Convetions of a Music Magazine Cover

All magazines use a masthead, on this particular magazine we can see the masthead of the NME, placed in the top left allowing to always be seen and recognised whilst stacked in shops. The red of the masthead is repeated and creates a house style that is only associated with the NME. Red has connotations with ignorance and anger, this ties in with the magazines ideology by aiming to be alternative and pushing against popular music, it also demonstrates their passion for music.

The NME also includes a banner which is vital to all music magazines. Placed at the top it is the first thing the reader sees and NME have taken this further by using such a prestigious band as Oasis to add to the impact of the banner.

Another example of a convention is the main features headline, in this case it is entitled 'CRYSTAL CASTLES', the font and colour is consistent to the house style. The teaser below the main headline- 'murder drugs and twisted love' coincides with its alternative views, for example: the words 'murder' and 'twisted' could not be seen on the cover of Smash Hits.

It is intrinsic for a magazine to have the price labeled on the magazine. The NME is priced at £2.30, this instantly tells us the magazine is meant for younger people, in comparison with a magazine such as Q which is priced at £5 it is cheap and therefore within a younger persons disposable income.

The image on this issue of NME, the chosen image is very dark and links to the sell lines, the words 'twisted love' is echoed in the stance of the band, the two appear awkward but we can see through styling and how close they are that there is a relationship there. Also with styling, the readers of NME are reflected, the leather and make up has connotations of the rock/indie genre. We can see it is alternative as Alice Glass is smoking, a mainstream magazine would not include this as smoking is frowned upon, furthermore this could represent the band as alternative or moreover, could be socially unacceptable.
The representation of the band in the main, for the readers of NME would probably be positive, the angle is low making them seem important and maybe something readers would aspire to be.