This issue of NME magazine, we can see many different conventions and techniques that have been used to attract the an audience.

For example, in most magazine fronts we see text and pictures that are the dominate feature of the magazine. The text is quite bold and catches your eye which is a basic font type and a lot easier to read. This stands out form the text that is presented which gives the magazine the edge of standing out from others. The picture being black and white also shows the main story of the magazine. In this case it is blur returning to the music scene. The picture is represented as black and white as they are shown to be coming back into the music scene as they have been out for several years. Another way the picture tells us that the band are making a return is the fact that the man on the left is dressed differently from the man on the right. The man on the left has older clothes on, for example, rounded glasses, older hair cut, older style jacket and scarf. This is typical for the 1990’s, when Blur where a popular alternative rock group. On the other hand the man in the left is dressed in a much more modern effect. NME will have done this so that we see that Blur are making a come back to a new era compared to what it was before. For example the man on the left has a modern hair cut with and ear piercing. He also has a modern leather jacket on with a plain black t-shirt. This is a typical stereotype of a modern artist.

The black and white colour allows the red boxes with white and yellow to stand out as they are a lot brighter then the black and white. This means that the reader can easily look at both the picture and writing as they both stand out from each other making it easier to read. The colours read white and yellow are also the main colours of NME magazine making the magazine easy to recognise from other magazines.

The sub text of the magazine are also a big convention that helps sell the magazine. For example, one of the sub text looks like the corner off the page has been torn away. This makes the reader feel like they are being aloud to have a sneak preview of what is in the magazine. This plug relates to the main story that we are presented with through the picture being the return of Blur.

They are also presented in basic and simple shapes. Circles and rectangles are used because it is easier for the reader to look at and read. As well as the shapes being simple the sanserif text inside is also basic so it is easier to read. This is important as the circles and rectangles are often of set. With them being off set the sanserif text makes sure that the text is still readable. The shapes of the plugs are often of set because it relates to the genre of the magazine. With the genre being alternative rock and roll, it has its own free style and themes, which are often mess and unorganised. This means that with the plugs being off set we see this being emphasised.

The colour scheme of the text is the same with all text. This makes sure that the magazine stays with the same style and keeps its consistent colour scheme. This is important because having the colour scheme the same makes the magazine look simple and easily recognised to other magazines by having the same colour scheme being consistent. This makes the sub text easily recognised and from other features on the front page meaning that the magazine is easily read and understood as sub text are easy to pick out and read.

The same font is used in the masthead. This keeps the same theme and style of the magazine consistent. But it makes the masthead simple to read and easily recognised. The colours are again set with the main theme and style of the magazine it has set itself. It is placed near to the top right hand corner, this is because you would expect to see the masthead near the top and it is also out of the way from sub text and pictures. This gives more space to put things on the front page like pictures and plugs as well as allowing the reader to understand the magazine easier.

I believe the magazine has represented Blur return to the music scene effectively through the use of stereotypes and imagery which catches the audiecnes attention.