NME Cover Analysis

This NME front cover uses a number on conventions used in magazines. It has a banner across the top stating one of the articles featured in the magazine. Underneath the banner it also has a picture of Pete Doherty to link with the article and draw the readers eye to it and make them want to buy the magazine to read the article. It then has the magazine name "NME' as a masthead at the top of the cover. It also has two splashes; one states another article featured in the magazine the other is of a photo of people at a concert. Another convention used in this cover is the bar code in the bottom right corner which also has the date the magazine was published and the price. The main feature of the cover is the article on The Enemy. The large picture of the lead singer is there to draw the readers eye to the content of the magazine and want to buy it because of it. The are also two taglines towards the bottom of the page which state more articles featured in the magazine. Finally there is another banner at the bottom which shows more bands that have articles in the magazine. All these conventions show off what the magazine is about at a glance to make people see it and want to buy it. You can instantly recognise its a music magazine from the pictures and all the band names featured on it. Then after you read the cover you can tell it's mostly indie music in the magazine meaning someone who listens to that music could see it and after seconds want to buy it. The main colours used in the cover are black,white and red. The colour red stands out the most drawing the eye to the words "NME" and "Enemy" in the masthead and coverline, both of which sound very similar. This allows readers to straight away be drawn to the main article and band and also straight away see what magazine it is. It also is used in the banner at the bottom, the splash and is also the colour of the guitar being used in the photo. The colour red can have connotations of being dangerous or daring which is the image that the magazine wants to give off as indie music is associated with being individual and different. Overall there are many conventions used in this cover that make it instantly recognisable to be a music magazine and then to the indie genre. NME also make sure their magazine appeals to a particular audience, this is outlined in their media pack on the IPC Media website: