Critical Evaluation of Second Draft of Front Cover

I have printed off my music magazine front cover draft so I can see problems that will need to be corrected. I think that overall my music magazine does convey the right information as it informs the viewer of the contents of the magazine without them having to pick it up. I think I could have improved the information conveyed by including a more well known band than Little Comets in the skyline as this artist isn't iconic for the alternative genre and is taking up space that could be more useful for a famous local of national artist which could draw in more viewers as they are more likely to be recognised. I quite like the style of my front cover but it could be altered by moving the cover lines more to the left as I was too paranoid that they'd be cut off that I placed them too far in which goes over my model in some occasions, them more towards the edge. When looking at the cover lines I can see that there is an issue with the colour with the font colour, I feel that it is too dark and is almost contending with the models t-shirt which conveys the front cover as too busy rather than sticking to simple and spaced out. The colour is also too dark which makes it harder for them to be read at a distance between the viewer and  the news stand this is paramount that I increase the tone of the colour so it can be easily read as the left third is the one of the very few parts that can convey the contents of the magazine. I also need to align the cover lines so they are parallel and some aren't further in than others, in my printed version I can see that I was too cautious in placing my cover lines and that I can move them back to add a more professional tone on my magazine and to make my publication look more fluent. I feel that the choice of font suits the magazine, I have used one particular font as part of the house style which matches the masthead and is clear and easy to read but then I have used more unique fonts for the Poppy Scarlet and Unplugged, I do this to draw attention to this article and to make my front cover less boring and more eye catching by using this font it adds to the personality of my artist, the 3D monochrome font has connotations of modern and contemporary which reflects upon the artist but with the Unplugged font it reflects upon the article itself. I used a raw and rough font which suggests stripped down and without any of the publicists restricting information therefore conveying that all of the article is Poppy Scarlet which will draw the viewer in due to this stripped back and informal interviews which are so uncommon in the music magazine industry, this informal attitude will allow the reader to relate on a personal level to the musician which was the overall aim for my publication. I also used this font in bright red to stick within the house style and it also produces a similar font to the famous 'Confidential' stamp this will imply to the viewer that this article is exclusive and 'for their eyes only' therefore drawing the viewing in to become a reader. To improve this effect I could make the font bigger to fill more space, this would draw attention therefore emphasising the exclusivity that my music magazine would be offering over others in the same market. Looking at my background I feel the tone is just right but my model is too dark, this affects the whole cover as it makes the fonts look too dark and don't stand out, it also effects the fluency making it obvious that the image had been edited on Photoshop therefore making it less like a professional publish, if I were to reduce the contrast between the image and the background then the professional feel would be raised therefore increasing the chance that the viewer would purchase the magazine. With my masthead I feel that it is quite clear and easily read due to the simple design but this could be improved if I extend the bottom line of the L as by having this part obscured the viewer of the magazine can get confused on whether it is an I or a L therefore making it less clear and harder to read, this is not the first impression I want to create for Amplify I want a nice fluent impression with no struggles to ensure that the viewer will be persuaded to become a reader. There is a slight obstruction with the model over the masthead but the masthead remains clear and easy to read. There is a barcode and I have placed it in the bottom right hand corner between the line and the edge of the page, this looked fine on the screen but after seeing it in print I see that it was too squished down and the numbers beneath are impossible to read this means I will have to find a new place for it that won't obstruct the cover yet be easy to read and scan. I placed the month underneath the masthead so it was clear and easy for the reader although it was slightly obstructed but this was fine as the month could still be made out while the magazine remains on the stand, so therefore
the viewer is instantly informed of the issue. There is a price but due to the font I used this meant that there was no pound sign for that font so I used one from another type, this looks unusual and I need to find a way to replace it as it ruins the fluency and professionalism of the cover. I didn't place an issue number on the cover as I felt that this would be irrelevant and by adding to the text it would distract away from the main image, cover lines, which is what is mainly relied on to sell the magazine and simplistic approach towards the design as if my magazine was too busy then it could confuse the viewer and put them off purchasing the published product. I think my cover appeals to my audience for many reasons. For example I have used modern font which is sans serif, this therefore complies to my contemporary fluent style which is what my demographic are stereotyped as having all the latest technology which are sleek and 21st century. I have also used depleted font to suggest a 'raw' interview which adds a personal tone therefore drawing in the viewer this naked tone is also suggested through the use of the colour bright red for the confidential stamps. I have kept to a house style which is seen on my cover as shades of red which are slightly darker than the usual this suggests alternative as usually the genre is quite dark but not so much to suggest a genre such as hard rock or as bright to be pop, alternative is the part between these genres. I feel I have appealed to my audience by using a young artist which can be related to and is likely to be well known within my demographic thus engaging them persuading them to purchase the published product. I have followed the conventions by using a large dominant masthead with short memorable title which instantly grabs the attention of an onlooker and ensures that they will remember the magazine long after they have left the newsagents. There is one whole main image with the artist in the centre with full eye contact with the camera so the observer feels a connection with the artist, she is large enough to take up the entire page while leaving space for the cover lines to be placed and read easily. I took advantage of the left third as this is the only place guaranteed to be viewed by a newsstand spectator although I avoided placing them anywhere else to prevent overcrowding the cover and complicating the design but I might try to involve other parts of the magazine in placing cover lines to take advantage of all my space. I have placed a date and barcode which assists the reader to whether the issue is the latest or whether they have read it yet. I have also subverted conventions to create a unique publish which will stand out and bring the individuality that is aimed through the music magazine, as promised in my press release. I didn't use bright clothing and colours within my magazine as this could infer the wrong genre as a more pop magazine rather than alternative so I kept to the more dulled down colours yet replaced this with a heavy use of black to gain attention from the observer at the newsstand yet I have stuck to conventions by keeping the same colours throughout rather than using a wide variety which could confuse the viewer on where to look but also ruin the professionalism and fluency of the product. I also haven't used thumbnails on the cover of other articles inside as although it is a well known fact that humans respond more to visuals rather than writing I feel that the pictures would create a busy atmosphere on the cover which could make the information inside unclear but I don't intend to totally neglect smaller images from my magazine as I plan to include them on my contents page which will bring a variation of platforms of portraying information while keeping the layout simple and sophisticated. I also didn't involve any competitions or free gifts through buzz words, I feel that although certain buzz words can ruin the fluency of a publication they can bring viewers in which is paramount so in my final draft I hope to include buzz words that don't affect the efficiency and simplicity of the magazine cover. The most obvious subversion of conventions is the way I have manipulated my artist into three different people, I did this to add an individuality to the magazine and to gain attention but also to fill up space as the artist on her own left the cover bare and empty whereas with the edited image a unique tone was fulfilled while removing any empty parts therefore increasing the professionalism of the draft. I think I have reached my design intentions apart from a few little attentions to detail, for example where the line meets the A on Amplify there is a slight alignment issue which can easily fixed but by reviewing my draft I can see that my design intentions weren't the best way forward and by adding buzzwords and cover lines I can create a more effective music magazine cover.

Second Draft of Front Cover

Here is the new and improved version of my cover image. I changed quite a lot from the original version. I first removed the motto from the skyline and replaced it with a bar with artists names in. I did this because I felt that I needed more artists on the cover and that the main area below the masthead was quite full. So I got rid of my motto 'Because Music isn't just for Listening' and replaced it with Arctic Monkeys, Little Comets and Bastille. Although I might remove Little Comets and replace with a more well known band. I put these artists names here so they would be easily seen on the newsstand and could possibly persuade a viewer to purchase the magazine, this would have more of a direct effect than a magazine motto. I also changed the font of 'Poppy Scarlet' and 'Unplugged' I did this to create more of an impact. I used a bold 3D font which has connotations of being modern to create Poppy Scarlet as being trendy and then I used a more raw and worn font for the unplugged so portray a stripped back version of the artist which is what my audience want. I used a different shade of red as I found the font to be very similar to the 'confidential' stamp, this implies that this article is for the viewers eyes only and exclusive to Amplify.

Front Cover Draft

Here is a draft of my front cover which I will take feedback from and then improve. I made the cover lines the same colour of the Bowie and Amp lead and also the cover lines stand out. I could improve this design by using another font for Poppy Scarlet Unplugged as this article will draw attention and it is quite often convention for another font to be used. I feel that the magazines slogan in the skyline is important but I feel that this space could be used more efficiently to persuade the viewer to buy the magazine so therefore I will change this to a list of three artists which will feature within the magazine. Looking back at my artist research I can see that the Arctic Monkeys are high profile so to put them on my front cover could draw in their wide fan base. I will also place the Little Comets on the skyline because of their tight fan base, the tight fan base means a high dedication towards the band so therefore they will buy the magazine but also this 'unknown' band will create a sense of mystery and intrigue which could encourage the viewer to pick up the magazine. I will also add Bastille due to their current high status in the charts which will mean the interest in them will be at its highest, thus meaning more people will pick up the magazine due to high interest. In between I will place the + icon due to its connotations of more and plus which will imply to the viewer that the magazine will provide lots of information and entertainment, thus the consumer will get their moneys worth. Looking at the cover lines I feel that there isn't enough variety and that they blend into each other and don't really stand out, to improve this I think that I will add variety by experimenting with colour, font and spacing which will hopefully spread these cover lines apart making them stand out more and also make them easier to read. I will also need to improve the alignment of the cover lines as they are not totally inline, this ruins the professional effect which is created through attention to detail.

PhotoShop Expiriments

Here I created 3 different layers and reduced the opacity on two so two would be translucent, therefore causing the other to stand out. I quite like this as it wouldn't be too distracting from the cover lines yet is unique and individual which will grab the attention of the viewer. I could improve the image by removing the shadow on the left by using the patch tool. I could also increase the opacity of the right figure to make it look more even. I will also improve the blemishes on the artist so it looks tidy and professional. I used the main image as it presents the artist as a rebel which is the whole image of the artist and will attract the fans. It also has the prop of the amp lead in easy view which emphasises on the article 'Unplugged' and makes the personal tone more clear. There is also an equal balance between left and right which adds to the professional tone of the magazine, yet the image also allows space for cover lines on the conventional left third and if the words were to overlap over onto the artist then this wouldn't be a problem as the image isn't too detailed of busy so therefore wouldn't make the cover line too hard to read.

Here I used numerous photos layered on top of each other that reduce in opacity the further they go so they draw attention to the centre. I changed the background from the grey paper drop screen to white, I dislike this as the contrast is too strong which makes it look unnatural and unprofessional. I feel that the use of lots of the same artist although looks unique and draws the eye is unsuitable to use on the cover of my magazine as it can be distracting and make it harder to read the cover lines. Also it distracts from the main artist which is one of the main reasons people would purchase the magazine. I won't be using this technique on my real front cover as it is too distracting and looks very unnatural and unprofessional. 

Here is a more simple approach to the cover image where I simply improved the portrait. I quite like this although it sticks to the conventions which wouldn't attract as much attention as it fits in with other magazines whereas I want to aim for something that stands out so there is a tone of interest and curiosity which will imprint upon the viewer and persuade them to pick up the magazine. There is room at the top of the image for a masthead and gaps at the side for cover lines. The model looks natural which is an image that I feel that would more suited on the double page spread although a natural pose would look more like the interview was a natural conversation with no editing from the publicist and that all the words in the article were the artists own. 

Overall I feel that the first image is the one I shall use as it subverts the stereotypical conventions of a front cover image. I will make a few adjustments to improve the image. I feel that the second image was too busy which would prevent the cover lines from standing out and the last image too conventional which would mean no one would remember it and the magazine would naturally blend in to the rest of the news stand which is what I want to avoid as I will rely on the ability for my magazine to stand out to draw the eye of the viewer to the published piece so they will read my cover lines then become a consumer and reader instead of a viewer of the news stand. 

Artist Development

 

Here I have developed Poppy Scarlet and explained the name choice, I have also brainstormed possible traits and personalities she would have so I can reflect it within my interview to create a sense of a real artist who often mostly convey their personalities through their words. It is important I capture these traits within my interview as my music magazine promises an intimate relationship between the artist and reader so I must ensure that the interview creates the feel of someone speaking without the need for fillers and hedges in her reply so therefore the reader feels that no speech has been edited of changed by Poppy Scarlet's manager.

Contact Sheet from Photo Shoot

Here is the contact sheet from my photo shoot. The majority of the shots are very similar as I knew what I wanted to produce on the cover of my magazine. I also experimented with lighting. I found that two lights on either side worked better as they produced less of a black shadow but reflected off my models glasses which could easily be removed using PhotoShop. I also got some of my model doing whatever she felt natural so then I would get some photos of the personality of the 'artist' so I could use these images on the contents page and the double page spread to portray that the interview will be 100% the artist and nothing reproduced this will make the reader feel closer to the artist and therefore remove the barrier of the magazine, this informal tone will make the reader feel closer to the artist which is an individual and unique selling point therefore making my magazine more likely to sell and more appealing to the audience. I also got my model to hold an amp lead this was to do with the title of the article 'unplugged' therefore implying that the article would be stripped down and away from all the publicity and be her views not her publicists, therefore attracting the audience to the magazine as what they will read will be 'true'. I made sure my model wore the same colour as the amp lead so then my magazine cover lines could also use this colour. The red would become my colour theme. At first my model wore the t-shirt over the shorts but this looked too inappropriate for my audience so I decided to have the tee-shirt tucked in. I also made my model wear an already established band t-shirt as this is quite fashionable among my target audience with them wearing t-shirts as Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac. By making the model wear similar clothes to the target audience it adds to the audience feeling that they are just like the artist therefore removing any barrier between the audience and increasing the personal tone.

Above is the contact sheet for the front cover I have crossed off all the images that I don't want to be used as they don't meet up to my expectations of what I want for my cover. Either the pose was too natural and more suitable for the contents page of the double page spread or I didn't feel that the pose worked. I will stick to the conventions of having my model looking directly into the camera but I will also look into Photoshop and experiment with different ways that could make my image catch the eye of a viewer and subvert the conventions of a typical cover image.

Improved Understanding of PhotoShop

Here conveys me learning how to edit and improve images to they are more clear and remain looking professional. I have removed moles, out of place hair and spots to also rise the fluent and professional tone. I have now learnt how to improve images on the software.

Photo Shoot Preperation

Apart from all clothing, all images are my own and magazines have been scanned in

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Deciding on a Name for my Music Magazine

Article Brainstorm

After my research and survey I found that articles are vital in whether people buy the magazine so I will brainstorm articles to ensure I get it right. For my music magazine I would like to have more featured articles than regular as I feel that, like fashion, music changes and if I was to have common regular articles they would eventually become boring and outdated, although my magazine will still have regular features there will be a ratio of 1:2 so for every regular article I have there will be two features.

Regulars

1. PICK News - A summery of news around the area of that month.
2. youPICK - Alternative charts.
3. PICK Reviews - Reviews of albums, artists, gigs and singles.
4. PICK Fan Mail - Letters and other social goings on.
5. PICKme - Competitions for the tickets you need.

For my regular features the title will include the title of the magazine, this is so it is recognised to be special to the magazine and that these articles are regular for my magazine. The magazine title PICK is appropriate here as it can come across as a choice and that a certain part has been chosen.

Features

1. Return of the Vinyl - How to fit it in your pocket.
I did some research into music news and found out that the vinyl is coming back but usually this wouldn't suit my demographic as vinyl's were around before my audience were born yet they are coming back into trend with alternative artists like Arctic Monkeys releasing their songs onto the format people are buying more and more vinyl's. I then put 'How to fit it in your pocket' this refers to the way that the majority of people listen to music via devices they can fit in their pockets such as phones and iPods, from my earlier market research I found that the entire of my surveys said they own a device that can fit in their pocket so therefore an article that wouldn't be relevant to my demographic becomes relevant, it also refers to the size of the vinyl as something usually you wouldn't able to easily carry round the use of 'your' makes the article more personal and sounds like the article would directly benefit the reader so they can take advantage of this new trend.
2. intro: Little Comets - How they turned a bakery aisle into a stage.
Here I used intro this implies that this band is new or that the magazine is announcing a band that would interest the reader. The majority of people wouldn't know who the Little Comets are so the caption is 'how they turned a bakery into a stage' because this is a weird combination so therefore gives the reader a feel of curiosity therefore drawing them to the article even though they might not know the band.
3. It's not over until the comeback tour - Bands that need to give it a rest.
During my research I came across bands that had broken up but had reformed for a 'comeback' tour, so this article highlights that when a band finish it doesn't mean that they are finished for good. By looking at the title alone it could appear to be that PICK have backstage access to a comeback tour so I have given it a short and clear caption so the viewer will know the topic of the article.
4. Give it some Wellington Boots - Festival line-ups slowly being revealed right here.
While I was looking on music news websites to find inspiration for my articles I found that line ups for festivals are being revealed, e.g Latitude. In my audience research I found that there was a wide range of who went and who didn't and then in further research I found that there was an even wider range of reasons to why my audience did/didn't go from money to not having enough knowledge to feel that they could get there, this article will assist them on their problems therefore attracting the majority of the audience who go to festivals or who want to go but face numerous problems. I could make this assistance more clear in the caption as at face value it looks like this article is just giving the line ups, which it will be but it will also be giving extra assistance.
5. Ticket Stubs and Exfoliating Rubs - Bastille reveal their tour experience.
Here I decided to look at another alternative band, Bastille, which have recently come to Norwich on their tour, they have also been having chart success. By including Bastille it emphasises the top local artists that are here and also that this interview was especially for the local magazine rather than copied or available in other music magazines. By using a rhyming title it rolls off the readers tongue better and is also slightly strange which would heighten the interest of the reader making them want to read the article. The 'ticket stubs' is part of gigs so when the audience read this they will know that the article is related to live music and then the 'exfoliating rubs' is the part that gives the influence to backstage access as this kind of information is never easily available so therefore heightens the interest of the viewer. I could draw the readers attention in more by having Bastille in the title rather than the caption as a viewer would more likely see their name in the title and this viewer could be a fan of Bastille which could draw in a purchase.
6. We call the Arctic Monkeys - Why they are more AM than PM.
This article is another one based on an alternative band. The reason I used the language "call" is because they have recently released a single 'Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" and in the caption I used their album title 'AM' this implies to the reader that we talk to the Arctic Monkeys about their new releases and that the article and magazine is fairly up to date with the alternative genre.
7. School Talent Shows are Cool - How Lordes school talent show got her noticed by Universal
This article is another one that focuses on the artists. The new young Lordes has topped the charts worldwide and got noticed through a school talent show. Usually school talent shows carry connotations of being 'lame' or 'nerdy' but here I have involved an article that talks about talent shows which my demographic would still be in the age range of having. I used the language 'cool' as this also can carry negative connotations as 'nerdy' and trying to fit in, but by using a declarative sentence it portrays that PICK is setting the trend. I also put the record company Universal into the caption to provide evidence for the article, which will portray that this article is serious and worth reading. Again I could improve this title by including Lordes in the title to catch the eye of the reader.
8. Vampire Weekend get their raincoats on - How they swapped sunglasses for umbrellas.
Here is another article that focuses on artists on American alternative band Vampire Weekend who have recently performed in the local area of England. Therefore they have had to swap their attire from sunglasses, typical American weather of sunshine, to raincoats (the typical British weather). It also relates to their breakthrough song 'A-Punk' which also reminds the viewer of who they are if they are unfamiliar with the band.
9. The ugly face of the music industry - Simon Cowell what have you done?
This article isn't based on any artists but the music industry in the alternative genre. Quite often alternative music subverts conventions of the typical Simon Cowell product so here is a history lesson in the music industry and how it has evolved, it will also give tips for smaller artists as quite often there is a big jump from bedroom to stage, this will interest any musicians in my demographic, but this assistance I need to make clear in the title.
10. Baby it's cold outside - Songs so warm that you'll want a BBQ.
Due to edition being a January 2014 it means that generally the weather is fairly cold. The title relates to a famous Christmas song 'Baby It's Cold Outside' which is well known throughout society and will instantly recognise, Christmas relates to winter which reinforces the cold feeling. My caption then follows with opposite lexis in a different semantic field of summer with 'warm' and 'BBQ' which have more positive connotations than winter. Due to the portability of a magazine the way it can be read anywhere a reader can quite often be reading this outside maybe waiting for a bus as the majority of my audience probably won't be able to drive they will want a warm escape therefore drawing them towards this article.

Flat Plans

Front Cover Flat Plan

Here is my flat plan for my front cover. I have kept the elements of my front cover very simple and have conformed to conventions by having all my cover lines on the left third so they can be seen on the newsstand. I have put the barcode, issue and price on the bottom right hand corner so it cannot be seen easily as I feel that it is an unattractive part of a magazine. If I included anymore parts to my front cover I feel that it would become overcrowded and make the viewer feel confused on where to look.

Contents Flat Plan

Here is my flat plan for my contents page. I have used a grid with 3 columns but it may not appear to be structured like this as a few of the features spread across more than one column. I placed the masthead at the top only this time it will be smaller but there will be a special place for the logo so the name is constantly drilled into the viewer so they will remember it more. Beneath will be the title which will be slightly bigger than the masthead from the cover so the reader will know that this page is the contents. In the first column at the top there will be a montage of backstage photos from my shoot, this will make the reader feel like they are going 'behind the scenes' and make them feel that not only is my music magazine giving them an interview but what the musicians are really like rather than what we tell them to be, therefore removing the barrier between the magazine and the reader and making their experience more personal. In the column next to this there will be a slightly enlarged image from behind the scenes this will emphasise the personal 'VIP' experience making the viewer want to read the article or, if they are browsing in the shop, want to purchase the magazine. This part will also go into the gutter on the left. Over the top of these images will be a folio and caption to help the viewer navigate around the magazine. Below there will be another enlarged image only from a different shoot and underneath will be a folio and caption, this space will go to the main story that featured on the cover so the reader can easily find this story and that anybody looking at the contents page will be instantly drawn to this story. This main feature will go into the gutter on the left and right. Below this and spread across both columns will be a feature unique to my music magazine called where there is a summary of how the magazine was made, for example '12 guitars were smashed' or '1 ukulele solo' this will add to the personal tone that my magazine is aiming for, this feature will also give the reader another reason to go to the contents page and could interest them in other articles that they wouldn't usually read. In the third column will be the list of 'Features' and 'Regulars' which will contain the folio and caption of all the articles. I kept this list together so the contents page remains ordered and assists the reader to navigate their way round the magazine rather than leaving them confused due to an unordered contents page. The guttering will consist of 1cm which is fairly wide but I feel that a wide space will draw more attention to colours and to the centre of the page. Above the columns but under 'contents' there will be the month, issue number and social network information. I put these here as they are under the biggest part of the contents page so will more likely be seen here, it is important to have the social networking information as this is the main way my demographic communicate.

Double Page Spread Flat Plan

Here is my double page spread flat plan. I have placed the title across the whole two pages so that the reader knows that these two pages are based on the articles and so it draws attention. To the left I have put a banner which contains a special feature called 'The Quick Fire Round' where through social networking readers will get to submit questions and in 100 seconds we will ask the artists and they will have to quickly answer, this feature will add a more personal tone to the interview and unique side to the magazine. I put a large image which would take up the majority of the left side of the page so draw attention and to keep the design simple this image will go right to the edge of the page to make the page look fluent then slowly fade out under the interview, at the bottom there will be five smaller images from the shoot to make the audience feel like they were there. On the right there will be the interview which will have three columns to keep the information spread out and even so it doesn't look overwhelming. In the middle of the interview there will be a quote to break up the texts and at the end of the interview there will be information on the artists tracks and where to buy.

Possible Artists to use in my Music Magazine

In my surveys I found that the reasons people didn't read music magazines was because no artists appealed to them so I looked at alternative charts to see what was popular in the UK, to be more precise I will also look at not just national charts but regional charts as my magazine is regional my audience will be interested in local music as wall as national. This is just a brainstorm on possible artists suitable to feature in my magazine and to place on the contents and front page. I am researching this area due to in my survey 57% said that they didn't read music magazines because no artists interested them, so to avoid this I will cover as many artists as possible.

Vance Joy

Riptide

Vance Joy is a Australian singer-songwriter who is new to the UK alternative scene. At the moment this post was written he is number one, this is important as this means he will be a well known figure among the alternative music scene this will attract my demographic as they are likely to know who Vance Joy is due to him having the most superior place in the chart. In the overall main charts his song Riptide is the only one from him but is in number 18 and has risen 17 places, this conveys to me that his popularity is increasing. In conclusion I think Vance Joy would be a good artist to use as he is new on the scene meaning that information on him would be quite hard to get hold of in magazines as he is a brand new artist so therefore will draw attention from the audience as well as magazines but before this breakthrough information would be scarce. Vance Joy would also be recognised by my demographic due to being number one in the alternative charts there is also a chance of him being recognised by other viewers as he is climbing up the charts and receiving airplay from BBC Radio 1 this station is aimed at the age range of my audience and by raising the profile through this it can draw new readers to my music magazine. Although checking on his website his upcoming tour is excluding the East Anglia region meaning that he will have nothing to do with the region therefore excluding him from the regional aim for my music magazine, I will have to consider this when I decide on whether to use this artist.

Bastille

Of the Night

Here is number two in the alternative chart. It is their sixth single to enter the mainstream charts so unlike Vance Joy with the possibility that he might be recognised there is an extremely high chance that this band will be recognised by the viewer including a high majority within my demographic but also a high majority outside due to high airplay from BBC Radio 1 so therefore bringing in other readers who recognise the band. Due to their high success rate this will be an unexpected result as stereotypically local music magazines don't cover top, high profile artists. Looking on the mainstream chart I see that Bastille 'Of the Night' is 17 in the chart and went down since the previous week but this is expected after 9 weeks in the chart and how mainstream music constantly changes from new entries pushing them down. This could slightly effect my decision on whether to use them within my music magazine as this shows a lack of demand but still Bastille are a high profile band who have visited Norwich twice and both selling out therefore portraying a demand for the group within the area therefore attracting viewers and Bastille fans which can be outside of my demographic and become interested in my music magazine through their passion for Bastille. Looking at Bastille's website I see that there are no upcoming gigs for this area meaning that they won't be 'talk of the town' when released but there are very few gigs in the United Kingdom and the majority are international therefore meaning that interviews with Bastille will be scarce therefore creating another reason for a viewer to become a reader.


Half Moon Run

Full Circle

Here is Half Moon Run which was number three in the alternative charts. Like Vance Joy, Half Moon Run are also new to the UK music scene and this song Full Circle will be considered to be their 'breakthrough' track. The track receives a lot of airplay on BBC Radio 1 which, as I have previously said, has a similar age demographic to my music magazine so by using Half Moon Run I can attract people who don't completely fit my target audience. Doing some research on the band the song Full Circle received over 1 million hits on YouTube overnight therefore could be portraying that this band isn't a 'one hit wonder'. This sudden spike in views can convey a demand for this band which could possibly reflect onto my magazine and cause more copies to sell. Looking in the mainstream chart there is no sign of Half Moon Run meaning that their music hasn't completely broken through yet but this can be a good thing as the stereotype of alternative fans is the way they like music to remain individual and unique rather than be in the charts, so maybe I should follow the stereotype of my demographic to meet their expectations. Looking on their website I find that they are only touring Canada for the majority of 2014 so therefore might not be relevant to my local area so therefore interest in the band can be low.

I will now search for local alternative bands. Sadly there are no local alternative charts which could be something I introduce in my magazine as a unique selling point. I found some local artists by looking at certain local venues that held bands of the alternative, rock and indie genre.





The Interpreters

Actions Not Words

Here is The Interpreters a band which plays at local venues and gigs. I discovered this band on a list of all the bands within the local area. They seem popular with 5705 plays on their Actions Not Words songs and are 'connected' to 1.5K on their MySpace page this conveys a popularity and demand for the group that if I were to feature them on my front cover or within my magazine then viewers could be brought in and purchase my music magazine. Although they seem popular their MySpace page isn't updated and there are no current events/gigs the dates the music was last released was in 2009 which conveys that this band doesn't exist anymore and even if they do there is no recent music to suggest they are in demand or in the Norwich alternative music circuit.

When looking for alternative bands within the area of Norwich I found it extremely difficult to find them online and when I did find bands their genre wasn't suitable for my magazine or that their audience were older than my demographic. I now understand why there was a gap here in the market because there simply wasn't enough established bands to create an interest or enough readers for the magazine to be consistent. This search was fruitless and took a huge amount of time so therefore I have made the decision to change the aim of my magazine from regional to national and aim for the more mainstream bands this means that I will have to research more mainstream bands within the alternative genre as this shift is a huge one and can damage the intimacy of my magazine but if I go about this transition cautiously I can still create the desired effect when I wanted the magazine to be local. 

Arctic Monkeys

One for the Road

Arctic Monkeys have been on the music scene since 2002 and ever since have made alternative music with 5 albums and receiving nominations and awards, seven BRIT's and a Mercury prize. With the fastest selling debut album ever and always placing in the top 40 with new tracks the Arctic Monkeys are leaders of this music genre. They perceive the typical 'bad boy' persona which is the stereotype of the alternative scene and quite often set trends such as the vinyl, Arabella their new single will be released on vinyl on the 28th March 2014,  which has become stylish again after Arctic Monkeys started selling their music on the platform. Their currency in the music industry is present due to their new single Arabella being released on the 10th March 2014, their AM tour just finishing and their new album AM at number two and in the album charts for 25 weeks.  From the high amount of awards, albums and trends it is clear to me that the Arctic Monkeys are popular within my target audience and remain current enough to appear within my magazine.



The White Stripes

Seven Nation Army

The White Strips were formed in 1997 and were parents to the famous bass riff and are known as one of the iconic parts of alternative music. They gave permission for Marcus Collins from The X-Factor to sing Seven Nation Army which could've tarnished their popularity from how opinions of The X-Factor, especially those who enjoy music where those have worked hard for fame like in the alternative, rock and singer songwriter, have declined in popularity. Also researching into the band I find that they had broken up in 2011 meaning that The White Stripes aren't current or trending so therefore interest in them would be low and due to their career being at its peak so long ago in 2002 it is unlikely that by just using their name in the magazine some would not recognise the band, in my magazine I have got to keep with my generation and ensure that there will be names of artists that the majority of my demographic will recognise.

Imagine Dragons



On Top of the World

This is Imagine Dragons who have only very recently, unlike Arctic Monkeys who have a high number of years within the music scene, broken into the alternative industry in September 2012, but are hugely popular among fans and those who listen to the genres music. They have been recognised by NME and MTV as the biggest breakthroughs of 2013 in America, yet their completion of a world tour emphasises their worldwide popularity and specifically to Great Britain have been in the album charts for 48 weeks with Night Visions. Although this is meant for the greats of alternative rock the amount of publicity, popularity and awards Imagine Dragons are apparently set to be the next big thing for alternative music. This band would be great for my music magazine as it could make them award of this up and coming band although I feel it might be too late for them to be classed as huge as they have already made it.

Finally I was hoping to have a page on a less high profile alternative band so I decided to look around in the alternative section of iTunes and find a band with not a huge amount of publicity for this section so I can make my viewers aware of the next big thing.

Little Comets

Little Italy



The Little Comets are an English trio who have been around since 2009 and have released two albums, In Search of the Elusive Little Comets and Life is Elsewhere. They've been known for their slightly more crazy side by performing in unusual places as a publicity stunts, venues have included the bakery aisle in Marks & Spencer and University lecture halls. It is certain that this band have been trying to break through since the beginning. Releasing EP after EP and being dropped from Columbia records before the release of their album this band are truly independent. They are now in the process of releasing a new EP, The Gentle EP, making them current and independent enough to have a page spreading their talent while pleasing their tight knit group of fans which will bring in readership for the magazine.