FRONT COVER ANALYSIS OF KERRANG!1
KERRANG! Magazine id s rock magazine, based in the UK and created by Hamburg bases Bauer Media Group. Originally, it was an exclusive in the Sounds magazine. The magazine comes out weekly, on every wednesday, and costs on average £2.20. It also has a current circulation of 43,033. The magazine is associated with a rock genre, as it is can be distinguished as a rock music magazine featuring artists who perform and create this kind of music. This makes it clear to show who the ideal reader/target market of the magazine is. The colours consists of yellow, red, white and black making the font pop out and contrast nicely with each other. This is to attract the target markets eye, encouraging them to wish to buy it. The font mainly consists of san-serif, displaying the informality of the magazine. The layout is very clear as you can easily tell what the main article is and what else can be found within the magazine.
The main image is one of the members from the band Iron Maiden, and is spread all over the cover, indicating that this is the main article inside. The image is taken on a stage and the artist has a microphone in his hand indicating it was taken at a concert, therefore it shows how the band associates with the rock genre of the magazine. Likewise, the artist is in a dark outfit, once again implying it meets the magazines house style. The fire in the background also helps to provide a rocky, dangerous vibe. His position indicates a sense of triumph. He is also looking up with his mouth agape. The victorious position he is standing in and the background of the fire in the background will attract the audience and catch their attention.
The masthead is present in a bold font, which looks like it has been cracked. This links to the idea of the onomatopoeia (the "KERRANG!" sounds like the strum of an electric guitar). This helps to show the brand identity as it shows the type of genre of music it is based on. Similarly, the bold font with the cracks seems quite aggressive, associating the image with the genre of music. The use of the exclamation mark and capitals also express emphasis making it feel like it is screaming at you. The typography and type face and house style makes it very well-known, therefore part of the image can be covered and readers would still know it is KERRANG!
There are six small images on a banner at the top of the magazine. These images have been used to provide a preview of the posters found within the magazine, without drawing too much attention away from the main article.
There are also four smaller images along the sides of the magazine to shows the reader what else can be found inside. The fact that they are smaller images and darker colours ensures they also do not draw the attention away from the main article inside. All the other people in the images are also musicians who play in bands which help to once again emphasise the genre of the music. The cover lines promote what else can be seen within the magazine, for example there is an interview with the band Sleeping With Sirens.
The magazine consists of languages such as "Scream" which matches the style of the magazine due to the rock genre it is based on. This can be seen in the headline; "Scream for me Download'. Similarly, the magazine uses multiple exclamation marks which makes the magazine seem as if it is screaming out at the reader, attracting their attention and making them want to read more.
KERRANG! is quite similar to other rock magazines, due to its use of bright colours and very bold san-serif fonts. However, most other rock magazines only consist of one image of the main article, whereas KERRANG! uses multiple minor images to indicate what else is featured throughout the magazine. KERRANG! also uses a range of punctuation throughout the magazine making the words engaging for the reader whilst meeting the house style.
