Introduction and Aims

Introduction and Aims

To be able to go any further with designing my music magazine, I have had to do a series of research on my particular genre, ‘Alternative’. I studied various Alternative music magazines, for example, Q, Mojo, Clash, Rolling Stones and NME. Although each magazine was uniquely different, all consisted of the same forms and conventions.

Typically, all the magazines included their masthead at the top of the page, in the largest, iconic font to there magazine. (With the exception of ‘Q’ magazine that placed their iconic name to the left of the cover, as a brand statement.) Throughout each front cover they use mixed fonts; all typography is clear and simple. Rarely they used more ornate fonts to represent certain artists e.g. Lana Del Rey on Q, they used a pink font that gave the effect that it will handwritten. The fonts I am planning on using throughout my magazine will be clear, thin and bold fonts, which will help, represent my feature article/band.

All magazine covers, of all genres include coverlines surrounding their feature article. Having said that, the way that they are placed differentiates between the different genres. Alternative music magazines, which I am focusing on, place their coverlines fairly orderly; in columns and blocks of writing. To help reach my genre and target audience I will also do this; placing coverlines orderly, and professionally.

Alternative music magazines usually have a nude colour palate. They repeatedly use the colours grey and white in all shades for their backgrounds. These colours pass off a professional and upmarket look. For my magazine, I will also be using nude colours so that my feature artist will stand out vibrantly and catch the eye of passing possible readers. The cover image itself will be taking a large percentage of the space on the front cover. This again will ensure that the artist will be the main focus of attention.

The artists positioning on almost all music magazines, holds a direct gaze. This helps lock in the readers and makes the image look bolder. When I go to do my photo shoot I will ensure that my subject will be holding a direct gaze with the camera so they too are able to engage with the reader.

When I create my magazine pages I will be aiming it at the late teens/early 20s age range. To catch this audience I will feature the most recent and popular bands and include interviews with questions that will appeal to my target audience. I am hoping to aim my magazine at both men and women. I believe there are few unisex music magazines in the market at the moment; therefore I am hoping mine will be unique. My chosen colour palate of nudes will help me appeal to both sexes and I will not specifically aim any pages at the stereotypical gender types but to write professionally and give what my audience as a whole wants to read, not just specific groups. Finally, the social economic groups I will be aiming at are C1, C2 and D. These groups of people include the lower middle class, skilled working class and the working class.  I chose to aim at these specific social economic groups as these groups’ hold the majority of people.  These groups of people are also the main listeners of the alternative music genre therefore they are my best chance of success for my magazine.

From my introduction and aims I am able to have a better idea of my target audience and since I have studied various Alternative music magazines I have gained more knowledge about the genre itself. I have chosen my colour scheme of nudes and the simple layout of my front cover including simple, clear typography and to have my feature article/ image covering the majority of the cover with a direct gaze to catch the eye of the readers.

Finally, my target audience of unisex, late teens/early 20’s within the social economic group of C1, C2, and D allow me to appeal to the largest group of people possible who are the most interested in the music genre of Alternative.