Radial Analysis
- 1. Radial Analysis of Music Magazines - Antonia Roberts
- 2. Brand name - ‘NME’ abbreviation of New Musical Express, the bold capitals are eye catching and the black silhouette stands out from the rest of the magazine, especially against the white background. The recognizable and famous font type also allows the reader to associate with what magazine it is. The magazine name doesn’t dominate the whole front cover as it his placed in the top left hand corner, which is where it is always placed, creating a sense of familiarity, just as important as the name itself. Main feature article, special edition covering the best albums and tracks of 2010, only 1 main article advertised on the front cover, takes up most of the page, a bright blue is used which is appealing to both males and females. The barcode is placed in the left hand corner, so that it does not detract from the main article. The names of the bands featured in the magazine are displayed in the top right hand corner, the light blue title ‘starring’ matches the colour used for ‘the 50 best albums of 2010’. The font is capitals which are easy to read and the black bold font stands out against the yellow and pink bright background. There is a variety of long shots and medium shots of the acts featured in the main article, placed around and over the main title, giving a visual display as to what the magazine will feature. The acts suit the genre of the magazine, rock bands and individual music acts that are current and will appeal to the target reader. The white background allows all photos, and text to stand out and have a bigger impact on the reader when seeing the magazine for the first time. Box with a black background and white text give contrast to the black text used else where. The pink and yellow diagonal stripes are unusual and striking, all the colours are bright which give connotations of happiness and compliment each other, creating a edgy but appealing front cover.
- 3. Brand name – ‘Q’ the single letter is easily recognizable and prominent, compared to the long titles of many other magazines, making it more appealing, striking and eye-catching. The white curved font of the Q stands out against the deep red masthead, creating a complimentary colour scheme, which is used through out the front cover. The bands name is done in a bold red font, using capital letters which stand out against the background, allowing readers to be attracted to the magazine, the rock band itself will also appeal to Q’s target audience. The barcode is placed in the bottom right hand corner which allows it to stay separate from the rest of the information, a key factor that all magazines seem to display. The mid-shot of the celebrity takes up most of the front cover, becoming a centre point for everything else, the other articles are placed around this. The photo is in black and white, making the red backgrounds and red font impact on the reader even more. The photograph of John Lennon shows him looking smart and charismatic, appealing to his fans and fans of the magazine too. His simple black jacket and calm stance and expression represent the type of man that he was, a peaceful, thoughtful and caring artist. He is an iconic musician, which would appeal to Q’s target audience. A quote is used to entice the reader into buying and reading the magazine, the ellipsis create a sense of mystery, making the audience want to read on. The colour red used throughout is very typical for music magazines to use, especially rock. It has connotations of power, confidence, influence and strength suggesting the content is influential and that the readers are strong, confident and powerful characters. The white background ties in with the black and white photo and the colour red used through out, making both the image and font stand out. The colour scheme used reflects a sophisticated and powerful magazine. The font giving information on the main article, relating to the John Lennon photograph is the only text not in capitals, it isn’t as bold but that isn’t needed because the image speaks for itself.
- 4. The name of the magazine is in the recognizable font, which ties in with the font used on the front cover. Specific information such as the date published and the issue numbers are placed in the top corners, out of the way in small text, so not to detract attention from the main contents. Different photographs and images have been placed around the edge of the contents page, to create a collage effect. These are photos that link to the main articles in the magazine, which attract the attention of the reader. The mixture of coloured, black and white cartoon and sepia images used is interesting and shows the varied range of information in the magazine. The main contents information is written on a white background, which is placed over the collage like background, allowing a sharp contrast. The colour scheme mainly consists of red, white, black and gold, complimentary colours which are sophisticated, with connotations of power, which are typically used in many music magazines. The red boxes highlight key articles in the magazine, which are linked to the images used, these are eye-catching and lead the reader to the main features. The number of the page is in gold, with the main title of the article in bold black and then information in an italic scripted font, the different font types and colours make the information easy to read and make sense of.
- 5. The date of the magazine is in quite a big font, compared to the smaller font used elsewhere, however it is in the top right hand corner, away from the main information. This contents page includes a message from the editor, which is a lot of information to take in, however it is interesting for those who are subscribers of the magazine. The reviews section is contained in a red box, with white font, which stands out from the otherwise plain white background of the page. The coloured photograph used here takes up a huge space, compared to the other black and white photographs of people used on the contents page, highlighting that it is a key feature. The features and regulars are displayed over the white background in a small simple font, the main title of each article is in bright yellow to draw attention and appeal to the reader. The colour scheme of red, white black and yellow is very popular with music magazines, the colours allow information to stand out against different features whilst still complementing each other in a sophisticated way. The title of the page is in capital letters, in a different font to what is used through out the page, making it stand out and draw the reader in.
- 6. The first letter of the first word is in a much bigger font and in the same lime green colour used in the title. The colours used through out the double spread compliment each other as well as allowing some of the text to stand out more from the background. The font composing the main article is small and structured in 2 columns, which keeps the text organised and easy to read. The title is made from a quote from the band; it uses 2 different fonts in different colours, making it interesting and unusual. The lime green colour is neon and gaudy, it’s showy bright and eye-catching, it is not a colour often used, making it atypical, like the band featured in the magazine. The photograph of the band takes up the whole of the second page and overlaps on the first page; it shows the lead singer at the front in front of the other band members. The band itself is a rock band, known for their alternative sound loved by Kerrang readers. The lightning bolt used separates the article from the picture, as well as drawing attention to the article itself, the lime green colour ties in with the colour scheme used throughout, creating a barrier between the two different coloured backgrounds.
- 7. The title is made from a quote from the article, using blackmail note styled lettering. The white letters stand out from the contrasting black blocked backgrounds, making it unusual, appealing to the alternative audience of NME. The article is structured in 4 easy to manage columns, making it organised and tidy on the page. The photograph of Lily Allen shows her with dark eye make-up and black hair, creating a rock chick look which reflects the rock music NME usually promotes in the magazine. The photograph of the artist is large, taking up one of the two double spread pages and overlapping onto the first page. The colours of her outfit tie in with the colour scheme, a variety of reds, blacks and whites. Lily Allen produces music that would appeal to many of NME’s readers, making this article interesting and relevant to them. The first letter of the article is in a bold large capital letter, which is eye-catching and draws the reader in to the article, making them want to read more. The colour scheme used through out consists of whites, blacks and reds, sophisticated colours that are used throughout many music magazines, creating a familiarity, they also tie in with the red and white used on the NME logo.