NME Front Cover Analysis

By Jac Colton

Analysis
Masthead

The Masthead is big and bold so that is the

target audience can clearly see it. It is
stylized with a modern font is coloured in red
and white to make it stand out to people.
The modern font and bright colours indicate
that this magazine is targeted towards an
younger adult audience. Previous and future
issues will have the masthead styled and
(nearly all of time) coloured in the same way
every issue so that is becomes a brand that
people will remember and recognise

Main Coverline (as a

grab
quote)
Coverlines
are used to attract the
target audience into buying the
magazine by advertising the main
story (usually featuring a famous or
interesting person or a shocking
story). This particular Coverline is
presented in the form of a grab
quote. The grab quote is a line or a
phrase from the main article, giving
the target audience a preview of
the articles content. If the target
audience is interested by the grab
quote, they may pick up the
magazine to find out the whole
story

Analysis continued
Main image
The Main Image is a full body shot of Dizzee
Rascal. It shows that the Target Audience for
this issue of the magazine is younger rap loving
people or Dizzee Rascal fans as older
generation will most likely not be listening to
modern rap music. He is directly addressing the
target audience so that a connection is made
between the target audience and the
magazine, increasing the likelihood of magazine
purchase. He is wearing a white with white and
red shoes and white and red elements on his
jeans, this links Dizzee to NME magazine as the
main colours of NME magazine are white and
red. The image is anchored to the Main
Coverline so it doesnt look out of place with
the rest of magazine.

Strapline
The Strapline is present to advertise more
of the content of the magazine so that
people who may not like the main
Coverline story may buy the magazine
from seeing a certain persons name or
band/artist name in the strapline. This
particular strapline includes names such
as Jay Z, Paramore and Ian Brown. All of
which are musicians of different musical
genres (Rap, Pop Punk and Rock). From
this information I can conclude that this
magazine is directed at people who like a
wide range of musical genres and not just

Analysis continued
Smaller Coverlines/Sell lines
the Smaller Coverlines are very
similar to the Strapline as they
advertise other
people/artists/stories that also
appear in the magazine along side
the main Coverline. These
particular Coverlines feature
names of bands/artists of different
musical genres, further proving
that this magazine is targeted
towards people who enjoy multiple
genres of music. They also follow
the same colour scheme as the
Masthead (Red and
Barcode/Date and Issue
white),therefore reinforcing the
Number
brand element of the magazine
The barcode is a legal
requirement on a magazine as it
allowed the magazine to be
legally sold to a consumer. The
date and issue number make it
easier for the Target Audience
as it tells them the release date
of the magazine and the
number of the issue so if they

Analysis continued
Rule of Thirds
Rule of thirds has been used on
this magazine. Dizzee Rascals
face and the main coverline
DIZZEE RASCAL are placed on the
points where the Target Audience
is going to look at, therefore
increasing the likelihood and
someone will buy the magazine if
they like Dizzee Rascal , Rap
Music, Music in general or are a
monthly reader of NME Magazine