1. KERRANG! MAGAZINE

3. • Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock
music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first
published on 6 June 1981 as a one-off supplement in
the Sounds newspaper and was edited by Geoff
Barton. Named after the onomatopoeic word that
derives from the sound made when playing a power
chord on an electric guitar, Kerrang! was initially
devoted to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and
the rise of hard rock acts. In the early 2000s it became
the best-selling British music newspaper.
• Angus Young of AC/DC appeared on Kerrang!'s first
cover. Launched as a monthly
magazine, Kerrang! began to appear on a fortnightly
basis later, and in 1987 it went weekly. The original
owner was United Newspapers who then sold it
to EMAP in 1991 and EMAP was later taken over by
Bauer Media Group.

5. • Kerrang!'s website is dedicated to finding out
more information to do with the magazine and
also the latest information on the current
bands and upcoming events. The website
hosts Kerrang!'s online
shop, podcasts, message board, TV and radio
segments ensuring even more opportunities to
sell associated merchandise and products.
• In 2001, Kerrang! launched its own online
forum with the "rants and raves" section taking
up most of the traffic. Though initially
extremely popular, the number of users began
to peter out around 2005 with the number of
people online dropping to as low as 10 when
previously it had been closer to the 100 figure.

6. Kerrang! Awards
• Since 1993, the magazine have been holding an
annual awards ceremony to mark the most
successful bands in the interests of their readers.
The awards became one of Britain's most
recognised award events by the now
defunct Guinness Book of British Hit Singles &
Albums, often listing some of the winners in their
annual round-up of the previous year. The event
is always presented by major music
celebrities, with many others outside the industry
who attend the event.

7. Kerrang! Radio
• In 2000, EMAP launched Kerrang! as a digital
radio station, across the United Kingdom. This
was principally a 'jukebox' station, playing a back-
to-back sequence of rock and alternative music.
On 10 June 2004, Kerrang! 105.2 was launched as
a regional radio station in Birmingham with an
advertising campaign by London-based creative
agency ODD.The radio has a number of specialist
programmes dedicated to the many subgenres of
rock music. The radio output includes interviews
with those affecting popular culture and society
as well as those involved with music.

9. Kerrang! TV and Tour
• In 2001 EMAP launched Kerrang! TV. As with the radio
station, the television channel covers the more
mainstream side of the rock music as well as classic
rock bands like Aerosmith and AC/DC, and classic heavy
metal bands such as Guns N' Roses and Metallica.
Kerrang TV is now a joint venture between Bauer Media
Group and Channel 4.
• Kerrang! Holds tours of rock music concerts around the
United Kingdom. The tour has featured bands such
as Bullet for My Valentine, Good Charlotte, Sum
41, and Coheed and Cambria among others.

11. The Official Kerrang! Rock Chart
• In March 2012, Kerrang announced a new rock chart for
the UK which is based upon airplay across Kerrang
Radio, Kerrang TV and sales figures from the Official
Charts Company. Charts are announced on Saturday
mornings and feature twenty tracks. The latest chart can
be viewed on Kerrang! every Saturday at midday.
• International editions
• Emap launched Kerrang! Australia in the late 1990s.
Unlike its weekly counterpart in the UK, the Australian
edition was published monthly due to stiff competition
from free local music publications. Kerrang! is also
published in Spanish and German.

13. Reader Profile
• "Kerrang! is actually really young with a median age of 22. Having a younger
profile is a big advantage as traditionally this age group is exclusive (and
expensive) to reach. As well as music releases this makes Kerrang! Perfect to
promote films and games, and also mobile technology and government
messages."
"Kerrang! readers are the heaviest music consumers purchasing over 6 albums
per month on average (53% more than the national average) and 8 times more
likely to spend over £200 a year on albums. the readers are also 5.5 times more
likely to attend a rock gig."
Kerrang has to be able to appeal to its audience. But maintaining a consistency to
the magazine keeps its buyers coming back. Kerrang has to appeal to its younger
audience because they make up 69.5% of its sales. The Female/male audience is
fairly equal so Kerrang makes sure that it appeal to both genders.
•
It talks to its reader – its content is based on what its audience talk about; it
provides information and knowledge; people like to be seen with the magazine;
the audience feels it can trust what it reads. It has 55,589 twitter followers and
12,208 facebook fans
•

14. • Circulation
• 42,203 (Jan-Jun '12)
• Readership
• 378,000
• 87% of its readers buy every issue.
It's price is £2.20 per issue, this is affordable for younger
people
• Advertising
full page
• £5,005
• double page spread
• £9,510
• half page
£2,752

15. Masthead
(slightly obstructed)
Main Coverline
Strapline
Kickers
Splatter
Barcode
(Price line &
Date line
included)
Coverlines
Explanatory Text
Coverline
Central Cover
Image
Additional
Cover Image
COVER ANALYSIS

16. Eye Flow
The eye flow of this cover follows the convention
seen generally on magazine (music) front covers,
employing the “reverse-S” shape for the eye flow of the
cover, as represented by the curved blue line on the
cover to the left. The eye flow begins at the top
left, where the masthead, which is in capital
letters, large, bold and in a colour that contrasts the
background (white font against dark
background), captures the reader’s attention. The
obscuring of the masthead on the right side of the cover
by one of the cover people, leads the reader to
concentrate on his face. The eye flow that continues to
the main coverline, as a result of its large font, boldness
and the use of a red layer for its background, to
emphasise the words “PARKWAY DRIVE”. It then
continues through the explanatory text below the
coverline, due to the contrast of the yellow brush and
the black large, capital font. The bright colour of yellow
captures the attention of the reader’s eyes.
Afterwards, the eye flow continues through to the
bottom right of the magazine, to the end of the kickers
on the right.

17. Language The “access all areas” phrase is
something that is usually seen on music
magazines to suggest a certain exclusivity
or at least full coverage of a particular
event or band. This part of the strapline
clearly entices the reader as it suggests
that they will receive an complete, fully
rounded glimpse into this event/artist.
This explanatory text is an example of the
direct address to the audience that the front
cover employs. With the use of the personal
pronoun “you” Kerrang! create the effect that
the reader is part of the magazine, and draw
the reader into the magazine.
The use of exclamation marks is found
throughout the cover, in order to symbolise
something as exciting, and therefore make it
seem more exciting to the audience.
Being a band magazine, artists and bands are
mentioned throughout. If a reader sees that a
band they like is in the magazine’s content than
they will be more likely to purchase the
magazine.