Magazine Analysis 2: Classical music

General

• BBC Music Magazine, is published by BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the BBC.
• The target audience are fans of classical music, with sections focused on Jazz, and world music.
• BBC Music Magazine costs £4.99 per issue.
• BBC Music Magazine is a monthly publication. 
• BBC Music Magazine has a circulation of 47,104.

The Cover

• The Magazine was titled as it is, as it is a music magazine, which is published by the BBC, and as all BBC intellectual property is titled with the prefix BBC, which is the brand identity, and the company only has to add the suffix of the chosen object, in this case music, as it is a music magazine.

• The title, or logo is the word 'Music' at the very top of the page. The letters 'M', and 'I' are both in a strong serif font, whereas the other letters appear to have a less formal font. This draws the reader's eye to the 'us' section of the title, as it stands out being surrounded by the formal font shape. The 'U''S' and 'C' all also look like writing found on a music score sheet, so the reader could interpret the title as the kind of writing you could find on sheet music. This cleverly appeals to a niche audience, as this style of text can be equated with the genre of music being advertised.

• The main image is of the late Sir Georg Solti. His gaze is directed at the reader, which is designed to make the reader feel as involved in the photo as possible. The facial expression shows that of contentment, or reflection, which intrigues the reader further, luring them in to buy the magazine. Sir Georg Solti has his hands clasped together, resting on the side of his head. This is a very relaxed gesture, which reinforces the idea of contentment in the photograph. The clothes being worn are a dark coloured shirt, which contrasts with the bright gold and white text surrounding the picture, which allows the magazine to stand out from other magazines. 

• The only other image that appears on the front cover is a graphic of the CD that comes free with the magazine. This is placed where the CD would go for sale, and is only visible after the removal of said CD. This is to allow the reader to know instantly if their CD has gone missing, and to know what to look for before buying, in case the CD has been stolen. The picture itself is incredibly small, as not to draw the reader's eye from the main image.

• The content promoted by the coverlines, designed to lure the audience in, includes a celebration to the life and times of Sir Georg Solti, the other artists who are featured in the magazine (Chick Corea, Richard Morrison etc), and a large section of blocking, which states other key articles that are featured in this particular issue. This is one to draw the reader's attention to what is in the magazine, and hopefully convince them to buy it. 

• The type face utilized by the magazine to promote the coverlines are all formal, which are sans serif. The only one that breaks this rule is the headline promotion of Sir Georg Solti, which is written in a more elegant font, designed with a hand written quality. The other way that this differs from the other coverlines is that it is written in gold, suggesting its importance to the magazine, or the fact that it is the magazine's main story. The rest of the text is written in white, to contrast with the darkness of the background, and to make it stand out. There is a
• lso some darker coloured fonts over the golden coverlines on the right hand side of the page, but these are only titles of the stories, which are designed to draw the reader's attention to the stories below.

• The cover's mode of address is a very formal tone. The language used to entice the reader include words such as 'Exhilarating', and 'Conducting Legend'. These words/phrases evoke certain emotions from the reader, such as excitement, and anticipation. Other cover lines utilize words such as 'Harrowing', and 'Tortured'. These are also used to evoke sadness and empathy from the reader, and also rouse their curiosity in such a way so that they buy the magazine. Compared to a magazine such as Kerrang! the language used is formal, and seems to pull the reader in by stirring more emotion in the reader, whereas Kerrang! is designed to pull the reader in by making use of various fonts, and the promise of exclusive news, than is offered on the cover of the BBC Music Magazine.   

• The magazine title looks unique. For one, the text on the page isn't overwhelming, as it was with Kerrang! and the photograph is placed behind the text, as opposed to in front of it, which is a feature used in other music magazines. The text is all in line, with it all straight, par one advertisement for BBC Radio 3 in the top right hand corner. This helps to create a very neat layout, which other magazines, particularly rock magazines don't have.  The colour of the main picture of the magazine is dark, whereas most magazines prefer bright colours to draw the reader's attention. However, the subtlety of this magazine definitely makes it stand out.

• The only other thing that is distinctive about this magazine's format is a flaked effect toward the bottom of the page, where several areas, particularly behind the cover lines on the right hand side of the page, have small, white shapes around the photo. The fact that this is prominent in two areas suggest that is is not a printing error, but in fact another way of enhancing the cover image. Additionally, the BBC Radio 3 advertorial looks like it comes from another magazine, which makes it stand out.