Analysis of rock magazine contents pages

This Contents page is from the Kerrang magazine that I analysed the front cover of on my previous post. Therefore the target audience, institution and class band will all be the same. This contents page is good because it continues the same colour scheme that was used on its front cover. This is because much like the front cover, the contents page serves the purpose of selling the magazine, so the layout, colour scheme and mast head are going to be the same as it is designed to help the reader recognise the contents page and relate it to the front cover. This being said, the common conventions, such as the masthead, colour scheme and layout will be similar if not the same as the front cover.

Masthead – The masthead on the contents is exactly the same as on the front cover, this is so that the contents can be related to the cover. The masthead is once more 1/8 of the page, this follows the common conventions you would expect to see on the front cover of a magazine. When I come to make my contents page, I will look to keep the masthead the same on both my front cover and my masthead. I will do this because this is evidently what fans of this genre like and will enable me too sell my magazine.

Colour Scheme – The colours scheme again continues the scheme that is on the front cover, this is again, so that the two can be linked by the colour, this again appeals to the target audience because when they pick up and flick to the contents page they can see the professionalism of the magazine. Personally, in my magazine I will stick with this convention and continue the colour scheme at least for my contents page and front cover, as it looks professional and will hopefully sell my magazine.

Layout – The layout again matches the front cover, as it is messy and unorganised. Although it appears messy, it still manages to promote the relevant key stories that will sell the magazine. This messiness connotes the rock genre as its widely accepted that rock music, is messy and untidy it also appears that all contents pages in the rock genre will have the word 'contents' in big, clear letters. This seems to be a common theme throughout rock music, so when i come to designing my magazine, I will bear this in mind, in order to create the best magazine possible for my target audience, and potentially rival Kerrang magazine.

Images - In terms of images there is one main image that relates to the story that is featured on the cover page with other minor images advertising other stories. The main image is a medium close image. This is a common convention of most contents pages. 

This Contents page is from the NME magazine that I analysed the front cover of on my previous post. Therefore the target audience, institution and class band will all be the same. This contents page is good because it continues the same colour scheme that was used on its front cover. This is because much like the front cover, the contents page serves the purpose of selling the magazine, so the layout, colour scheme and mast head are going to be the same as it is designed to help the reader recognise the contents page and relate it to the front cover. This being said, the common conventions, such as the masthead, colour scheme and layout will be similar if not the same as the front cover.

Masthead – The masthead follows the common conventions of a masthead, being 1/8 of the page. The masthead is the same as the front cover, as it is still promoting the NME magazine. The masthead is the same as on the front cover, it shows continuity on the magazine as they stick with what the target audience like and will pay for. When I come to making my magazine I will look to put my masthead on the contents page, as it makes the readers aware that the magazine is the on that they want.

Colour Scheme – The colour scheme of red, black and white is common throughout the NME magazines and every magazine they publish is with the same colour scheme. These colours connote passion, love, anger, danger and more, this is all things that are related with the the rock genre. When i make my own magazine, will try an incorporate these colours or colours of a similar persuasion because these are the colours that the target audience will expect to see on the cover of a rock magazine, therefore will sell the magazine. 

Layout - The layout follows the theme that NME follow in their entire magazine. Although it is untidy, it is more organised that the layout of rival magazines, like Kerrang. They have kept this layout throughout their publishing’s because it’s what the readers are used to and continuity is appreciated amongst fans as they like to be able to recognise their magazine without looking too hard. The layout seems to be similar throughout all of the NME magazine publishing’s, this type of continuity is good when publishing magazines as readers look for what they have bought previously and will be more inclined to buy it again.

Images - In terms of images this contents page only has one main image. This appeared to be just as common as the magazines with minor images around the main image. The image on this contents page connotes rock because it is showing live action of a rock gig. This attracts the target audience because they are seeing pictures of what they are interested in.

This Contents page is from the Classic Rock magazine that I analysed the front cover of on my previous post. Therefore the target audience, institution and class band will all be the same. This contents page is good because it continues the same colour scheme that was used on its front cover. This is because much like the front cover, the contents page serves the purpose of selling the magazine, so the layout, colour scheme and mast head are going to be the same as it is designed to help the reader recognise the contents page and relate it to the front cover. This being said, the common conventions, such as the masthead, colour scheme and layout will be similar if not the same as the front cover.

Masthead – The masthead sticks with the common conventions of a masthead, being 1/8 of the page. The masthead is the as the masthead on the front cover, as it is still part of and trying to promote the Classic Rock magazine. The masthead is the same as on the front cover, it shows continuity on the magazine as they stick with what the target audience like and will pay for. When I come to making my magazine I will look to put my masthead on the contents page, as it makes the readers aware that the magazine is the one that they want.

Colour Scheme – The colours scheme copies the scheme that is on the front cover, this is again, so that the two can be linked by the colour, in the attempt to appeal to the target audience because when they are about to buy the magazine they can see the professionalism of the magazine. Personally, in my magazine I will stick with this convention and continue the colour scheme at least for my contents page and front cover, as it looks professional and will hopefully sell my magazine. I will try to use colours that connote rock, colours like reds, blacks and whites as these are colours that connote danger, aggression, passion and rebellion, all things that are associated with rock music.

Layout – The layout replicates the layout on the cover page, other than that it has a list of key stories with page numbers. The layout is again a bit hectic. This connotes rock music because in rock there is seen to be no sense of order. The key stories are displayed so that they are the first thing you look at when you open to the contents page, so readers notice the key stories.  When I come to make my magazine, I will try to lay the contents page out in a similar way to the front page to show professionalism and continuity through my magazine.

Images - Similarly to the first contents page I analysed there is a main image which relates to the feature story on the front cover this image is also a medium close up image. The muse-en-secene of the main image helps to represent and attract the target audience as the star models are wearing dark, torn clothing. The other minor images on the page also have similar mise-en-scene.