Second Front Cover Analysis

NME is a mainstream music magazine centred on the genre of music known as hip hop. Just by looking at the front cover you can tell that the issues and articles in the magazine are going to be about music, artists and the latest or most downloaded/purchased music at the moment. The target audience for this magazine are mainly 16 to 23 year olds mostly males but also females who listen to music and like to read the latest news/gossip about their favourite or least favourite artists all in one magazine.

The person in the central image is using direct address with the audience practically looking the audience in the eye this type of addressing is used here to create a direct connection to the reader or the passer-by’s who might look in the magazines direction. The person on the front cover is Tyler the creator a musical artist whose music is well known with the youth of the 21^st century. He is used on this magazine because he is a well-known musician especially among the youth so him being on the front cover will attract readers to purchase the magazine because they will want to see what is new with Tyler the creator and if he has realised any new albums, tracks or pieces of music.

The anchorage text says “ ODD FUTURE ANARCHY HITS THE UK” this suggests that Tyler has come to the United kingdom and has a plan to throw the United Kingdom into anarchy with his music attempting to get the United Kingdom listening and getting hooked on his music.

The overall message the artist is giving through the central image is that he is coming to London to spread his music. This is seen through the props used such as the crown and the chains that he has on him which is what people of the royal family in the United Kingdom most commonly carry which is a big giveaway to his plans in the United Kingdom.

In this magazine no other groups are being represented the only artist being advertised here is Tyler the creator.

The buzzwords used in this magazine are FREE and WIN these two buzzwords have a positive effect on the readers because they now believe they have a chance to win some sort of competition and gain a prize. While the word FREE creates a positive effect on the reader because now they believe they are getting a free item within the magazine they have already paid for as some sort of bonus to their purchase.

The design of the title block for NME is quite large and in blocked caps suggesting to us that the magazine is very prominent or big in the music magazine industry. The size and the block capitals in the title also suggest that only big and famous hip hop artists are featured on the front cover and within the issue of NME.

The title NME tells the audience that this magazine is rather simple to read and understand and is not overrun by intellectual text; this is seen by the simple title NME which does not tell you much but that the magazine is about music. The title of NME does not really tell the audience much about the magazines overall image or its style as a whole.

The puffs on the front cover of NME tell the audience that the issues in the magazine will be about music. An example of this is the puff “the doors when bands take on the establishment. The word band automatically makes us think of music because bands are always associated with music so we can imply that the issues within the magazine are also about music. The puffs also tell us that this magazine expects to get readers who are interested in music to read the magazine.

The slogan of NME is “New Music Express” this slogan tells the reader that this magazine features new and upcoming music artists in there magazine and it also tells us that the genre of this magazine is music.

The magazine NME uses strategies such as direct address in the central image so it looks like the artist in the central image Is looking at the audience and thus creates a connection between the audience and the magazine. NME also use strategies such as the use of buzz words such as FREE and WIN which attract people to the magazine because there is a promise of free goods within and a chance to win a desirable prize.