NME FRONT COVER ANALYSIS

Colour

The core colours used on this magazine cover are red, white and black. These colours are bold and simple, yet still classy. The red against the black and white is used to emphasise the most important headings. The title NME is in red and for this reason stands out significantly. The numbers 2010 also stand out significantly as they are in a huge, thick font - a font bigger than any other on the page - and are in black against a white background, which gives them a 'loud' appearance, grabbing the audience's attention. The cover as a whole is surrounded by a thin black border, drawing the audience's attention to what is inside the frame. There are many images of famous artists on this cover. The people are dressed in a variety of different colours; most of the colours used are dark and dull, giving the impression that the artists are just ordinary people.

Design

This magazine cover is not very conventional as not only is it focusing on a large group of artists, but it also does not contain important information on the left third of the cover, like a conventional magazine would. The magazine cover as a whole, very much has a central focus. The colour and size of the text on the cover causes it to stand out against the overlapping images of people. The images of people are all positioned very closely together in the upper half of the magazine and the use of overlapping gives the representation of a crowd of people bursting out from the magazine. This gives the audience the impression that the magazine is packed full of interesting information - so much so that it is 'overflowing' or 'bursting' out of the magazine. The images over lap with headings and borders in places, again reinforcing this representation. The majority of the text on the cover is in capital letters which suggests that the magazine is 'loud'; as though it is shouting out to the target audience about what is inside, helping to grab their attention. All of the text on the cover is in one colour, with one exception - the title. The title NME consists of 2 colours. It is in big red lettering, outlined in white, on a black background and for this reason stands out more than the other headings, emphasisng its importance. There is also a bright yellow pug on the upper right hand corner of the cover which stands out against the core colours used on the page. This helps to draw the eye towards the special feature it is advertising.

Images

The images used are all of artists who appear to be relatively young, aged in their late teens to 30's, relating the magazine to an audience of a similar age. Even though the artists all appear young, they do all vary in their appearance, making the magazine appeal to a larger variety of different types of people. As well as this, the artists all look very average (no drastic hairstyles, make-up etc), which again helps the magazine to relate to the general public who will be the ones purchasing the magazine. Dressing the artists in plain clothes helps the audience who are likely to idolise these people feel that they are not so different from the people they admire. A few of the the people are holding guitars which reinforces the music theme that is the focus of all NME magazines. The person in the centre of the crowd of images, the person who appears in the foreground, is looking up at the title - NME. This draws the reader's attention to the title of the magazine. The rest of the people on the other hand are all looking out at the audience, helping the magazine to connect with the reader. All the people have quite a serious, moody expression making them look important.

How are words used on the cover?

The title is in red, bold, capital letters surrounded by a thin white outline, on a black background. It is the only text on the cover that has an outline and for this reason stands out significantly. The strapline - ALBUMS OF 2010: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE - is again in capital letters and is in white against a black background. The contrast of the white text against the black background is eye-catching, drawing attention to the main focus of this issue of NME. The use of the word ultimate helps the audience to think that they are purchasing 'the best'. The style of text throughout, and the use of capital letters gives the magazine a 'loud' image. The word albums is repeated which allows the reader to identify at a glance what the magazine may include. Also, some of the text is large enough to be seen from a distance and so can grab the audience's attention from a shop shelf. '2010' in particular is visible from a distance and helps to show the magazine is new and current.

Language

The language used is clear and direct, enabling the audience to understand what the magazine is featuring. Again, the majority of the text gives the impression that it is shouting out to the reader to emphasise its importance. The artists featured are listed in bold text at the bottom of the cover which should attract the target audience. Also, the use of words such as 'essential' and 'ultimate', give the impression that this magazine is one of a kind.

Overall impression

Despite the front cover's unconventional appearance, it is still very effective in appealing to it's target audience (older teenagers - people in their 30's, that have an interest in music). The images are not particularly exciting however they do give the desired impression of a magazine packed full. The variety of different artists featured allows the magazine to target a wider audience within the targeted age group. The types of readers that are not addressed appear to be young children and people over the age of 40. The reason for this is that the types of features inside the magazine are not likely to appeal to such audiences. For example, young children are less likely to be interested in attending music festivals, than teenagers and people in their 20's.