Magazine Research analysisDouble page Spread

Music magazines in the genre of rock and metal. Analysing how each of these magazines are laid out and appealing to the audience

KerrangKerrang's house style is very apparent in this double page spread, as they have used a lot of blacks and pastel colours in the text. The white font also contrasts the background colour which ties in with the image.In this issue Pear Jam are featured in the double page spread. In the image the lead singer is predominantly at the front, with the rest of the members behind. They are all smiling and are not posing for this shot which illustrates that they are genuinely happy to be there and that their interview is an honest review of their band.This is something that readers may appreciate. …………………………………………The layout of the page is pictorial as the main image from the left covers, half of the page. The reasoning behind this was to promote the band and make the image the main feature of the magazine. This is something that will draw in viewers who may have an interest in the band. …………………………………………All the information on the interview is placed on the second half of the page, which helps both pages look neat and organised. There is a border around the second page and also an arrow in the bottom right corner to show readers that there may be more information when they turn over. Predominately in the centre of the page, there is a pull quote from the interview, which entices viewers to read on. The font of the pull quote is orange which ties in with the arrow in the bottom right of the page. The whole layout of the page is very simple and organised which is an easy read for the viewers.

NMEThe double page spread of NME is again unusually laid out like a newspaper page, with very much the same style, as the contents page. This issue features the band ‘The Teenagers’ and typically uses the image of their band to add a theme to the page. An example of this, is the notepad image at the bottom left of the page, illustrating a college appeal, also the font styles used are quite bold and immature.………………………………………The layout of the pages is effective as there is a lot going on and this is something that will interest the reader as there is a lot to look at. The colours used on the double page spread consists throughout using a pale blue, which may have been depicted from one of the posters in the background of the image. There are a lot of flash cover lines and this adds texture and style to the overall look. An example of this is above the masthead, there is a sticker style quote which says ‘NME loves’ which also introduces the band. There are many images on the second page and this is mainly promoting other bands within the magazine. These are placed on the right third of the page, with information about each band below. The block headers are also blue here which ties in with the interview. ………………………………………These pages are mainly pictorial as there isn’t a lot of information on the interview. In this section however, there are pull quotes, an additional image of the lead singer and a Drop cap to introduction of the interview. At the bottom of the article is an NME slogan which may remind the reader of the magazine. This also makes the whole article look more professional and sought after as it shows this band have become very famous if they are featured in NME.…………………………………………

Q

In this issue of Q Muse are featured in the double page spread, making this the selling point of the magazine. The image of the band is quite large and covers a whole page leaving the second page for the interview. In the image the lead singer of the band is based centrally in the shot, with the other members by his side. I think this image portrays a sense of showmanship and mutual respect for one another. The background colour of the image is a gradient blue which ties in with the colour of the lead singer’s guitar. Its interesting that the editor of Q didn’t use this colour to tie in with the interview column. …………………………………………The font colour of the interview column sets the contrast for the rest of the page and also has an appealing look. The colours used are very minimal and plain but this is something that creates a clean and professional style to the page and is also easy for the viewer to read. Drop caps are used to introduce the interview and help the viewer to find certain parts of information. An additional photograph is used at the centre of the page, right above a pull quote from the interview. These are elements which make the page interesting because it gives the reader something to look at if they’re not interested in reading too much. The pull quote stands out as it has been illustrated in red, which is the magazines primary colour. The use of the red brands the article as the magazines own. …………………………………………On the second page, there are line breaks to separate the text from the headers and also to feature the photographer and editor of the article. The font used for ‘Muse’ looks very elegant and sophisticated whilst tying in the overall style of the article. Q’s slogan is featured at the bottom of the page as well as the page number and date of the issue.