Front Cover

Photos

Possible Photos that may be encorporated into my Final Product

Whilst debating over the name of my music publication, I analysed several existing music magazine and discovered that a large majority were not directly associated with music.

The Plummet in Music Magazine Sales

Analysis of an existing front cover

I belive this front cover is very striking.
Through my research of other existing magazine front covers I ahve found that a large proportions use a background image as a 'base'; layering text around the image. As is evident in the front cover underneath, most modern magazine use the sole close-up image and then layer text around and/or on top of the image; this layout appears to be simple yet effective in catching the reader's attention, drawing them in with clear image and bold, precise typography. I tried out this concept with one of my own images in order to create a well-thought draft; thus providing me with an outline for my final product.

Music Magazine Survey

The process of designing a questionnaire has helped me to discover the genre of music my demographic mainly listen to as well as the criteria expected within a weekly music publication. I have produced 10 questions which I feel cover the wide spectrum of information I need to gather, thus helping me to pin-point my demographc as well as decide on the type of style and music genre I want to mirror within my magazine.
Click Here to take survey

My Music Magazine Survey
(each question only requires one answer)

What gender are you?
*Male
*Female

How old are you?
*14
*15
*16
*17
*18
*19
*Other (please specify) __________________

What genre of music do you mostly listen to?
-Dance
-Hip-Hop
-R&B
-Rock
-Classical
-Pop
-Country
-Indie
-Other (please specify) _________________

On average, over the course of a year, how many music magazine do you purchase?
-None
-1-5
-6-10
-11-15
-16-20
-21-25
-25+

What mainly attracts you to the front cover of a music magazine?
-Colours
-Type
-Content
-Headline
-Artist featured
-Other (please specify) __________________

Are you interested in upcoming, under the radar acts?
-Yes
-No
-Maybe

Would you be interested in weekly gig listings within a music magazine?
-Yes
-No
-Maybe

Are you interested in the weekly music charts?
-Yes
-No
-Maybe

What type of reviews would you be most interested in?
-Singles
-Albums
-Gigs
-Music Videos
-Other (please specify)_________________

On a scale from 1-10 how important do you rate the following components within a music magazine? (10 being the most important)
-Front cover
-Contents page
-Double page spread (main feature)
-Artists used
-Interviews
-Reviews
-Gig listings

The RESULTS of my Music Magazine Survey
(Number in red symbolises the tally's for participants answers)

(each question only requires one answer)

What gender are you?
-Male 4
-Female 20

How old are you?
-14 0
-15 1
-16 18
-17 6
-18 0
-19 0
-Other (please specify) __________________ 1 (27)

Jude Rogers Visit to Fortismere

Jude Rogers is a freelance feature writer and reviewer for The Guardian, Word Magazine, The News Statesman, the BBC, Wire and The Times, as well as this she has also written occasional articles for the NME. Whilst researching Jude’s background I have discovered an interesting blog she has created counting down the 50 songs that have shaped her decade www.50songs10years.blogspot.com
Primarily Jude writes articles concerning music; recently she has interviewed British alternative rock band ‘Muse’ in the 19/09/09 issue of the NME. This particular article became the main feature, with the band appearing on the front cover alongside the quotes “If everyone slags us off, then fine!” Within the interview, the band talk about their new album ‘The Resistance’ as well as their upcoming ‘mega-gigs’, describing them as resembling giant “prisons”!
Within her hour-long presentation, Jude Rogers talked in-depth about her journalistic career, her style and approach to writing as well as giving us valuable advice concerning how we should tackle the process of creating our own music magazines. Jude gave us an insight into her varying daily schedule, telling us an array of interesting stories about the artists she has interviewed as well as the different situations she finds herself in; the week before she had to interview an artist whilst she on the train, with the line cutting out each time she went through a tunnel! Jude stressed the brutality of the current media business, explaining that just last week she spent a considerable amount of time on an article for ‘Style’ magazine, just for it to be rejected.
Jude explained that when she was younger, she created a small local magazine called “Smoke: A London Peculiar”, sending a copy to various publishers, it was then that she embarked on a journalistic career as she got feedback from the magazine ‘Word’, who then recruited her. I feel that Jude’s story mirrors the fact that passion, enthusiasm and self-belief are important qualities to have when it comes to entering the media business.
Jude gave us an insight into how she develops and transforms her interviews, explaining that the change of her writing style differs in relation to the magazine/newspaper she is working for. She revealed that she sometimes finds it hard to self-motivate; often finding that she is looking at a blank computer screen. As a journalist who writes for a wide selection of magazines, varying in demographic, Jude Rogers stated that she never changes her personal style of writing but alternates the address of her writing; solely concentrating on the individuals whom are her target audience. An article within The Guardian mainly appeals to an older audience and therefore more formal, mature language is used in contrast to a music publication such as the NME which is aimed at a younger demographic (15-25 years) and is written in a more talkative format, using text talk, slang and abbreviations. Jude told us that it is essential for us, as writers, to create a music publication that reflects the genre/genres of music that we feel passionate about; therefore the language will appear more knowledgeable, concise, interesting and consistent. Jude remarked that we need not be limited in the music genres we write about as unlike 25 years ago, people have a more eclectic taste in music.
I found Jude Roger’s visit extremely interesting as I have never before been able to question a journalist, therefore I have gained knowledge about the daily routine of a journalist as well as the ‘harshness’ of the media business. I felt the experience was very beneficial in helping me to make clear of the success criteria I need to meet whilst producing my final product. I have acquired a large number of techniques which I feel will aid me to produce a well-rounded, well thought-out attractive music publication which will appeal greatly to my chosen demographic.
Jude spoke about an aspect of her writing which she keeps consistent within all her interviews. Jude believes it is essential to describe the actions of an artist as well as the way in which they behave during the interview, in order to create an image for the reader, giving them a real understanding of the ambience of the discussion. This is mirrored in the following extract from when she interviewed Ben Goldacre, a doctor and science commentator “What’s the budget for lunch, then?” Dr Ben Goldacre, the 35-year-old, corkscrew-curled campaigner against what he calls Bad Science, has not got off to a good start with me. Without apology, he is 15 minutes late for our 45-minute interview, a slot cut down from the conventional hour on his insistence, and Ben quickly reveals that he not only wants me to treat him to a roasted tomato, houmous and tapenade sandwich, but that he has never heard of the magazine he has agreed to an interview with, THE WORD, and claims no knowledge of the reams of information we’ve rather thoughtfully sent him about the kind of piece we want to publish. Settling down at a fancy chain café, wearing a rather spruce tank top and corduroy jacket, Goldacre brings out his won Dictaphone and very pointedly – and rather rudely – tapes our conversation to ensure he’s not misrepresented. And he never once stops swearing’. I have taken this linguistic technique onboard and hope to include it within my double page spread in order to ‘transport’ my reader into my interview.
Jude revealed that her taste in music was very diverse; I feel that music journalists who work for modern day music publications such as the ‘NME’ are forced to like a wide spectrum of music, as it is their job to review a variety of music genres in order to appeal to mass audiences rather than a select demographic. I feel the ‘heart’ of the NME has been gradually ground away, with their once outspoken writers now muted. I feel this is solely down to the growth of the internet and it’s availability of free information and entertainment. Recently I have been given two photocopies of


Helpful advice gathered from listening to Jude Rogers:

• Try to relate the audience to myself
• Think carefully about the type of language I use
• Make sure that my publication will appeal to my demographic
• Use conventions and forms that will interest the audience

Recent Music Magazine Covers

Music Magazine Research

'The Fly' is a free music magazine published monthly, solely in the United Kingdom. The magazine is published by an independent music company called 'Mama Group' and has grown from its origins as a listings guide for the Barfly (club) venues (in London, Liverpool, Brighton, Cardiff and York), to becoming the biggest free music magazine in the country.

The Fly is A5-sized, and is distributed around most record shops, clothing stores, bars and venues around the UK, these include: Topman and HMV. In 2008, the magazine announced that it's circulation had increased to 105,212; at a time when many other publications such as the 'NME' and 'Q' had reported a sharp decline in circulation.

The magazine has a notably extensive review section for a free publication, featuring: new releases (both singles and albums) and live gig reviews. It uses a unique 'fly' rating system; in place of the traditional star rating system, from one 'fly' to the coveted five 'flies'.

The remainder of the magazine is devoted to articles and interviews. 'The Fly' is also notable for featuring brand new bands alongside more established acts; the magazine has a regular 'Levi's OnesToWatch' feature in association with the prestigious 'Levi's Jeans', which focuses on discovering new talent via specially-organized gigs and interviews.

The Fly is renowned for supporting bands early, having given the likes of
Razorlight, Muse and Coldplay their first cover features. In the year of 2008,
they had Foals, MGMT, Friendly Fires, Black Kids, Late Of The Pier and Noah
and the Whale on the cover, before any other UK publication.

Design Brief

* To prouduce a realistic media publication (music magazine)
* To use and challenge form and conventions of existing music magazines on the market
* To enhance the skills I have learnt through my preliminary task (please refer to 'Kitty's School Magazine')
* It is imperative that all images and text used within my project are original.

All images within my blog can be clicked on to enlarge
Additonal photographs which I had taken through the duration of the project and then decided not to use within my final piece can be found on my supporting disc (apx. 100 photos)