Overview
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The document provides an overview of the typical front cover conventions of Top of the Pops magazines from 2008-2009. [1] The front covers all feature a dominant central image of a popular artist alongside smaller images promoting articles and sell lines wrapped around the main image. [2] The featured artists are usually confident female singers or boy bands that appeal to teenage girls. [3] The layout, colors, and styles portrayed aim to attract young readers through a fun and vibrant aesthetic.
Overview
- 2. Overview All of the covers seen above are front covers from the Top of the Pops Magazine, meaning they are all created to attract hip-hop/ pop fans. The purpose of this over view is to highlight and compare the features which create typical pop music magazine convention. Each of the eight fronts cover have similar features and patterns within the front cover conventions, within the genre of pop we have typical conventions we expect, one of them most common convention is for a main image to dominate the whole of the front cover, this is clearly displayed within all of these front covers, alongside with sell lines that wrap around the image, alongside these there are also smaller images which refer to the articles within the magazine, to follow this it as has a masthead which is intended to be of an suitable text. Alongside these similar feature they also consist of trending patterns such as, most of the artist appear on front of the cover are usual strong confident female or girl bands, however one of top of the pops conventions is the appearance of heart throb boys or boy bands which also appear on the front of the magazine. These are common to be seen on the front of the ‘top of the pops’ magazine, as they artist which are within his music genre are usual very pretty, independent woman, as well as boys which take the hearts of the girls in the nation. When a band is placed on the front cover, we see that they are all standing equally and there is not one seen as ‘the leader of the pack’ this represents the genre of the music, as in a typical rock magazine such as Kerrang, a band which would be displayed would have one band member which would dominate and the rest standing behind, this is a typical rock convention which highlights the difference between the two genres. However with the solo artist which are seen on the front cover of these magazines usually dominate the whole of the front cover, this is too attract the readers and fans of these solo artist, such as many artist which feature on the front covers of this magazine, will be heart throbs the girls as well as their role models. The artists which feature on the front cover consist of stylish, edgy and independent females alongside the heart throb, hunky males; these are artist such as, Cheryl Cole, Jessie J, One Direction and others. The mix of both male and female artist featuring on the front cover is conventional towards a pop magazine. From looking at the front covers, the mise-en-scene, it highlights lots of typical iconography for this music genre, this is shown through factors such as
- 3. the costume, the costumes in which the artist were are usually stylish and colourful, as well as this there costumes have a very smart feel to them however still have a casual edge to them. This look is usually seen in a pop magazine, as the bright stylish clothes are conventional to the artist as well as the front cover these costumes give a ‘fun’ feel to them as well as a free spirit as it is very colourful and out there. As well as their costumes being bright colours the colours usually clash with the rest of the magazine, this is seen through these front covers as there are many vibrant colours in one place, this may be seen as a method to attract the readers. The typical look of the artist are very ‘glamed’ up with a lot of attention that has been paid towards the makeup and hair, yet try’s to look effortless towards the audience. As well as the boys looking almost perfect, with natural glowing skin and the perfect hair which many boys may envy. A feature which is commonly seen in the eight front covers would be the appreance of feature articles photographs. These photographs are usually seen in smaller forms, which will then come in larger forms within the magazine further on, this is typically on a pop magazine to highlight the other artist as well as the poster which are offered inside. Each front cover displays the trade mark of top of the pops, masthead, as well as always appearing on the front cover it is always in the same placement as well as being in the same font or design, however within the front covers above we see a transformation between the logo, as a new era evolved, so did the magazine changing their style and iconic look. As well as this the background use to be on a solid colour however has now changed the simple white background allowing it to appeal to a more wider audience of teens and not just girls, as well as the top of the pops logo being there it shows that they are now well established that it can be covered by the image and if seen is so iconic that people would recognise it. Another feature which is commonly repeated would be the strap line in which every time sits on top of the masthead, which uncovers the information based in the magazine, as well as promoting a competition or a giveaway. The eight magazines displayed above show us the amount of sell-lines and their placement, on a music magazine they are usually seen ath the sides, however on the top of the pops magazine they are seen spuradically all over the front of the magazine, as seen in the eight front covers the take up a lot of the front cover as well as covering the main image of the artist, however the sell line in which cover the artist, are usually about the artist to attract the reader and find out what the sell line actually means. Alongside these the sell lines in which usually are seen on these magazines consist of, ‘omg’, ‘confessions of..’, ‘he has a crush on you’, which all attract the specific target audience, as the target audience would be young girls in which this slang
- 4. appeals to, for example teenage girls, this feature allows them to have a quick idea of what will feature without having looked inside, this feature will tease the audience and make them want to buy it.The layout of each of these magazines all have simular features, as all eight of the front covers such that there is a strapline above the tittle which consist of showing a piece of information which will feature within the magazine. As well as this the main images is always the full cover, with seel lines scattered over the image yet the sel lines do not cover the face fo the artist. After highlighting these features within this overview , its clear to many people that top of the pops have their own unquie brand identity, this is a signature look in which is easily recgonised and predicatable towards the target audience, this is done through the top of the pops magazine keeping a consist layout as well as maintaining the features in which support the magazine in the amount of sales it recieves as wel las its success.