TOP of the POPS

Banner – this short phrase at the top of the page gives the reader a sneak preview of what’s going to be inside the magazine

Masthead – this is in a bold font, so it stands out against the rest of the text on the cover. It is clear to the reader that the magazine is about pop music and the title of the magazine sticks in the audiences mind, due to the large eye-catching font. In addition to this the font is written in sans serif, this makes the text easy and clear to read.Sell Line – many sell lines are presented on the front cover of this magazine, for example ‘KILLER BOOZE! THE SHOCKING STORY YOU MUST READ’. They are very effective as they catch the reader’s eye and draw them in to read the magazine

WOB (white on black) – white font written on a black background, this is an effective and easy to read colour scheme.

Tag Line – the tag line is the same piece of information as the ‘Puff’ and the ‘Splash’. This tells us this particularly phrase is significant and memorable; it is used to draw the reader in.

Menu Bar – commonly found at the sides or bottom of the page to inform the reader of the contents of the magazine. This menu bar informs the reader of what celebrities are featured in the magazine.

Bar Code – this small piece of information is a machine-readable code to define the price of the magazine. Frequently found at the corner of the page.

Splash – this is written in a bright pink circle in the middle of the page, which stands out from the rest of the magazine. This is to attract the reader’s eye and interest them.

Puff – this short snippet of text from an interview inside the magazine gives the reader a taste of what’s inside and it attracts them to buy the magazine.

Direct Mode of Address – the artist Cher Lloyd has eye contact with the camera. In addition to this the other artists featured in smaller images on the cover such as: Rihanna, Katy Perry One Direction and The Wanted all have direct eye contact with the camera, which makes the reader feel as if they are being spoken to directly.

Font – all of the typography on this contents page uses sans serif font. This is more effective than serif font as it’s easier to read. Moreover sans serif is less formal, so it portrays the magazine as being modern.

Layout – there are several sections on this contents page, which include different factors the magazine holds. The sections make the contents appear more organized and overall it makes it easy for the audience to read.

Colour Scheme – the contents page sticks to a colour scheme of three colours: pink, yellow and black. These colours are easy to read as well as being fun. Using more than three colours can distract the reader and make the text unreadable.

Direct Mode of Address – this image of One Direction in the form of a ‘Burst’ presents the band as approachable and friendly. This makes the audience feel as if they are included and being directly looked at due to the direct eye contact the band has with the camera.

Imagery – the use of small red hearts instead of actually writing the word ‘heart’ or ‘love’ tells us that the magazine is fairly informal, conveying it’s fun side. Furthermore the image in the left corner of the front cover is annotated so the reader knows where to find certain information. This is makes it easy for the reader and saves them time.

House Style – the familiar typography, imagery and colours from the front cover show continuity. Therefore the house style is carried on throughout the magazine.

Direct Mode of Address – Cher Lloyd is featured on this double page spread as the main image, she has direct eye contact with the camera, which directly addresses the reader making them feel involved.

Teasers – these four teasers are short phrases from the interview used to attract the reader.

Ear Piece – this says ‘turn over for more questions’. An ‘Ear Piece’ is commonly found in the corner of the page, it is used to guide the reader.

Dog End – this half oval shape is to represent the page number, which is useful to the reader.

Colour Scheme – this double page spread sticks to three colours for it’s colour scheme: purple, pink and white. Any more than three colours can distract the reader, so three colours is sufficient in making the article fun as well as being readable.

Banner – the phrase in the left hand corner ‘She’s the pint-sized star who’s still struggling to get to grips with status – now CHER LLOYD explains why…’. This brief introduction is a short summary of the article ahead. It helps the reader know what to expect is coming up.

Title – this is an even shorter summary of the banner. Basically to prepare the reader and tell them what the article is about.

Costume – the artist Cher Lloyd is dressed in a young, modern outfit. This is similar to something teenage girls would wear, therefore it’s relatable to the target audience.

Conventions • Overall I think ‘Top of the Pops’ fits the conventions of a typical pop music magazine. It’s fun, light-hearted

and would appeal to it’s target audience, which would be teenage girls.

• The majority of pop magazines are social and positive, that don’t include reference to drugs, sex, violence, politics and they don’t use offensive language. ‘Top of the Pops’ sticks to these conventions and doesn’t feature any of these characteristics.

• Primary bright colours are used consistently in this magazine to represent the house style. The colours are mostly girly colours, which once again represents the target audience of the magazine.

• The artists featured in the magazine are smiling and are seen as a role models for young girls. This is expected to be found in a pop magazine due the the audience that would read it, the artists need to be setting a good example. The smiling pop stars reflect that the magazine is positive.

• This specific issue and previous issues of ‘Top of the Pops’ are very glamorous and appealing to the eye, which is conventional.

• It is clear the magazine is designed to entertain its target audience, however pop magazines are made to make money not portray a particular message.