The magazine I assessed had the following conventions:

CONTENT PAGES

Subheading House styles A dominant image/subsidiary image A header A list of pages Banner Consistent text style Direct address

The magazine has various conventions that make it obtrusive and professional to spark reader interest, make it easier to identify and maintain a professional appearance. Upon opening the contents page, one of the prominent conventions of a music magazine is the masthead. This serves as a means of identifying the music magazine and what is allocated on the particular page. The masthead is usually large and obtrusive so that readers can easily identify where they are. There is a use of often large/bold text style with colours that appear best based on the background in use. There is a use of subheadings, which is very commonplace in music magazines. They are used as a means of representing certain features of the magazine that retain the same attributes or to categorise certain feature of reader interest.

All music issues always have a house style to them. The house style is consistent throughout the magazine and is often based on the theme of the magazine that derives from the actual content. Music magazines have unique housestyles that sets them apart from other which are potentially competitors in the market. The house style makes the magazine appear more professional, consistent and easily identifiable by frequent readers. It also helps in giving it a good appearance that appeals to its target audience. In the readers eyes, a housetyle makes them product appear professional and polished, making it satisfactory in terms of value for money.

A dominant image is used on the contents page. Depending on what the individual doing i.e their pose, musical instruments etc helps set the theme for the magazine, for instance rock music magazines such as karrang often have a dominant image of a gothic individual. The dominant image sparks reader interest because the whole purpose reader will purchase a music magazine is to read about the favourite artists and musicians in general. The placement of a dominant image often hints of what is to come in the magazine and make it appear more diverse in terms of content as readers are not always keen on reading exclusively text. The dominant image is

often followed up by a subsidiary image that is often representative of certain features. First time readers and frequent reader will flick to the contents page to have an idea of what their issue will be featuring. On the contents page a advertisement is included, often informing the reader of the brands activities such as imposed discounts, upcoming and other offers. They serve the purpose of informing users of what is come and has the aim of enticing readers to subscribe or make purchase depending on the available offer. A consistent text style is retained through out the magazine. This adds to the magazines consistency, as readers want to read something that is coherent and poses no risk of muddling. It is absolutely imperative that the text is consistent in most areas because the primary reason a person bought the magazine is to read it and other feature are practically added bonus. The page uses standard text, san serif which the user will not find problematic. The contents page uses the direct address approach to engage its readers. This is in the form of informal use of language such as being emphatic with the use of ellipsis or exclamation marks. The dominant image also features propaganda where by the band is staring directly at

The main focus other double page spread is the dominant image of the artist. As the artist is popular, the dominant image attracts the readers interest and encourages the reader to read on. The dominant image ha also undergone colour correction to a black and white tone in order to stay consistent with the gothic theme of the magazine.

Like most pages with distinct characteristics and purposes, the Kerrang double page spread has certain conventions to achieve its objective and meet its purpose. The magazine has a black house style that is reminiscent of the rock genre of the magazine. Rock music is one of the most distinct music genres in the music industry hence why certain features such as colour and content make rock magazines easily distinguishable from many others by music fans. In this particular magazine the black house style collaborates well with the pictures in use as the dark theme sets the theme of magazine while the pictures of artist using musical instruments which better accentuates the rock theme.

The first letter of the paragraph is significantly larger than the rest of the body text which is a typical convention of most DPSs. The drop capital also corresponds with one of colours or the double page spreads overall colour scheme.

The text is usually arranged into two- 4 columns. In this particular magazine there is a use of two columns. The use of columns makes the text look neat and not disorganised. The font used is san serif although other magazines can make use of ariel.

The main body text, subheadings, and the masthead all use san serif texts. Although there may be slight alterations such as colour change and size, the same text style is used in order to maintain the consistency of the page or the entire magazine. This convention helps give the magazine a professional quality because it

The double pahge spread contains various subsidiary images of band members showing their skill set in the form of performing with the instruments they specialise in. This convention is for the purpose of illustrating the text, while keeping the double page spread interesting by providing a visual aspect. The

The front page is really where the editors of the magazine want to place any important advertisements. The use of a banner is conventional in magazines often features Frontand page brief announcements such as upcoming issues, concerts, albums etc. Additionally the use of a FREE is very enticing to the reader, as the front page states 5 free posters. This will entice the target audience into purchasing the product because they are getting additional merchandise such as magazines with an exceptional magazine, which is value for money.

A short stand first is situated beneath the quote and is normally in bold to stand out. it serves the purpose of introducing the reader to the magazine and often retains the magazines house styles

Like most pages in a magazine, subsidiary images are also used on the front page. It is absolutely imperative for magazines to make their front pages attractive and illustrative to their target audience. In this case the subsidiary images are used to visualise and in advertise certain features of reader interest. They spark reader interest because they gesture that there is more content to come with a huge variation.

The front page is the most important page in any magazine because it is what the audience first acknowledge before considering purchasing the magazine. The kerrang front page has a dominant image. It is obtrusive so that the audiences attention can be easily drawn and as well as continue reading on. furthermore, the dominant image expresses propaganda as the band green day is staring directly into the readers eyes with odd expressions that may draw their attention. This convention also applies to the theme of the magazine because its a rock magazine, green days appearance is what would be typically expected of a rock band, and in doing so, it sticks to the theme of the magazine. The bar code on the front page is the means by which customers are able to purchase the products by following the scanning procedure. It is placed at the front page so it is easier to identify and locate. It is a typical convention of most magazines today as most transactions are made electronically. The front page maintains a very clear background which makes the features look crisp and easily distinguishable from each other for instance the dominant image appears as though the band is literary popping out of the page. Added to this is the magazine headline which is placed in

The use of an exclamation mark can widely depend on the type of magazine. Kerrang magazine caters for the rock genre, which is characterised as a highly energetic form of music. The placement of the exclamation mark puts an emphasis on perhaps what kerrang is al about.