PLANNING: Final Idea.

Final Idea.

Indie/Pop Magazine:

Gender - Male/Female

Age - 13 to 25

Reader Interests - They will be interested in indie/pop genre, fashion based around the genre, music currently in the charts and films/TV.

Similar Artists - Sheppard/Of Monsters and Men/Imagine Dragons/Fun./Bastille

Colour Scheme - Red, White and Black

PLANNING: Initial Ideas.

Initial Ideas

Idea 1:

Indie/Pop Magazine:

Gender - Male/Female

Age - 13 to 25

Reader Interests - They will be interested in indie/pop genre, fashion based around the genre, music currently in the charts and films/TV.

Similar Artists - Sheppard/Of Monsters and Men/Imagine Dragons/Fun./Bastille

Colour Scheme - Red, White and Black

The strengths with this indie/pop magazine idea is that it has a wide age range, which is 13-25 year olds, so it will be able to draw in a slightly bigger audience than something, for example, is only aimed at teenagers. As well as being an indie music magazine it will also feature other genres such as pop, and by doing this it makes the target audience for this slightly larger, however it will mainly focus on the indie pop genre. This magazine will also be for both male and females so it isn't gender specific and will be available to anyone wanting to read it.

Idea 2:

Rock Magazine:

Gender - Male

Age - 13 to 20

Reader Interests - They will be interested in rock fashion, current rock chart music.

Similar Artists - Fall Out Boy/Bring Me The Horizon/You Me At Six

Colour Scheme - Red, Yellow and Black

The strengths of this rock magazine is that it will have its own distinctive look instead of the modern look that most magazines have. It will also include many pictures from a variety of gigs that will give people an insight as to what a concert is like and will hopefully persuade them to want go.

Idea 3:

Pop Magazine:

Gender - Female

Age - 12 to 18

Reader Interests - They will be interested in fashion, chart music, TV and films and celebrity gossip.

Similar Artists - Beyonce/Katy Perry/Nicki Minaj/Sam Smith

Colour Scheme - Black and Orange

The strengths of this pop magazine idea is that it will be suitable for the teenage female audience. Also, seeing as this magazine includes articles about the current fashion that the artists are wearing and this will appeal to the teenage target audience because fashion is something that they care about.

Idea 4:

Indie/Alternative Magazine:

Gender - Male/Female

Age - 13 to 25

Reader Interests - They will be interested in fashion/media such as film and TV as well as general thing.

Similar Artists - George Ezra/Ed Sheeran/The 1975/Coldplay

Colour Scheme - Brown and Blue

The strengths of this indie alternative magazine is that, like idea 1, it has an open age range so it will appeal to older fans and not just teenagers. This magazine will also appeal to audiences as it is about more than just music, it will include other things that interest them such as TV and film. By having this it will make for a larger audience.


Name and Masthead Design:

• Chords:

I like this name because it is a term used in music and seeing as it is a music magazine, the name fits really well with the product that I am creating.

• In Stereo:

I like this name because it is unique and there aren't any music magazines out there with this name and I believe that it will stand out to audiences.

• Notes:

I like this name because, like Chords, it is a musical term and fits with what I am trying to create. However, this name isn't very interesting and audiences may find this boring.

• Star Avenue:

I like this name as it has an American feel to it and seeing as that is where most music artists are based, I felt that it made sense to call it this. It is also a unique name however, people may find this as too long a name for a music magazine.

• Unplugged:

I really liked this name as it relates to music, however this name doesn't really fit the genre of my music magazines. As well as that, Unplugged is a really popular name so it wont be unique and stand out to people.

RESEARCH: Market Research.

Market Research

Group Research:

Class Research:

RESEARCH: Music Magazine Feature Article Analysis'

Q Magazine:

• The Q logo always appears at the top of the page, reminding its readers that it is a Q magazine that is entertaining them. 
• The 'E' letter at the start of the feature article is done in the same way that the logo is presented, white lettering with a red background.
• The way that the feature article is laid out makes it much easier for the readers to be able to read, and their is just the right amount of text so that the readers don't get bored with it.
• This is the first interview that this artist has done with Q magazine and it is purely about music. This just show the passion that he has for this. As well as that he is being honest and this will help in the future with selling records.
• At the beginning of the article is says "Fresh-faced", this is a form of alliteration and makes it more enjoyable for the readers to read.
• The mode of address for this article is formal. They refer to him as Ezra and not by his first name. As well as that this article uses big words and complicated sentences which further shows this is a formal article.
• The main image of this article is George Ezra and helps to show what the article is about, he is the centre of the image and it introduces him as a new artist. This image is fairly large however the image doesn't take up as much space as what the text does.
• The pull quote used is positive and will make the readers want to know more about him.

Q Magazine:

• From the feature article picture, the readers are able to get an insight into the relationship that this band has and it a rather friendly feel to it which will draw the readers in and make them want to read the article. 
• By having the smaller picture in the corner of the first page and having the larger feature picture it makes the reader think that the old Kings of Leon are making a comeback to the music industry.
• The pull quote used on the page stands out to the reader due to its colour and size. This will be one of the first things that the readers will see and it will help them to decide if they want to carry on reading this article.
• The colour scheme of the page is traditional Q magazine colours, and is the same throughout the magazine. This helps to create a consistency with the readers.

Q Magazine:

• This feature article uses all the main colours that usually represent Q magazine. By using these traditional Q colours, the images used here are not overpowered.
• The big main image of Cheryl Cole makes it very clear to the audience just who this feature article is based on and by having this image full page may also be used as a poster by fans of the artists.
• Using a white background for the main image helps to make the image stand out more as she is wearing black clothing and also gives it a kind of 3D effect.
• The large C used on the feature article itself represents the first letter of the artists name and by doing this keeps up a tradition that they have acquired. It also attracts the readers attention due to its size.

RESEARCH: Music Magazine Contents Page Analysis'

Q Magazine:

• The images used are fun and cheerful images which could make the reader feel happy when reading. E.G the main image being used, Kings of Leon, shows them all in a group laughing, this make the reader feel as if this picture was taken casually and that it wasn't staged.
• The colour scheme that is used is the typical colours that Q uses. The colours used on this page also link to the colours that have been used on the front cover. E.G the traditional red and white colours that Q uses are used throughout the page.
• A wide range of artists are featured in this magazine, which means that it will attract a wider range of audiences who might not always buy this magazine. E.G different genres of music is featured so audiences wont have to buy a genre specific magazine to read about their favourite artists.
• By using older artists, this will make the magazine appeal to older audiences, and make them feel as if they are still part of the magazine audience. E.G Fleetwood Mac is featured in this issue of Q magazine.
• Well established artists have been used. This will make the reader feel that they aren't restricted to just one type of music artist.
• The layout is a clean uniform design which is the style that the Q magazine normally uses. E.G the text is all in a straight line as well as the pictures and it gives the overall page a nice look that audiences will feel comfortable reading.
• Clear branding is used which makes it obvious that this contents page is from Q. E.G. the Q magazine logo in the top corner shows that it is a Q magazine page.
• The clothes that King of Leon are wearing reflect the modern rock look to appeal to the readers that maybe dress like they do.

Kerrang! Magazine:

• The layout of this page is in columns with as little text used as possible. This makes it easier for the audience to read, as wells as making it easier for them to find exactly what they want in the magazine.
• All of the headings on this page are in yellow, this could mean happiness or energy and will make the reader feel as if that is what this magazine will supply.
• The bold font that is used, is also written out in capital letters which will make it stand out to the readers.
• The magazine attempts to make a connection with the audience by using words such as ‘we’, this makes them feel included in the magazine. 
• This page features many artists which shows that Kerrang! has a varied amount of content in its magazines and will make the readers feel that they are paying a fair price of money for all information that they will get in this magazine.

MOJO Magazine:

• The main image’s clothes contrasts with the background of the contents page, which makes him stand out to the readers more and draws in the readers attention.
• The pull quote that is used at the bottom of the page, is a quote from one of the feature articles that is there to draw the readers attention and make them want to read it to find out what the article is about.
• The title of the magazine, MOJO, is at the top of the page to make it obvious and to remind the reader as to what magazine it is that they are reading.
• The basic colours that have been used are black, grey and gold. The gold colour being used stands out more due to the plain grey background and it makes the page numbers and headlines stand out to the readers so it will hep them to easily find what article it is they want. The black colour used for the names of the artists that the articles are based on and by having this makes it a lot easier to read for audiences to read.

RESEARCH: Music Magazine Front Cover Analysis'

Q Magazine:

• The masthead for Q magazine is very bold and stands out because of it’s position in the left top hand corner. It is also a very simple design, being just the letter Q, which makes it easier for its audience to remember and recognise it when buying a magazine.
• The strapline, ‘The World’s Greatest Music Magazine’ is merged onto the masthead and gives the readers the impression that Q magazine is the greatest music magazine out there.
• Q magazine normally sticks to the same colour scheme, mainly red, and under the main coverline, there is a blue badge that says ‘Two Covers to Collect’ and this will show Q how loyal their fan base is because if they are loyal fans they will buy both covers. Also, by having this badge in blue will draw the readers attention to it as it sticks out.
• The coverlines on the magazine cover are mainly the names of other artists or bands. By having the names and not much more, it shows that that these artists are already well established and don’t need much to be recognised by readers. The names of the artists or bands are done in the colour red while Oasis is done in black, this is to make clear that Oasis is the more important artist in this magazine and that the feature article is about them.

Kerrang! Magazine:

• The main colours that are used on this magazine cover are mainly white, green and red. The green colour that has been used relate to the band that is being used on the front cover, which is Green Day.  
• The band on the front, Green Day, is a good way of also showing the audience what genre of magazine, this is because Greed Day is mainly a rock group. Also, by using this group, fans of Green Day will want to buy this magazine.
• The layout of this magazine is constant. For example, all of the text and images are laid in mainly straight lines. 
• This magazine offers many free extras, for example the 5 free posters, this will make the reader think they are getting their moneys worth and will make them want to buy it.
• The smashed masthead on this magazine fits with the theme of this magazine, which is rock, and so it will relate to Kerrang! readers.
• The colours that the band is wearing, which is dark colours, also emphasises that this magazine is a rock magazine.

Q Magazine:

• By offering a free extra, an Amy Winehouse CD, this is going to attract fans of this artist and existing fans as it will make the readers feel as if they are getting more for their money.
• By saying that this magazine will show ‘rare photos’, it is going to attract the readers as they will want to know what these photo are about.
• The masthead is a big focal point to the readers, this is because of the recognizable Q logo which is featured on all of their magazines.
• This magazine cover is addressing the reader in a formal way. By having ‘Amy’ in a big white font shows the reader that it is a tribute to her and it’s main article will be about her. 
• The layout of this magazine is structured but is also simple and therefore makes it easy for the readers to be able to navigate their way around the page.
• ‘Why we fell back in love with vinyl’, by using the word we, it allows the reader to feel more involved with the magazine and that they aren’t an individual but part of a group who share the same passion.

RESEARCH: Music Magazine 'House Style'

Music Magazine ‘House Style’

E.G. Q Magazine:

• Masthead:

-Q magazine always uses the same masthead in all of its magazines; this is to keep the magazine consistent so that the readers know which magazine it is that they are buying.

-They always keep the masthead in the same position (top left) on the magazine. Also, it is sometimes overlapped by the main image and by doing this, it attracts the reader.

-The masthead is a fairly large logo seeing as though it is just a letter Q. This is good because it means that the readers will be able to recognise the magazine.

• Layout:

-It is similar in its entire magazines. The splash and titles create a frame around the main image of the artist or band making them the centre of the reader’s attention.

-The text on the magazine doesn't go over the main image, unless it’s the artist or bands name.

-Having the same sort of layout on all of the magazines means that it is easy for its readers to recognise the magazine.

• Images:

-All images that Q magazine uses are all model shots and they are dressed purposefully for that magazine cover.

-If an image is placed over the masthead, then normally it means that it is more important than the title.