Codes and Conventions of music magazine front covers

• Main image - band/singer either in long shot or mid-close up, looking at the camera to connect with the audience and engage them.
• The body language of the solo artist or band reflects their music genre. This is called representation e.g. pop music - posed images, metal music - aggressive and hostile mode of address. The mode of address is the way in which the magazine reflects to the target audience e.g. Top of the Pops - friendly and informal, Kerrang - not engaging, lost in the music connoting that the magazine is all about music.
• Also the main image has to be some artist or band that is well known to attract the target audience. The other images are the subsidiary images, these are for the readers who may not be that interested in the main image.
• There is a limited colour scheme - four different colours on NME - black, red, white, grey - this is because of a cost issue as it would cost too much.
• The masthead at the top, the typeface of this connotes the genre. E.g. NME - blocks - bold, Top of the Pops - friendly - girly - pink, Kerrang - broken - one colour (white) - straight to the point.
• There are usually 5-10 coverlines and they all link to genre. This is so the target audience will know what to expect and they won't see something that is not supposed to be there.
• Buzzwords are used to attract attention. E.g. plus, free, exclusive.
• The layout and organisation are appropriate to target audience and genre. E.g. Top of the Pops is informal for kids. Or Q is formal for an older audience.