Magazine Front Cover Analysis...Kerrang

This following magazine is a niche magazine (a magazine based on one topic). It is based on rock music but is mainly concentrating on metal, however this magazine includes 4-5 other types of rock music to include everyone. The title of this magazine is Kerrang!. This is a creative name because as you say the name you can imagine the sound of the guitar when it is strummed real hard, this connects to the loud music of rock and what this magazine is based on. The Kerrang! magazine title is written in either black text with a white background or in white text with a black background, this is a some kind of assurance to the costumers when they go to buy another issue they know it is still going to be the same. The black lines going through the title resemble broken glass, which links to the slogan of the magazine ‘life is loud’ the broken glass could be caused by very loud music. The exclamation mark included at the end of the title also links to the slogan once again the loudness of the magazine. The slogan “life is loud” also relates to the loudness of rock music.

The central image for this magazine is in direct mode of address. Although the image is in direct mode of the audience, it is not the typical of direct mode I would usually see. Three out the five band members are in direct mode. One band member is not in direct mode because he is wearing sunglasses which are preventing the audience from seeing his eyes. Another member is not in direct mode with the audience because he is looking away, it looks like as if he is looking for attention, when I first saw the central image and saw this band member looking away I assumed that he is not happy with the band or that he wanted to leave. All the band members are wearing black clothing this makes them stand out in the white background. The black clothing resembles their style of music and this appeals to the audience. Their facial expressions carry a lot of attitude this tells me their audience have a lot of attitude and in some way are rebellious.

The anchorage text tells the audience that this magazine has My Chemical Romance as their main feature. “They’re not okay “relies on the readership to understand that this is a title of their song. It gives the reader a sense of belonging.

The ISBN; it also shows the issue number of the magazine and the price and date. The price of this magazine is £1.99. This price is good considering that it is in the price range that their audience can afford teenagers are able to afford it and feel they are getting a lot out of it.

The editors have used buzz wordS. With the use of the word plus it makes the reader feel they are getting more of their moneys worth. It also informs the readership what artists are featuring in the magazine. Here also shows that this magazine is appealing to the whole of its readerships by including many different artists e.g. Public Enemy a hip hop artist. This is a regular feature on the magazine.

Free posters are one of Kerrang!’s main sells. The free posters are targeted to the readers who will take these posters and stick it on their wall. Also by writing ‘free’ it makes reader feel that they are getting their moneys worth. The posters are one of their promotions.

The bar at the top of the top of the magazine is giving information on what is going to be featured in the magazine. A puff has been added they have played about with the word exclusive and has changed it into eggsclusive. I think this is a really good affect for the regular costumers because they assume that they would understand their use of language. It is a pun because Sharon Osbourne threw eggs at Iron Maiden.