Magazine Analysis 3

My Genre

House/Dance/Club music

I chose this genre of music because it has a lot of variations within the title of dance, for example; drum and bass, dubstep, trance and house can all be promoted together. Dance music using synthesized and computer generated sounds originate from the 1970s, with the most famous first fully synthesized song being Donna Summers 'I feel love'. The electronic tones, and the techniques used to create them, such as looping and sampling, have continued to be used in electro and, especially, house music.

Donna Summer - I feel love (live)

Dance music has evolved over the decades, with trance/drum and bass/rave becoming most noticeably popular since the 1990s.  
Below is a playlist showing a range of songs that fit my genre, and an example of a song in this genre you can listen to. 

Rusko - Everyday (Netsky remix) 

Iconography:

The general stereotype for lovers of this music, and the artists within the genre, is a love of partying. Going out and having a good time is top priority, and alcohol takes a lead role in making every night a night to remember. Drugs are also conventionally associated with this genre due to the rave revolution in the 1990's which saw a massive rise in the UK's consumption of drugs among youth. Clothing wise, there are no specific generalisations other than casual and well-known brands, and there are also no typical hair or make up styles specified to this genre. Music videos commonly display montages of large crowds at concerts and festivals, and the DJ getting just as into it at the fans. 

Example Artists:

Tara Pilkington's Slidely by Slidely Slideshow

My Target Audience

My target audience consists of both men and women, the majority being in the age bracket of 16-30. Although the music within this magazine is typically found in clubbing environment, many 16+ youths will be fans of this genre, therefore there needs must be met as well.

According to channel 4's youth research website 'UK Tribes', the segments of youth society that would fit my target audience are chavers, with some attributes which are similar to the aspirant section, due to a shared interest in social networks such as instagram. 

Chavers are associated with bass music, hedonism, and an undivided love for the weekend. Alcohol and casual drugs are connoted with chavers due to the events that they are commonly known to attend, and the 90s origination of drum and bass/house music which proved the use of these substances very popular. Global gathering, creamfeilds, innovation in the sun, and one nation are well known events that the majority of the target audience would hope to attend.

Most chavers use the social networking sites instagram and twitter, along with music based apps/websites, such as soundcloud. These are similar to the networks that are favoured by aspirant youths, who are considered wealthier and have the money to go to the big events that chavers enjoy. 

Some other brands commonly favoured by chavers: 

UK Tribes Chavers video:





Target Audience Video

Pictures of my example target audience

Target Audience Questionnaire

My target audience questionnaire will be distributed to 20 young people within the age range of 15-30. I aim to collect results from the questions which will inform me on what is required by my target readers, and how I can create a magazine which fulfills their needs and expectations. the content of my magazine will be influenced by the results because I will be able to find out what topics are considered the most interesting. the questions were formed in order to collect information that I would find relevant and useful during the construction of the magazine; without this key stage, I may include irrelevant content or design a layout which is unfavoured by my target audience. 

1. How old are you? 

2. What is your favourite genre of music? 

3. Who are your favourite artists within that genre? 

4. Which shops do you most frequently shop in? 

5. Do you do a lot of online shopping? 

6. Do you use social media sites? (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram)

7. Do you attend many gigs and/or concerts? 

8. How do you enjoy spending your free time?

9. What is your favourite radio station?

10. How would you describe your typical night out? 

Original Photographs

These are the first set of photographs I took. Although some were intended to be used on my front cover, I eventually took better ones and used these for my contents page and double page spread. 

Possible Magazine Titles

I have chosen to create a magazine with a house/dance genre and therefore I need to choose a title which fits the music type and suits the target audience. I created a mind map of my initial ideas and then chose the 6 which I liked the most and thought would suit the magazine best.

My original ideas:

My options:

(Dance Music Central) I feel this would be appropriate for my music magazine because the initials make it a catchy name, and the full title is simply summarising the fact that this magazine would provide information on all good house/dance music. 



This is obviously appropriate for the magazine genre, and I like it because it lets a reader know immediately the type of music the magazine is promoting, and it's short so therefore more memorable. 



This word is musically related and I like it for my magazine title because it immediately implies to the reader that the magazine has a musical theme. 



I feel spin would be a good title for my magazine because house/dance music is played by DJs who use decks, therefore it applies to the method of playing this genre of music.



This magazine would be a mixture of all types of house/dance music and therefore this name reflects that there is a variety of styles within the magazine, and it is not restricted to one style within the genre. 




House/dance music is commonly favoured in clubs and at gigs (locations where strobe lights may be used) therefore this name reflects an aspect of life that many dance music fans may lead. 



Feedback:

Lucy, 16 - " I like the name DMC best because its short and therefore will be easier to remember."

James, 16 - " I think that the name House is good but maybe a bit too basic, because although thats what your magazine is focused on, it's a bit obvious."

Charlotte, 16 - " DMC is my favourite out of these because it summarises what the magazine is about, while still only having a short name by using the initials. The shorter the name is the easier it is to remember."

Harry, 17 - " I like the name Strobe and House because they are simple, and would instantly make me think of this genre of music."

Natalie, 22 - " I like DMC because other names like decibel and strobe just don't sound catchy, whereas the three letter initials make it easily identifiable, and because they are easy to pronounce together, it's catchier and more memorable."

Danni, 21 - " I think that Spin and DMC are the best names in this selection due to the fact that spin is very well connected to the physical act of how this genre of music is played, and DMC is able to have a longer name which fully represents what's within the magazine, yet it has a short, snappy title."

Becca, 17 - " I prefer the name House because it sounds cool and I can quickly identify which genre of music the magazine is promoting."

Ellie, 17 - " My favourite from this list is DMC and my least favourite is Fusion. Fusion sounds a bit cheesy to me." 

Emma, 19 - " Personally I like both House and DMC, but if I had to choose one it would probably be DMC just because I know that I could remember that easily, and  like how it has an extended name as well."

Kirsty, 20 - " I think Spin is the best name because I don't know any magazines with a name similar to that, and it instantly makes me think of DJ's and therefore dance music."

Magazine Analysis Mixmag

Mixmag Magazine

THE COVER:

1) The title: why is it called that? What does the title connote?

The masthead of this magazine is mixmag which connotes that there is a variety of music inside, and also relates to the fact that it is mainly a dance music magazine, and contains a lot of dance mixes. By initially interesting the reader with the word mix, an impression is given that it has a range of articles to appeal to everyone, encouraging people to purchase it. 

2) The masthead/title logo – analyse it.

The masthead is all lower case implying an informality in the content within; this may appeal to the younger readers which make up the majority of their target audience of 18-30 year olds. This lower case also contrasts to the rest of the writing on the front cover which is mainly written in upper case. It is significantly larger than the other text on the page to ensure that it draws the eye, and the use of white against the grey means that it is clear and easy to read. The dot on the 'i' in mixmag is altered to be more interesting and provide a recognizable feature to the font which may assist the creation of a brand identity. The title is on a layer behind the main image so that it even though it is still eye catching and clear to read, it doesn't distract from the main focus of the page.

3) Is there a strapline? Analyse it.

The strapline for this issue: ‘You wanna talk about the music..? Nina Kraviz. Let’s talk about the music.’ The main purpose of a strapline is to intrigue the reader and encourage them to buy the magazine and read the article. This strapline introduces the main theme of the article, which would obviously be music because it's a music magazine, but this demonstrates that it is a focused article with clear intentions to not stray from the subject into more gossipy topics. The question and answer concept in this strapline gives it some attitude and personality; its more interesting to read a strapline in this format rather than simply reading a statement to summarize an article. The use of informal language links to the informality of the masthead and also removes some of the distance between the reader and the article because it becomes more relatable and personal.

4) What is the main image? Analyse the facial expression, direction of gaze, body language, 

clothing etc. How does this reach out toward the ideal reader identified above?

The main image is a medium shot of Nina Kraviz with a plain grey background. Her facial expression is alluring and interesting because she is doing a mixture of a smiling face and straight face; this makes you question what she is thinking about and therefore creates intrigue. Her direction of gaze is straight into the camera which helps to connect with the reader and make them feel more involved, as if the main image and article are targeted directly at you. Her body language displays confidence and strength, and with the military salute, also conducts respect for her and makes the reader feel as if she is in control. The position of her hand on her face also frames her eyes and enhances the effect of her looking straight into the camera. The military position also links to her clothing as she is wearing shoulder pads with embellishment which imitates a soldiers uniform. Her outfit looks appropriate for a night out due to the bodycon dress and the metallic effect of the fringing; these elements assist in complying with the house style and theme of the magazine. 

5) What others images appear on the front cover – why?

No other images were put on the front cover to keep attention directed to the main article, and not over crowd the page with images that would ruin its simplicity.

6) What content is promoted by the cover lines?

‘The best underground student nights’ – This is promoting specific events that have had positive reactions in the underground scene. To interest a certain group of people they have focused on students nights; this attracts students (who are known for having a high priority for nightlife) to buy and read the magazine, but also attracts other people who are not students, yet are interested in knowing about the best underground nights.

‘Leaf festival hits London’ – This is promoting an event which is soon to come to London. The terminology used such as 'hits' makes it seem as if many people have been waiting for this event, and that it is something that shouldn't be missed. This will attract residents in and around London, and also festival enthusiasts who would enjoy the experience. 

‘The second coming of DJ EZ’ – DJ EZ is a well known artist and therefore having an article involving him encourages any fans of his to read the magazine. By announcing his second coming, the reader is influenced to believe that his return to the music scene is going to include songs which are better than before, interesting both his fans and any dance music lovers. 

‘DJ ETIQUETTE how not to start a beef in the booth’ – This promotes what life in like for DJs when they are in the booth, and how they can avoid starting trouble with other DJs with a list of do's and don'ts. The main text is upper case and a different colour, and then a small explanation of the article is beneath. The language used in this short cover line is very contrasting because 'etiquette' is a formal term used for appropriate behavior, and then 'beef' is an informal term used mainly by youth to connote an argument or disagreement. 

‘How disco beat the EDL’ – This promotes in what ways disco music defeated some issues with the EDL. This article explores some political aspect of music and how it has changed and developed over time. The onomatopoeia used with 'beat' creates an image of a physical fight and conquering of EDL; subsequently this adds interest and helps persuade the reader to purchase the magazine. 

7) Explain the connotations of typefaces (fonts), graphics, colours etc.

 The graphics on the front cover are all clear to read due to the black outline, and they are straight to the point, indicating that this will continue inside. Pink is used on parts of text to indicate the most important words, and although this would usually be associated with a female market, the very light shade of pink paired with the greys, blacks and whites, create a more youthful and edgy aesthetic, rather than girly.  The writing is done in a plain, mainly upper case,  sans serif font to make it clear to read and different to other magazines on the market. The simplicity of the typefaces, graphics and fonts indicate that they writing does not require additional embellishment to create interest, because the articles have enough substance in themselves to encourage you to read them.

8) What sort of language/ language features/ language devices/ can you identify? How does the cover ‘talk’ to the reader?

The strapline about the main feature of this issue uses a question and response to add interest and encourage the reader to respond to the question 'You wanna talk about the music..?', personally connecting with the reader. The concise cover lines provide quick explanations or interesting points about the main articles, preventing the reader from understanding too much about the article, and therefore not bothering to purchase the magazine and read the full piece. Another language device used is alliteration in 'beef in the booth', which simply makes the statement more memorable and interesting to read. Informal terms such as 'wanna' and 'beef' relate to a younger audience because they feel familiar with this language and therefore believe that the magazine has relevance to them. Words such as 'hits' and 'beats' enhances the impact of the coverline upon the reader, and is more effective in creating interest than using a more conventional alternative, for example, writing 'Leaf festival hits London' is more persuasive than writing 'Leaf festival comes to London'. 

9) Does the cover look similar to other magazines? If so why? What does this magazine offer which rivals don’t (ie what is its USP)?

 

This magazine has elements which are similar to other magazines such as its simplicity and medium shot of an artist as the main image, but the informal language paired with the specifically targeted articles (such as 'The best underground student nights') provide a unique selling point, and form a strong brand identity. It also has a short slogan which other magazines do not have, and this creates another original element that can be easily associated with the magazine, making it more memorable: 'THE WORLDS BIGGEST DANCE MUSIC AND CLUBBING MAGAZINE'. It also has a cool, young, edgy aesthetic which other music magazines may not have due to the age of the magazine itself, the genre of music they are promoting, or the age of the target audience.

10) Is there anything else distinctive about the cover/format? (eg size)

The masthead and strapline are significantly larger than the coverlines, making them stand out and illustrating their importance. All of the coverlines and the strapline have a dark box around them to enhance the contrast between the writing and the background, subsequently making it more eye catching and easier to read. The coverlines are aligned against which ever side of the page they are on, this balances out the page and makes it more aesthetically pleasing because the coverlines line up, and prevent a messy, unorganised appearance. 

THE INSIDE:

1) How many pages are there?

There are 60 pages in total.

2) How many pages of adverts?

25 pages out of 60 are advertisments.

3) Categorise the products advertised into types.

CD's/Downloads, Concert tickets, Young fashion, Technology, Drinks

4) Make a list of the features/articles topics in the magazine..

Music, Young fashion, Lifestyle, Youth, Clubbing industry and Events.

5) Categorises the features/articles into types.

The editorials in this magazine include articles under the category of interviews; Nina Kraviz, Sub Focus, Betoko and Mat Zo are interviewed and this takes up a large portion of the magazine. The interview with Nina Kraviz has 4 double page spread and is the main feature of this issue. Another large percentage of the magazine is used to review different products, both music and fashion related in order to advise the readers on what is best to buy. Musical reviews on new products such as DJ mixing desks and headphones/speakers are reviewed 

 because they are almost certain to interest the reader. Some fashion reviews include an article about a new brand of high end shoes; music and fashion usually relate to each other and therefore fashion features would be very popular in music based magazines. Upcoming concerts/festivals/fashion shows are in this issue of mixmag and can be categorised under events articles.

6) How many double page spreads are there? What are they about?

In total there are 35 double page spreads which means that the majority of articles are double page spreads. 

1. There are interviews with a range of young people, asking them about their lives and their favourite places to relax and hang out. 

2. The best places to go out clubbing in the previous month. 

3. Matt Zo interview. 

4 - 8. Nina Kraviz interview

9. How to become a successful DJ

10. Black Magic interview

11 - 13. DJ Interviews

14. Student survival guide

15. Interview

16 -19. Autumn fashion trends

20 - 27. Current music

28. The UK's best festivals 

29. UK directory

7) Are there any ‘advertorials’ where it is not clear if something is an article or an advert, or a mixture of both?

There is an advert which is promoting the same topics and using the same colour schemes as an article which makes it difficult to differentiate between the two. It has more information on it than a usual advertisement, therefore it's an advertorial.

8) How does the magazine achieve a unified ‘house style’? Think about language and mode of address, colour schemes, graphical elements, etc.

The house style is consistent throughout because of the informal, youth appropriate language used, which appeals to their target audience. Dark, block colours are used, and graphical elements that emulate the colours and lighting that would be evident on a night out clubbing are used frequently; this helps emphasis the genre of music this magazine is promoting. Clear, unpixelated images are used, usually with a squared or rectangular shape, this is another element which creates a solid house style. 

9) Why is this house style appropriate to the target audience? What assumptions does it imply about the TA?

The design and graphics are very contemporary, and the pages have a simple, clear layout which would appeal to a younger market. Other magazines that may appeal to an older market or a contrasting music genre may go for a more crowded, 'homely' feel to the layout and design, but this magazine is created to reflect nightlife and partying. The assumptions made are that the reader enjoys listening to dance music, going out to clubs, and takes an interest in fashion are obvious due to the topics of articles, and the images/design elements in place.

Research Mind Map

Magazine Analysis NME

NME Magazine

THE COVER

1) The title: why is it called that? What does the title connote?

The masthead of this magazine is 'NME' which stands for new music express; this is because it is famously known for promoting and giving exposure to new upcoming artists who may not otherwise get promotion. This magazine has a target audience of 15-30 year olds, and this age group is associated with an interest in new music, therefore the masthead is relevant to who they are aiming at.

2) The masthead/title logo – analyse it.

The title being only three letters long makes it easier to remember, and saves space on the cover which would be taken up by the full name. It is written in block colours of red and white to make it stand out and contrast against the image; the three letters also create a shape which make it more recognizable with a clear brand identity. 

3) Is there a strapline? Analyse it.

The strapline for this magazine issue is 'Arcade Fire look into our eyes', with each word following the band name 'Arcade Fire' in separate boxes on different parts of the page because this is the magazines main feature. This strapline is very ambiguous and creates intrigue which encourages the reader to discover the real meaning within the article. The short words are positioned in a way which draws the eye around the page, subsequently leading the viewer to the images which relate to this strapline. I think this works well because it interests you in the article without completely revealing what is going to be covered; it also reflects the difference in style that NME has compared to other magazines who would choose something more conventional. 

4) What is the main image? Analyse the facial expression, direction of gaze, body language, 

clothing etc. How does this reach out toward the ideal reader identified above?

The main image is very unique as it has been photoshopped to have the faces of the band members without their bodies positioned around the page. One of the faces is larger than the others and is positioned in the centre of the page, making it the most eye catching image, and implying that he is the leading member of the group. The facial expressions are blank which causes the viewer to ask questions because usually main images on a front cover would be a medium shot of an artist(s) purposely making an expression. The eyes of the band members are looking directly into the camera which links to the strapline and adds to the overall concept of the main article; decreases the distance between the viewer and the group members. The background has the colours red, orange, green, blue, pink and purple all fading into each other, with the faces having a tint of the background colour they are surrounded with.

5) What others images appear on the front cover – why?

There are no other images because too many images would ruin the current concept of the cover, and the simplicity of the layout draws the viewers eye due to the amount of colour displayed. 

6) What content is promoted by the cover lines?

There are no cover lines about other articles, which I believe is to keep the focus on the main article and sustain the simplicity that other design elements on the page have created. 

7) Explain the connotations of typefaces (fonts), graphics, colours etc.

There are a variety of colours used for the main image and fonts which means that it does not appeal singularly to one gender, but stays unbiased and aesthetically pleasing to a large portion of people. Nearly all of the words on the cover are bold and eye grabbing which implies that it will be interesting, because the editor has agreed that it's worth being bold, for example 'inside Arcade Fire's hypnotic new album'. The typeface is kept consistent through the front cover to ensure a clear recognisable house style, this is then continued through the magazine. 

8) What sort of language/ language features/ language devices/ can you identify? How does the cover ‘talk’ to the reader?

The main theme of this cover, image and dominant article is ambiguity; intriguing language such as 'hypnotic' creates a sense of a control over the reader and compulsion to read. Short, snappy words which create the articles title are also frequently used during a hypnotic or psychic trance, emphasising the overall concept. A quotation from the interview is used on the front cover as a lure to provide a slight insight into the topics covered in the interview with Arcade Fire, and the word 'weird' is taken from this response and reflected in the style of language used elsewhere. 

10) Is there anything else distinctive about the cover/format? (eg size)

The distinctive title is iconic in terms of music magazines and therefore very easily recognisable by its block colours and simple triple letter format. The images are of very clear quality because they are not pixelated, and this makes the magazine as a whole appear of a higher quality.  The strapline's graphics have been created to appear as if the word outline has been cut away from the yellow background as the space which the word would inhabit is of the same colour as the background. 

THE INSIDE

1) How many pages are there?

There are 67 pages in total. 


2) How many pages of adverts?

13 of the 67 pages are advertisements.


3) Categorise the products advertised into types

Concert tickets, Alcohol, CDs/Downloads, Radio shows, Technology 

4) Make a list of the features/articles into types 

Interviews take up a large portion of this magazine, this issue has interviews with Arcade Fire, Flaming lips, Tame impala, Cate Le Bon and Bradley Wiggins. Celebrity news is also included in this magazine, for example, Kanye West's 'God complex', Lou Reeds death, and a re-telling of Keith Richard's famous drugs trial in Toronto. Lifestyle articles are limited in this magazine with the only topic in this issue being 'Are you taking to many drugs?'. NME is mainly about new music so there is also a 'reviews' section and a 'radar' page for new artists.
 
5) How many double page spreads are there? What are they about?

There are 11 double page spreads:
1. Essential new tracks
2. Lou Reed's death

3. Fresh Meat new TV series

4. Radar - new artists to listen to
5. Reviews 
6. Wet Nuns at the Queens social club, Sheffield
7. NME Gigs Guide
8. Arcade Fire interview 
9. Flame Impala interview
10. Cate Le Bon interview
11. Keith Richard's Court Case 1978

6) Are there "advertorials" where it is not clear if something is an article or an advert, or a mixture of both?

No, the advertisements are very clear, if they have information on the advert is it not a great deal, or enough to make the reader question whether it's an article. The articles have clear typefaces, graphics, and layout which causes them to differ greatly from advertisements.


7) How does the magazine achieve a unified "house style"? Think about language and mode of address, colour schemes, graphical elements, etc. 

The same typefaces are used throughout, with a consistent colour scheme. A lot of black and white is used with a pop of block colour on each page; in most cases this colour is red or yellow. Boxes are also frequently used around text to enhance it, and creating an almost 'scrap book' feel to the magazine makes it more approachable for the reader. The font is kept the same size throughout for the main text in articles, and unlike other magazines, NME occasionally uses swear words which reflect it's edgy, rock and indie music genre. 

8) Why is this house style appropriate to the target audience? What assumptions does it imply about the TA? 

This house style is appropriate because it has a youthful feel to it, and the informal tone through the magazine may attract members of its 15-30 target audience, who would not be interested in a pristine, conventional magazine. The colours are not appealing to only one gender, but covers all preferences, and the unorganised look would appeal to this audience as well because they would be looking for a layout thats different, and alternative to other magazines.