Rock ConventionsBy Mackenzie Nisbet

The use of one main image on this rock magazine is very conventional as it attracts the eye of the audience as the people who read this magazine (target audience) will recognise the band. This is also conventional for a rock magazine as if there was lots of images in a cluttered layout it would be similar to a pop magazine not a rock magazine.

Conventional front coverThis in an example of a conventional rock magazine front cover which I will use to compare to see how conventional my rock magazine front cover is. The main conventional aspect of this magazine is the large bold font used on the masthead at the primary optical area on the route of the eye. This is very conventional as it makes it stand out more to the audience. This is conventional on the front cover as it allows for the audience to recognise the magazine easier by the target audience who know the magazine.

Another main convention of this front cover is the use of puff and slugs this are on the left as this will make the magazine easily seen when stacked on top of each other also this attracts people to the magazine especially people who will want to read things that the puffs promote (the best rock music of 2010).

Conventional Contents pageThe use of images on this contents page is very conventional. There is one main image on the right of the page which is convectional as it usually promotes one of the main articles in the magazine also conventionally there is other smaller images on the contents page with page numbers on as it helps the reader find the content in the magazine. This is some of the main conventional factors of a contents page that makes the contents page more useful.

The ordered copy/content of the contents page is conventional as it adds direction to the content and helps the readers navigate through the music magazine. This is conventional for a rock magazine as it has a sense of order as it would be unconventionally pop if the layout was more cluttered.

The use of the logo next to the ‘contents’ header is also very conventional on this professional magazine as it targets the demographics of the target audience more effectively. The use of the sans serif Q used as the logo makes it stand out more which appeals to the younger target audience of 25 year olds which shows the magazine is more conventional as it is aimed at the right audience. Also the logo is repeated which makes the logo more memorable which promotes the brand identity of the magazine which is also more conventional as it adds consistently through the music magazine.

Conventions of the double page spread

• This double page spread is very conventional. One of the main features which makes the double page so conventional is the use of the main image. The main image uses props such as electric guitars and leather jackets which would appeal to the psychographics of the target audience.

Also the use of the kickers on the main story is very conventional as it attracts the readers into reading the content. Another feature of this magazine is the use of the stand first. This feature is very conventional as it gives the reader a quick brief message which is very conventional.

Headline

Page numbers

Pull Quote Main image

Kicker

By-line

Slug

Masthead

Left third

Main image

Cover story

Barcode

Magazine issue number

Magazine price and date

Cover lines

Slug

Masthead

Main image Page number

Page heading

Content

Pull quote

Smaller content image Sub heading

Conventions of front cover• The front cover of my music magazine is very conventional.

One of the main conventional features about my front cover is the use of one main image. The main image is very conventional on a music magazine as the main artist is holding an electric guitar which is stereotypical for a rock band as they are seen as loud and masculinity.

• This front cover is also very conventional as the main colours used are dark colours such as black and grey. These colours connote mystery and death which are representations of rock music genre also the use of the white fonts contrast with the dark black colour used which makes the darker colours stand out.

• The use of the font on the front cover is also conventional for a rock music magazine as it is a large sans serif font which is a stereotypically masculine font. Also the positioning of the font is very conventional as the masthead is at the top of the magazine which is in the primary optical area so that people will see it first so its easily memorable.

Conventions of double page spreadMy double page spread is very conventional to the rock/metal music genre. The use of the main image on the left is very conventional as this is seen in most rock music magazines as shown in the example of a professional double page spread.

The use of the header ‘the nuggets’ on the double page spread is also conventional to the music magazine as it easily portrays what the content is about and makes the page more aesthetically pleasing to the target audience. Also this is similar to the professional double page spread shown before.

The use of a pull quote on the main image is very conventional as it shows the person in the image is saying this. Also this is conventional on music magazines as it attracts the reader

The use of the house style on this double page spread is very convention for a rock music magazine as it is consistent with the rest of music magazine with the use of similar colours (grey, black and white). This is conventional for a music magazine as it helps the target audience identify the magazine.

Conventions of contents page• The use of page numbers on this contents page is

very conventional as it helps the readers navigate around the magazine. Readers can easily find the content which they want to read in the magazine.

• Also the use of one large image on the contents page is very convention especially in rock/metal music genre magazines.

• Also the use of smaller images around the contents page are conventional as it helps keep the magazine interesting while helping the readers find the page which contains the smaller images on the contents page. To help with this is also the conventional use of page numbers on the image.

• Also on this contents page the use of a pull quote on the smaller image is also conventional as it allows the viewer who is attracted to that image to find more information on that person in the image.