Genre of Music Mindmap

I decided to do a mind map to help me choose which genre of music I wanted to put in my magazine. I though that I should also consider the artists, instruments and colours assosicated with them because it will help me make some choices on what should be featured in my magazine and make it releavent to the genre. A mind map is a clear and easy way to layout my ideas and I can always refer back to it once I start making my magazine. I considered as many genres of music I could think of.

History of Music Magazines (Kerrang!)

History
Kerrang! commenced publication on June 6, 1981 and was edited by Geoff Barton, initially as a one-time supplement in the Sounds newspaper, which focused on the New Wave of British Heavy Metal phenomenon and on the rise of other hard rock acts. Angus Young of AC/DC appeared on Kerrang!'s first cover. Launched as a monthly magazine, Kerrang!began to appear on a fortnightly basis later, and in 1987 it went weekly. The original owner was United Newspapers who then sold it to EMAP in 1991. 
During the 1980s and early 1990s the magazine placed many thrash and glam metal acts on the cover (like Mötley Crüe, Slayer, Bon Jovi, Metallica, Poison, and Venom) but later discarded them when grunge acts such as Nirvana rose to fame. Readers often criticise the magazine for repeating this process every time a new musical trend becomes popular. 
With the emergence of emo and metalcore, Kerrang! began to heavily feature this musical trend. However, the revamp was not welcomed by all readers and many complaints were received about Kerrang!'s sudden emphasis on emo and metalcore music. Brannigan took the magazine into its most commercially successful period with a record ever ABC for the title of 80,186 copies.
In 2008, EMAP sold its consumer magazine to current owner Bauer Media Group. Brannigan left Kerrang! in 2009 and Nichola Browne was appointed editor. She later stepped down in April 2011. Former NME features editor and GamesMaster deputy editor James McMahon was appointed as editor on 6 June 2011.

Typical Content

Kerrang! usually contains things such as festival/concert dates, new up and coming bands, current bands, feedback, news, icons and concert and album reviews. 

Typical Reader

The typical reader of this magazine is either gender that are interested in musical genres including punk, metal and rock. It is usually read by people that dress in alternative ways and are very musical (play instruments such as guitar or drums). These people are often very social and attend festivals and concerts that play music in these genres with these instruments. 

What is the magazines house style?

The magazine typically uses dark colours - mainly black. It also uses very obscure fonts, mainly sans serif. The font covers are usually very busy, have lots of sell lines and always have a banner. The magazine usually advertises a artist on the cover and their name is printed in the middle of the page in a large font. The artists picture of the artist very rarely shows them smiling and they always have a direct mode of address.

Production and Distrubution 

Bauer Media Group

How are social groups represented in the magazine?
This links to the typical reader and the social group represented, are young adults, interested in rock and punk music. These people are often seen as rebellious and out of control. The images on the front of the magazine are usually of artists with a direct mode of address, but not smiling. This could present them as unfriendly.

Is there anything interesting about the observations?  
The layout for each issue is quite different, but a 3 colour scheme is aways kept.

History of Music Magazines (The NME)

History
The New Musical Express (better known as the NME) is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles chart, in the 14 November 1952 edition. In the 1970s it became the best-selling British music newspaper, and then became associated with punk music.
The paper's first issue was published on 7 March 1952 after the Musical Express and Accordion Weekly was bought by London music promoter Maurice Kinn, and relaunched as the New Musical Express. It was initially published in a non-glossy tabloid format on standard newsprint. On 14 November 1952, taking its cue from the U.S. magazine Billboard, it created the first UK Singles Chart. The first of these was, in contrast to more recent charts, a top twelve sourced by the magazine itself from sales in regional stores around the UK.
During the 1960’s, it championed the new British groups emerging at the time. The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were frequently featured on the front cover.

Typical Content
The magazine contains articles and information on:
- up and coming artists
- news on gigs and concerts
- new albums
- interviews with artists
- free gift
- competitions

Typical Reader
'Indie' reader. Interested in indie music. Fairly alternative and people who perfer a relexed and social lifestyle.

House Style
3 colour scheme, title always included. Colours such as black white and red are used often. Mixture of handwritten and san serif fonts. No serif fonts used. Block capitals often used for sell lines.

Production and Disrubution
-

How are social groups represented?
artists on the front dont often smile so this could protray the reader in the same way. However the indie artists featured are often very successful and this could show that the readers of the nme are supportive and ambitious.

Main Task

I am going to create the cover, contents page and double page spread of a music magazine.

2nd Draft of my magazine front cover

This is my 2^nd draft of my school magazine cover. I didn’t follow a lot of conventions in this draft. For example, the sell lines would usually be placed down one or both sides of the cover, but I decided to place my sell lines at the bottom of the page. I thought that this made the cover look unique and different; therefore eye catching to the target audience. I used the same image as the 1^st draft because I think that it is friendly and shows a hardworking student. I used a sans serif font on my masthead which looks less serious and could appeal to the audience more. However, I used a serif font on my sell lines. The font is quite edgy and different and I used alternate colours to make the cover look interesting and appealing. This stuck to the 3 colour scheme of red, yellow and blue, which is another convention of school magazines. But I didn’t use a direct mode of address in my image which is also going against the conventions.

1st Draft of my magazine front cover

This is the 1^st draft of my school magazine. I stuck to some conventions when making this magazine such as a large masthead in a sans serif font. I also used a 3 colour scheme and the colours I used were yellow, blue and red which are bright and eye catching. I hope that this will appeal to the target audience of students aged 11 – 17. I used a mid shot of a student, which follows a convention of school magazines as it makes it personal and friendly. However, I didn’t use a direct mode of address, but I thought that this picture is still effective as it shows the student working in a good environment. I put sell lines down the left hand side of the page, which is fairly typical of a school magazine. I thought it made the cover look professional and modern with the alternating colours.

1st Draft Magazine Cover

This is my first draft of my school magazine front cover.
I chose to stuck to the 3 colour scheme as it looks professional and I chose a sans serif font, so it didnt look too formal and it sticks to the convension of school magazines. I didnt follow the convension of the direct mode of address, but did use a mid shot. I chose this image because it shows a god working environment and looks friendly. I chose 5 sell lines down the left hand side because it doesnt hide the models face and it doesnt look unorganised and too busy. I wanted this to appeal to the target audience of