Generic Conventions

Front Covers

Content

Masthead that audience will be familiar with

Plug

Barcode with price, date and issue number

Central image in a medium shot

Direct mode of address – feels more personal and inviting to demographic.

Model & main feature are the same

Main cover line

Smaller images of content

Layout and StructureArtist layered over the masthead. This is because it’s a recognisable name and so it’s not necessary to see all of it.

Left-side third rule is being used – The main feature takes up most of the left side. This is due to the way that we read and therefore this is likely to be the most notable feature.

Barcode is normally in bottom right but bottom left is somewhat conventional

Use of banner to give the audience more information about less significant content

No layering over artist’s face – respectful to them. Doesn’t detract the focus from them

Shapes used for smaller features are consistent throughout the cover

Masthead is largest text and is at the top of the page. This is conventional because it is one of the first things that a customer would look for.No layering near or

over the memorial feature – respectful to the artist. This is also positioned on the left hand side and above the main feature – again showing respect.

Presentational DevicesThe colour scheme used on this cover is predominantly black, white and yellow with splashes of blue. These colours appeal to Kerrang’s demographic of all genders.

The artist on the cover is linked to the main feature of the magazine. This is conventional because it will appeal most to fans of that artist and so it is logical for them to be the focus.

Costume makes Billie Joe Armstrong appear cool and rebellious. He is iconic to Kerrang’s target audience and so it is important that he maintains this reputation.

Low-key lighting is used to create a sense of mystery about the artist. This also greatly contrasts the other colours used and so makes features stand out.

The main feature has the largest font size and a slightly different font to the other features. This is to emphasise its importance

Font and font sizes of the smaller features are fairly consistent and so do not detract attention from the main feature or one another

Language Features

Excessive use of exclamation marks – more appealing to Kerrang’s younger audience.

Pull quote – attracts fans to read the article out of curiosity.

Consonance (life, love)

The cover is sparing with language features. This has been done to make sure that only a small amount of the content is revealed and so the audience remain curious as to what is inside.

Unusual heading – creates mystery as to what the article is about. The ellipsis used here makes the audience wonder what direction the article will take.

Language features that could be included: Imperative sentencesProblem/solution formatRhymeAlliterationLanguage of excessPunsIntertextualitySuperlatives

Generic Conventions

Contents Page

Having the release date and issue number on the contents page makes it easier to distinguish than if it’s on the cover.

The contents is ordered neatly in lists and is split up into various sections. Not all features will appear on the contents - only the most important. The title of the feature is in a larger, bolder font.

Editorial - this makes it more personal to the reader, as if the editor is talking to them directly.

Pun relating to the main feature

The main feature is has a picture banner at the top of the page with a clear page number. The caption is a pun and shows the target audience is teenagers. Each item in the contents

column has a short description underneath it. In the case of Kerrang, they tend to be puns because of the young demographic.

Smaller photographs of less significant features are displayed throughout the contents page.

Clearly stating that it is the contents page in a font that differs from the rest of them.

A section mentioning those who helped create the issue isn’t a necessity but it makes the reader feel more welcomed to the magazine as they find out what the team have been doing.

The colour scheme which is used across this contents page consists of three main colours. These colours will also have been used on the cover as well. It is conventional to use three colours to a page as it looks the most sophisticated and consistent.

Generic Conventions

Double Page Spread

This is an article from Q magazine. This is easy to tell because they have used their signature colour scheme of black, white and red. It is conventional to stick to three colours throughout a magazine in order to keep it consistent. For example, the cover and contents page will have the same colour scheme and each feature will also have their own. As Q are a magazine that have been running for a very long time, it is important for them to stick to this colour scheme because it is unique and recognisable to them. As well as this, it is something that avid readers of the magazine are familiar with and so it would be unadvisable to change this.

Q have decided to put the link to the webpage at which you can subscribe to the magazine in the banner at the bottom of the article. The reason for this is for branding and self-promotional purposes. It increases the chances of the reader subscribing to the magazine because they are reminded of how to do so. The web address has been positioned here because it doesn’t detract attention from the feature, yet the reader will be interested in what it says.

The purpose of the photograph of the model is to make it clear to the audience who the article is about and to create a certain impression of the artist. This will influence the opinion of the reader. It is conventional for the

It is conventional to find a large image, which differs from the one on the cover, of the artist. This to emphasise their status and importance The mise-en-scene of the artist is important as it has to represent them in the way that they want their fan base to view them.

By having the artist looking directly at the camera, it makes the audience feel like the artist is engaging with them. It makes the magazine feel much more personal to the reader.

To have the photograph of the artist take up the whole page, it makes it clear to the audience that it is the main feature and it allows the artist to have as much promotion through the feature as possible

It is conventional for a plain background to be used in the photograph of the artist. This is to make sure that they are the focal point of the page

Depending on the genre of music and the aesthetic that the artist wants to be associated with them, the editing that is used will vary. In this photograph we see Lady Gaga has a monochrome filter to the picture. This creates a vintage impression which may be something that she is trying to achieve.

The artist’s name is in a much larger font than the interview text because it is one of the first things a reader will see if they are flicking through the magazine. As this is a double page spread for the main feature, this has been done to ensure that the artist is easy to identify. This is also done by the red ‘L’ which dominates the page. This is done to catch the reader’s attention if they were casually looking through the magazine rather than reading the entire thing.

At the bottom of the page, there is the ‘Q’ magazine logo. The reason that this has been done is for the purpose of branding and so that the audience develop a sense of familiarity with the magazine as they are reading it. As well as this, we also have the page number. This is so that when the reader looks at the contents page for whereabouts the feature is, they are able to easily find it. It is also conventional for the date of the magazine’s release to be in the same corner.

It is conventional to have the first letter of a paragraph in a larger Serif font. The reason that a lot of magazines do this is to make it clear where there is a new subject. Because of the way that a magazine is laid out, there are a large number of indents which could be misinterpreted as new paragraphs. By having one larger letter, it makes it extremely clear to the reader where there will be a subject change.

It is common for the artist on the main feature to be interviewed. There are a few ways to structure the interview, there is the basic question/answer layout and also where quotes from the interview are appropriately embedded throughout the article. The latter is more sophisticated and so is more conventional in magazines with an older target audience – such as Q. With this structure, some of the interview is paraphrased and the actions and body language of the artist is frequently included. The reason for this is because the reader needs to be able to visualise what it is the artist is saying as best as they can because they can’t see or hear what is being said. When quoting the artist, it is important to write exactly what it is they say. This is to make sure that their personality is portrayed and so that the reader can feel closer to the artist as they believe that they know what they are like as a person.

It is common for there to be three main columns in an article like this. The layout of these columns is done so that there is no need to hyphenate word. This is to ensure that the feature looks as professional as possible. The reason that it is conventional to find articles laid out in three columns is so that it is simple to read and follow.

Typical Features in Music Magazines

Interviews

Biffy Clyro interview – Rock Sound

Live Review

Gig guideAlbum Reviews

News

Posters

All of the same band

Rock Sound – ‘Paramore poster special’

Advertised at the bottom – not main feature

Billie Joe Armstrong

Pull quote is usedMain FeatureNot the whole band

Releases of new music

Interview with Simon Neil

New Tours- Hyperbole & superlatives

Gossip within bands

Title = pun

Not advertised

on the cover

Focuses on main features

Mix between smaller and larger bands

Pictures of bigger bands

Split into days of the week

Photograph of most famous band each day

City, Venue and support stated

Pictures of the show

RatingSet list from show

Highlights of the performance. E.g. best song

Common to all be different

Section for small local bands

Recommendations

Up and comingbands

Songs recommendedby a relevant artist

The larger the bandthe bigger the interview Competitions

TicketsGigs

Festivals

Merchandise