Music Magazine Evaluation- How I attract /address my audience?

By Josh De Meyer (wattaguy008)

Conventions used on Front Cover

I have used a main image in the middle of the front cover, like many music magazines, such as the R&B magazine Fader, uses to attract the audience. I used it because I wanted it to be the main focus of the magazine and wanted it to attract the audience.

Having the anchorage text at the bottom of the magazine is an idea copied from Kerrang magazine, who places the anchorage text at the bottom of the magazine.

I also used dark contrasting colours, similar to Kerrang in the background and the fonts to create a similar feel of the music magazine to Kerrang, but have a completely different genre so to surprise the audience and make them want to read my media product.

I used sell lines along the sides of the main image so it imitates Kerrang magazine and makes my media product seem realistic and authentic as a music magazine.

Conventions used on the Contents page

My contents page uses the date at the top of the magazine contents page, similarly to Q magazine. I have also placed the image on the side of the contents page with the page number for the feature of the double page spread, like how Q magazine places the page number on the image of ‘The Courteeners’. My contents page and front cover are different in style because I want it to allow people who read various different music magazines to come together and read my magazine and fell comfortable with some of the layout because it is identical or similar to what magazines they may be reading.

What I decided to do instead of making the whole of the left side of the magazine a list of the contents, I decided to make an editors note, which I thought would give my media product it’s own unique selling point and give it characteristics it can call it’s own. This could effect the audience and make them want to read the magazine because the magazine is unique and has some features that differ to other magazines, such as Q or Kerrang and putting and editors note and a subscription offer in the contents page allows this.

I included in the contents things, like concerts/special events, new album releases, R&B Top Music this month, future artists etc. This makes it clear to the audience what is inside the magazine and what it features and what the genre of the magazine is.

Conventions of my Double Page Spread.I have placed the image of my model on the recto page, like what Q magazine did with Florence in the double page spread down below.

I have also used a large font for my headline, similar to Q magazine to grab the audiences attention and focus of the double page spread.

With my text, it is organised in rows, similarly to the double page spread shown below. This makes the information seem organised and tidy and easy for the audience to follow when reading the double page spread.

However, with Q magazines double page spread, there is an absence of colour to the text. In my media product, however, I have used font colours, such as red and white, to grab the attention of the audience and make them want to read the article. I have also used a Lead in my double page spread and a feature headline above the image of my media product. This creates a unique selling point of this magazine and makes it different to what Q magazine has done in their double page spread.

Some features I have copied but I have altered or added extra features to make my music magazine unique and stand out from other music magazines, making it more attractive to the audience.

My Audience Feedback

I gathered research for what people should expect from a music magazine. Here is some feedback from my survey.Interviews with r and b bands Album reviews Concert information 4/1/2014 9:32 PM

An interview/facts on R&B artists 4/1/2014 9:31 PM

lyrics to songs etc. 4/1/2014 9:17 PM

Rappers New songs out Stats about different things Pictures of topics of interest with information 4/1/2014 4:12 PM

I would expect to see interviews with the latest R'n'B musicians and artist, news about the lastest albums/singles, reviews on shows and records and news on where I can catch certain artists. 4/1/2014 1:27 PM

News about all new RnB music coming out 4/1/2014 1:19 PM

Latest icons Top 10 tracks at the moment 4/1/2014 12:02 PM

I wouldn't know but I'm guessing a lot of gossip and soul music as well especially with people like Rihanna and Ne-yo on the covers etc 4/1/2014 11:41 AM

My Audience Feedback Continued..

These comments have distinct features that I have used in my music magazines. For example in the contents page, I have included in the contents ‘R&B Top music, New album release from Frank Ocean, Concerts/Special Events’. My feedback quoted ‘New songs, R&B top 10 tracks, news of the latest albums/songs. My media magazine has managed to conform to the generic conventions of music magazines, but yet my media magazine manages to have unique features, such as the editors note in the contents page and the feature headline in the double page spread, to make it different from other music magazines.