Front Cover Analysis: Kerrang

This front cover is from issue 1338, November 13th 2010.

Kerrang feautures rock bands, but as there is so many sub genres of rock, the magazine has to correctly represent the bands according to the kind of rock music they make. For example, Paramore are considered alternative rock/pop punk, and the frontwoman, Hayley Williams, is featured on the front cover of this particular issue with a cheeky grin and a bright colour scheme. However, if Bring Me The Horizon were on the front cover, the colour scheme would be darker as they play a heavier form of rock music, and they would probably be considered a more masculine band, however, the frontman, Olly Sykes, is considered attractive to females, so Kerrang have to try and make the front cover appeal to both sexes.

This particular issue features a review of Paramore's year, and Paramore is thought of to be one of the most recently successful rock bands, and they are an American band, so their fan base is huge. Kerrang are promoting the fact that this is exclusive because they know just how popular Paramore are and it pushes you to buy the magazine.

This issue has free posters in it of some of the most popular rock bands at the moment. This shows that the readers of Kerrang are the sort of people who like to cover their bedroom walls with posters of their favourite bands, and this shows that to these people, music means alot.

The competition featured in this issue is a chance to win a trip to Barbados and record an album. This shows that the readers may be in a band themselves, or have friends that are trying to make it big with their band. It shows that the readers of Kerrang are one hundred percent committed to music and see it as a way of life rather than a hobby.

At the top, there is a snippet from an article about The Damned Things. The idea of 'invading' shows that these bands are all about power. It shows that these bands are here to stay, and they're not going anywhere. It promotes this idea of creating an army with your fanbase against the world, with obviously the band being the leaders. Alot of rock bands use this idea, for example, 30 seconds to Mars with the Echelon.