Front Covers Evaluation

Within my format research, I researched and analysed three different music magazine front covers and their norms and how they defied convention. From the preliminary task, I feel as though I have improved my skills when researching and evaluating different magazine which will help me when designing and creating my final product.

In my front cover research I researched three different music magazines. They were; BBC Music, Rollingstones and Vibe magazine. All three of them were similar in some aspects, but as well as this, they did have differences which set them aside from one another making them more appealing to their target audiences. the fact that the three music magazines share both similarities and differences, means that I can compare the differences between the three magazines and evaluate which features and styles work best with my music magazine. My music magazine will be a classical music magazine, so in particular I can look at the features used in the BBC Music magazine which also has a genre of classical. Although I am going to create a classical music magazine, I can still use and evaluate features from the other two magazines which I may choose to use on the front cover of my magazine.

All three of the front covers that I researched in my front cover format research shared the same norms in various different ways. One of the common norms that each of the three music magazines used on their front covers is the the mast head was placed at the top of the front cover. All three front covers placed their mast heads at the top of the page because generally when looking at something, you start from the top. This allows the reader to see what music magazine it is straight away and whether or not they choose to look at it in further detail. Continuing with the mast head, two out of the three magazines shared a common norm, whereas one defied convention. The two that shared common norms had their mast head partly covered my the main image. This may show that the producers are so confident that people know what magazine it is, the whole of the mast head does not have to be displayed. As well as this, it may suggest to readers that they should know what magazine it is because it is so popular which may intrigue them to read it. The music magazine which defied convention was the Vibe front cover. This cover had the whole of its mast head on display. This is in no way bad as it makes it very clear what music magazine it is and makes the magazine more appealing because it clearly stands out over everything else on the front cover.

Another norm that all three magazines shared was that the main image on the front cover took up the whole page and was the dominating feature on the front cover. The fact that all three had such a large image on their front covers allows them to really stand out and make the magazine eye catching with a large image on the front which draws the eyes of the reader straight to the magazine. As discussed, BBC Music magazine and Rollingstones magazine have their images covering the mast head making it the dominant feature on the page over everything else, whereas the Vibe magazine has the image covered partly by the mast head defying convention. Despite this, the image on the front of Vibe magazine still stands out to the reader and does dominate most of the front cover.

Taking everything into account from my format research, I will use some of the common norms shared by the three front covers that I researched, but as well s this, I will take into account the covers that defied convention and will consider using some of these features which may help develop my front cover into a successful one.