Feature Article Analysis 1

This is a feature article from NME’s Radar section of the magazine. Radar is essentially the newest of new music section. There is a lot going on here because NME has to keep the audience entertained, even if they are not interested in the band. This is where things like the sidebar help because there is enough content here to keep the audience immersed. The kicker creates the ideology that the band fits with the current musical zeitgeist of slacker rock.

This feature article is very conventional and uses a dropcap, pull quote, image captions, sidebars and many images. NME’s website is also shown at the bottom, this creates convergence across media texts and also relates to zeitgeist whereby the audience wants to be in control of the media they consume and its platform.

The bubble ‘NME loves’ next to the bands name connotes approval and positions the audience to feel like, because NME likes them, they should too. Although this is a double page spread the text is minimal about the band and the image is larger. This is because, being so new, there isn’t much to say about the band, as they haven’t made an impression yet. Also a bands image is seen as more important than their views, and therefore their look is conveyed over their words.

Much like the contents pages and front cover only 3 main colours are used here, and red (NME’s signature colour) is again used for pop to show their website advertisement.

The layout of the image used is also in context with the band and NME’s style. The other images of bands in the sidebar are also lined up using rule of thirds so that the audience pays attention to all individually. The title ‘everyone’s talking about’ for the sidebar implies that the consumer is missing out and needs to inform themselves on the bands NME show here.