm and giving a more exciting appearance. Overall, his appearance matches the aforementioned style of the magazine. The other man on the cover is another acoustic guitarist, who is in monochrome. This is to separate him from Taj Mahal's vibrance and to possibly emphasise that he is of a different style. His clothing also shows his differences, as he is dressed in a more casual way with an open jacket and an unshaven face. We can tell he is unlikely to be a blues muscian and more likely to be of a indie rock music background. His appearance on the cover would represent the magazine's diversity, showing that it is not just a blues magazine. The third image shows a single black combo amp. It's appearance is likely to represent the magazine's technical knowledge as it presents a contrast with the other two images. This increases the chances of someone reading the magazine because of the broad range of interests which are represented by these three images.

Magazine Cover Analysis 1

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Kerrang Magazine

Kerrang Magazine is a metal music magazine, as suggested by the onomatopœia title. The logo on the magazine has a smashed effect on it, which is a violent and loud image. From this logo alone, we can assume that the target audience are metal music fans, who are usually teenagers or young adults.

The majority of space in this magazine cover is of the band Avenged Sevenfold. This shows us that they are important and are likely to be the main focus of this issue. Their positioning gives us an idea of their status within the band, as the man who is in the middle is closer to the camera, suggesting to us that he is the front man. He also has a larger mass, which could symbolise being of a higher status than the other two members. The band's importance is also shown by how their picture is a layer over the Q Magazine logo, creating the illusion that they are breaking out of the magazine. The band's style is suggested by their costume, as they are all wearing black colours with silver chains and are holding pipes and chains in a threatening manner, associating themselves with violence. From just this, the audience can expect the band to be a dark metal band.

The text used compliments the band's style, saying Sex, Drugs, Violence, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, THE WORLDS MOST DANGEROUS BAND. The band's name is in large, Bold, Capital letters. This would by eye catching and immediately states who the band are. It is also likely to be the first thing the reader sees, as it is not only large but it is also easy to read because it is white text over a mostly black background, showing a contrast. The Sex, Drugs Violence title is in a font resembling handwriting, suggesting rawness, and the second subtitle is in Capital letters, emphasising the importance. Both subtitles are in yellow, which usually has negative connotations in the western world. However, in China it is the colour of the Emporer's robes, possibly making the band appear to be powerful. Yellow is also the colour of the magazine's header and footer, possibly showing that the other bands shown there are also powerful. There are other smaller images on the front cover, showing the other contents of the magazine. They are arranged in an angled, messy style, showing that the magazine is informal. The other bandnames on the subtitles are coloured in red, a colour associated with violence and power, keeping with the magazines theme. There is also a title saying FREE POSTER SPECIAL. This will attract attention, as the Free is in bold, giving reasons to buy the magazine.

The brief

I have decided to choose print for my AS Media coursework. This is because I believe it is important for me to add variation to my work, as it is likely I will make film for my coursework Film Studies. Choosing to create a magazine would be more advantageous and would lead to a wider portfolio, resulting in a larger range of experience and opportunities should I decide to work on magazines in future.