1. Initial Music Magazine Case
Study
Kerrang! Magazine
Analysing;
 Front Cover
 Contents Page
 Magazine Article
 Target Audience
 Media Platforms
 Background Information

2. Initial Music Magazine Case Study
Kerrang!- Front Cover
The magazine includes 7 The Kerrang title is covered by the main
posters that the readers artists head. The magazine is confident
can get for free. This of its brands name and the audience
draws in an audience who are also familiar with the brand, this
feel like they are getting means that even though the title is
more than just a slightly covered, the audience will still
magazine read. know what magazine they are picking
up.
The colour scheme of red,
yellow and grey are
contrasting colours that The magazine has lots of
clash. However, like rock extra features to the
music which is crazy and magazine so the readers can
loud. This reflects the colour win things.
choices chosen by the
magazine. The artist “Young guns” is
a famous, young, UK band
that readers will
The magazine gives the
readers a chance to take
part in competitions to win
things. This will attract
readers more not only for The magazine is messy and has a
The mid shot of Gustav Wood, the
the music that’s in the lot of things on one page. It is very
lead singer of the band Young Guns,
magazine, but so they can “In-your-face” which relates to the
is appealing to the audience for both
also take part in these genre of music the magazine
genders of the readers. It can be
competitions to win things portrays which is rock music itself.
appealing for people who find him
that relates to music which
appealing but also for people who
the readers will enjoy.
will recognise him straight away
from the music he does.

3. Initial Music Magazine Case Study
The contents page is
Kerrang!- Contents Page shown on the right hand
side of the page. It has
There is a letter from the subheadings of what is
editor, which tells the included in the magazine
audience what is going to with the page numbers
be in the magazine. This located next to each
makes the magazine feel subheading.
more personal for the
reader.
The colour scheme on the
The images are of artists,
page is bright yellow and
bands and events that the
black, like the colours of
magazine have articles
warning signs which is
about in the magazine.
The images are more eye-catching and stands
out at the reader. This
appealing than just lots of
makes it easier to reader
text. This not only makes
and more appealing.
the contents page look
better but it gives the
readers a chance to find
what they want to read
about quickly by looking
at an image, without
having to read a lot of
text.

4. Initial Music Magazine Case Study
Kerrang!- Magazine Article
The band "Architects"
have one whole page
which is just an image of
them taken specifically for
the article. This can
appeal to the reader as it
will attract the readers The masthead, "THIS
who know the band and TIME IS NOW" is big and
will want to see what the bold, especially the word
article is about. "NOW" because of the
bright yellow, which is
shown also on the front
cover of another Kerrang!
The colour of the magazine. These colours
magazine article is used against the black
to keep the audience background stand out and
interested in the article. catch the redress
The yellow is used to attention.
highlight important things
that the magazine would
want the audience to most The article is put into
read, while the white used columns, which makes
over the black it easy to ready and
background is used to makes it look like a
make the writing stand out There is a comment from one of the band members on the formal newspaper
which means the reader is image, which is like a taster for what the article includes. article.
more likely to stop and This gets the reader to want more and will carroty on
read the article as the reading the full article on the next page.
brightness would attract
the audience to it.

5. Initial Music Magazine Case Study
Kerrang!- Target
Audience
Kerrang magazine is a UK based magazine devoted to Rock music published by Bauer
Media Group
The edgy, underground and individualistic style appeals to
rock readers and draws them in, this is a crucial element of
any successful magazine. Key words on the front cover that
also make the target audience evident is the words “free”
“win” and “sex” which appeal to the younger audience of 16-
20. These get the target audience to catch the magazines
attention and to buy the magazine. Kerrang uses these
words on lots of their covers.
Kerrang aims more at the male audience. The target
audience would appeal to the hard rock content and metal
iconic male bands on the front covers pulling faces. Female
audiences are attracted however through the free posters
and the male rock artists and also interviews.
It is clear that Kerrang is aimed at a young audience
through the use of fonts, layouts and presentation. It is
aimed at the youth and the lifestyles they have. It has a up-
to-date, modern and a down-to-earth feel.
The magazine includes adverts that appeal to the young
audience by using adverts that relate to their interests.
These are advertisements of HMV, play.com, Xbox,
alternative clothing and concert tickets.

6. Initial Music Magazine Case Study
Kerrang!- Magazine Across Other
Media Platforms
Companies that own magazines get their magazines
known and purchased through media products such
as radio, internet and TV. For example, Kerrang
magazine has their paper back magazine which is
sold in shops but also has a Kerrang radio channel
and Kerrang music channels on Sky and Virgin. The
also, like most of the magazines have a website with
news, subscriptions and articles from the magazine
itself. Most of these are free to use, apart from the
magazine itself.
The internet websites of the magazines give their The Official Kerrang website is dark, grungy and
audience and daily readers to keep up to date with gothic. This reflect the type of music that they promote
the latest gigs and festivals and new album releases. and include in their magazine.
They can check up on these things everywhere they
go as these can be accessed through phones,
iPods, computers and laptops.
The website has a banner which is at the top of the
website that instantly draws attention to the
Most households have at least a TV with Sky or competition and the things the readers can win.
Virgin where they can watch music channels, in this
example Kerrang. Or they will have a laptop which
they can use the magazines website to keep up to
date or also a phone. These are all completely free Kerrang has two main columns on the front of the
which would appeal to their target audience very magazine which are called “News” and “Access All
much. Areas” this gives the readers an easy shortcut to
what they want to look at and read.

7. Initial Music Magazine Case Study
Kerrang!- Background information
•Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published
by Bauer Media Group.
•Kerrang took over from Sounds magazine but continued to be a metal and
punk rock ,magazine. AC/DC was the first band to appear on Kerrang front
cover.
•The original owner was United Newspapers who then sold it to EMAP in
1991. However, in 2008 EMAP sold the magazine to the current owner
Bauer Media Group. The current editor of Kerrang magazine is Nichola
Browne.
•Kerrang has a magazine, a radio station, weekly podcasts, merchandise, a
•During 1980's and 1990's the magazine channel. heavy metal and
website and a music included
rock acts such as Bon Jovi, Metallica, Venom and Motley Crue.
However, the magazine later discarded these bands and did not
have them on the magazine anymore. Instead they chose grunge
acts like Nirvana as they rose to fame. The magazine is often
criticized that the magazine changes when a new or different music
trend becomes popular or "In fashion"