Main Task – Music MagazineRachael Jobbins

Initial IdeasI have decided to do a rock alternative genre for my

magazine. The target audience that I am aiming for is 16-35 years old, as I feel this is a good age range for those who would be interested in my magazine.

Researching the Market PlaceKerrang!• Price: £2.20• Frequency of publication: Weekly• Issue Size: Approx 100-150 pages• Regular Content: Tour Dates ‘gig guide’, Advertising new bands, Advertising new albums, Posters,

Competitions, Letter from the editor, Pictures/drawings sent in from fans, Double page spreads linked to the front cover (sometimes 3 pages).

• Feature Articles: Linked to the artist/band on the front cover.Rock Sound• Price: £3.80• Frequency of publication: Monthly• Issue Size: Approx 200 pages• Regular Content: Double page spreads linking to the front cover (sometimes 3 pages), Tour dates, Advertising

new albums, Advertising new bands, Posters, Exclusive information, Letter from the editor, ‘Plus’ section.• Feature Articles: Linked to the artist/band on the front cover.Guitar World• Price: $4.99 (American magazine) if it contains a CD then the price would be $7.99 (the CD would contain

video lessons, gear demonstrations and other self-produced third party content).• Frequency of publication: 13 times per year (one every month and a holiday issue).• Issue size: • Regular content: Centrefold piece of the artist/band who was on the cover for that month, Always devoted to

guitarists, Contained 5 different songs each month, ‘Plus’ section.• Feature Articles: Anything that is on the front cover would be an article in the magazine. The main image of an

artist/band would be the feature article for that month.

Initial Plans for my Magazine• Price: £3.00• Frequency of publication: Monthly• Average issue size: 100-150 pages• Regular content:

▫ Editors letter▫ Competitions▫ Information on new music/albums▫ Tour dates▫ Interviews▫ A fans say▫ Pictures/posters

• Feature articles▫ Red Hot Chilli Peppers: They can handle the heat.▫ AC/DC spell it out for you.▫ Ozzy Osbourne is flying high again.▫ Alice in chains! From Washington, not Wonderland.▫ Nickelback remind us what we have been missing over the years.▫ My Chemical Romance tells you to not let them take you alive.▫ The Blackout: Don’t tear us apart, we’ll tear you apart.▫ Not Advised dare you to try your luck in something new.▫ Pegasus Bridge: Decided to part ways?!

Analysis of Professional Magazine Covers

Main/central image – direct mode of address (one main image to take up the whole of the front cover)

Colour scheme - simple

Masthead (unique font – will be the magazines trademark.

Splashes of information

Small Images of free give-aways

Captions

Coverline (strips of text on the front cover)

Bar code along with price/date/issue number

Exclusive information

Exclusive information

Small featuresTitle is covered by the main image (well established magazine)

Kerrang!

Main image that takes up front cover – used as background (direct mode of address)

Colour scheme – simple (blue, red, white and yellow)

Main cover line

Small cover lines

Small features – ‘plus’ section – extra information

Bar code with price, date, issue number and website address

Strip of information

Buzz words to grab the audiences attention

Various information – fills the page to make it look creative but doesn’t look too busy

Free give-aways

Masthead – covered (well known magazine) will be the magazines trademark

Rock Sound

Main cover line

Masthead – covered (well known magazine) will be the magazines trademark

Bar code with price, date and issue number

Small cover lines/small features (stories)

Simple colour scheme

One main image that takes up the whole of the front cover (direct mode of address)

Advertisements to make more sales (grabs the audiences attention)

Signed by the artist who is featured

‘Plus’ section Various information

– fills the page but doesn’t look too busy (still looks creative and different)

Guitar World

Analysis of Professional Contents PagesTitle is at the top left hand side of the page – the word ‘contents’

Main picture would be of the same artist who is on the front cover

Colour scheme is the same as the front cover

Date and issue number

Certain page numbers that stand out (top stories/gossip about a band)

Title is at the top left hand side of the page

‘Plugs’ advertisements - offers

Page is full

Different fonts/sizes

Letter from the editor

Headlines for different sections in the magazine

Structured layout (5 columns)

The smaller fonts is specific detail

Kerrang!

Various pictures

One main image that would be of the same artist/band who is on the front cover

Colour scheme – same as the front cover

Page numbers stand out Title of

magazine

Page is full of information

Letter from the editor – written in a conventional way

Different fonts/sizes

Headlines for different sections in the magazine

Structured layout

Rock Sound

One main picture – direct mode of address

Advertisement – ‘Plug’

The word ‘contents’ is at the top of the page

Certain pages that the magazine wanted to stand out – biggest stories of that issue

Different fonts/sizes

‘Features’

Simple contents page – just one column of information

Date and issue number

Colour scheme – would be the same as the front cover

Guitar World

Analysis of Professional Double Page Spread

Drop-caps

Main picture

Individual pictures

Captions

Information on the bands new album

Article form

One main quote

Text box with added information

Headline stands out

First paragraph is the most important (has to grab the audiences attention)

Kerrang!

Rock Sound

Headline stands out

Drop-caps

Quotes

Article form

Sentence in a bigger front to grab the readers attention

2 columns of informationConcise and to the point –

keeps the audience entertained

Main picture – direct mode of address (looking into the camera)

Suited to the target audience

Another double page spread from Kerrang!

Main picture – direct mode of address (looking into the camera)

Drop caps

Captions explaining the picture

Article form (3 columns)

One main quote that is in a different font (bigger and a vivid colour) to make it stand out and grab the readers attention.

Background is one consistent colour Smaller text

but still stands out – starting off the article.

First paragraph hooks the reader

Headline stands out

Suited to the magazines audience to make sure that they will read it / something they would be interested in.

Extra information

Questions are highlighted

• Title: Kerrang!• Posting Statement: The worlds best selling weekly rock magazine.• Frequency of Publication: Weekly• Price: £2.20• Distribution: Mainly supermarkets, also sold in music shops e.g. HMV. (can subscribe to get it delivered to

your door)• Rationale/style: Kerrang magazine is presented in a formal style to relate to the audience. Looking at the

magazine, the audience mostly relates to teenagers, or the age range 14-25. The magazine is well set out and an easy read, as there is not too many pages.

Images are dominant and take up most of the magazine (font size is small).• Regular Content:

▫ Pictures/centre fold of posters▫ Editors note▫ Gig guide▫ Competitions▫ Information on new bands/new albums/new music▫ A fans say from who was their at the concert▫ Interviews from bands/feature articles▫ Advertisements for festivals in the summer

• Examples of Some Feature Content:▫ Forever the Sickest Kids▫ 30 Seconds To Mars: Jared Leto’s Dark Side Exposed!▫ All Time Low: Pop-Punk’s New Star Laid Bare!▫ Paramore: Getting married is what I want! – also on the set of their new video.▫ The People Vs. My Chemical Romance: This is really scary!▫ The Foo Fighters: Inside their US comeback gig!▫ Green Day: Exclusive U.S. tour report.▫ “We’re being the best MCR we can be!” My Chemical Romance invite Kerrang to their recording studio.▫ Panic! At The Disco; Living It Up In Sin City.▫ The Blackout: The Best In Town Go Global!

Kerrang! publication plan

• Title: Rocksound• Posting Statement: Rocksound magazine champions rock music and aims at giving underground acts the

recognition they deserve without over commercialising their work or missing out on the big names in rock music.

• Frequency of Publication: Monthly• Price: £3.99• Distribution: Subscribe to get it delivered to your door.• Rationale/style: Rocksound is similar to rock magazines, where they are very informal and are straight to the

point. The age range for this is similar to that of Kerrang magazine (14-25) but seems more widely spread.Images are dominant through out the magazine (font is small)• Regular Content:

▫ Pictures/centre fold of posters▫ Editors note▫ Tour dates for bands (footnote on feature articles) ▫ Competitions▫ Advertisements for festivals in the summer▫ Information on new bands/new music/albums▫ Interviews from bands/feature articles

• Examples of Some Feature Content:▫ MurderDolls: Two’s company.▫ The Wild Hearts positive thinking.▫ Kids in Glass Houses; Good Boys Gone Rad.▫ A Day To Remember: The New Sound of Sacrifice.▫ You Me At Six: The Famous Five.▫ Bring Me The Horizon: Into The Future.▫ Love Amongst Ruin; The Bitter End.▫ 30 Seconds To Mars: A Class Act.▫ Raging Bulls Fall Out Boy Come Back Fighting!▫ Lost Prophets New Album Exclusive!

Rocksound publication plan