COVER ANALYSIS

MASTHEAD

The masthead is at the top left of the magazine reading 'NME'. The reason that the name of the magazine is at the top left is because you usually read left to right and because it is put as the largest test so people will remember the name of the magazine. It also holds the house colours of NME which is white and red so when you see these colours you will automatically think of the magazine.

MAIN IMAGES

The main image which is a photo graph of the Palma Violets which is shown by the main headline which says 'Ultra Violet' and below it says 'Palma Violets' to tell us who it is if it's a new upcoming band. The expression in the artists face implies to me they are crazy fun going people which would appeal to the audience and make them want to buy the magazine. Also the pose of him just looking like he had strummed the guitar might imply rock which is one of the main genres if the magazine. The clothes that he is wearing may also tell us as the reader he is quite rock orientated and wild which could appeal the the younger rock audience. The other inserted photographs at the bottom left at the page make the magazine appeal to a wider audience as for example if you are unsure about the main band, you may still like artic monkeys which is a famous group that would make people interested in that magazine. They have been overlapped in like a college kind if way to make it seem messy in a sense to appeal to rockers but also left in clean cut and clear so it's easily visible and sticks the modern sharp house style of the magazine. Also the image of the man from "queens of the stone age" is making eye contact which catch he's the readers eye and makes it more personal to them as it seems the magazine picks you, not you picking the magazine.

HEADLINE, COVERLINES

The main headline is ‘Ultraviolet’ which tells us about the main image of the main singer/musician in the band ‘Ultraviolet’ The magazine also has many cover lines which give us a sense if what is to come in the magazine, kind of like a sneak peak. These cover lines are usually short and precise and link to the images that is also going on the front cover. For example there would be the names of the artists and gossip to want us to either buy or download the magazine to see what is happening. The white, yellow and read 'splashes' that are placed behind the text makes it stand out just generally make the cover attractive. For example the yellow even though doesn't particularly complement the house colours of red and white, it contrasts and makes the magazine and text stand out from other darker magazines such as Kerrang.

OTHER

The back ground of a gradient that changes from grey to white is very effective at is blends the background into the image. Also it being very clean and sharp makes the images and text stand out whilst keeping to the house theme and general style of the magazine. In the bottom right hand corner you have the bar code which is obviously needed to buy the magazine. But it is cleverly blended into the magazine so doesn't ruin the front colour and take away from the house style. They manage, because a white bar code to blend it into the white/grey background which makes it not very easy to see so your are more focused on what is actually on the magazine colour such as text, graphics and images. In this magazine there is no graphics, just text and images. This is the same as most of the NME magazines as they like to keep a consistent style so the magazine is recognisable.