Different Music Magazine Genre Initial Analysis

The background is a soft blue/purple colour which gives the cover a soft feminine feel which is appropriate as this is the “Annual women’s issue”. The colour of the font is white which also makes the cover look light and almost airy or cloud like. The combination of these colours makes the cover soft and gentle which are things typically associated with females being the ‘fairer’ sex. The colour also connotes soft jazz which is often the type of jazz women perform. The writing is sans serif again continuing the soft feminine feel of the cover. The white writing is bordered by black to allow it to still be visible and not lose the light airy effect. The hairstyle of Norah Jones is soft and curly to best showcase her femininity and again emphasize that this is an issue for women. She is not over sexualized, with little make up and her white clothing (probably dress) giving a pretty girly look. This also fits in with the music genre as Jazz isn’t typically over sexed and the artists allow their music to speak for them and the music is the real focus.

The masthead is big and bold and draws the eyes giving it a very aggressive ’in your face’ kind of attitude which is typical to the metal genre. The masthead is also one of the few things on the page in colour which makes it seem more important and dramatic than the rest of the page. The other things in colour being the red splash at the bottom right corner of the cover which resembles blood, this kind of symbolism of violence is common in the metal scene as the music is considered often violent. There is also a Norwegian flag on the cover which connotes the subject of this particular issue, it is again one of the few things in colour which implies this to be the main focus of the issue, the flag is also tatty and distressed which follows the theme of the genre almost making the flag look like it has come from a war zone which again connotes the violent and destructive undertone of metal music. The band on the front are a typical metal band with painted faces and long hair (except one) they have taken up an aggressive stance and frightening and intimidating facial expression appropriate to their ‘metal image’.

The first impression of this cover is that it has a lot going on, lots of things jumping out at you for your attention with a lot of colour. The most important bits of information are at the top and are ordered and clear. The masthead is big and bold which is how ‘alternative’ artists aim to be and so it emulates them. The cover uses the colours black, white, red and yellow which is a mix of colours to symbolize how ‘alternative’ is also a mix of many different varieties of music group but still belong together.  The main image of Florence and the Machine shows Florence in glittered clothes surrounded by flowers, this contradiction between nature and fashion/ modern world is a symbol for how different and abstract the artist is, she also has her tattoo displayed which adds an edge to her image. The other images are a variety of different shots to best suit the band/artist and their own personal image, the mix and busy feel this gives shows how different and unique each artist is which is the point of the label  alternative which can mean, different, unusual and unconventional.

Jazz Music Magazines: cover analysis

Typography- The Masthead is a bold sans serif font, the lines are very strong and harsh with hard edges giving the title a very confident air, which suggests the magazine is well established. The styling of the lettering also almost resembles musical notes which is fitting with the magazine content. The masthead is the largest font on the page which allows it to be the most attention grabbing; this would possibly mean the brand speaks for the magazine again suggesting it is successful and well established in the jazz world. The cover story is the second largest font and is a serif font which gives the writing a bold edgy feel which matches the subject ‘Jamie Cullum’ who is a relatively new edgy jazz artist and is described as ‘The messy haired McCartney’ and the style of font reflects this with its odd combination of smooth and hard edges, this could also mimic the music jazz.

Layout- The overall layout of the page is very minimalistic and ordered which could be said to be the opposite to the music style of jazz with its many complicated forms. However this simplistic style shows how to this magazine the music is the important thing and demonstrates this with its cool stripped back style. It follows the route of eye well by drawing the attention first to the masthead, then central image, the cover story and finally the issue no. and date. The central image dominates the entire page to clearly show that the main focus is on the artist and also connotes his importance. The masthead takes up roughly a third of the cover which again shows the significance of the brand.

Colour- There is a distinct lack of colour on the cover, the background being an off white which makes the masthead which is pure white only just visible due to the black shadowing, this again gives the idea that the magazine is well known and therefor fully recognisable even when not fully visible which is often the case with well know magazines. The caption next to the image is in black to allow it to be bold and striking against the pale background. The lack of colour again gives a stripped back, raw feel to the magazine making it seem that the main focus of the magazine is the music and not the glamour. The only source of colour is the central image making the artist stand out more and take centre stage.

Images- There is only one image and it dominates the whole cover. This suggests importance and prestige for the artist. This will also make the artist seem iconic and will attract attention from fans of the genre. The smart suit worn by Cullum is typical of jazz artists as they are known to be dressed smartly as it is known to be sophisticated. However the cheeky raised eyebrow and Cullum’s iconic messy hair style adds a little spice and interest to the sophisticated style which hints at the exciting side of jazz.

Mode of address- The tag line ‘art for your ears’ compliments the minimalistic, arty look the layout has. This also suggests a very cultured target audience and addressed them accordingly. The cover story ‘The messy-haired McCartney of jazz’ uses some contextual factors that rely on the reader to know who McCartney is and again hints at a more musically cultured reader. Other than this the language is simple and to the point rounding off the simplistic touch.

Typography- The masthead is a bold serif font with a very refined yet strong look which reflects the use of ‘beat’ in the title as a beat is supposed to be a strong thing. It is the largest font of the cover.  The cover lines with artist’s names uses size to rate importance and levels of interest for the reader, this subliminally controls the view of the reader and where they look first. The font for the cover lines is a simple plain sans serif font which allows it to be clearly viewed but the main artist who steal focus is ‘Dee Dee’ who’s font is bigger and bolder than the rest and is in a curly and feminine style which has a feminine feel and brings across a strong personality merely through the writing that matches to the central image.

Layout- In true Jazz style the layout doesn’t follow typical conventions and the page is very busy and fully of activity. There is a lot going on which but without becoming too confused and cluttered as it is still ordered well and clear. All of the text revolves around the main image which dominates the cover, this suggests that this artist will be the main focus and plays an important role.

Colour- The most dominant colour of the cover is the background, a bright orange that brings the cover to life. It injects an abundance of energy and life which makes the cover attractive to the reader instilling a feeling of warmth and happiness. The warm yellow of the other artist names also continues the warmth and creates an almost fire affect. The colours also connote a tribal African American vibe which matches the cover star’s culture and background.

Images- The image of Dee Dee is a close up of her face, the images takes up three quarters of the cover showing her importance and she controls the page, her happy face infects the whole page making it upbeat and energetic. The mise-en-scene of the image and the smile and jubilant look on her face again brings the energetic jazz feel to the cover. The way she looks up and has her hands raised to the sky is almost reverent which captures the essence and power of jazz and displays it fully.

Mode of address- The language used is mainly factual and declarative, the main aim is to inform the reader as the real goal is to bring across the music.

Typography- The masthead is a large bold sans serif font in italics, the italics giving a classy, yet laid back and chilled style which is the epitome of classic jazz. The masthead is the largest font but not by much which allows the page to have a subtle and laid back presentation. The cover line of ‘Clint Eastwood the soundtrack of his life’ is the second largest which portrays this as the main article, the name Clint is the largest of the sentence as this name is iconic and automatically recognisable. The rest of the font for the other cover lines are sans serif and simple and clear which makes the cover seem slightly business like and serious.

Layout- The cover is very meticulous and ordered which is a big contradiction to the usual style associated with jazz. It doesn’t follow the typical route of eye, as there is a lot of information on both sides of the cover. The cover lines on the right hand side seem a little out of place and perhaps should have been lower down nearer the base.

Colours- The cover is dark and rather mysterious which is fitting with the cover star, Eastwood gives off a dark and dangerous feel and the cover is appropriate for him as the main subject of the issue. This dark colouring also depicts the shadowy and sultry side of jazz. The colouring of the font lightens up the page and also makes it stand out well against the background nice and clearly.

Images- The central image is a close up of Eastwood’s face which shows him looking directly at the camera which makes him look intimidating and threatening which again follows the dark feel of the cover. The mise-en-scene of the dark shadows on Eastwood’s face again adds to the mysterious and dangerous vibe of the cover. The suit worn by him gives a smart look but the open collar and no tie shows a laid-back, roguish air which fits his character.

Mode of address- The magazine takes a very formal, business like attitude towards its reader. Its purpose is to relay information. It takes a very direct approach with declarative sentences which are snappy and to the point.