Independent Research

Kerrang! Kerrang! is a UK based music magazine which is published by Bauer Media Group. Kerrang! has a circulation of 42,077. Kerrang! specialises in rock music, so therefore they have a niche audience which is dedicated to the genre rock. The magazine appeals to a specific niche audience because it concerns topics and themes that are relevant to people who listen to and are interested by rock music and its background. Kerrang! identifies its audience as ‘individually minded, independent of thought and musically experienced, an audience defined by attitude, passion and loyalty’. Kerrang! operates on many different platforms, this includes; a website, Kerrang! TV, Kerrang! radio, Kerrang! awards. With such a strong online, TV and Radio presence, Kerrang!remains a powerful brand. Kerrang! pride themselves as the UK's premier multi-platform music destination ‘bringing the best in rock online, on the radio, on TV and in print’ and it is clear that they use many successful methods in order to attract their key demographic audiences. If they are to sustain their title as the worlds biggest selling weekly rock magazine they will need to continue developing their publication. With technology, society and the music industry constantly changing it is vital to keep improving.                                                                                                                    Kerrang!'s main audience is 60% male and 40% female, with Kerrang!'s demographic fall into social class D-C. The predominate ethnicity of the readership is white British with a target population of 16-24 year olds. The magazine’s psychographic is defined as ‘people who aspire to be respected among other people and people who wish to have a high paid job.’ Kerrang! aims itself more at a male audience and appeals to them by using content such as hard rock and metal iconic male bands on the front cover pulling angry faces or violent expressions. Female readers are targeted by the use of male bands on free pull out posters and feature interviews.
Kerrang! includes full page advertisements for music companies such as HMV and Play.com as well as promoting other retailers such as Virgin, Playstation,  xBox, alternative clothing and jewellery and concert ticket lines. In the 8th December 2012 issue, Kerrang! had 23 adverts (11 pages), which included; guitar games for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, many clothing lines, tours and gigs, wrestling events. Nearly half the profits of Kerrang! now come from the magazine’s advertising and circulation revenues. The largest share comes from the broadcast interests with online and mobile also contributing. Kerrang! also have a very clever system called ‘fly text’. This is where Kerrang! send text messages to the subscribers telling them when and where their favourite bands are playing.
Kerrang! is a very successful rock magazine. Some may argue that the print press is dead, but is it really? I don't think so. Kerrang! is a successful,  strong multi-platform institution which has a hold of its dedicated readers and I believe that this success will remain. 

Maslow's hierarchy of needs Abraham Maslow's theory about what humans need, from the basic requirements for survival to what makes us happy.

 NME Magazine The music magazine NME is a British music magazine, which is published on a weekly basis. The editor of the magazine is Mike Williams and is published by IPC Media. The total circulation of the magazine is 23,924. The magazine originally started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved towards a magazine format during the 1980's, changing from newsprint in 1998. NME was the first British paper to include a singles chart. In the 1970's it became the best-selling British music newspaper. 
The NME magazine's website was first launched in 1996. http://www.nme.com/ It has now become the world's largest music site with over seven million users per month.
The paper's first issue was published on the 7th of March 1952.

This is an example layout of  the music magazine NME's layout:

Open publication - Free publishing

What is the music press?

   The music press is criticism and reportage about music. Music press began in the eighteenth century, originally as comment on classical music. The aspect of music journalism today is often referred to as music criticism. Music criticism comprises the study, discussion, evaluation and interpretation of music and its performance.

Is music journalism dead?

  This is a link to an article written by Sean Adams, on a music website called Drowned In Sound. The article is on music journalism and it talking about it music journalism is dead. I found it very interesting as it gave me a larger insight on the music press and others opinions, regarding the music press.

http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4137359

Online vs Print

  There are many advantages and disadvantages to both online and print.

Advantages of print:

• Effective in reaching their primary target audience
• Magazines and newspapers are always in view of the public 
• Appealing free gifts
• It can be kept as a belonging        

Disadvantages of print:

• Not always accessible
• the price of the magazine may be too high
•  the information may be out dated             

Advantages of online:

• Access to the music press at any time.
• Widely avaliable
•  Creates a community
•  New technology improving the use of music press

                                  

Disadvantages of online:

• Advertisements on the music press website could lose readers
•  Widely open searches so readers may lose interest if they cannot find what they are looking for. 
• Not 100% reliable