research into similar products

When I come to draft and create my rock music magazine, called 'IGNITE', I will need it to comply with the style of most other rock music magazines. I have already researched into music magazines that fit my indie rock genre however I haven't decided on which specific style. here are two magazine covers that fit my genre which I could use to aid me in the style of my own magazine :



Conventions:

Both of these covers help me as they contain similar conventions and they both fit my genre so I definitely know what to include in my own magazine:

• Puffs and pugs - some overlap the masthead
• Blocking is used effectively in both - distinguishes lead singer
• Mid shot (fits in band members as well as costume which defines their attitudes as a band)
• listings - demonstrates other content
• main cover stars overlap masthead - they're more important
• skylines - demonstrates more content - clear to see as they're at the top of the cover

Style:

They may have similar conventions but they have completely different styles which is where I need to make the decision on my own magazine's style:

• Main cover stars - In rock sound the lead singer has an immature, playful facial expression - this creates a more quirky and therefore  more niche style to this magazine - the band are also wearing casual yet fashionable clothing, creating a cool but more niche style, as the costume isn't very professional
• This is unlike NME which has a more main stream style - they all have a serious facial expression and are wearing more serious black clothing which connotes an image of danger for the band and complies with the more serious style of this magazine
• Rock sound also has bright colours and quirky fonts for its cover lines typical for the niche style of this magazine
• In comparison, NME has dark and plain colours a part from the main cover line and it also has bold professional fonts which also conforms with the serious, mainstream style of this magazine

The verdict:

Thanks to my research I know exactly what conventions I need to include to make my magazine cover fit my genre however I need to use them to a certain style and that style is going to be one that matches the likes of NME, one that is serious and more mainstream. This is because I want my created band to have a serious and bold attitude so a quirky niche styled magazine wont be appropriate. I am also using my favorite band the arctic monkeys as an influence and they are more mainstream which is another reason why I want a professional mainstream styled magazine similar to NME. Therefore my magazine cover will consist of conventions that fit this style, a main image that is serious with dark yet still fashionable clothing, big bold professional fonts that provide clarity for the readers , simple layout of cover lines and puffs organized coherently and a house colour that is simple but carries connotations that will suit both the image of my band and the style of the magazine