Class Notes

class notes

Popular music magazines have played a key role in the emergence of rock and pop styles in the mid 1950's

Magazines are a mirror to pop culture, they helped to shape the way music is heard and consumed.

The current generation doesn't tend to buy music magazines anymore, the internet had changed this. More music is downloaded than bought on CD's, due to the digital age.

This digital age has caused the music industry to lose revenue .

More concerts/ festivals/ merchandise are needed to make up for this loss of revenue.

The Music press have the power to decide who the public see and hear about.

Artist ----------------------------> Consumer
Support Entertainment
Affirmation 100's of songs
Adulation Establish memories
Profits Different uses - sleep/running/study music

• Historically, artists got their profits from record/ CD/ Album/ singles, however, due to the digital age of burning/borrowing/downloading free songs, artists need to make up lost revenue with concerts/festivals/merchandise.
• Many new artists need to get promotors who are prepared to put on concerts. Unknown artists cannot always afford to promote themselves, so struggle to get into the business.

Points to consider:

1. The relationship between the print media and industry
2. 'Gatekeeper' role of writer and critic - they control what the public see and hear.
3. The long struggle between Inkies and Glossies- NME and Q
4. Mainstream press taken increasing interest in pop and rock matters.

• News value of features- Things that make things valuable
• Relatability
• Dramatic
• Empathetic
• Recency
• Sensational
• Proximity - national/international - the closer the proximity, the more likely to be featured.
• Sexual elements- racy - sex sells
• Pictures/footage - an article with pictures more likely to be featured- evidence.
• Class and Gender - middle class/ attractive over working class. e.g Madeline McCann- parents middle class doctors, keep them in the news.

1. Digital outlet changes to field
2. Ways in which writers /reviewers express their views
3. What do magazines cover and how do they express their ideas
4. Style and content analysis

Music Magazines :

• Typography - Font style/ Size/ Colours.
• Contents page to inform- clearly marked.
• Front cover to engage and entice- persuade person to buy the magazine.
• Contents- Feature a more prominent article with images for emphasis.
• Photos- eye contact important- engaging - direct mode of address- contact through eyes.
• Colour scheme- Conventional red white and black.
• Print should not be placed over face.
• Name of subject needs to be the biggest font.
• Need to experiment with light and reflectors.
• Storyline- Why is the artist featured? What is the story?

Points to consider:

1. who will be your featured band/artist
2. What is their USP?
3. How would they want to be represented?
4. Target Audience?
5. Genre they perform?
6. Genre of Magazine?
7. Existing featured artists?
8. Codes and Conventions associated?
9. Current story/ narrative?
10. Puns and Alliteration in connection to band/artist?

Lily Allen- Hard Out Here - Music Video

I think that Lily Allen's new video is very effective at highlighting the inequalities between men and women that still exist today. I believe it's a very accurate representation of some of the stereotypes women face, although still a little controversial, but that is just another reflection of society. I think it's unfair for Lily Allen to be compared to other controversial artists, such as Robin Thicke and Miley Cyrus, because her views are in favour of women, not degrading them. The method she uses to portray this, if misunderstood, could seem as if she is degrading women, but the video is so obviously sarcastic showing the audience that she is just emphasising how outrageous these other artists are. Adding a little controversy and humour makes sure that the video gets good press, and resulting in making it a wider known message, making sure she gets her point across. The fact that the video makes people uncomfortable emphasises even more that this kind of view and representation of women should not be acceptable. When I first saw the video, I was a little uncomfortable, but I was more surprised by how little it actually shocked me. These kind of videos should not be so common, that people begin to see it as normal behaviour, a point I feel Lily put across perfectly.
It was a very brave decision for Lily, as she would have been aware of some of the complaints she would get, but it shows that she is standing up for her views, not just doing as she's told, especially by male executives, as she expresses in her video.
Lily uses features from these other controversial artists, such as the balloons from Robin Thicke's video and Twerking from Miley Cyrus's video, but uses them in a humorous way, mocking these other artists, and highlighting how wrong these portrayals of women are.
Lily Allen shows her feminist views in this video, which I find admirable, as it seems no other artists have had the confidence or willingness to do so before.