Magazine Cover Analysis 2

NME is a mainstream commercial music magazine aimed at a lower middle class male audience from ages 18-30 (maybe even older with this special issue) with an interest in current and classic alternative music. NME is also aimed at people within the industry as its updates are fast (weekly magazines) as opposed to more editorial music magazines.

The masthead and coverline are intertextual to each other so symbolise the importance of the reunion. The red connotes warning and positions the audience to stop and pay attention. The typography is all in capitols as it is harder for the eye to read, so more time must be taken to read it. The typography of the coverline is a juxtaposition to the preview above it because one is block capitols and the other is lower case black script.  Another factor is sign repetition, the colour yellow is used for font and this sign is repeated in the bands clothes, primarily the lead singer’s jumper to imply importance. This creates the ideology that NME is conforming to and supporting The Stone Roses style.

The image used is old and was taken in the context of the band almost rising from nothing to become important (connotations of vast untouched mountains.) NME, by reusing an old image to signify the bands reformation, have changed the original context of the image. It now represents a return.  The image of the mountains represent emptiness, and the relevance of that band being there creates the ideology that there is no one like them and they are in a league of their own, the reusing of the image carries this idea forward through zeitgeist  to signify that there is still no one as good. The image represents is that of victory and triumph. This is convergent to the topic of the band reuniting and this media text also carries a representation of celebration shared between both band and consumer.

NME have been careful to make the band name instantly recognisable by making it as big as possible, in order to do this they have shrunken the ‘The’ of their name and put it in the top of the ‘T’, it is placed in the ‘T’ for sign repetition so the audience can clearly see where it is and not in the ‘S’ because that would juxtapose the shape of the ‘S’ too much. The cover is mainly focused on the band as this was a special issue devoted to them, so much so that the only other images used on the cover are of The Stone Roses. ‘Classic’ is written in yellow again for sign repetition and the rest in with as that information is not as important. The black script above the band’s name looks handwritten and includes exclusive information about the band, this positions the audience to feel closer to the band and like they personally care about their fans, the content also gives NME a unique selling point.

At the top of the page two different bands are separated with a white ‘+’ symbol to show the consumer that they are working together but still stand as individual bands. The colour difference here furthers the symbolism of unity. A small red line then separates that feature from others to symbolise other topics and news. The colours used are also ordered: red is the most important, then yellow, black, white. This is why things like the date that have to be there but are not as important are white, it also has minimal contrast with the background to the consumer isn’t attracted to it.

This cover has two interpretations of zeitgeist, one for when The Stone Roses originally formed and that fan base is shown through symbolic codes but the cover also reaches out for new fans and general readers of the magazine. This is the zeitgeist of Britpop and guitar music, which is still relevant now. The bands pose is also convergent to some of their posters and onstage actions, this furthers the ideologies behind the mountains theme and by going to watch them you are seeing something important.