Top Of the Pops & Billboard

Poonam Parmar-Task 5

TASK 5-Research into Music Magazines-BBC

Top of the Pops magazine is a monthly publication published by BBC Magazines.

It features chart information, star gossip, fashion and beauty advice, quizzes, song lyrics and posters. It is a supplementary magazine for the TV show Top of the pops. The magazine was launched in February 1995, and is famous for giving girl group-Spice Girls. It was originally marketed as the missing link between Smash Hits and NME, but its format was gradually changed, with less music content and a demographic shift to young girls. The BBC is a public service broadcasting mainly however from the hit show top of the pops it became an print music magazine that are aimed at young girls and children for example a music magazine of the Christmas carol. The BBC have been awarded for classical music which shows a contrast in how they can alternate there genres of music.

Top of the pops is sold at a current price of 3.99, weekly, the readership of this magazine is 298,000. Boys- 15% The age ranges from 11-15years of age. Girls-85% Through the years BBC have published;
BBC Country life Doctor who Adventures Easy Cook Focus BBC Focus on Africa Gardens World Girl Talk Good Food BBC History Homes & Antiques BBC Music Top of the pops Who do you think you are?

Covers
Top of the Pops covers are very image based, with the main focus of the artist being placed in the middle, this allows the audiences gaze to be immediately attracted to the person and are most likely to purchase it as they like the appeal of the front cover. Also the large pull quotes that surround the image intrigue the readers into buying it. The artists who are positioned as the dominant figure are generally smiling/laughing this connotes a message that they are happy and positive which allows the reader to understand that top of the pops magazine is most likely to be a fun, up beat pop magazine. The artists who are likely to feature on the front cover are for example; Cheryl Cole, Jessie J, JLS, Miley Cyrus etc. However artists who are not associated with music may appear on the front cover to allow a much more wider audience, such as Robert Pattinson who is a UK famous actor from the Twilight series.

Content
Top of the Pops include features that may be apparent in the contents page or throughout this
publication for example; Oops, Shameful Celeb Slip UpsThe magazine picks the funniest celebrity pictures and associates them with a witty quote this adds humour to the magazine which may appeal to young audiences. Gossip 2 GoThe month's hottest celebrity gossip-predominantly aimed at young girls. Don't MissThe magazine picks some of the hottest films, TV programmes and games, plus the latest single reviews by a random celebrity. Your LettersHosted by Dick and Dom who take a look at some of our readers' gossip about stars, clothes or just real life situations. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_of_the_Pops_(magazine)

Website
Here Top of the Pops have designed there own official website, which allows readers who are new and want to scribe or check out what is current before it is published and allows a free service for young teens.

TASK 5-Research into Music Magazines-Billboard

Billboard magazine is a weekly publication published by Prometheus Global Media from the USA. Billboard was founded in Cincinnati on November 1, 1894, by William h. Donaldson and James Hennegan. With the development of the jukebox industry during the 1930s, The Billboard began publishing music charts. Originally, there were only three genre-specific charts: Pop, Rhythm & Blues, and Country & Western however that has been changed over years to include a wide range of music from; R&B to country. Billboard is intended for music professionals, such as record label executives, artists, music retailers, and radio. Although it is generally considered a business-to-business magazine, it has progressed to be one of the most well known music for consumers all around the world.

Covers
Billboard covers again are very image dominate, with the artist of the magazine being positioned in the centre, this makes the cover a focus point for the reader to be attracted to the artist first which will help encourage them to purchase it. Billboard tend to place the artists name in huge capitalised font, this could indicate that they want new audiences who may not regularly buy this publication they will know who the artist is. The artists in this magazine arent smiling like in contrast to the top of the pops magazine which may suggest they are more of a sophisticated publication targeting a higher target audience. The artists who are likely to feature on the front cover are for example; Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift etc. Which are all USA known artists but can also be from the UK too.

Content
Billboard include features and chart notices almost every week , billboard puts up
hot 100 and top 200. Billboard on January 4th they published the most hit parade on charts. The Billboard published on July 20, 1940 the first Music Popularity Chart was calculated. Since August 4, 1958, the hot 100 has been published, combining single sales and radio airplay. Features including whats new on the scene, gossips, love, photos and videos of all back stage action.

Source:

Website
Here Billboard have there own designed official website, which allows readers who are new and want to scribe or check out what is current before it is published and allows a free service for there target audience.

Various hyperlinks on this page to easily navigate through there page, also have many genres of music that open up a wider audience range.

Potential ideas for my Magazine

Names-Life, Cover Musical Genre-Indie, Pop, Hip-Hop, R&B Interviews with Band Members & Artists Music Reviews Life on artists Images & Photographs of artists

Target audiences Male & Female aged between 17-24 In researching many magazines, I have the chosen the POP genre which I will target audiences from 17-24 and follow the conventions of a typical magazine however will base my initial ideas on the Billboard magazine. I will portray my magazine through the use of colour, font, typography, composition and layout.