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Analysis of front covers

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Main features of a music magazine

Barcode

Main image

Masthead

Sky line

Main cover line

Cover lines

Left third

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Masthead NME have chosen to make their masthead big and bold this attracts their main target audience. However NME have not followed the codes and conventions of a magazine because their masthead doesn’t cover the full width of the cover and it is not the largest front size so it won’t attract their main target audience. On the other hand the main cover line may still attract the audience. This may have been done deliberately to make the cover line stand out more because that is a bigger statement than the masthead.

Mode of address NME uses formal writing as there are no slag or swear words on the cover. I think NME should of put some informal words in there as it would attract their main target audience because their target audience mainly speak informal

BarcodeBy NME putting a barcode on the bottom right hand corner of their cover they have followed the code and conventions of a music magazine because it shows the issue and the price

GraphicsThe writing and the lay-out of the magazine looks relatively neat for example the writing is not rough around the edges it all full and bold. In other magazines that are targeting the same audience most of them would have the writing rough around the edges. NME uses a Buzz words such as ‘plus’, people that don’t like what is on the front cover they can read the ‘plus’ bit and they might like what is inside. NME also use fairly bright colours like red and yellow, this is good as it is eye-catching while sitting on a shop self, people that are not fans may be attractive to it.

Cover imageThe effectiveness of the cover image fits in with the magazine genre which is rock and roll and the person is holding a guitar which as rock and roll connotations. Furthermore the microphone means he is performing live which attracts their audience further as it suggests that the magazine has information on gigs and live music

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MastheadThe magazine name “Q” isalways in the top left cornerof each issue and it is always big, which helps to keep its reputation and identity, and to help readerssee it at the corner of theireye, since it’s a huge name.

Cover imageThe text “I AM DISGUSTED!” is a callout quote that is to help thereader the main article ofBrandon’s story. Just fromthat, we understand that heis disappointed aboutsomething or someone.The word “Disgusted” isalso italic to help show thatit’s the main word of thequote. Brandon Flowers points atthe reader to make thereaders think he isdisgusted with them, butreally, makes them want toknow why he is disgusted.It also makes his fingerlook a little 3D, whichmakes the finger pointlook more realistic. This is also a direct mode of address because the person is looking and pointing at the audience

Another bandIf their target audience doesn’t like The Killers then they may still be attractive to the magazine because they may like U2. On the cover is says the names of the bands this helps the reader know who the people in the pictures are, and it doesn’t leave them thinking as if they don’t know who the people are. If a reader also see’s the magazine, if they like one or both of the bands, then they will know there are interviews of them they might want to read. This is known as acallout

LureThe line ‘100 ways to get free music’ on the top acts as a lure to attract the audience to find out how they can get free music

BarcodeBy Q putting a barcode on the bottom right hand corner of their cover they have followed the code and conventions of a music magazine because it shows the issue and the price

Plus The Kaiser Chiefs sticker attracts more people because some people want information on their new album

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MastheadKerrang have positioned their masthead where it is barely visible, this is done so that the cover image stands out more, however they have followed the codes and conventions of a magazine by having it at the top and the width of the page. As you can see it also has lines going through it as it has been smashed this is connotations of rock and roll and it would attract their main target audience

FreebiesAnother way to attract and make the magazine more rock and roll is by giving away freebies like in this issue Kerrang are giving out free posters

Cover imageOn this issue of Kerrang majority of the cover is taken up by the cover image which is the band fall out boy, its like they are in your face because underneath the image it says ‘Rock’s odd couple invade the UK!’. By having the image big and in your face it emphasises that are going to take over.

BarcodeBy Kerrang putting a barcode on the bottom right hand corner of their cover they have followed the code and conventions of a music magazine because it shows the issue and the price

House stylesKerrang mainly uses the same font on the front cover and mainly uses purple, yellow, black and white

List of bandsKerrang have followed the codes and conventions of a magazine by revealing a list of bands at the bottom of the page, this gives the audience a list of bands and hence the genre of music to assume is inside the magazine. There is also a buzz word used at the start of this ‘plus’, this would attract their target audience by giving more

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Cover image The person on the front of this magazine is Mark Ronson and he is holding a trumpet in two pieces, this image is important because the main cover line is about him which would attract people to look inside. He has been positioned in a way where his eyes are always looking at you, this makes the cover image look far more attractive and people want to have a look inside

MastheadNME have always had their masthead in the right hand corner and the same font so there are no surprises that they haven’t followed the codes and conventions of a magazine. The bright red of the masthead makes it stand out, this is eye catching and will attract people.

GraphicsThe colours used on the cover have been kept simple and easy to notice the use of a white background makes the red and black text stand out from a distance. The writing at the top is the only bit where there is a black background but white text has been used so it can be easy to read

BarcodeBy Kerrang putting a barcode on the bottom right hand corner of their cover they have followed the code and conventions of a music magazine because it shows the issue and the price

Cover lines The cover lines on this front cover tell the audience what is going to be inside. The text has been spread all around the front cover, this allows people to focus on the cover image because the image is the main focus of the cover

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MastheadThe title of the magazine is big and white, however we can’t see the whole title due to the cover image over lapping it but most people can make out what it says because of the cover image he is a hip-hop artist

Cover image The cover image has a well know person on the cover this immediately makes the magazine stand out is big and takes up almost all the page this has been done because of who the person is, it is 50 cent who claims to be a gangster so by him taking up almost all the cover it makes him look big. He also looks angry he is trying to act like he is a gangster

List of other starsThe use of several hip-hop stars scaling down the right hand side of the page makes the magazine far more appealing as it mentions some of the biggest and well-respected music artists in the world. By doing this the magazine has followed the codes and conventions of a magazine and this gives the audience a list of stars and genre which is the obvious one hip-hop and rap. This makes the audience assume what genre the magazine is about.

BarcodeBy Hip-hop putting a barcode on the bottom right hand corner of their cover they have followed the code and conventions of a music magazine because it shows the issue and the price

HeadlineExcept for the masthead the ‘50 Cent: Hip-hop icon’ is the is the largest sans-serif making the focus point of the cover therefore the main headline

LureThe use of ‘a free gift card’ at the top of the page gives the reader an incentive to buy the magazine as they could well be lucky and win £20 and spend it on some classic downloads.

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MastheadThe magazine uses the logo to distinguish itself amongst other magazines, as well as an there own iconic and memorable logo. NME have always used this title and have always put it in the top left corner. However this time it has a white outline to it, this is because the whole of the front cover is predominantly red and white and it makes it blend it

Cover imageOn this issue NME have decided to have two people on the cover image who are lookalikes. They are wearing dark clothes and the way they are stood and looking at us is thought to be confidently. They look as if the don’t care what people think of them, this reflects on the main target audience as they also don’t care what people think of them

BarcodeBy NME putting a barcode on the bottom right hand corner of their cover they have followed the code and conventions of a music magazine because it shows the issue and the price

ColourEach different part of the magazine like the sub-headings, heading and pictures are cleverly disguised and separate to create a well-balanced and easily eye-catching cover. The three main colours are white, red and black. These three colours are good to use as they easily blend in together

Other stuff that attract the audienceThe use of the quote gives the reader an insight into what the article will say. The use of the circled banner also highlights that section and can be easily seen. The use of text on the ‘black circled banner’ also uses the word shock which suggests something unordinary is happening in the music world. The use of ‘studio news’ exited the audience as it shows the readers which artists are creating a new album or single e.g. Readers will want to read this section to confirm dates for the new album and when it will be ready for release and when they are performing live.

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MastheadVibe have chosen to make their masthead big and bold on top of the cover, however it is behind the person’s head this has been done deliberately so the star stands out more. They have also followed the codes and conventions of a magazine but making their masthead at the cover and the whole length of it

House stylesvibe have mainly used the same colours on the front of their cover which are black, yellow and white

Cover image The cover image covers almost all the page and it even goes over the masthead , this is done so it stands out more than everything on the cover. Furthermore, his head and hat is slightly tilted this is a sign of confidence. The person is Drake he is a hip-hop star showing confidence is good as that is what his profession needs. It may also give his rivals the indication that he means business and his fans will like this attitude because they want him to release more songs. This will attract them to this magazine as they want to know what is he is planning.

Headline The main stand out word on this cover is ‘unstoppable’ , this shows this star is up there with the best in the business and will be there for some time. This is again a sign of confidence and a little but of arrogance. This is not a bad thing because that is exactly what a person in is profession needs.

Cover linesThe cover lines are eye-catching because they are written in bright colours. The line ‘hip-hop’s new religion’ will attractive people because they want to know what the magazine means by this statement, it may be interesting

Buzz wordsThere is a buzz word used which is ‘exclusive’. This will attract people as it is the only magazine that has the Chris Brown interview. This would be attractive to people following his recent domestic violence with his girlfriend Rihanna. This is interesting because people want to know what really happened

BarcodeBy Vibe putting a barcode on the bottom right hand corner of their cover they have followed the code and conventions of a music magazine because it shows the issue and the price

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MastheadMojo have made their masthead bold but it is not that big compare to the cover image, so it is not the stand out thing on the cover

Cover imageThe cover image is one of the famous bands ever, who are no longer around anymore. As you can see they are wearing clothes and glasses that were worn in the olden days. They all look confident especially the one with the cigarette in his mouth the way it is positioned looks like he has got confidence, he can afford to have a lot of confidence because he knows that a lot of people like his band

Freebies Another way Mojo attract people is by giving away free stuff, like they are here they are giving away free CD’s

HeadlineApart from the masthead ‘The Beatles’ is the largest sans-serif on the front cover. Making is the largest writing on the cover and therefore the main headline. This will attract people because the are a well known historic band. As well as this the strapline is positioned beneath the headline further attracting the reader by using the word ‘shocked’ implying something big happened

Lure‘Their 101 greatest songs’. This will encourage their target audience to read the magazine and find out other good songs they have made and are not known about

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MastheadThe masthead is printed in a large yellow font, this is to make it stand out immediately as it is eye-catching. The large font is to catch the attention of the audience and the outline of the black around the title makes it look more attractive.

Cover linesboth of these cover lines are in bold to make them stand out more, however they are in different colours to separate them from each other, this is to make sure they are separate features to the magazine. This is good as the audience will have variety within the magazine

cover imageThe person on the cover is Lil Wayne he is a RnB/Hip-hop artist, this instantly tells the audience it is a RnB/Hip-hop magazine. The way he is standing and the way his head is tilted shows signs of confidence, this is good because that is what you need in the music industry. This will bring him more accolades because he will produce more songs and therefore increase his fan base and that will attract more people to this magazine

Small imageThe small image of the DJ is to attract further attention of the audience if other features of the magazine haven't already done so. DJ Khaled is also printed beside it. It is printed in a large font and it is coloured this shows it is an important aspect of the magazine even though it is smaller than the other image. Furthermore it isn't as important as the other image because Lil Wayne is in a larger font

BarcodeBy Scratch putting a barcode on the bottom right hand corner of their cover they have followed the code and conventions of a music magazine because it shows the issue and the price

Big names‘Lil Wayne is printed in a large white font, the whiteness of the font stands out against the dark background, this indicates that it is the main feature of the magazine

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MastheadThe masthead immediately tells us that this magazine is a classical music one and the font ‘classical’ is written in is a classical font. The white colour of the title will catch the audience’s attention

PlusThe red box is used to get the audience’s attention so they know it has extra features. A red box and white background is used because it stands out more

BarcodeBy Classical music putting a barcode on the bottom right hand corner of their cover they have followed the code and conventions of a music magazine because it shows the issue and the price

HeadlineThis part of the magazine is important that is why it is written in italics font, to catch attention and make it stand out from the rest of the cover

Cover imageThe cover image is just simple. Its just a man sitting on a bench. The way the person is sitting and dressed is like a real gentlemen, this is done because this is the type of person there are targeting. Real gentlemen listen to classical music. As you can see he is not looking at the audience he is looking to his right, this maybe because he is looking at a women because that is what his type do

Small printThis statement is used to try and make the audience feel that this is the only classical music magazine worth buying. The date is written in a really small font because it is not an important part of the cover

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Analysing contents pages

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LayoutOther than the front cover the contents page is another important part to the magazine displaying again what is inside the magazine. A content page is laid out differently to a front cover as it needs to be readable and contain more specific information than the front cover has. The layout for the contents page is simple but effective. It uses one main image on the right side of the text that advertises one of the main stories and artists in the magazine. It takes up the majority of the page and creates an attractive design. There is also a smaller image under the review that advertises the article of Nick Cave taking up the same amount of room as the writing next to it. The main contents information is set down the left side of the page in a column. The red titles used makes this part of the text stand out more and look more important. The page numbers are also in red or gold which makes them stand out against the other black text. The colours used on the page are simple with a plain white background that makes the text easier to read. The titles and important information are in red so they stand out more the other text is all in black. and the main titles use a black strip with white text. The only other colours used on the page is the blue background features in the review

House styleQ uses a consistent house style by sticking to red, white and black as well as using the same fonts

Lure‘Oasis special’ this is a good lure because Oasis are a well known band and they have a lot of fans. It also has the word ‘special’ in it this can mean that is Q don’t have information like this about Oasis very often and this issue does. This will attract their audience.

EditorialQ magazine has no editorial features on the contents page which is unusual for a magazine as it usually features a word from the editor on the magazine and the issue created. Hoverer i think the page works well without it.

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LayoutThe contents page of MOJO magazine features, at the top of the page, the word MOJO, instead of the word contents. However, the reader can tell that this is the contents page due to the typical conventions such as page numbers, feature headings in a bold text, information under the heading about that feature and also, images relating to one, or more, of the features in the magazine. The title text MOJO is bold, large and in a simple font, making it stand out and catch the readers eye.

Brand identity MOJO’s brand identity is again displayed on the contents page reminding the audience and showing its importance.

Variety MOJO magazine does not concentrate it's contents page on one feature. Instead, different images of things related to the features down the left of the page are shown. By doing this it shows the reader more of what is featured in the magazine and not just the one main feature. The images are also arranged in a collage layout, making the reader relate to the magazine more due to the layed back feel it is connoting as it gives off a feel that they have just placed the images wherever and not given too much thought into it, giving the impression of being effortlessly cool.

Suspense Some of these images, however, do not link with the text to the left, some have been put there instead of text. This not only gives the page a good ratio between text and image but also leaves the reader fascinated as only an image and title is being revealed and no explanation as to what the feature will contain is included. This leaves the reader in suspense as to what the article is about, making them want to read on and discover more.

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LayoutThe layout for the contents page is busy. The majority of room on the page is taken up by images. These images advertise different artists and articles, this works well in attracting the reader more as it will make them want to purchase the magazine or the artist in the features. The biggest image on the page shows the main article featured in the magazine. the pictures help the readers directly find the page there looking for. The pages and articles numbers are positioned on the right of the page above the magazine advertisement. The advertisement is on a red background with images so stands out more to attract readers to subscribe to the magazine. The page is a plain colour similar to Q. The whole page is taken up with images or text to give the reader all the information they need.

EditorialKerrang has the editorial at the top left of the page. This is where its most likely to be read as generally people read from left to right so it will be the first thing read on the page. It takes up a small amount of room but it the biggest block of text on that page so is the most noticeable. It also includes an image of the magazine cover along with the extract from the editor.

Title The magazine chooses to have one main title; "Contents". It uses a back background with yellow writing to make the title stand out even more. It is also the biggest text on the page so is the most eye-catching. The title "This Week" on the left side use the opposite colours to the main title using a yellow background with black text however the smaller titles underneath this use the same as the title. All the title apart from the main one are in uppercase lettering so it is easier to read and more attractive

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LayoutThe layout of this contents page is attractive as it has bright colours on it. It is also very informative, beneath each contents line is a line of text which briefly summarises the article with appealing language

LureThis voucher will attract their audience to buy the magazine because people want to pay less as possible for products.

Tour datesOn the right side of the contents page NME have added a long list of tour dates, this is a good way to attract their target audience because they will be interested to know as they would like to attend the live concert and they are in major cities around the world which makes it even more exciting as they get to visit those cities if they go to the concerts . Furthermore they will be eager to know if they can have a chance to win tickets to the concerts

T.V channelNME have also inserted information about their T.V channel so they can further entertain their audience, this will also attract people to watch their channel and therefore increase their viewing figures

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TitleThe use of the ‘NME’ logo in big bold red text gives it a centre piece in the page. The gives the reader constant reminders of the company leading the magazine and the resource to research the company on the internet,

House style The font, colours and house style are all the same type which gives the magazine a bold, but effective way of presenting their pieces

LayoutThe use of sub-headings puts each piece of content into easier and clearer categories, making the magazine make sense and clearer. The images used on the contents page feature two big stars making the magazine an even greater prospect as the audience will feel more engaged and want to read the magazine more with music bands like Oasis on the contents.

SubscriptionNME follow the codes and conventions of a music magazine by offering their readers a chance to subscribe to the magazine, and also offer a discount

Content linesThe sub-headings are clear and precise and show you very easily where you can access that content in the magazine. The band index gives the reader and precise showing of what bands will be in the magazine. This may give the readers more purpose to buy the magazine as maybe there could be a feature on their favourite band.

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LayoutNME have made their contents page easy to read because due to the use of sub-headings. The images use on the contents page are of big stars and they are holding electrical guitars which again emphasises that this is a ‘rock n roll’ magazine

SubscriptionNME follow the codes and conventions of a music magazine by offering their readers a chance to subscribe to the magazine, and also offer a discount

House style The font, colours and house style are all the same type which gives the magazine a bold, but effective way of presenting their pieces

Indexon the right side of the page there is a long list of famous bands. This is a good way to further attract the target audience because the list includes the worlds most famous bands and at least a page in the magazine is on the bands

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LayoutIn the top right hand corner is the word “Contents”. This is written in large bold lettering. This is presented in a black box and in a yellow colouring. This is done to make a page stand out more to the reader’s eye when flicking through the pages. Underneath this are the date and the issue number in a smaller font. This is done so the reader knows what issue they have purchased. As well as text on the page it uses a lot of pictures to show what else is inside the magazine. It uses one larger image, for example there is a large image of “The Bronx” singer at one of their concerts. Then surrounding this larger image there are smaller ones showcasing what other contents there is inside the magazine. These smaller images are laid out in a smarter fashion so that it doesn’t become too overpowering for the reader and therefore the pictures don’t become too much of a distraction.

EditorKerrang follow the codes and conventions of a music magazine by featuring a editors letter. Along side the editors message is a image of the front cover. The language used in the message is very informal, such as “We heart Biffy Clyro”. This could have been included so it appeals to their target audience.

SubscriptionKerrang follow the codes and conventions of a music magazine by offering their readers a chance to subscribe to the magazine.

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LayoutThe layout of this particular contents page is unique it is different to other magazines and that is a good thing as it will appeal to the audience because they want something new not the same thing all the time. The way the contents page is split into two sections, ‘features’ and ‘fashion’ is good as it makes it easier to read.

ImageCiara legs are shaped in a v as well as their is a v shape behind her this maybe suggesting view the pages or view the contents page the image focuses on the shape of her legs. This may appeal to men. The image also has a caption.

Attracting the audience The information about the pages is done in black. Showing quotes and cover lines. The sub headings are done in grey so the viewers can see the main things so they are interested for instance "boys to men" so we know its going to be about the band. The contents page has elegance to it also the colour scheme is grey black suggesting it’s the dark side to Ciara and to view it we see the insight of the story. The setting is well presented with the artist all in shape with the text on the right side and the image on the left with the heading standing on her heel.

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LayoutTilt have made their contents page easy to read. They have done this by having sub-headings down the right side of the page and they are numbered so whatever the audience is looking for they can find it easy. They have also added images, this is done to attract the audience because this is what is included in the magazine, the images are also number therefore these are also easy to get to.

SubscriptionTilt have followed the codes and conventions of a music magazine by offering their readers a chance to subscribe to the magazine, and also adding the magazine’s website address so they can get more information for there. This is a good way of advertising the website and therefore will increase there website’s viewing figures

House styleTilt uses a consistent house style by using grey, orange and black. The contents page also uses matching fonts and tends to colour the numbers in orange

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Layoutin the top right corner is states in big and bold yellow writing in a black box, this is good way to attract the target audience as it is eye-catching. In the magazine’s contents page a lot of images are used whereas other magazines normally have more text than images. I think this is better it gives the audience more of a idea of what is in the magazine.

Editor Kerrang follows the codes and conventions of a magazine by adding a editor’s letter at the top of the contents page.

Brand identityLooking at the main larger image, you can tell that this is a form of rock magazine because of the clothes he is wearing. You can tell he is rebellious from the pose he is doing. So from just looking at one main image you can establish the genre of the magazine, also looking at the other images, they are similar and you get the feel that it is a rock magazine.

SubscriptionKerrang follow the codes and conventions of a music magazine by offering their readers a chance to subscribe to the magazine.

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Analysing double page spreads

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LayoutOn the left hand side of this double page spread is an image of the band that takes up the entire side. The band members are all looking towards the camera which gives the magazine a personal feel as you read through In the middle of the page is the band name in a box that is coloured which is spread throughout the spread. It stands out as the title as it is bigger than anything else on the page. There is also a shape above that says “NME loves” which gives support to the band and encourages people to buy their CD if their magazine likes it. There is an article on the page about the bands history and there are some quotes as well which are highlighted inside a box of the same colour of the title.

QuoteA quote is displayed in a bigger font than the rest of the article ‘s words to get the readers attention and get them to read the article . The use of blue in a white background makes the quote stand out.

House styleNME mainly use blue, black and white on the double page spread

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Layout The layout of this double page spread is really busy and crowded with images of the band. The way kerrang have set out the double page spread is a good way of showing who the article is about. On the main image the camera angle is a mid-shot the reason kerrang did this to the article is because they wanted to show the emotion in the artists face. Furthermore, you can see that the main colours are red, white, brown and black. None of the pictures are in colour which suggests the type of band that they are. The other page has the text on it and also the photos underneath, there is little text on the double page spread but it doesn’t look bland and there aren’t any blank spaces. Also, the slanted text at the top of the page and the fact that it doesn’t just fit on one page but goes onto both.

Stand firstKerrang uses a stand first to introduce the article

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Layout This double page spread only has one big photo which takes up the whole of the first page. With the text on the second page. There is no colour, just black and white which also suggests the style of the band and the type of band that they are. I like how the text is in a different colour, black and also that there is a block of colour behind the text. However, for and interview, there needs to be more text seeing as the band is the main feature of the magazine and so therefore needs to be used as much as it can.

House styleThis double page spread is in black and white, this is not good as it is not eye-catching

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Layout This double page spread has a lot more text in it and just two large images. The main colours are green, black and white. This is good because it is simple, not only the layout but the photos as well. The name of the band is a bit small as I would like it to be a bit bigger and really stand out catching the readers eye.

House style This double page spread has a black background with white writing, this makes the page look all doom and gloom this may suggest that the article is going to be sad

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Layout The layout is funky rather than just having the text in blocks, also some of the text is highlighted adding more colour. There is enough text but not too much which will make it boring and also there are a lot of photos to to keep you interested. I like how the images aren’t all the same size because it gives the reader something different. There also is some bigger text which is some of the quotes made in the interview which will be the first thing that the reader will see and get them interested in reading the interview. The main colours in this are pink, yellow and green.

House styleThe main colours in this double page spread are pink, yellow and green. This is good as they are bright colours and are eye-catching

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Layout The layout of this double page spread is dominated by pictures I think this is good as it shows the reader first hand of what to expect while reading the article and also they are eye-catching. They show people partying this is appeal to 15-29 year olds, and by doing this is quickly identifies the target audience. Furthermore, I quite like the layout of this double page spread as there's a basic but bold title showing the reader what this article is about. It then simply leads down to the writing. I like how the pictures are of the band during a gig, it shows them in a state which a fan would normally see them. Also around each picture is a white border which I find helps separate and identify each different picture really well.

House styleOn this double page spread the colours used are black and white with a little but of red. This is a bit boring and not eye-catching. However I think the pictures are there so they catch the audience’s eyes

ImagesThere are a lot of images used on this double page spread, this is good as it gives the audience more of a feel of what the article is about

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Layout Once again this is a double page spread where the picture is taking up a whole page, however for this one it overlaps onto the second page as well. I really like this, I think it helps connect the two pages together.I also like how Black Eyed Peas band members are all slightly faded except for vocalist, Will.i.am, as he is the lead singer and as the article is mainly concerning him. Down the right hand side is the writing, all in one column, which although it looks very little, it appears neat and easy to read.

QuoteA quote is displayed on this double page spread to get the reader’s attention and encourage them to read the interview. The use of white writing in a black background makes the quote stand out even more

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Layout The title is dark and a bold font which really catches the readers attention. In the top left hand corner is a text box which is shaped as a star. Even though this is very basic I think it works well and adds an extra shape and feel onto the page. The layout for this double page spread, one page taken up by a picture of the featured band and the other with the written article. However I think there is a lot of writing, there's a nice small picture breaking up some of the text, but I think it would be better with another one somewhere as there is so much writing.

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Stand firstBorn to run uses a stand first to introduce the article

Abdul Ali

Layout The double page spread features Usher, a stereotypical, black, male, R&B artist to which XXL’s target audience would be familiar with. The anchorage image on the left-hand page of the double page spread shows the musician in a denim shirt, which gives him a more casual look. The shirt is made by G-Star RAW – a designer clothing company that produces fashionable urban clothing. This fits in well with the stereotype he is portraying. He is also wearing a watch and smoking a cigar, this connotations of wealth. The artist is looking away from the reader in this image; this makes the audience notice him as a superior person. The quote on the left-hand page of the double page spread is in a different, larger font than the rest of the text, this attracts the reader’s attention to it. The quote is in front of the smoke from the cigar it surrounds Usher and highlights his face. ‘GREATEST’ is in capitals; this has been done to make the word stand out amongst the rest of the text and to emphasise the importance of the word within the quote. The quote from Usher on the first page of the double page spread informs the reader of the musician’s intentions as an artist in the industry. The artist uses slang, for example ‘ain’t gon’’, and swearwords, this gives the interview an informal feel this would appeal to people that are 15-29 year olds.

QuoteA quote is added in a larger font to attract the reader’s attention which encourages them to read the article

Abdul Ali

LayoutThis double page spread is from Vibe magazine. It uses a very basic colour scheme of contrasting colours blue, black. These colours are striking and attract the readers. With the main image being in colour, slightly off centre and larger than the rest of the images of the woman gives the readers eyes something to be drawn to as it stands out the most among anything else on the page. The use of the colour blue to highlight the artists name means readers are able to find who the article is about just by quickly scanning it. The woman used is stereotypically conforming to the genre that is hip hop as she is of black origin and she is showing flesh and standing in a sexual way with her hands on her back and pushing the rest of her body forward.

House style On this double page spread uses the same colours such as blue, white and black with a the image being mostly red. The fonts are mostly the same.

Stand firstVibe uses a stand first to introduce the article