Codes and conventions

Codes and Conventions

Of Music Magazines

Audience

Theoretically there is a reason why people read music magazines. Blumer and Katz thought

there were four main key concept; information, personal identity, social interactions and

lastly entertainment.

Information: Music magazines satisfy readers of their curiosity and general interest of artists, it also educates them of the musical industry. Lastly music magazines are able to offer information on

relevant events and surroundings which may interest them.

Personal Identify: Music magazines give insight to artists lives and their behaviours and it influences them to aspire and admire. This links to reinforcing their own musical beliefs and likings. It gives them reflection to their own lives and makes them enjoy their life through music.

Social Interaction: Music magazines are targeted at certain people and the people they do target are able to feel a sense of belonging and acceptance as there are other people who share the same interest. It creates a social group of being able to socialise with others and go to events together. Most importantly it enables the reader to feel as if the artists are somehow connected to them.

Entertainment: the magazine offers a escapism from real life to explore the life of artist and entertain them with articles and information to different events. it is relaxing and gives time to the reader to do something they enjoy.

Representations

Institution

Research on Music Magazines

Types of Music Magazines

Importance of Music Magazines

Who Reads Music Magazines?

A music magazine is a magazine dedicated to music and music culture. Such magazines typically include music news, interviews, photo shoots, essays, record reviews, concert reviews and occasionally have a cover mount with recorded music. Music magazines were important because it allows people who

are interested in music to be able to keep up with upcoming gigs,

music, artists. Also it gives them a chance to find out about their

favourite celebrities. It gives the reader a chance to discuss with other people with the same musical interests about the different concerts, gigs artists and opinions.

There are many types of magazines. I used a search engine

and looked through a couple different websites to determine

what music genre's had magazines. These are the music

mazgine genre's; Alternative,Blues,Christian,Classical,Country,

Electronic,Funk,Gospel,Gothic,IndieJazz,Opera,Punk and Hardcore,R&B

and Soul,Rap and Hip-Hop,Reggae,Rock and Pop.

However I found that there were only a few that were mainstream

and ones you would find in regular shops and newsagents.

These popular genres are Pop, indie, rock and r&b.

Uses and Gratification Therories

Music magazines' audience ranges from young teens

to more sophisticated adults. Depending on the type of magazine the audience varies for each magazine. The young teen girls will be more interested in the pop genre and will be more engaged in the magazines similar to 'smash hits' and 'mizz' but for the younger adults dependant on their own personal musical preference they may prefer the indie 'Kerrang' or R&B 'Vibe'

Typical Features and articles

Features of a magazine music includes; mastheads, reoccurring colour

Scheme, sell lines, advertisements, photo shoots, upcoming gigs, concerts, appearances. there are also reviews, interviews, articles about

Music, producers, artists, Dj's and anyone in the musical industry. Occasionally they also have fashion articles based on the music genre the magazine is presenting.

History of Music Magazines

Importance of brand identity

The first music magazine was thought to be published

in 1926. There was not many different magazines and the

first few did not have particular genres. The first few

mainstream and popular magazines were 'NME'(1952), 'Rolling stones'

(1967) and 'Spin' (1985). However now there are many different types of magazines ranging from pop magazines like 'smash hits' and 'top of the pops' to indie and rock magazines such as 'kerrang' and 'Q'.

Also because of the increasing new technology music magazines have had to reinvent themselves to capture the audiences attentions and persuade them to buy the magazine.

Why are they so popular?

Identity of a magazine is very important as it creates loyalty. if the magazine has a reoccurring masthead, logo or some element of the magazine that is the same, readers will know what magazine it is and will have expectations for the magazine. Similarly if the magazine comes out every set week day, similar layouts, articles and reviews the readers will become familiar with the magazines conventions, they will become more aware of their needs of the magazine and if the magazine fulfils the needs the reader will ultimately become loyal to the magazine.

Music magazines are popular due to the

high exposure to the music industry and

the different articles on artists and celebrities.

Also it gives the public information on their favourite

concerts, gigs and upcoming events. Although now

there are many advancing technologies magazines are still

popular because the general public still want to be able to

have a hard copy and more importantly a reliable source

compared to the misconceptions internet/website may portray.

On the other hand music magazines are advancing and now

publishing materials online as well as on print.

who owns magazines?

Representations:

Pop Vs Indie Vs R&B

most mainstream magazines are controlled and published by successful media publishers for example IPC, Bauer Media and Conde Nast.

Pop, Indie and R&B are one of the most popular magazines and they all have

different representations.

Money Making

Indie

R&B

Pop

New Technologies

these companies make money by the obvious selling magazines and appealing to audiences with their information, articles and images. But also they can also make money by advertisements who pay the publishers to be included in the issues, it is also common that uprising artists or artists with something to declare that is usually not featured are paying to be included in the magazine for their own reputations.

Pop magazines usually portray a positive

mood. Its conventions include bright colours,

fun in action shots, articles and fact files about artists.

Also they can include agony aunt columns and more gossipy approached of addressing the reader. Pop magazines are usually targeted at young girls from aged 8-15.

R&B magazines have a more simplistic approach,

they use minimal colour in their magazines and the colours they do use are usually warm or empowering colours like white, black, yellow. They like to use contrasting colours to emphasise the magazine sell lines. In the magazine itself they do a lot of features on artists and lots of industrial articles and stories on celebrities on their feelings, attitudes or life. Also R&B have a good coverage on fashion; what artists wear today. This magazine are

aimed at young adults and teens.

Indie magazines are the much more complex. they have a busy front cover with many different elements like footers, plugs, bold sell lines and occasionally multiple images for the front cover. Indie magazines usually use more powerful colour schemes, it is often seen, black, white, red are used as colour themes. The contents of the magazine includes lots of event dates, guides and provides deeper articles about upcoming artists and musical industry information. This magazine is targeted at teens and young adults.

Due to the rapid growth of new technologies like the

ipad, iphone, blackberries and tablets magazines have been

forced to adapt to them to improve and keep its readers.

They have been creating applications for phones and websites

to encourage the public to keep reading magazines by promotions

using games, features, sneak previews for upcoming issues. They also

use the new technologies like twitter to allow readers to conversate

between them about the magazine this raises profile and again encourages

the public to buy the magazine.

Representation of Artists

in Pop magazines.

Representations of Artists

in Indie magazines

Representation of Artists

in R&B magazines

R&B magazines always portray their artists as independent and extremely confident individuals. They always create a image of power in the artists. Even in the articles they talk about their rise to fame and commonly their successes in life. However men are sometimes represented as someone you wouldn’t mess with and commonly it is interpreted they are involved with negativity. e.g. gangs. On the other hand women are always an image of sex. They are usually featured as sexy and sassy females in little or tight clothing.

Beyonce is an A list celebrity and she is always portrayed as a strong independent woman. This suggests that the women are also dominating in the music industry and she is a huge influence to many people. She is commonly dressed in bold and fitting clothing which creates sex appeal..

indie magazines usually show their artists as young and aspiring. they sometimes can be represented as mischievous and cheeky. This is to relate to the readers as many of them are young or also aspiring to be artists so if the artists featured are similar to the reader they feel more engaged and a part of a musical community. However sometimes they are commonly represented as rebels and rule breakers. This is to enforce the power of indie and the personalities behind the artists.

Evanescence is featured in one of Kerrangs magazine and she is shown to be a confident and feisty female. her article is about how she is 'finally happy' and suggesting she found happiness through her music and standing up for herself. her cover shot she has dark hair and dark eye makeup this suggests mischief and rebellion. She is also smirking to show her confidence

Artists featured in pop magazines are usually artists that are exposed to the younger generation who appear in children channels and events. They are always shown as role models and their innocence are always portrayed. When they are featured the articles usually focus on their personalities and simplicities rather than their actual musical professions.

Miley Cyrus is a popular musician and actor in the young generation and is always featured in pop magazines. She's inspiration to the young readers, as they can relate to her. Articles always focus on her actual personalities than her achievements. She is always pretty and modest in her clothing and makeup showing her innocence, she never wears anything inappropriate.