Codes and Conventions of Pop Magazines

One of the conventions for a magazine is for the main image to dominate the front cover. This is to attract the audience’s attention and be able to persuade them to read the magazine. In a pop magazine, cover mount is used to sell more copies. For example, the image on the right is a Top of the Pops magazine and has free mascara and four eyeliners and a style guide. This is to persuade the audience to buy the magazine and gives them an additional prize. Posters are often given away in a music magazine to give the audience another reason to purchase the magazine, other than articles and gossip. If the poster includes an image of an artist they are fond of, they are more likely to buy the magazine as it is a free poster. It is also given the impression that the young girls should be decorating their rooms instead of being out and about.

It is common for any magazine to use beautiful women to sell copies as this attracts readers. Pop magazines do this to persuade readers that they are able to be beautiful just like the person on the cover. It is also attracting readers as they may have a role model as the cover which will immediately make them want to buy the magazine. Take Cheryl Cole, many girls find her as a role model, beautiful and successful. Top of the Pops use her to give young girls the idea that they can be just like her. They also complete this as they have the sell line as “you can be Cheryl”. This links to one of the conventions of a Pop magazine as the sells lines should have a link to the featured artist of the magazine.

Both general and music magazines are passionate and serious about what is inside their magazine. This is because everything in the magazine must attract the audience and maintain them from buying and reading the magazine. It is important to be certain that the reader does not get bored but entertained and inspired. If the audience find it boring, this is stopping them from purchasing the magazine again in the future. Magazines have the ability to become like to friend to their readers as it is allowing them to escape from reality and enter an enjoyable and soothing world. This then convinces them to repeatedly buy the mag.

In each music magazine, colours are used to reflect and celebrate the musical tastes and cultural identity of the reader. Pop magazines continuously use a variety of young youthful colours. For instance, the magazine on the right uses a lot of pink used in the layout and text in the image on the right. It also has a good use of purple which makes them come across as girly colours. As the main sell line “The Wanted” is outlined in yellow, this will draw in the attention of the reader, especially for fans who love the band. The colours that are used in pop give the impression of

innocence which links well with young female readers. It gives the remembrance of upbeat and a fun personality. As a genre, it is a convention for Pop to have bright colours as it represents a positive vibe. This should be met through magazines as well as music videos. The male artists presented on the front of the magazine will aim for girls to learn about the boys in order to be able to date them. Unlike Kerrang magazines, they use dull and dark colours which immediately make use think off aggression and masculinity.

The artist on the front cover wears modern, fashionable clothing as this is a convention for Pop. This is to stereotype the clothes teenagers wear. The artists are always smiling and enthusiastic as this connotes they are happy, enjoying life.

Bands and artists in Pop are usually dressed in bright colours and are always looking playful and happy to create a positive image, instead of an image of sex, violence and creating a sense of non-offense towards people. Hair and makeup are a major role in pop as they give the effect of beauty and intelligence.

Inspiration

A Pop magazine that exceedingly inspires me is Top of the Pops. The image shown is a front cover that inspires and encourages me to extend the level of success I would like to achieve in my coursework. There a number of features I like in this front cover that give me ideas for my music magazine. For example, the use of pink gives the immediate attention towards teenage girls. The shot of the girls inspire me with their body language and facial expressions as it links within the sell line. They are making it obvious they have a secret to tell but it also luring them in. This is attracting the audience as it is persuading them to buy the magazine. The front cover stands out as they are all beautiful women which attract young girls to think they can also be as beautiful as them.

I also like the way the font is used as it is in bold and captures the audience’s eye immediately. It is in bright pink and white which shows represents the target audience as young girly girls. I would like to use this when making m magazine.