Independent research - Pop conventions

Key conventions of a pop magazine:

• The masthead always has a relation to music, e.g. 'Top Of The Pops'
• The masthead is always bold and stands out the most
• Cover lines should have some link to the artist featured in the main image
• The band/artist should be appropriate for the chosen target audience
• Main image has to be a celebrity who is the same genre as the magazine
• All main images should attract and please the audience
• Colour schemes depend on the gender audience of the magazine, if the magazine is unisex then the colours should be mixed so it is appropriate for everyone
• The contents page should include a variety of different numbers so it is easy to navigate around the magazine e.g. '15, 26, 48, 60'
• Next to the numbers on the contents page, subheadings should be placed so the reader can clearly see what topics are where
• Colloqial language should be used where appropriate to attract the audience you're aiming at e.g. 'We love boys' for teenage girls
• Bold and colourful headers are always useful to make them stand out 
• Always include a double page spread about a very popular celebrity that is usually the main imagine on the front cover
• A title on each topic should stand out by being something unusual, funny or very different, it should also make it clear who/what the article is going to be about
• An advert/Q&A/story page or competition to interact with the readers but it should be linked to the same genre of the magazine
• Direct mode of address is used within the main image