Music magazine research: double page spread

This front cover initially grabs the interest of the reader; however it will be a quick inspection of the magazine's content that will be the persuading factor in the purchase. I therefore need to make sure that my magazine is as interesting and as eye catching as possible with use of interesting images and layouts. I have therefore done some research on different music magazines and gained an understanding as to what techniques i could interpret into my magazine and what works well with different styles of articles e.g interviews, advertisements, news pages etc.

MOJO

I particularly like the use of texts boxes, headings and the placement of images on this double page spread. The whole spread follows a colour scheme of red yellow white and black which helps keep it bold and simple compensating for the vast amount of information being presented. There are a lot of text boxes being used in this spread and to make it not look so repetitive and boring circles have been used to present some information, this breaks the pages up and gives more interest and character. When presenting information in my magazine i will make sure that when introducing a lot of text i will consider using the techniques highlighted above to ensure my spread is as interesting and eye catching as possible.

This double feature instantly catches the eye. There are bright pictures that fill most of the page with short captions underneath. I think that sometimes this is the best way to present information. It's attractive and the pictures will then make the reader think about what the magazine has to say and therefore buy the magazine.

NME

The main picture of this feature is an establishing shot of a section from a room, which works well due to the large space around the photo subjects into which the text has been placed. This causes the reader to focus their attention onto the text, which has been made to look as if it was within the setting; rather than something that obstructs the main photo. The blue and white title and information box is a bold contrast to the red sofa which creates additional focal points; yet remaining separate from the rest of the information on the page. The brief introduction before the band's name brings a degree of excitement and intrigue into the article, convincing the reader that they are reading something worthwhile. Although this particular article is not a double page spread the design could easily be incorporated onto two pages, with a picture taken horizontally filling both pages with the text positioned in the center.

The following layout, though completely different from the one above, is also very eye catching. The heading of the story uses a bold, but stylish font which immediately attracts the reader. The bullet point numbers are nearly as big as the title which means they are readily noticed, and clarifies the flow of the article. This is particularly important with a busy page layout - there is a lot of various information displayed yet the reader can follow easily from one point to the next. To add to the character of the design the numbering is not all in a uniform grid layout, #1 is nearly at the bottom of the page, #3 is near the top; and #6 is at the top. This is a good technique for me to consider if I decide to do my double page spread on a countdown, or a list of artists and will enable me to make what could be a potentially boring list layout more interesting. The photos - although giving a first impression they have been haphazardly placed and randomly sized have in fact been positioned with great care, and sized exactly right; some are bigger than others making sure that each page balances the other. An example of this: the left page has a big title in the top left hand corner with a picture so therefore the right hand page also has a big picture in the top left hand corner. Big pictures at the bottom of each page on each corner would make it look unbalanced and too overpowering. This is also a key technique that i would have to consider, making sure that each page compliments the one next to it, other wise it would look unprofessional and carelessly edited.

KERRANG

Although this is a very simple layout I think that it is effective. The top half of the page is just portrait pictures of the members of Good Charlotte Which could be quite boring to look at however, the way they are positioned in each picture adds some interest. I also like the edits put around the photographs. It's been made to look like the pictures have been ripped out of somewhere and makes the page look less formal and compensates for plain layout. I also like how a text box has been added amongst the rest of text. The way its positioned and the gray background breaks all the the rest of the writing up making it less daunting to read. The content in that text box is almost a summary of the whole article, which is Good Charlotte being interviewed about their new album, it lists the 'five highlights from the new album', so five songs, states some lyrics of that song and also a quote from the paragraphs around the text box of what the bands thoughts and feelings were when composing it. I think this is a good technique of adding a text box giving a summary of the article as it gets to the point and addresses the audience in an easy way leaving the rest of the text surrounding the text box for the ones that are interested enough to read on.

Another way in which the writer has attracted the audiences attention to reading the articles was how they made a quote from the band in a bigger font and also in a gray text box. So when you look at the page that's one of the first things you see because its contrasting to the white background. The quote is aimed to make you feel that the article is really interesting and worth reading it also makes you think why they have said that certain comment, even if you aren't a fan of Good Charlotte. This is something to keep in mind when designing my double page spread. I will be promoting a new band/artist that not many have heard of before and therefore the reader wont necessarily want to read the feature if it doesn't look worth it. By adding a an interesting quote from the artists that will make the reader think will enable me to grasp their attention.

I must say i am a big fan of this double page spread, the effects on the photograph are spectacular,  the off white backgrounds correspond with this and the handwriting style text together gives a more vintage feel. This not only is appealing enough as it is also cleverly coincides with the band its self. They are an older band from the early 90's that were one of the first to successfully popularize the 'screamo' genre however, have adapted their sound through the years enabling them to stay original and carry on creating music that is interesting and different to listen to. So the whole theme relates to them being wise about knowing a lot about the music business, which is a skill in itself. The quotation technique which i raised earlier is also apparent in this article however instead of just an interesting quote its advise to the reader about being in a band. Even if the reader is not interested in Funeral For a Friend this layout might still persuade them to read the article as they would value their opinions and what they have to say because of their knowledge being presented in the layout.