1ST FEB 2012

Investigate at least two music magazines currently on sale in Britain and answer these questions


A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MAGAZINE
SMASH HITS -
was founded by Nick Logan in 1978. Nick had previously edited other music magazines like New Musical Express during one of the most creative periods. A test was released in September 1978 with Plastic Bertrand on the front and the first issue was published in November 1978, featuring Blondie on the cover. After only three months the magazine went from being a monthly release to a fortnightly. In its early days its major selling point was the publication of Top 20 song lyrics. It became a "phenomenon" in the 1980s and helped launch the careers of now major journalists who went on to produce Q, Mojo and The Word. 




KERRANG! - 
It started as a magazine supplement  which came with "Sounds" magazine. It proved so popular that it became an independent publication in its own right. Kerrang! got its name from the sound a guitar player makes when he throws his guitar. 

TYPICAL CONTENT

SMASH HITS - 

• usually a count down of the "hottest guys" or the top songs 
• free posters or gifts
• prizes 
• often a "battle of the bands" 
• sob stories
• personal stories of artists
• gossip
• often some free themed extras

KERRANG! - 

• poster
• often sale lines portraying an uproar or rioting 
• usually more based on mature articles about different new and popular rock bands
• contains sex, love and drugs articles
• personal articles about artists growing 
• agressive photography
• major band on the front cover as main image. eg, my chemical romance
• festival information
• album reviews
• lesser brands in the strip and the bottom

TYPICAL READER

SMASH HITS - 

is usually aimed at young girls, probably no older than  8 -16. However, the secondary reader is therefore going to be parents. They want to know the magazine is safe for their children

KERRANG - 

readers are a lot older. Generically 20 year old, greasy, long haired men. Also the girlfriends and girls from this "clique" would read it. The consumers would probably be aged between 16 and 30. 

MAGAZINE HOUSE STYLES

    SMASH HITS - 

• fonts usually big and bold. Often continued capitals to show how important and interesting the articles and sale lines are supposed to be
• the colours of smash hits magazine are almost neon in every issue. They don't tend to follow the convention of having three similar colours throughout and instead make them contrast and stand out.
• the models on the cover and throughout the magazine are usually current popular pop artists. They are nearly always smiling and "messing around"

KERRANG! - 

• fonts usually take the form of being bold and clear and don't often use any crazy effects or different font styles to make the magazine seem more exciting. However they do use a smashed glass effect in the master head font. This is to appeal to its audience of protesting adolescents.
• KERRANG! usually has one main image with smaller, less important images to the edges of the page.
• in KERRANG! they normally use two or three main, contrasting, bright colours that fit in with their sale lines or artist on the front
• the models in the magazine are nearly always important, major bands whom usually have a new album or tour coming up.