Final Product

Evaluation

My media task was to create a professional looking magazine cover, contents page and double page spread based on a music genre of choice. I decided to use the target audience that the majority of music magazines are aimed at, males between the ages of 18 to 30 year olds. I did this because a high percentage of people that buy music magazines are between these ages, therefore my magazine will be more successful. By aiming my magazine towards a more niche genre of music, using indie alternative and introducing new bands to my audience, I challenged conventions and my audience. People are much more comfortable in buying something they see as normal and familiar, by trying to open the audiences mind to new music challenged conventions as many magazines around succumb to mainstream music far more than specialized genres. I think my product takes the form of magazines that are on the shelves today as it uses all the necessary devices that popular magazines use such as NME. My magazine represents many different types of social groups, as the genre of 'alternative indie' is broad and stretches across many different artists and bands. I wanted my media product to represent many different social groups, in order to be sellable, in particular the age bracket between 18-30, from research I have discovered that especially males, are more likely to have a job rather than continuing with education, therefore that more of a disposable income and are able to afford magazines. The type of groups I want to channel into buying my magazine are the sort of people that take an active approach to music. Instead of just listening to it, they also enjoy making, producing and writing it. They are very interested in seeing live music and my magazine can offer information on this. My magazine is priced at a reasonable £2, enabling the audience to easily purchase it once a month. The type of media institution that might distribute my product is most likely to be music shops such as HMV. My target market are the most likely people to go into music based shops as younger people may download their music instead of physically buying it. It can be easily accessible there and would be noticed by the right kind of people. It would also be a good idea to make it easily available online and easy to subscribe to, as my target audience would all be eligible to have a bank account and credit card.
The way in which I attracted my audience was to use a general running colour scheme throughout the magazine. The colours on my front cover are similar to that of leading popular music magazines such as 'Q' and 'NME'. My main article was about 'Ben Boot', a leading producer of music, this links in with the fact that my target audience enjoy all aspects of music, therefore being interested in the magazine at first glance. The use of a 'poster special' of live bands also attracts my market as from research I discovered they enjoy going to gigs. The alternative, 'scrawly' font is also aesthetically pleasing and looks different and stand out amongst over magazines. From the construction of this product, I have learnt that many different processes are needed in order to create a professional looking piece that is worthy of production. I have learnt that using photoshop plays a big part and the many different ways of editing and changing things is what makes the product look effective and successful. Photography also plays a big part in the production of magazines, using a high quality camera is very important and understanding settings and depth of field can really effect a photograph. Overall, if you do not have the right image for the look of your magazine, it will not attract your target audience and your magazine will not be successful.
Looking back on my preliminary task, I definitely feel I have progressed in my skills creating the product. I feel that on practically every area my main task is much more successful and I feel happy with what I have created. I now feel that I can make definite ideas much more quickly, and I know the look I want to achieve. Looking back on my preliminary task I now realise how amateur my work looked and how much I could have improved. You can see that the idea and thought is behind it, but is not executed in a professional manner. I have learnt a lot from moving onto my main task, mostly that of more skills in photoshop. By using simple effects such as a drop shadow on text will make your product look far more professional and much more aesthetically pleasing.
Production and completed task;
Front cover: My initial ideas for my front cover was that I needed to product an eye-catching page that would look attractive but entice the reader, specifically my target market. I based my layout similarly to that of magazines such as 'Q', which has a huge following but mainly males. The magazine uses neutral tones that makes it lively with one bright colour running through it. I have used black and white as my neutral colours, as they are sleek, easy to read and go together very well. I think decided to use the bold colour of red, which stands out and is often seen as a more masculine, harsher colour. Using the name of the magazine 'Vivace' (pronounced 'vee-va-chay'), I thought was a good idea as it is a musical term that the majority of my target audience are likely to understand. I decided to include the fictional character, Ben Boot, on my front cover and made this my main focus throughout the task. I used one character on the front of the magazine because from research I have found that people are drawn in more with one figure, using either a medium close up or a close up. It enables the reader the engage with the magazine. With photos I had taken from previous gigs I have been to I used them as a 'poster special' of live performances, using 3 strong images that would catch the audiences eye. From research I have found that it is more appealing when the reader can see and understand that there is a lot featured in an issue, to put this idea into my product I made a banner at the top and the bottom listing artists that are featured in that months issue. It is more than likely that someone that has picked up the magazine and is interested in alternative indie will like one of those bands, therefore making the magazine more successful. Overall I am very pleased with the way that my front cover has turned out, I believe that it looks professional and will work well with my target audience. From looking at other magazine covers with a similar target audience to me, I realise that I maybe could have included one more article, and made the cover look slightly more full.
Contents: My main thought for my contents page is that it needed to be informative and also tie in with my other pages. I carried on with the theme of black, white and red and used a column method. This will enable the reader to take in the information much more quickly. As my target market isn't really teenagers, I realise that my layout doesn't have to be as exciting and stimulating as it would if my market was much younger. Instead, I am trying to create something that is much convenient and quick to read. As a main feature of my contents page I have included the interview with Ben Boot, with a large medium close up image. This engages the reader and makes them aware of the main article this issue, following on from the front cover. I tried to keep the page as neat as possible to it looked professional and clean. Using bigger titles and small subtitles I based my contents page around this, including all the artists I had mentioned on the front of my magazine cover. Then, so to stand out, I used a gold colour for my 'festival special', this makes it stand out and makes the reader feel as though they have bought something special, and that it's not just an ordinary issue. I am very pleased with the way my contents page worked out and I think it ties in well with my front cover, however I could have included more images so that the reader could be more engaged and play an active role in reading the magazine.
Double Page Spread: Without wanting to smother my magazine in articles and images just about one artist I decided to design my double page spread about new bands on the music scene. Using a real local band called 'The Goodtimes', I did a photoshoot with them at London's Marble Arch, and the main focal point in the spread is this image. As my magazine concentrates on new bands I thought this would be a good idea for my spread. Once again continuing with the black, white and red theme I designed the page so it would be easy to read. Adding small details such as the writer of the article, and 'Vivace' logo appearing numerous times, it gives the spread a real sense of professionalism. I used two columns with small font and the article was about how the boys got onto the music industry. The language I used was relatively relaxed and informal and is seen as an 'easy read' that would not appear challenging to my target market. As well as an article about the band I decided to include a small column with other new bands entitled, 'Everyone's talking about' which featured 3 bands that were popular that month. It was a simple yet effective idea that could become and talking point with readers peers and inform them as to who was 'being talked about' that month. I am very pleased with my double page spread and I believe it looks professional and neat, well laid out and easy to navigate through.

Feedback

Vivace Magazine

1) The magazine is targeted towards people who enjoy indie music. I believe that the social group that is represented is the teenage range maybe-16-20. I can tell this due to the genre of the music chosen and also the artists.

2)Vivace doesn't remind me of any magazines and seems to be quite a unique magazine. This is good as if give Vivance a Unique selling point which should help it fly off the shelves.

3) One thing I liked about the magazine was the layout of the magazine, especially the layout of the double page spread. The magazine follows many conventions and conforms to the normal layout of music magazines. The photos used in the magazines are also very professional and give the magazine a real professional feel.

4) I cant say that i am an Indie lover, but having had a look at the magazine, I think I would by it for a good read. I think I would be happy paying the £2 that the magazine is priced at.

5) No mistakes spotted

6) I really cant find many improvements to the magazine! The only thing i would say (which is a personal preference) is that the pictures down the side of the front page look slightly out of place. That is properly me just being picky though!

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Female- 16
1) More indie music. as mentions artists who'd use guitars. also the way the people are dressed resemble those of the 'indie' culture. in the contents it mention glastonbury which is a festival which has lots of rock artists.

2) It is slightly like NME, especially the double page spread because the layout just reminds me of NME's features on artists. However, the font in the title of Vivace is unique.

3) I really like this magazine, I find all the photography very well done, and the layout of all three sections seem professional and enticing. Another thing I particularly like is the "everyones talking about..." box.

4) I would definitely buy this magazine as the groups featured resemble the kind of group I'd be interested in finding out things about. I also think the front page would make me spot it and then buy it, because the photo angle is original and cool.

5) no

6) There's not much to comment on, but perhaps the photo of Ben Boot could be slightly different, as it looks very similar to the one on the front page. But it's good.

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Male-17
1.) The magazine seems to advertise indie music as the chosen genre. The images and bands used to promote the magazine seem to appeal to a teenage and young adult audience.

2.) It can be related to NME in some aspects (like the artists used) but apart from that I cannot seem to link it with any magazines that I know of. This makes it more unique in my opinion.

3.) The magazine seems to provide a very creative image. The front cover displays a young trendy adult who seems to be appealing in his fashion to the artists used to promote the magazine. The eye contact used with the figure creates an immediate connection with the audience and the layout of the typography provides a perfect frame around the face of the figure hence making him the focus. The fonts used are very creative and are aesthetically pleasing making the magazine more appealing to the audience.
The to contents page has a well planned layout. The images and typography seem in perfect sync, merging together to create an easy read to gather information.
The double page spread is also well planned, providing a great range of image and typography layout. The fonts used are very appealing in aesthetics and images seem to connect with the audience well.

4.) I would definitely consider buying the magazine for the required amount.

5.) No typos or mistakes. Great overall.

Comments & Criticisms

Front Cover;

Ben, 22

1. Do you think that the look of the front cover matches my target audience? (18-30 year old, mainly male) Yes, I would buy it and i'm the target market

2. Are the images suitable? yes

3. Does the language used appear suitable? yes, it's easy to read and I like the font

4. As my genre for my magazine is Alternative Indie, do you think the artists and overall look of the front cover match that of my genre? Definitely, I am interested all most of the bands on the front page

5. Is there anything you would change/make better? Maybe include more articles

6. Do you think that this magazine would be successful and appeal to my target market? Yes!

James, 23

1. Do you think that the look of the front cover matches my target audience? (18-30 year old, mainly male) Practically yes but it could look slightly more mature

2. Are the images suitable? Featuring a woman would probably appeal to a lot of men..

3. Does the language used appear suitable? Yes the language is the type of thing people in their twenties would talk like

4. As my genre for my magazine is Alternative Indie, do you think the artists and overall look of the front cover match that of my genre? Indie yes, but there isn't much alternativeness

5. Is there anything you would change/make better? Maybe include more articles, like Ben said

6. Do you think that this magazine would be successful and appeal to my target market? I think so

Dan, 21

1. Do you think that the look of the front cover matches my target audience? (18-30 year old, mainly male) Definitely, it looks more male orientated

2. Are the images suitable? Yes, what he's wearing is the kind of things someone that would buy the magazine would wear

3. Does the language used appear suitable? Yes, I like the style and font

4. As my genre for my magazine is Alternative Indie, do you think the artists and overall look of the front cover match that of my genre? Yes, very well

5. Is there anything you would change/make better? No!

6. Do you think that this magazine would be successful and appeal to my target market? Yes, it looks very professional

Ben, 22

1. Does it look professional looking? Yes

2. Does the contents layout go well with the rest of my magazine? Yes the colours match well

3. Is there anything you would change about it? Maybe make it look more exciting?

James, 23

1. Does it look professional looking? Yes

2. Does the contents layout go well with the rest of my magazine? Yes, very well

3. Is there anything you would change about it? Add more images?

Dan, 21

1. Does it look professional looking? Very!

2. Does the contents layout go well with the rest of my magazine? Yes I like the use of 'Ben Boot' throughout

3. Is there anything you would change about it? No!

Double Page Spread;

Ben, 22

1. Do you think that the band featured fit in with the theme of my magazine? Yes they are the correct genre!

2. Do you think it's professional looking? Extremely

3. Is there anything you would change/make better? not really

James, 23

1. Do you think that the band featured fit in with the theme of my magazine? Yes, cos i'm in it!

2. Do you think it's professional looking? I really like all the small details

3. Is there anything you would change/make better? A larger font on the article itself

Dan, 21

1. Do you think that the band featured fit in with the theme of my magazine? Yes

2. Do you think it's professional looking? Very!

3. Is there anything you would change/make better? No!

Development of Contents

Double Page Spread

Interview for Double Page Spread

As ‘The Goodtimes’ entered our studio, like their onstage personna, they seemed intimidating but we saw through their stern looks immeadiately. Full of laughter and smiles and ready to share their thoughts with us we proceeded with the interview. The Goodtimes consist of 4 boys; James, 23, Luke 25, Dan, 21 & Kieran, 22. All hailing from Essex, the boys appear to be both happy and proud of this, “Essex is our home county. We’re proud of where we come from and always will be,” says James. It is clear to see the boys have a fun-loving and happy attitude, but can also talk business and they take their music very seriously. Luke tells us, “We knew from when we were very young we wanted to be musicians and our family has always encouraged us to. We don’t let anything hold us back and we have a lot of determination and drive to succeed! We’re so lucky that Ben Boot found us and realised we had potential. I can speak on behalf of the whole band when I say that we are eternally greatful!” At this moment the boys all nod in unison and continue to tell us about being discovered. Kieran says, “We were playing a gig at the Enterprise in Camden and a couple of hours before we were scheduled to play we heard that someone big was coming. We could NOT believe it when we found out that Ben Boot was going to be watching us. As a band we respect him so much and have always said if we had half the amount of success that he has then we’d be more than happy! Completely shitting ourselves we walked onto stage, both terrified and excited. It wasn’t for weeks until we found out if he’d liked us or saw some potential in the band. When we got the phone call from Ben Boot himself we couldn’t believe it. He told us that he saw something special in the band and he invited us down to his personal studio to lay down some tracks and see whether, according to him, we ‘had it’ or not.” At this point , Halfway through the interview we stopped the boys and asked them, “The three of you look very similar, how weird is that?!” They all looked at one another and roared with laughter as we looked dazed and confused. Dan says, “We’re brothers. Well, not all of us! Luke, James & I. Kieran is of absolutely no relation to us but he’s bloody good at playing the drums to we decided to let him in the band, we don’t really like him that much in all honesty,” he adds sarcastically. We ask the boys how they would describe their genre of music and they all reply with different answers, James says, “It’s exciting and fresh. We’re not saying we’re the best band in the world but we feel we should get some recognition for what we’re doing. I’m definitely not the best singer in the world but what I lack in lyrical tone I make up for in spirit and drive!” Luke tell us,“I would say we’re a mix of completely different things, a bit of indie, alternative, rock and sometimes acoustic. I don’t think as an artist you should label yourself. Make your music the best you can and just hope that people like it!”The lads all seemed to agree with this and smiled at one another. Overall, the boys seemed willing to learn and extremely grateful for what has been given to them. It is definitely fair to say they have worked extremely hard to get where they are today and will continue to do so in the future. The Goodtimes tell us that if they become very successful in what they do they will remain down to earth and humble (Yes, James too..) The boys are continuing to gig around LDN and Essex and are soon realeasing their EP called ‘Hits to make,Hearts to break’. Their debut single is called ‘1984’ and will appear on shop floors in early December. Get your copy, they’re guna be big!

Images for my production

Below are images I have taken at gigs and festivals I have been to. I used a Fujifilm FinePix S1500 which has an 18X zoom.
I have used images of Florence + the Machine, Mr Hudson & Lily Allen.

Roles of Magazines

What role do music magazines have in the establishment of youth subcultures?

In the world today, youth subcultures are present and a very prominent part of life. Interests, hobbies and personalities have a big part of play in this. As there are countless numbers of platforms people can access the media from, it is all around us and difficult to escape. There are many different youth subcultures, and teens are given so much freedom and so many options to choose what they're interested in and how they wish to be perceived. There are many different factors that establish youth cultures and music magazines are one of them. As there are so many different music magazines available to youths today, they can choose what they want to read. Different subcultures would be interested in different magazines that are aimed towards different genres of music. For example, an article about Britney Spears is going to represented in a different way opposed to an article about Marilyn Manson. The different subcultures that are interested in these types of music have different expectations of what they read and would not expect the same language to be used in an article about these two artists. Genres of music help to develop the personalities of youths, as the music they consume effects their lives, such as the friends they make and the clothes they wear. Music magazines influence teenagers and encourage them to make a choice about their lifestyles, it helps give teens a sense of identity and belonging if they can slot into a 'subculture'.

Flat Plans

This flat plans will now establish what I want to do with the images I have taken and will ultimately help me reach the final product which should look professional and genuine.

Double Page Spread:


Contents:


Front cover:

Fanzine Analysis

This particular fanzine is clearly outdated and doesn't attempt to use fancy looks to attract their audience, as the music did that by itself. It's very simple and looks as though it's created purely to inform rather than to entertain. The type of person that would read this would be a very music dedicated individual who wanted to learn about a band they happened to be interested in.

A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest.
Typically, publishers, editors and contributors of articles or illustrations to fanzines receive no financial compensation. Fanzines are traditionally circulated free of charge, or for a nominal cost to defray postage or production expenses.
A few fanzines have evolved into professional publications, and many professional writers were first published in fanzines; some continue to contribute to them after establishing a professional reputation. The term fanzine is sometimes confused with "fan magazine", but the latter term most often refers to commercially-produced publications.

Close-Up Photoshoot

Photoshoot 2

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Fonts and Styles

When deciding on my font I have to bear in mind that is easy to read but also different and eye-catching. I want it to have an 'edgy' and exciting look that will entice my readers. It has to be relatively masculine to attract my target audience.
I will choose my 3 favourites and analyse them more closely;

Jamaistevie: I like this font as it fits in with my alternative indie genre. It is relatively easy to read and looks like it will appealing to my target market.

28 Days Later: I really like this font as it is very bold and stands out. It's much easy to read than the previous font but will also give a professional and edgy look to my front cover.

Aristotle Punk: I think this font is simple yet effective. It bold and eye catching. I will be using this font for my magazine front cover because it reaches all the desires of my target market. I think it will stand out best because it's aesthetically pleasing.

Potential Names for my Magazine

I am looking to name my music magazine that has something to do with musical terms. My target audience are more than likely to know what it means as from research I have discovered they are interested in producing and making music themselves. I am aiming to think of something that is quick, catchy, easy to say and is no more than three syllables.
Here are some Ideas:

Atonal - Music that is written and performed without regard to any specific key.

Canon - A musical form where the melody or tune is imitated by individual parts at regular intervals. The individual parts may enter at different measures and pitches. The tune may also be played at different speeds, backwards, or inverted.

Maestro - Refers to any great composer, conductor, or teacher of music.

Vivace - Direction to performer to play a composition in a brisk, lively, and spirited manner.

I have decided to call my magazine Vivace as it's different and doesn't follow the path of just being another generic name. It's different but captures the audience so they don't forget the name and can refer it to other peers.
I think my magazine name will be successful because it fits in with the music industry and as I know from my research that 18-30 year old enjoy all different aspects of music, not just listening to it, so many are likely to have heard of the word before.

Analysis of double page spread

I decided to take my double page spread from Novembers NME magazine. The article is on Florence Welch from Florence + The Machine. The headline reads, "USA Got the love". This headline is clear and easy to remember. It ties in with the whole story of the article. Florence's new single is called "You've got the love" and she is trying to breakthrough to America. You can tell that this is an almost 'exclusive' interview as she appears on the front cover as a very central focus point. The front of the magazine reads, "72 hours with the years greatest export" This statement is very bold and is almost telling the readers rather than suggesting it. It makes Florence seem prestigious and important and as though NME are very lucky to have sealed this interview with her. The word "USA" is very large, and covers both pages of the spread, denoting importance. It could also be a meaning for the fact that the USA is so big and you have to be especially talented to breakthrough to the country. The first page of the spread is simply an image of Miss Welch sitting on a chair. The chair is covered in a large American flag, able to have two meaning, the first simply that she is trying to get on the USA's side and that it's trying to show she really wants to breakthrough, the second could be that Florence is 'on top of the world' and conquering America. She is sitting in quite a demure and sexy pose, although not distasteful and cheap. She appears to look classy and 'together'. She looks sultry because of the clothes she is wearing. The dark colours she is wearing contrast with her brightly coloured hair and eyes and make the image pop out and draw the readers attention. The background of the spread is bright and light, connoting 'pureness' and angelic behaviour. Her facial expression is quite serious but she does not give off an arrogant nature. The sub heading of the spread talks about Welch being '2009's biggest success story'. You know that NME magazine are on her side, and seeing interview her as a positive thing rather than a negative. They seem to be praising her at every turn and putting a positive spin on her life and work as an artist. Sam Richards writes this article and describes Florence as a 'tornado of crimson hair and black chiffon'. This makes her seem as though she if full of energy and hyperactive, setting the tone for the rest of the interview. Overall the text in the interview is easy to read and the structure of the sentences are an easy, light read. The article continues to praise Miss Welch throughout the whole interview, retaining comments from other music critics, interviewers and her own opinions. The article seems to want to persuade the reader to like her, and encourages them to listen to her music. When direct quotes from Florence are used, they are always expressive such as, "I SAW A GHOST!!" This backs up my previous point about her being full of energy and happy to be having the interview. Overall, NME's Sam Richards very much favours her music and the article is both instructing of Welch's music yet entertaining to put a light hearted spin as to attract the readers and keep them interested. The design and layout is very simple and easy to navigate through and Welch is represented as a very talented female musician with lots of energy and willingness to learn. The spread is necessary and effective for it to be on a print platform as it is easily accessible, but could also be effective on many platforms. NME recognise this and at the interview a link is given for reader to go to their website and watch an interview and a performance of Florence's. This is effective to both musician and magazine, as it gains more interest and becomes easier for readers if they prefer surfing the internet rather than reading an article.

Target Audience

I have decided to use the genre of alternative indie for my music magazine. My main target audience are people between the ages of 18 - 30 years old. The type of people that would buy my magazine are interested in alternative music, that isn't mainstream and overly popular. My target audience prefer to think of themselves as having a specialized music taste. I have decided to focus my magazine on bands that aren't neccessarily widely known, but have loyal and supportive followers. Included in this, I will write articles about new bands that have just hit the scene and are making an impact on the music industry. This includes bands that have been successful in a small area such as their hometown and are branching out to gain more fans and become ultimately more successful. My target audience do not just like 'listening' to music, they are active in many different types of music such as producing, making and writing lyrics. 38% of 18-30 year olds are receiving some form of education and out of that percentage, 19% are studying a course that involves music. My magazine is mainly aimed towards males, as the indie alternative genre of music is dominated by males. Including images of both attractive females or stylish male band members will attract my target audience. Of course, though a small percentage, are still females so I will bare this is mind when creating my magazine and I will not make it completely male dominated. My target audience like to keep on top of what is popular, new releases and they also are very interested in attending gigs. I will devote a special page in my magazine to updating and informing to make sure they know the latest news. Using all the results from my questionnaire I will endevour to produce a music magazine that fits my genre and something that will both entertain but more importantly, inform my target market.

Photoshoot

I went on a photoshoot with a local band called 'The Goodtimes' that are situated in Southend-On-Sea. I generally took photographs of the group as a whole to show how they are united and work together well. I have uploaded my favourite ones, the ones I believe will be most effective on the front cover of the magazine, using editing and cropping.

Photoshoot

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Focus Group

Name: Holly Dibden
Age: 16
Favourite Genre: Rock/Pop
Favourite Artist/Musician(s): Snow Patrol, Katy Perry, The Honorary Title, The Enemy
Best Gig: Snow Patrol
Music Consumption: iPod @ school, Music channels every night and iTunes



Name: Ben Adams
Age: 22
Favourite Genre: Alternative
Favourite Artist/Musician(s): Coheed & Cambria, Reuben, Muse, Mr Hudson
Best Gig: 4 Night Coheed & Cambria gig: Neverender
Music Consumption: iPod in the car & iTunes on Mac



Name: Brooke Rayner
Age: 16
Favourite Genre: Everything
Favourite Artist/Musician(s): Beyonce, Britney, Hedkandi
Best Gig: Justin/Madonna
Music Consumption: iPod everyday, iTunes on the computer



Name: Sophie Evangeli
Age: 17
Favourite Genre: Indie
Favourite Artist/Musician(s): Coldplay, Death Cab For Cutie, Mr Hudson
Best Gig: Death Cab & Coldplay
Music Consumption: iTunes on mac every night and iPod touch during the day

Questionnaire

From research I have discovered that overall, people don't think there are enough magazines in the industry that are geared towards specialized types of music such as Alternative/Indie. I will create a magazine with this genre. From other extensive research I have found that males aged 18-30 are more likely to be interested in this genre. I think this magazine will be successful because theis age bracket are most likely to have a disposable income with loans from university and part/full time jobs.


1. Do you buy magazines regularly?
A large percentage of this age bracket do buy magazines regularly so I know my magazine will be successful.

2. How much would you be willing to pay for a magazine?
The most popular answer was £1-£3. This price is quite high and this is because people this age are more likely to have a disposable income and can spend more money than others.

3. What is your favourite subject?
I asked this question because I wanted to see what subjects people liked that were linked with music. As suspected, art was the most popular choice. When creating my magazine I will make my pages look quite art based and aesthetically pleasing.


5. Do you play any instruments?
Practically all of my target market played an instrument, so I know that they are interested in all aspects of music. The most popular choice was piano followed by guitar. I would benefit in maybe making a page about 'how to get the best out of your piano' or an interview with a professional piano player.


6. What type of articles would you be interested in a music magazine? (If neccessary circle more than one)
The vast majority of people were interested in seeing interviews. I will make my double page spread an interview as this is what people are interested in reading about.


7. What type of music are you interested in? (If neccessary circle more than one)
The most popular choice of music genre was 'Indie' so I will make my magazine targeted towards that genre.
Although, when I received my questionnaires back many people commented on the fact that I hadn't included the genre 'Alternative', the majority of people that made this comment were the people that liked indie music, linking these two genres together, I feel, will create a successful music magazine.

Asked to both males and females aged 18-30.

1. Do you buy magazines regularly?

Yes No


2. How much would you be willing to pay for a magazine?

Free Less than £1 £1-£3 More than £3



3. What is your favourite subject?

Maths Science Art History Geography Drama
Other.......................



4. Do you play any instruments?
Guitar Piano Drums Other


5. What type of articles would you be interested in a music magazine? (If neccessary circle more than one)

New artists and info Up and coming gigs Interviews Competitions
Other.............................

6. What type of music are you interested in? (If neccessary circle more than one)

Rock Pop Top 40 RnB Dance
Other..............................

Magazine Analysis

Q is a music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom, with a circulation of 130,179 as of June 2007.[1]
Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology. Q was first published in 1986, setting itself apart from much of the other music press with monthly production and higher standards of photography and printing. In the early years, the magazine was sub-titled "The modern guide to music and more". Originally it was to be called Cue (as in the sense of cueing a record, ready to play), but the name was changed so that it wouldn't be mistaken for a snooker magazine. Another reason, cited in Q's 200th edition, is that a single-letter title would be more prominent on newsstands.

This is Q Magazine. The magazine is very much music based and prides itself on having exclusive interviews with big celebrities. This edition features Britney Spears. Immeadiately the magazine catches your eye with an almost shocking image. Spears is seen in a very seductive pose, with a lollipop in her mouth, yet this image is shocking as Spears is pregnant. The fact that she is flaunting her body at such a subtle part of your life entices the reader and makes the front cover extremely eye catching. You get the sense that this is a special edition, as the number '20' is used numerous times throughout the front cover, we know that this is a 20th anniversary special. The front cover is relatively simple and the background is white which connotes purity, linking in with the image of Britney. There are little headlines, but what there is, is all in black. As that issue is a special edition they have acquired 20 interviews with famous musicians. This fact that the word 'exclusive' is used is appealing to the reader and makes them want to read what's inside as other people might not know. The black font is bold and clear and is very easy to read. The 'Q' logo is clear to see and is not being covered up by anything. The magazine would stand out on the shelves as it is bold and colourful and challenges conventions. It asks the question, 'Is Britneys pose suitable for the state she's in?' which raises questions and debates, which is ultimately what the publishers are looking for. If a magazine is talked about, people want to discover it for themselves and will go out and buy the magazine. It is unclear who the magazine is targeted at, but as Britneys pose is 'seductive', you could argue that it is more aimed towards men. On the other hand, Britney is a role model for many young girls who may want to read about her. The '20 exclusive interviews' cover a wide range of artists from almost every genre, therefore much more likely to please the market, and attracting many different people. 'Q' magazine is worldwide and renowned, so is able to take risks.

Rolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner (who is still editor and publisher) and music critic Ralph J. Gleason.
The magazine was named after the 1948 Muddy Waters song of the same name. The magazine was known for its political coverage beginning in the 1970s, with the enigmatic and controversial gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. Rolling Stone Magazine changed its format in the 1990s to appeal to younger readers,[3] often focusing on young television or film actors and pop music. This led to criticism that the magazine was emphasizing style over substance.[4] In recent years, the magazine has resumed its traditional mix of content, including in-depth political stories, and has seen its circulation increase.

This is called 'Rolling Stones Magazine', which was created by the founding members of the famous rock group, The Rolling Stones. The main feature on this issue is the leading cast members from the successful US drama, The Hills. Four girls are featured on the front cover, Heidi, Audrina, Lauren and Whitney. The four girls are wearing skimpy underwear which connotes that the magazine is more likely to be advertised towards males. A few of the girls are doing 'suggestive' poses, which backs up this point. It is a medium long shot, as we can see the whole of the girls bodies, but nothing else. the background is all white, which connotes, innocence and 'angelic' behaviour. The headline that coin-sides with this is 'The truth about The Hills'. The words, The Hills, are in very large letters, this will attract the reader and also let them know straight away what TV show the girls on the front are from. As the headline is the same size as the magazines name, the aim of the magazine is to attract the reader with the size of the headline, but also not to detract from the name of the magazine. The fonts are both equal so they are both as important as each other. The tag-line, 'OMG! Do they totally hate each other?' links in with the theme of the show. As they are all american modern day girls, they use such phrases as 'OMG' which is a true representation of the modern day world that the girls live in. The magazines layout is simple yet effective. The colours are bright and light which attracts the reader. This magazine could be geared towards many different audiences. As the Hills is a popular US drama targeted towards teenage girls, this audience would be interested in looking at pictures and reading interviews with and about the cast, many girls look to them as role models or public figures. the male audience is also targeted as the girls appear to be wearing a small amount of clothing. The fact that it is the Rolling Stones magazine also targets towards men as the male Rock group have founded the magazine.

The New Musical Express (better known as the NME) is a popular music magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly since March 1952. It was the first British paper to include a singles chart, which first appeared in the 14 November 1952 edition. The magazine's commercial heyday was during the 1970s when it became the best-selling British music magazine. During the period 1972 to 1976 it was particularly associated with gonzo journalism, then became closely associated with punk rock through the writing of Tony Parsons and Julie Burchill.
The paper's first issue was published on 7 March 1952 after the Musical Express and Accordion Weekly was bought by London music promoter Maurice Kinn, and relaunched as the New Musical Express. It was initially published in a non-glossy tabloid format on standard newsprint. On 14 November 1952, taking its cue from the U.S. magazine Billboard, it created the first UK Singles Chart. The first of these was, in contrast to more recent charts, a top twelve sourced by the magazine itself from sales in regional stores around the UK. The first number one was "Here In My Heart" by Al Martino.


This is NME magazine and the main feature on this months cover is the lead singer of the Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl. The name of the band is in a very large font which is bigger than the name of the magazine. The company could afford to do this as NME is such a successful and popular magazine that a lot of people are aware of it, and are monthly buyers. They are detracting away from the name of the magazine and making the words 'FOO FIGHTERS' the main attraction/focal point of the magazine. They are advertising his name and the name of his band so much as he is very famous, this also grabs peoples attention. To coin-side with this there is an extreme close up of his face. We are able to see his facial expression clearly because of this, and he looks quite angry. The headline that goes with his name is "I'm not dead!" This is link in with his photo, explaining that he is annoyed that some people may think he is. Along with this headline, there are many others to entice the readers. The magazine talks about lots of different bands, that all have a different style, thusly at least one of the artists mentioned will appeal to the reader, so they are more likely to buy it. The name NME is in big red letters that are outlined in black. This makes the name stand out a lot and is more likely to attract the target market that buy music magazines. There is a stamp on the front cover which reads 'WIN: A guitar, Studio time ..AND MORE!' The chance to win something is an appealing this, this will also entice the reader. The overall look of the magazine is bright and bold. The target market of the magazine straight away looks like is for teenage boys and young men. From my research I have found that NME is bought by males aged 18- 29...therefore backing this point. It is clear to see that the magazine is targeted towards males as a female is not once mentioned on the front cover. This obvious fact may put off females, there NME could be losing customers. However, NME has such a loyal fanbase and so many other different types of media available to anyone, that the company can afford to do this. It will stand out from other magazines on the shelves in shops, therefore making it a success.