For the coursework part of the Media course, we are required to create a magazine with a front cover, contents page and double page spread for a music genre of our choice. I have chosen to make a magazine for the Hip-Hop genre, with my target audience ranging from age 16-21 for both males and females. To be able to create our magazines, we will need to research into other magazines of similar genres so that we know how to target our audience. To do this, i have decided to research two hip-hop music magazines, XXL Magazine and Hip-Hop Weekly, two american-based music magazines.
I chose to use these magazines as inspiration because i feel that they portray the style of magazine that i would like to create. They are targeting the audience that i am trying to target whilst still appealing to a wider age-range. However both magazines do not tend to stick with a certain typical layout for each issue, because although they always use the same font and colour. For example, XXL always use a red block with the font in white, and this is the same in every issue. Although Hip-Hip Weekly do not do the same, they use the same font, but each week they play around with different styles and it is in different positions compared to the last issue.
The same is also said for colour schemes, the background colour for both magazines is always related to the cover artists, therefore it is constantly changing. Personally i think this is better because the covers do not become repetitive and each week/month there is something fresh to look at instead of feeling like you are looking at the same magazine each time. However, although they do not use the same colours each time, the colours are usually quite dark colours, instead of bright and loud colours. This is because the magazines know how to attract their audience, bright colours are more related to attracting younger audiences whereas the darker colours are more likely to attract the hip-hop genre because stereotypically they dress with darker colours and it is generally associated with that genre of music.
Hip-Hip Weekly is a music magazine that also focuses on the gossip side of the hip-hop music industry, therefore the layout and conventions of the magazine are similar to that of a gossip magazine aswell. For example, the pull quotes of the magazine are highlighted in bright colour such as yellow and red which will catch the attention from across the shop. Hip-Hop Weekly tend to do this with most of their magazine covers, because they want to attract and hook their readers with the cover story, which clearly helps them sell whereas with XXL they rely on their faithful readers to buy their magazine monthly, therefore they do not need to use bright colours to attract potential customers.
With regards to price, Hip-Hop Weekly is sold for £3.25 in the UK, and so far, i have been unable to find XXL Magazine anywhere in the UK. Howeber the £3.25 for the first magazine is quite a decent price considering that it is an international magazine. They usually use yellow for the fonts of the main article on the cover because that colour usually stands out against all other colours therefore whatever colour used for the background, the yellow will always stand out and catch peoples attention.
XXL has the look of a typical hip-hop magazine, and that is the first genre that would come into your head when you first see all covers of the magazine. Particularly in this cover featuring Nas, the fact that he is not wearing a shirt and all his tattoos are visible automatically attracts hip-hop fans. Also the font used for his name, and the font underneath is quite rough and rugged-looking which associates to the music. The layout of the magazine is generally very good and well-spaced. There is no excess text on the cover, only pull quotes and the main cover story to attract the readers. The lack of text is clearly because the magazine aim to make their cover artist the sole focus of the issue, and therefore the cover represents the spotlight on them.
Hip-Hop Weekly is a hip-hop gossip magazine and therefore has all the qualities of a gossip magazine with the garish colours used to attract readers and make it clear that it is related to gossip aswell. Besides using bright colours, there is also a lot of text underneath the main title to give the readers an insight into the main article. The magazine also features cover lines on their front covers which will also persuade people to buy their magazine because then they know what will be featured in the magazine without having to flick through.
The close analysis of both magazines will definitely help me with making my magazine, i will take all of this on board when making mine, because i now have a bit more of an idea how to target my audience and what i must include on my front covers etc. to attract my audience.
http://www.hiphopweekly.com/ - Hip-Hop Weekly website.
http://www.xxlmag.com/ - XXL Magazine website
I chose to use these magazines as inspiration because i feel that they portray the style of magazine that i would like to create. They are targeting the audience that i am trying to target whilst still appealing to a wider age-range. However both magazines do not tend to stick with a certain typical layout for each issue, because although they always use the same font and colour. For example, XXL always use a red block with the font in white, and this is the same in every issue. Although Hip-Hip Weekly do not do the same, they use the same font, but each week they play around with different styles and it is in different positions compared to the last issue.
The same is also said for colour schemes, the background colour for both magazines is always related to the cover artists, therefore it is constantly changing. Personally i think this is better because the covers do not become repetitive and each week/month there is something fresh to look at instead of feeling like you are looking at the same magazine each time. However, although they do not use the same colours each time, the colours are usually quite dark colours, instead of bright and loud colours. This is because the magazines know how to attract their audience, bright colours are more related to attracting younger audiences whereas the darker colours are more likely to attract the hip-hop genre because stereotypically they dress with darker colours and it is generally associated with that genre of music.
Hip-Hip Weekly is a music magazine that also focuses on the gossip side of the hip-hop music industry, therefore the layout and conventions of the magazine are similar to that of a gossip magazine aswell. For example, the pull quotes of the magazine are highlighted in bright colour such as yellow and red which will catch the attention from across the shop. Hip-Hop Weekly tend to do this with most of their magazine covers, because they want to attract and hook their readers with the cover story, which clearly helps them sell whereas with XXL they rely on their faithful readers to buy their magazine monthly, therefore they do not need to use bright colours to attract potential customers.
With regards to price, Hip-Hop Weekly is sold for £3.25 in the UK, and so far, i have been unable to find XXL Magazine anywhere in the UK. Howeber the £3.25 for the first magazine is quite a decent price considering that it is an international magazine. They usually use yellow for the fonts of the main article on the cover because that colour usually stands out against all other colours therefore whatever colour used for the background, the yellow will always stand out and catch peoples attention.
XXL has the look of a typical hip-hop magazine, and that is the first genre that would come into your head when you first see all covers of the magazine. Particularly in this cover featuring Nas, the fact that he is not wearing a shirt and all his tattoos are visible automatically attracts hip-hop fans. Also the font used for his name, and the font underneath is quite rough and rugged-looking which associates to the music. The layout of the magazine is generally very good and well-spaced. There is no excess text on the cover, only pull quotes and the main cover story to attract the readers. The lack of text is clearly because the magazine aim to make their cover artist the sole focus of the issue, and therefore the cover represents the spotlight on them.
Hip-Hop Weekly is a hip-hop gossip magazine and therefore has all the qualities of a gossip magazine with the garish colours used to attract readers and make it clear that it is related to gossip aswell. Besides using bright colours, there is also a lot of text underneath the main title to give the readers an insight into the main article. The magazine also features cover lines on their front covers which will also persuade people to buy their magazine because then they know what will be featured in the magazine without having to flick through.
The close analysis of both magazines will definitely help me with making my magazine, i will take all of this on board when making mine, because i now have a bit more of an idea how to target my audience and what i must include on my front covers etc. to attract my audience.
http://www.hiphopweekly.com/ - Hip-Hop Weekly website.
http://www.xxlmag.com/ - XXL Magazine website
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