Preliminary Task

Preliminary Task Jamie Dear from jamiedear

Masthead Analysis

The use of colour in this mast head is quite an important factor. This is because the name of the magazine is in white and so the use of the red background makes the white text stand out more. This is why I will consider doing something like this because it not only adds colour and brightness to the masthead, but it also means that the masthead is bold and clear on the front cover. As well as this, like the previous masthead, this one is also thick and bold. This I feel is a suitable thing because again, it ensures that the audience can read it clearly and makes it stand out on the page. The use of the bright colour also makes the masthead eye catching and quite memorable which is why I will probably consider using a bright colour within my masthead; it keeps my masthead interesting and exciting. In addition to this, the mast head is also successful because it is three simple letters thus is one that is memorable and isn’t difficult to pronounce. This is something I want because not only does it make it easier to read thus suits my audience, but it also gives it more originality and uniqueness which is something I want in my title.

Like the NME masthead, this masthead also uses the colour red. This I feel is a successful element because it makes the text stand out and it also makes it eye catching – people are more drawn to it because it stands out on the page. Like the previous masthead, this again makes the masthead bold and clear which I feel is an important factor to consider. As well as this, the masthead is simply the letter ‘Q’. This is something I like because it is simple and to the point. It also makes the magazine memorable because the title is one that is easy to remember because it is just one letter. It is also easy to read and pronounce thus suits everyone – it isn’t confusing. One criticism however is that despite being a memorable title, it doesn’t really have any relevance to music therefore you wouldn’t normally associate the title with a music magazine – this is something I want to try and aim for however. Overall however, I do think that the one letter title does make it more unique and original and because this is something I want to achieve, I will still consider this when choosing my title.

In my opinion, this masthead is very bold and stands out on the front of a magazine. This is because it is black and because black is a versatile colour, it means that it can be put onto any background (apart from black) and it will still be visible and clear on the page. It also gives this very modern, classy and monochromatic look which makes the magazine look very modern and up to date. The lettering is also very thick and clear thus makes the mast head suitable because it stands out on the page and is readable. One criticism however, is that it looks quite dull and boring because there are no bright colours like red or blue. It is also very plain and simple however for my magazine, I would prefer a masthead that is eye catching and uses some sort of bright colour. However, when I looked at a variety of VIBE magazines, I found out that the colour changes depending on the issue. This I feel is a good thing because it keeps the masthead interesting and unique because it is constantly changing. Therefore, although the text and the size doesn’t change, the colour does thus attracts a variety of people. As well as this, the title can be associated with music which is something I want to try and aim for. This therefore makes the magazine more memorable because we associate VIBE with music thus is a suitable title, in my opinion.

Masthead Designs

Audience Research

Audience research from jamiedear

Initial audience mind map

Audience Profile

Artist Profile: Lady Gaga

Artist profile for gaga from jamiedear

Artist Profile: Sam Smith

Artist profile for sam smith from jamiedear

Artist Profile: Lacey Raye (My own artist)

Content Analysis of a Music Magazine

Front Cover Analysis:

The front cover clearly and explicitly shows the audience what the magazine is about and what the magazine's focus music genre is. The magazine itself is largely associated with alternative and indie music but the front cover specifically shows a grime punk band called Slaves. The front cover is also quite patronizing because Slaves - the two men who take up the majority of the magazine cover - are staring straight at you. Not only this but the text is similar in the way that it is patronizing because the phrase 'YOU'VE BEEN TOLD...' is quite forceful and strict. This also links into the suitable age range for the magazine because the fact it is quite patronizing and powerful suggests that it is probably not suitable for children. Throughout the magazine there are swear words which also suggest how the magazine is not suitable for young people. Therefore I would say that the front cover is successful in the way that it shows what type of music is featured in the magazine and what type of target audience it suits.

I would also say that the front cover is bright and vibrant because the use of the contrasting colours: red, white, black and yellow make the text and images pop and bold on the page. Also because the men are positioned across most of the page, it suggests how the magazine want that band to be the centre of attention. Because the band is so prominent on the page, when you first pick up the magazine, you are instantly drawn to them. Like the text, the men also emphasise the magazines music genre because they have tattoos and wear things that wouldn't normally be seen on, for example, a pop magazine.

Written around the magazine cover are names of numerous artists which are mentioned in the magazine but the main artist, Slaves, has been written largely across the centre of the magazine in red which not only makes the name bold and stand out, but it makes the magazines genre quite obvious and identifiable because you wouldn't have a grime punk band being centre of attention on a pop music magazine cover. Not only this but the fact that they have been written across the front cover in bold lettering suggests how they are of importance within the magazine. This is also shown by their two page spread article and their pictures throughout the magazine.

In this specific magazine, there are no giveaways like CD's or posters however when I was looking for a magazine to analyse, I found numerous other magazines which did include free CD's and posters for the buyer. I feel that they have added this additional 'something' to make the users want to buy the magazine more because it comes with a free gift - something we all like. Also the magazine encourages readers to purchase the magazine because around the cover numerous different artists have been written therefore showing the audience that the magazine mentions a variety of artists thus suits more than one type of audience therefore more people are inclined to buy the magazine.

Contents Page Analysis:

The contents of this magazine is clear and easy to read and decipher. It explicitly states what is written and what happens on each page, e.g.: Reviews, Things We Like etc. as well as giving the artist that each page talks about for example: on page 14 it focuses on the band 'Bring Me The Horizon'. Not only this but it also gives a column dedicated to the week's top features which include artists that have been interviewed or are rising in popularity quite significantly. Also, these artists which are featured are normally favourites for the week so they get quite a bit of magazine space.
There is also a 'Band List' in the contents page which lists all the artists mentioned in the magazine and the pages that they are featured in - these artists are written in alphabetical order and this is helpful because if you're looking for a specific artist, it is easy to find both in the list and in the magazine because it has been clearly marked and written.

Within the magazine there are 8 different adverts for things like alcohol, technology, gigs, next editions of the magazine and other magazines. These all suit the reader and target audience well because they are things that they would be interested in. There are also 16 advertisements for gigs and again, these are gigs that the target audience would be interested in and would enjoy because the bands/artists which are mentioned are all bands which suit the magazine genre as well as suiting the target audiences likes.

There are 12 pages dedicated to reviews in the magazine. There are reviews about albums, films and live performances and covers a variety of artists - these are all mentioned in the contents page.  They are rated out of 10 and this allows the reader to see what was popular and good and what wasn't so popular and good this week. Therefore much like the contents page, reviews are helpful and clear to understand.

Other than this, the rest of the magazine is dedicated to various other stories and editorials which are written in the contents page so it is easy to navigate around the magazine and find specific artists. The contents of the magazine is a mixture of stories, reviews, advertisements with the additional crossword at the back therefore covers all aspects thus is suitable for the target audience.  

Double Page Spread Analysis:

The double page spread I have chosen focuses on the band: Slaves. In this double page spread,  there are two large photos at the top of the page which are quite prominent on the page. One is of Isaac - a member of Slaves - crowd surfing topless at Glastonbury and the other is of Laurie - the other member of Slaves - with his hands in the air clapping. Both photos show a large crowd showing the great popularity of the band and both photos show how the audience are enjoying their performance, and how Slaves like to interact with the audience also. Because in one of the photos Isaac is topless and is crowd surfing, it suggests how the band is careless and fun. It also goes well with the music genre because you would normally consider crowd surfing to be done by a punk rock band, rather than a pop band.

The language used in this article is quite strong because there is a use of swear words suggesting again how it is not suitable for young children. It also suggests how the band doesn't care what they say and because this isn't a good moral message to send out, it suggests how young children again, are not suited to this type of music/musician. This is why I would say that the language used in this article, because it is quite heavy is only suitable for those who don't mind swearing and are young adults. Not only this but the article also uses quite complex words such as 'perilously' and 'auspicious' which are words that young children and teenagers may not understand. This suggests how the article is specifically targeted to those who understand complex language like young adults etc.

In my opinion, I don't think the band is trying to promote anything specifically but they want to be interviewed  because they believe that they're giving a message that makes people feel happy and is something people can relate to. Also I believe that the reason why they were interviewed was because of their fast rising popularity and because "They've invaded the Top 10 and shut down Glastonbury...", suggesting how this band is something that people want to hear and read about.

On the double page spread there is also a section which discusses the bands biggest moments for example, its debut singles and performances. However it also mentions at the end about their first big headline tour in the UK in November 2015 and their performance at Reading, suggesting how maybe they could have been promoting this tour and performance.

The article itself is rather positive because it talks quite considerably about the bands successes and achievements like their debut album 'Are You Satisfied?'. Personally I don't think that there is any point that the magazine is trying to make about this band because the article generally talks about the history of the members and how they became a band. It also talks about their live performances and how they are a "startling powerful live band" therefore suggesting how the magazine feel positively about the band.

Despite all the positives mentioned, the article also talks about people who dislike the band and  how people have dismissed them as "fucking appalling." Not only this but it talks about how the band thought that NME - the magazine - was "just trying to stir up shit" after the magazine made a comment about how the band sounded like Take That. This shows how despite the positives about the band, negatives are also mentioned; negatives which put the band in a negative light due to the swearing and the arguments that the band caused. Other than this however, I would say that the article is quite positive about the band and hopeful about the bands future. 

Analysis of music magazines (Front cover, contents page and double page spread)

This front cover connotes wealth and fame. This is because he is purposefully showing off his silver ring therefore the fact that he is making this obvious, shows that he is portraying to the reader that he is wealthy and successful. As well as this, the colours of the text are all quite bold and bright, and stand out on the page; it is eye catching. For example: the magazine uses red, blues and yellows. This links into how the text used is quite gangster. This is evident in the word ‘Swagger’ because this has been written in a cool and funky way that is suitable for the type of magazine; it is something the target audience will understand and like because it is in a graffiti style.

Also, the main focus image of the front cover is Usher who is suitable for this type of magazine because this magazine specifies in his music genre. As well as this, he also well-known and is well liked therefore, is a suitable model because people automatically relate the front image with the genre of the magazine. In this case, the genre of the magazine is clearly RnB and Hip Hop. Therefore, this is an effective front cover. In addition to this, the blue and the words used on the page like ‘sex’ and ‘swagger’ are more targeting the male audience thus you can automatically assume that this magazine is suitable for males as opposed to females.

This links into the repletion of the word ‘sex’ and this infers that the magazine is in a way, quite sexual and explicit. It also shows that the magazine was created to be read by people interested in sex. This is why I would imply that the target market is from 16-30. 

Like the previous magazine cover, the colours are very similar in the way that it makes the cover bright, bold and eye-catching. In this magazine cover especially, the collar of Kanye West’s jacket is the same colour as the masthead and secondary stories therefore this is effective because it links everything together and makes Kanye West stand out. Also as aforementioned, the blue connotes masculinity. As well as this, like Usher, he is a suitable model to use because he is popular and a successful artist; he is well-known. Also, he is someone that people idolise and is someone that is always in the press thus can be recognized by everyone. This is suitable because it makes recognizing the genre of the magazine, easier.

This links into the fact that he is looking straight at us. This makes us feel intimated and it is also quite patronizing. Also, it suggests authority and how in the music business, he is of quite importance and this links into the phrase which is seen on the front cover which is “I am rap” because again, this is connoting his fame and impact on this particular industry. In addition to this, the text and the phrases used on the front cover is also something that attracts the audience. This is because the word “secrets” connotes mystery which is something that attracts the audience because we are all nosey people; we want to know what is going on in everyone’s lives 24/7 because we love gossip. 

The main image on the front cover is a photo of two half naked men. Not only does this connote male dominance and superiority, but the fact that they look gangster automatically makes us as readers understand the genre of the magazine; this is hip hop. This links into the fact that their body is covered in tattoos because this relates well to their overall image and the type of music genre they do because it implies that they are quite rough and tough. Some would also say that the tattoos are quite attractive therefore you could say that there is a possible sex appeal with these artists. This links into the target market and how this magazine specifically targets males because the fact they wear chains and jewellery, infers wealth, fame and success which is what all males aspire for; these artists are almost idols.

In addition to this, the masthead has been written in diamonds which again connotes wealth and fame but the title ‘XXL’ also connotes sex and promiscuity as well as the bigger, the better which again, suits the target audience. 

Not only do they look ghetto but the background also looks quite ghetto which links to the music genre and the target audience.
The colours are also suitable because red, white and silver suggest wealth and fame. But the red also connotes both danger and sexual desires thus are suitable for this genre.

Finally, the words and text used such as ‘10^th Anniversary’ implies that the company is successful and have been around for a while. Therefore, by putting this on the front cover, it makes the reader more inclined to buy it because they know it is popular and it is going to be good. Also, the phrase ‘Survival of the fittest’ implies male dominance and superiority; that life is a competition. This again, suits the target audience because it is quite masculine and powerful. However, this is a genre I will not be further researching into because it is not something I am interested in nor does it suit my target audience; they will not like this genre.

I find the fact that this magazine contents page is in black and white quite appealing and eye catching. This is because it makes the red heart stand out and it makes the contents page quite emotive and strong. This connotes that Kanye is stealing women’s hearts – he is seen as some heart throb who women admire and desire. It also connotes that women want to love him and this connotes that Kanye has some sort of power. It connotes that women want Kanye because he is so wealthy and famous – it portrays him as a man who is idolised and loved by all. This links into what he is wearing because it looks rather formal and classy therefore this connotes that again, he is wealthy and is of importance in his industry. Also the fact that there is an article on fashion could imply that Kanye is almost some sort of fashion icon. Again, this implies that Kanye is an icon in both the music and fashion industry which connotes fame and wealth. In addition to this, the fact that Kanye is used instantly tells us what sort of music genre this magazine is going to be covering. This is because Kanye is a hip hop artist thus we know that this magazine is going to be about hip hop.

The way he is looking into the camera also connotes dominance and superiority. This is because he looks quite intimidating and strong thus connotes that he has power.

Like the previous magazine also, the text is quite alternative and funky. It suits the young and alternative audience because it is quite unique.

This is a magazine contents page I like because it is unique and appealing and looks rather modern too. This is because the main image on the page is of a woman lying down with her legs in the air. This connotes sex because it portrays her to be quite a sexual and playful woman. Therefore, this image not only appeals to women because she looks successful and powerful; something all women want to achieve, but it also appeals to men because she has been portrayed as a woman who is really sexy thus gives off this sex appeal. Also, the fact that she is wearing silver connotes wealth and power therefore to many; this could be found as quite attractive. Not only this, but the woman suits the stereotypical idea of what an attractive woman should be like. This is because she is slender and attractive and has long legs. Also, the way the text has been written on the page is quite alternative and clever. It suits the genre because like the genre, the contents page is funky and different; it’s eye catching. 

This contents page is rather colourful and unique. This is because Katy Perry is holding a big mushroom. The fact that she is holding the mushroom with one hand infers strength and again, connotes power and success. This links into why Katy Perry was used and how this connotes wealth and success because Katy is a well-known artist who is quite important and superior in the music industry. As well as this, like the previous magazines, Katy also allows us to see what music genre this magazine is. This is because Katy is a pop artist therefore we instantly know that this must be a pop magazine.

Not only this but what she is wearing is quite revealing and sexual; she is only wearing a small dress. This makes her look more attractive and sexually appealing because she is showing more skin. Therefore, not only does it connote that she is a successful and wealthy artist but it also connotes that she is a beautiful woman. This links into the colours and how the red connotes sex and lust and the silver connotes wealth and expensiveness.

Also, the magazine cover is rather colourful and bold for example what she is wearing is colourful like with the reds and silvers and the pink and blue text is also rather striking. This appeals to the target audience because it makes the contents page not boring; it makes it look fun and interesting.

The quote is also important because it connotes success and fame because it is implying that she worked her way to the top. It also connotes that Katy Perry is fierce and knows what she wants; she’s determined to get what she wants. This therefore, could show how Katy Perry is a role model thus this shows why she was used in this magazine contents page.

 Much like the other double page spreads, the fact that Nicki Minaj is quite prominent on the page emphasises her importance in the industry – it shows that the article is going to be about her. As well as this, what Nicki is wearing has a variety of connotations. For example, the fact that she is wearing a zebra print connotes her individuality and her uniqueness in the music industry because it is connoting that she isn’t like anyone else. Also, the fact that her ring says ‘icon’ connotes success and fame because it is showing how she is a significant part of the music industry. It also implies that she is well liked and this suggests how she is an inspiration. This links into the text on the page because the quote “I really toned down the sexual stuff. There was no need for me to do it” highlights the fact that she became a successful artist because of her music and not because of her looks. This again, links into how she is an icon and an inspiration because it is showing that artists become famous because of their music, not because of their body etc. The word “Gospel” also connotes religion which could show that Nicki is a religious person thus again, links into how she is a good role model.

In addition to this, the double page spread is also rather pink and girly. This connotes femininity and it also shows that she is somewhat similar to Barbie and this links into the fact that like Barbie, she is liked by all and is seen as an icon and a role model to girls across the world. 

 This double page spread features a full page image of Lana Del Rey and an article on her career on the opposite page. The fact that her photograph takes up an entire page connotes her success and importance in the industry and how she is well liked. As well as this, it also shows that the article is about her thus is a successful element. In regards to the image, the fact that she is holding her neck connotes promiscuity and sexual desire. This links into why she has her eyes closed and has an open mouth because this also connotes sex. It is also quite an emotive picture because it is quite dark. Both her make-up and the background are quite dark and the black and dark blue connotes depth and sadness which relates well to her music. As well as this, you can also see her red hair and the red connotes sex and love which links well into what she is doing because both connote quite sexual things.

Also, the little spotlights make the overall page quite mysterious and magical. They also connote hope and fame and it makes the overall page brighter thus makes the page quite mystical and emotive. 

In this double page spread, Alexandra Burke looks powerful and fierce. The way she is standing makes her look powerful and self-assured. Also, her silver dress is quite glamourous and classy and the fact that it is silver connotes wealth and success. You could also say that because the dress is quite short and revealing, it comes across as rather sexual. This has connotations of lust and promiscuity. The fact that her bum is on show connotes confidence and it gives off this sexual appeal.

Not only this, but the phrase “Why the X-Factor winner is living the dream” connotes success and fame. It is also quite matriarchal because it is showing that women are rising up and are on top thus connotes superiority and dominance. This links into why her image takes us basically the entire first page because it connotes importance and it also makes us realise what the magazine article is going to be about.

As well as this, the colours are all complimenting and so the pink and black go well with the white background. It makes them stand out and eye catching. Also, the fact that pink has been used connotes femininity and is also quite a girly colour. This could imply that although Alexandra Burke is a famous, important woman in the music industry, she is still a girl at heart. 

Typography Analysis