METAL HAMMER Contents Page Analysis

                        The font used for the title “contents” fits in very well with the rock genre. It has an edgy, unique look to it and looks as if it is written in blood as the font looks splattered and messy. This idea is supported by the red boarder that surrounds it and the fact that looks as it is dripping exaggerates this idea of blood. This font is also used for the titles on the other pages of the magazine to make it look consistent and give the same connotations throughout the magazine of danger and death. They have also used the same fonts for the names and subheadings on the contents page this makes it look coordinated and professional.

The magazine has three contents pages, this illustrates that they have a lot of information and news in their magazine and so they need to let everyone know what is where. The first page is about the main articles featuring in that edition of Metal Hammer. The main picture on there is of Metallica who also featured on the feature article photograph, this shows that they are the main article of the magazine and therefore it is important that people know what page they are featuring on. This idea is supported by the page number; it is white unlike the other page numbers that are in red and also has a bigger font size this shows that it is vital that everyone knows what page they are on as they are the main attraction. The only recognition that it is Metallica is the small sub heading of their name in the left hand corner this shows that they are popular enough not to have to make it obvious who they are by having their name in fancy big fonts. It could also show that the target audience are people who are interested in heavy rock music as other people may not recognise this band.

The first page also has three smaller photos of the main articles featuring in that edition, however these pictures are not of the artists they are screenshots of the pages. They may have done this to give a preview of what the page looks like so when looking for that article the reader knows what they are looking for. It also means that people picking it up in the shop may be more persuaded to buy it gives them a quick preview of what the main articles look like without having to flick through the magazine to find them. The page numbers attract the reader’s eye as they are in a harsh red boarder that looks like the shape of a bookmark so it looks visually effective and links it to a literacy aspect.

The overall layout of the contents pages look organised and are easy to read due to the text and pictures being separated into different columns and boxes. It gives the overall tone of the magazine a serious impression as it uses harsh colours such as black and red and there are no jokes or colloquial language like other rock magazines sometimes have. This shows that the target audience are for people of the older audience who are fans of the stereotypical heavy rock music. The pages also contain many images to keep it visually appealing and entertaining to the reader and this also breaks up the text. The important details on the contents pages are in red so that they stand out from the other plain colours use and to grab the reader’s attention. For example the page numbers are in red and also the names of the musicians featuring on there.

The next contents page contains the editors’ letter, where he promotes and briefly explains what is happening in this edition. This editors’ letter is a lot longer than other magazines so therefore gives the impression that a lot is going on in this month’s edition. He also promotes the bands who are featuring in the magazine by labelling their success such as “sold over a hundred million records” and “been around the world a few times”, this shows that the band is very popular and therefore sells it to the reader as this popular band is featuring in this magazine. It is also refers directly to the reader by using personal pronouns such as “you” and “you’re”.

Following on from this they also promote the IPAD edition of Metal Hammer, by again referring directly to the reader, for example “EXCLUSIVE METAL YOU WON’T FIND ANYWHERE ELSE” this promotes the virtual magazines status.  The sub heading “ON THE IPAD EDITION” also has a red border around it which connotes blood, this again ties in with the effect the contents title has as it looks blood dripping and being smudged, which conveys danger.

In conclusion the magazine appeals to the heavy rock fans as it creates a serious tone through the use of colours, pictures and house style used.

NME Contents Page Analysis

                The contents page has the similar layout to a newspaper, this is due to the columns that separate the text and photos giving it an organised and clutter free look. This idea is also supported by the font title “INSIDE THIS WEEK”, it uses parallel font to one which a newspaper would use. Because the text and photos are in columns and sections it means that the reader can easily see what is on each page; especially the main articles. This is made obvious to the reader which are the main articles from the giant red numbers which are also surrounded by a white box to emphasize their importance and so that they stand out from the page.

                The contents page uses lots of different colours to make it look eye catching which gives it a fun tone; there are also lots of pictures used to break up the text, so it does not look dull and boring. All of the pictures are straight and aligned apart from the Franz Ferdinand picture, this could suggest that as it is the only photo that is at a jaunty angle it is more important than the others as the band also feature on the feature article photograph. Due to the jaunty angle it catches your eye so therefore this very affective, as they don’t make it obvious.

                Instead of having sub headings for each main article featuring in the magazine, they have used sells instead, this gives the reader a short snippet of what the article is like and the tone of it, for example “”OPEN YOUR EYES: TURN THEM DOWN””. To us this does not make sense, so therefore it makes the reader want to find out what he means. The reader is also clear of who the article is about as it has a picture above each sell.

                They have used the same font for each of the sections in the columns apart from the article in the middle about David Bowie this could be to mix it up and it also could suggest that this article is important. Although they have used the same fonts for the other sections and have made a pattern of making the sell Bold and then normal and then Bold and so on. This gives the magazine a rhythm and a beat which relates back to music. It also ties in with the front cover where the lights used on the arrows used two different colours one after another as well.

                The mode of address is very informative as it strictly gives the information on what articles are in the magazine and on what page. This relates to the target audience of people who are rock fans as they don’t need all chatty conversation like mode of address.

                The main focus point of the contents page is the subscribe to NME advertisement, as it is the only section on the contents page that uses a bright red background (apart from the page numbers). It allows NME to promote their magazine and use up any negative space that would have been there.

                In conclusion it is clear to see that the target audience is people who are interested rock music and who are not bothered about a chatty mode of address. It is very informative and tells you all you need to know about what is featuring in the magazine.

KERRANG! Front Cover Analysis

                       Unlike other magazine front covers I have analysed Kerrang! not only has a feature article photograph (Sleeping with Sirens), it also has three other smaller images of other artists featuring in the magazine to try to persuade the reader to buy it. This could suggest that Kerrang! is not as serious as the other rock magazines and the artist they have featuring in the feature article photograph are not as well known as the other artists used on other magazines. By having other pictures on the front cover it makes the magazine look busy and loud, which ties in with the sound theme of this particular edition of Kerrang!.

The main theme of this edition of Kerrang! focuses on sound. One of the members from the band on the feature article photograph is holding a megaphone, not only does this give connotations of loud sounds it also ties in with their band name “Sleeping With Sirens” which creates comedy as well as irony. This shows that the band is fun and laid back which would appeal to a younger target audience. Following on from this the background contains yellow circles that contrast from the red base colour; this illustrates sound waves produced from the mega phone and again ties in with the theme of sound. Furthermore the masthead contains an exclamation mark to represent it being shouted out, as well as puffs such as “REVEALED!” and cover lines such as “HERE TO WAKE UP YOUR TOWN!” that contain exclamation marks to support the title and engage the reader. This punctuation used portrays that the band member is shouting them out from the mega phone, which is supported by his facial expression; this mise-en-scene gives the impression that he is shouting and also ties in with the rock genre. The facial expression of the other band members show that they are fun and entertaining as they are pulling faces, this shows that they are not as serious as the other rock bands and gives that edition of Kerrang! a comic tone.

The main focus point of the magazine is the member of” Sleeping With Sirens” who is holding a mega phone, this is not only because he is the only member who is holding a prop, his picture is also close up compared to his other band members. This portrays that he is more important than the others as they are standing behind him and due to the fact that he is leaning forward it gives the magazine an three dimensional illusion, which makes the idea that he is shouting out the plugs, puffs and cover lines more realistic. All the members of the band however are standing in front of the masthead to show their more important and it could also suggest that Kerrang! is a popular and well known brand not to have to show the entire masthead and make it the main focus point.

Overall the magazine is very busy and loud due to the bright colours used also and has a chatty mode of address from the many plugs and puffs used to grab the reader’s attention. The magazine also has a care free attitude which is shown through the cover line “HERE TO WAKE UP YOUR TOWN!” as it is a jaunty angle which gives it a laid back feel. Following on from this the plugs and puffs are scattered around the page on both flush left and right, which would draw in a younger audience as it makes it come across as loud and fun, it also mirrors the readers carefree attitude.

This loud and busy atmosphere created on the page is also shown through the typography. It uses a range of different fonts and font sizes for different plugs, puffs and cover lines. The colours used for the text are mostly yellow, black and red. However “GREEN DAY” is the only text that is in a different colour; green.  This ties in with the name of the band just like the megaphone does with Sleeping With Sirens and it also stands out from the page so people are aware that you can get a poster of the popular band so more people are likely to buy it. The text “Sleeping With Sirens” has a yellow border around it where the megaphone is, this links in with the sound waves used on the background and looks as if they have been shouted out due to the boarder having a shadow effect. However the letters that are not near the megaphone do not have the yellow border around them and gives the effect of the sound moving on through the words.  The cover line “HERE TO WAKE UP YOUR TOWN!” has also used the shadow effect to make it stand out from the busy page and has the same connotations as the text of “Sleeping With Sirens”.

                Due to the emphatic and busy look of this edition of Kerrang! , I would assume that the target audience is for younger people who are care free and laid back. This is shown through the choice of colours, typography and house style used; the house style comes across as friendly and personal, the cover line “HERE TO WAKE UP YOUR TOWN!” supports this idea.

METAL HAMMER Front Cover Analysis

                The feature article photograph involves the band Metallica; straight away your eyes are drawn to the large, energetic photograph of the main singer. The sell “WE’RE STILL BREAKING THE DOORS DOWN” is above the masthead and there are no other plugs or puffs apart from “THE HEAVY METAL BIBLE” to promote the magazine on the front cover. This makes the photo the main vocal point of the front cover and it gives the impression that having Metallica featuring in the magazine is enough to persuade the public to buy it. The photo of Metallica also hides some of the masthead, this shows that the brand “Metal Hammer” is well known and popular enough to not have to show the entire masthead. It could also suggest that Metallica are too important and successful to have their picture covered, this gives the photo a three dimensional effect and fits in with the live theme the front cover has.

                The colours used are mostly reds and blacks which are commonly used colours in music magazines and gives the connotation of danger. The bright, white colour of the cross draws attention to Metallica as he is standing next to it and it contrasts from the other dark colours they have used on the front cover. The eye catching bright white colour also lights up his face, to give the effect of his face glowing. This is ironic as white gives the connotation of purity and innocence; however his facial expression contradicts this. He appears to be screaming, this mise-en-scene gives the impression that he is half way through a song which again ties in with the live theme, it also fits in with the plug “WE’RE STILL BREAKING THE DOORS DOWN”, which gives quite a violent image and is therefore supported by his angry expression.

                This angry image conveyed from the feature article photograph and the plug, is also supported by his appearance and choice of clothing. He seems to have bullets around his waist in substitute for his belt; this suggests violence and danger again. As bullets are associated with death it fits in with the dark background that surrounds him. He is also wearing all black so it contrasts with the white cross and makes him stand out.

                The white cross not only draws attention to Metallica, it also ties in with the plug “THE HEAVY METAL BIBLE”, as a cross is religious symbol for Christianity. They have referred the magazine to a Bible which illustrates that it is the sacred book for heavy metal music; it also gives the impression that they consider their magazine to contain all the information people need on heavy metal and that they should read it religiously like people do with the Bible. A cross is also a current and fashionable symbol so is therefore keeping in trend.

                 The main theme of this edition of the Metal Hammer front cover portrays a live performance. There is smoke on the stage which is a very common special effect at concerts, this not only fits in extremely well with the theme but it also has connotations of danger and fire which closely associated words that relate back to rock music. This visual effect also illustrates that he is putting on an exceptional performance so therefore it is promoting the band in a positive light. Following on from this in the background you can see the crowd, they are holding out their arms to try to touch him this mise-en-scene shows that he is important and famous as people want to get closer. There are also lights in the background from people taking photos of the band, this gives the connotation that everyone wants to take photos and videos to record the memories as they are putting on a show for them. It also gives the reader a preview of what their film will be like, as the large red symbol in flush right is a sign for their new film. This creates an informative mode of address as they want to show the readers what their film will be like.

                 The masthead is bold and eye catching due to the dark red colour; it uses up a lot space and is very noticeable not just because of the size but also the uniqueness of the style. The “Metal” which is inside of the H is the only text that is at a jaunty angle compared to the other very straight blocky text, this makes it very recognisable and different to the other mastheads on other magazines.

                Similarly they have used the same typography for “Metallica” which evokes that Metallica are just as important as the Metal Hammer magazine is. However the sell and the plug are written in a different font to mix it up and show that these things are less important. The text and the sign which are both in red further underlines their importance as the colour stands out from the other dull colours used.

                The target audience for this cover are people who are interested in heavy rock music, I would assume that it is persuaded more towards the older generation as Metallica is an older rock band however because they are very well known it may also appeal to the younger generation. It would also appeal to fans of Metallica as only the fans would recognise the symbol used to promote their new movie. The house style is very vague as there is not a lot of text however it does come across as serious due to the sell “WE’RE BREAKING THE DOORS DOWN” which comes across as potent.

NME Front Cover Analysis

The feature article photograph for the magazine NME, involves the band ‘Franz Ferdinand’ this shows that they are the main topic for that edition of the magazine. All four members of the band are wearing sunglasses this suggests that they consider themselves as celebrities and gives an air of importance. It could also portray that they do not want to show their eyes as they are tired or hung over which ties in with the stereotypical ‘Rock Star’ lifestyle. This is exaggerated by the light shining through the group, the connotation of the image suggests paparazzi taking photos of them and this could be another reason as to why they are wearing sunglasses. This idea is supported by the cover line on the flush right that Franz Ferdinand is “BACK WITH A BANG”, which shows that this is their come back and paparazzi will want to capture them.

 Following on from the light behind them, the puffs used to promote the magazine “EXCLUSIVE TRACKS AND RARITIES” also have lights around them acting like boarder around the arrow. The lights used are ones that would be round a dressing room mirror; this again links with the celebrity theme. The member on the far left’s sunglasses further underlines the use of lighting to establish their comeback, as it reflects lights that are used on a photo shoot. This could evoke that everyone wants to take photos of them and the arrows pointing at the free CD emphasizes that this is their come back and they want people to listen to their music. The arrows have also been used to use up negative space the magazine would have had and is therefore successful.

The picture is taken at a low angle, so it looks like the band is looking down on the reader and again makes them look paramount; this illustrates that they are dominant individuals. All four members of the band are pulling straight faces this mise-en-scene indicates that they are serious about their craft and are not messing around. The member on the far rights hand action resembles a gun, this shows that they mean business, this idea is backed up by the plug “TAKE AIM” and cover line “BACK WITH A BANG” which instantly makes you think of a gun. This gives the magazines front page a serious tone and the mode of address is informative.

The masthead blends in with the rest of the front cover and does not particularly stand out on the page; this could be due to the fact that NME is a big known brand, so therefore the masthead does not need to be the main topic of the magazine. It is a very simple masthead but yet recognizable in the shops due to its harsh red colour.

The magazine has used identical fonts on the front cover, this typography creates a formal appearance and it makes it look organised. However although the fonts are the same, some texts are bolder than others; this means that they stand out and appear loud, some are also in a different colours to exaggerate their importance and to catch the readers eye.  All of the text is aligned to flush right on the page; this makes the feature article photograph the main vocal point of the cover. To promote the main article in the magazine they have used a sell; “MOST MUSIC MEANS NOTHING…” this is quite a controversial statement and makes the interview with the band sound interesting.

The target audience of the magazine is for people who are interested in the rock genre as NME is a well known rock magazine. The magazine could also attract audiences who enjoy Franz Ferdinand’s music, as they have not been in the public eye for some time and this will persuade fans to buy the magazine. The house style of the magazine is quite serious as they use plugs such as “BANG” and “TAKE AIM” both of these have explosive connotations and these energetic words could relate to the rock industry. However the use of the use of the bright arrows contradicts this serious look which is conveyed by the image, as the colours are quite fun and childish. This edition of the magazine may also appeal to the older generation as “Joy Division” is an old rock band, that only people from that generation will know or rock fans.