CONVENTIONS OFAN INDIE MAG

Indie rock is generally a difficult genre to analyse in terms of conventions due to its numerous subgenres, but there are various recurring conventions.

• From general research into the indie genre, it can be deduced that most fans/artists/bands of the indie genre share a similar dress sense, with primary focus on laid back, casual clothing, mainly consisting of dark colours. Skinny jeans, hats, and chequered shirts are all prime examples of this.

• Fans of the genre may be perceived to be more ‘open-minded’ than those with a dominant interest in genres such as pop, and will therefore have a greater appreciation of instruments such as the guitar and the drums due to them playing a more significant role within indie music. This also explains why there are majoritively bands within the genre, as opposed to singular artists.

• In many indie music videos and magazine front covers, the setting used tends to be more urban and rough than the type that may appear in the pop genre. Generally, this goes with their proposed sound and how they intend to make themselves look.

• There will be less talk of subjects such as ‘how to win a date with the band member of your dreams’ as conversational topics are more likely to be focused on the music itself, with emphasis on festivals, new albums and inspirations for starting up your own band.

• Body language of those in the indie genre is non-aggressive and often slumped, or casual; although it can be quite formal, depending on the style the band wish to emulate within their appearance and music. There’s a general absence of makeup and hair appears messy or roughly styled.

GENERAL CONVENTIONS OFTHE GENRE

• The styling of the masthead is usually simplistic and bold, often contrasting to the background of the front cover in order to emphasise it. The masthead itself (or name of the magazine) is usually catchy and short, perhaps abbreviated or reduced to a single letter such as Q and NME – although the title is often relfective of the depth of detail in the magazine, as magazines like Pitchfork tend to offer more in-depth analysis of more obscure indie/alternative music.

• The main image is usually uncomplicated and simple, and dominates the page, perhaps even protruding over the masthead in order to subtly show how the straightforward, attention-grabbing nature of indie music. However, unlike heavier genres, the pose of the models is generally subdued – they tend not too pose or show a particular facial expression, be it aggressive or kindly.

• The colour scheme of the title is usually shared throughout the front cover and, subsequently, the whole magazine. It is likely the primary colours used will be bold and simple, such as red, white, black or blue.

• The sell lines are all interlinked by a mode of address that is often joking and casual, using colloquialisms and often directly addressing the reader. There are often ‘in’ jokes within some established magazines that the reader will only understand if they have a certain amount of knowledge about the subject, and in understanding this, the reader will develop a better relationship with the magazine itself – promoting loyalty and commitment to subscribing to it.

• The dress sense of the artists/band on the front cover is usually similar, with them either dressing smart or wearing the casual London ‘mod’ look – often reflective of the music the band plays.

GENERAL CONVENTIONS OFTHE MAGAZINE

ALL THESE CONVENTIONS AND MORE CAN BE SEEN IN NME MAGAZINE. THEREFORE, I AIM TO BASE MY MAGAZINE FRONT COVER AROUND THESE FRONT COVERS OF NME MAGAZINE, AS IT FITS MY GENERAL CONSENSUS.