Analysing Smash Hits Magazine Cover

I have chosen to analyse a Smash Hits cover from 2006 as this magazine no longer exists. I was unable to find another pop music magazine which is why I am analysing one from 2006.

The title of this magazine has been written in a sans serif and has been made to look like a sticker. I think they have called this magazine 'Smash Hits' because they only include smash hit records and interviews with smash hit artists. An exclamation mark has also been added to the end which makes the magazine sound exciting. The title font has also been written in two different colours, a lighter pink and a darker pink. Around the edge of the writing there is a thick white outline which is what makes the title look like a sticker.

The font used for the main sells are very simple fonts and don't stand out as much as the main flash. The main flash has been made bigger and the colour is the same as the magazine title. The main sells have been made using other colours that don't stand out as much.

The colours used for the background are very girlie colours like different shades of pink which have been used to help show that this magazine is aimed at females. They have also used colours that make the other colours stand out. For example, yellow and black.

The use of language on this front cover is formal but at the same time informal. The way in which the language has been written is formal as there are no puns or no abbreviations however the choice of language is informal as they have used words like 'mental'.

The target audience for this magazine is young females as the colours, writing and stories are all stories and stories that only young girls would enjoy to read. The image is of Preston from Ordinary Boys and the writing has been written in pink which suggests a love interest in Preston. There are also fashion tips and what the celebrities are wearing which is only what females are really interested in.

The image is of Preston from Ordinary Boys and the writing linked to his story is in pink which suggests a love interest in him. I think they have chosen this person to put on their front cover because in 2006, Preston's relationship with Chantelle progressed and they got married. Also because Preston was in a successful band and people want to know about people in successful bands. The image is a posed image which helps with the love interest as it means that Preston is not in some awkward pose that makes him look unattractive. He is in a pose that he is comfortable in and means that he is able to look his best. Preston is usually a female cover star as he is a male from a boy band and a boy band that appeal mainly to females.

The main sells have been made large enough so that they stand out. They stand out however they are clear that they are not the main story. This is to attract people to the magazine and make them pick up the magazine and read the stories on the front cover.

The information presented on this front cover is the bar code, the issue number and the date the issue was released. Another piece of information presented is up in the left hand corner which says 'New Look!'. This is showing that the magazine has changed its look to keep people interested in the magazine.

The main flash is an interview with Preston from Ordinary Boys. This will help to sell the magazine because young girls may want to read what Preston has to say as they have a love interest in him.