L – This issue of NME showcases a wide variety of magazine conventions such as dateline, Masthead, sell line, teaser, smaller features, kicker, teller, colour scheme, graphic, subtitle and Main Feature: Headline and Image. For the main image they haven’t used a conventional medium close-up shot, but all four band members look directly at the camera therefore engaging with the audience. This cover does maintain a house style with the use of fonts and colours. The red typeface really makes the cover stand out with the contrast of a neutral main image.
I - NME (New Musical Express) is a British Publication published by IPC Media, a British Company, they are very successful and are known as the UK’s leading consumer magazine publisher. NME has been a weekly magazine since March 1952 and they now currently reach over 1,000,000 music fans a week through their various media texts. Originally published by IPC Magazines Ltd which was taken over by Time Inc. in 2001. IPC became an established publishing house in 1963. They are based in London and produce over 60 iconic media brands including Marie Claire, LOOK, In Style and Nuts. They reach their intended audience in a variety of ways through http://www.nme.com/, NMETV, NME Radio and the brand’s live events and awards. They now have a 59 year heritage. The total circulation (ABC1) of NME from January – June 2011 was 29,020. This magazine is national across Britain. When it started out it was considered the British equivalent of Billboard, because it established the first UK singles chart in 1952.
I – The New Musical Express is a weekly music magazine, it aims to promote the bands that are yet to chart and tries to be one step ahead of popular culture mainstream music. They consider themselves “a must for right-thinking music fans.” The magazine has typical conventions of a magazine such as a dateline, price, issue number, main feature: headline and image. Some typical features are missing such as: left third. It aims to be more controversial than mainstream, one reader described it as being “damn honest." It doesn’t have political associations, but they do favour a style of Gonzo journalism throughout their magazine. Their stylistic articles give them point if view to talk from and give them the potential to gain consumers. They have used a fairly well-known band on their front cover, but they do defy the social norms and do come from an disadvantaged background. “Knife fights!” is part of the subtitle suggesting that there is potential rebellion and violence in their past. By having Kings of Leon their fan base are most likely to buy the magazine and also people who liked their last album will buy it to hear more about their “New album.” Those who haven’t heard of them are likely to purchase if they have a preference for the genre of music that NME publish. They are associated with the punk-rock genre of music, which isn’t particularly mainstream but has become more popular other the years potentially suggesting that NME set trends rather than following them. With punk-rock stereotypically comes rebellion, Kings of Leon represent that with their long hair, facial expression and slightly “just-rolled-out-of-bed” look.
A - The audience of this magazine is predominantly British people of a median of 25. 70% Men and 30% Women. The magazine also has more of a rebellious ideology, which would suggest that it isn’t for the more mature generation and is aimed more at young adults. NME mainly cover up-and-coming artists that fit the genre of punk/rock/alternative/indie music and don’t feature extremely well-known artists on their front cover advertising their “Greatest Hits”, because it doesn’t fir their ideology. An issue of NME usually costs approximately £2.30 and has an issue out weekly, which explains why a majority (57%) of their readers are of the A-C1 socio-economic groups.
R – They have used fairly neutral image to contrast with the red, black and white typeface giving it a bold image, it also gives the main picture more dominance. It also connotes the idea that they will “come clean” in the interview. They look directly at the audience engaging with potential readers. They are portrayed as quite relaxed through the use of neutral colours, but serious connoting that they are comfortable with who they are and their music, but take their career seriously. They haven’t chosen to look like anyone else they want to be original and known as Kings of Leon not “those guys who copied off someone else’s image.”
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