Question One

Question one – “We believe articles about artists are a key reason for the success of music press.” I agree that articles about artists are a key reason why music press is so successful, because readers love to have exclusive information about their favourite artists, before the information becomes known by everyone. Devoted music lovers want to have all the latest information before anyone else. Similarly, the information is trustworthy and reliable, because it is published by professionals. One example which supports this point of view is an article in NME about a singer songwriter called Jake Bugg. The headline “The times they are a-changing” has an intertextual reference to a 1960s song by Bob Dylan, which is successful because it attracts people who like that particular genre of music. It also allows the reader to feel clever, because they understood the reference, which means that they are well informed and “ahead of the game” about their favourite music genre. Similarly, the article about Jake Bugg is very honest and informal. He uses a lot of swear words, which shows that the article is aimed at an older audience. His brutal honesty about other artists shows that he doesn’t try to be liked by anyone, as he is his own individual artist with his own opinions, and he disagrees with artists who try to conform to the media, to make everyone like them. He thinks it’s all about his music, and he would rather be admired for his music rather than his personality. As mentioned before, articles are a key reason for the success of music press, because magazine articles are always trustworthy and reliable, whereas anybody can post any information they want over the Internet, and we won’t know what is false and what is true. However, people may argue that articles in magazines are becoming outdated because people are able to get the same information even quicker via the internet. For example, many news reports have become well known all over the world after people reading about things on Twitter, such as Michael Jackson’s death, which shows that some social networking sites are more successful than the actual News Companies.

Mock Exam

1) The music pres is a popular source of information, and research suggests that this is the case for many reasons. Firstly, it is very popular because consumers know that the information is trustworthy and reliable. This is because anyone can access the internet, and they can post any things they like, true or not (mostly not), whereas music magazines are published only by people who are able to publish them, and what goes on our shelves has to be approved and verified. Also, another reason why consumers love music pres is because they love to read about their favourite musicians, and get exclusive information about them. They also enjoy being able to interact using letters or online forums, however, this is also something that the internet offers, so in my opinion, this isn't the main reason. In my opinion, the biggest reason for people buying music magazines is that they are cheap and portable, so you can take them wherever you go, and if you leave a magazine on the train...at least it wasn't an ipad you left! I also think that people are interested in music pres because magazines offer exclusive prizes, discounts, freebies, etc. 2) I agree to some extent that music magazines are mostly aimed at males, however, there are exceptions to every rule! A magazine such as 'Q' is about 75% male dominated, because of many reasons. One is that their covers always seem to be very harsh and aggressive. They usually contain dark colours such as black and red, and their font will include sharp lettering, which may be smashed or have some form of edgy look. There will be no use of positive facial expressions such as smiling or laughing, and their faces will be aggressive and almost threatening. The person on the cover will either be a tough looking man with tattoos and piercings, or a woman who is wearing either very revealing clothes or wearing dark makeup. This is because the magazine is trying to appeal mostly to men, and therefore, either use an alpha-male for men to aspire to, or a woman who has been sexualised and objectified, and who men will admire. The fact that so much effort has gone into making the magazine appeal to men, shows that there is a much larger appeal for music magazines being bought by men. However, some music magazines appeal to both genders, although slightly more males, such as 'Kerrang' magazine, which is bought by both men and women. The reasons it appeals to both are:- • Because the colours are unisex such as black, orange, white, red and blue. The fonts are also chosen to look edgy and cool, but still appeal to men and women, so they won’t be sharp and harsh, or really boisterous, but also not bubble writing or curly fonts. • Because they use well-known celebrities, who are admired by boys and girls. They usually won’t be smiling; however, they won’t look nasty or aggressive either. They will either be male, and be dressed in typically trendy clothes, such as leather jackets, skinny jeans, and have loads of piercings or tattoos, to show their rough and ready look, because girls love bad boys, or if they are female, they will be wearing something fashionable, but also revealing or sexy, to attract male readers as well as females.

AQA Guidence

Music Press

One Direction Review – Carly Davis – 11CHT

One Direction Review – Carly Davis – 11CHT

After battle-cries from teenage girls scenting hot boy-flesh since 2010, the 5 dashing lads seem to effortlessly make girls melt, all smiles and chinos. You would never have guessed that these heart-throbs only came third on The X Factor!

It's easy to sneer at boy bands and assume they’re all the same, but it goes without saying, that One Direction are charming, talented, and absolutely gorgeous. Their catchy number 1 single, "What Makes You Beautiful” is an undeniably cheerful and melodic song, opening with a simple "na na na na”.

For those who are not familiar with the The X Factor, there is no official lead singer, but Harry Styles, a phenomenon of wild curly hair, is a 17 year old alpha puppy. When he chats to the crowd, the girly screeches become overwhelming…enough to shatter any windows nearby.

“What Makes You Beautiful” is an admittedly ridiculously catchy debut single, which kicks off their album ‘Up All Night’. This song is shortly followed by their current single, “Gotta Be You”, which is a rather grown-up love ballad that could’ve been taken straight from a Take That. And talking of mature…The lyrics to “I wanna stay up all night” certainly have everyone blushing! I doubt very much that they checked with their mothers about those!

My verdict? They may have been X Factor runners up, but they are definitely number one in every teenage girl’s eyes! An incredibly upbeat album, full of toe-tappers and incredibly difficult not to like! ‘Up All Night’ certainly did not disappoint the dedicated One Directioners!

So…Do you have the One Direction Infection?

Music Review – Nicki Minaj Album

Music Review – Nicki Minaj Album “Pink Friday”

Nicki Minaj is known worldwide for her quirky, fanatical and flamboyant sense of style and music, and her single ‘Starships’ certainly expresses this perfectly.

Out of all the ludicrous popstars in the charts at the moment, Nicki Minaj easily leads the bunch. In the release of her new album, Pink Friday - which also happens to be the name of her alter ego – her bizarre but hip-hop, crowd-pleasing 'Stupid Hoe', has turned heads, and showed off her outstanding individuality. The song’s rapid pace, choppy beat, and eccentric sound effects have shown that Nicki Minaj has really raised the stakes in the industry, and she is definitely the one to look out for.

But while 'Starships' is undoubtedly more radio-friendly, thankfully it remains just as manic. Produced by some most successful people in the industry, Lady GaGa, Hitmaker, and RedOne, Minaj spits about ‘touching the sky’ and ‘hitting the floor’ using a toe-tapping guitar riff. On paper, it sounds dreadfully generic (it's effectively based on Sean Kingston's 'Fire Burning' and Britney's 'Till The World Ends'), but it still seems to come across refreshingly different. How did she do this? I’m still not sure, but with a mix of her uniqueness and, of course, her bonkers personality, she manages to up her game, and impress her fans, song after song. 

Justin Bieber Album Review

Justin Bieber Album Review

Justin Bieber's album ‘Believe’ isn't just the pop album of the year, it's an iconic symbol for the genre. His progress shines through loud and clear across the thirteen tracks, and he deserves to be recognized worldwide as a 21st century star he is. The album is everything that his fans could possibly want.

In my opinion, "All Around the World" has amazing energy and is perfectly suited for festivals or clubs anywhere. In Justin’s song ‘Baby’, famous guest star ‘Ludacris’ brings a completely new vibe to his music, with his low pitched voice, and fast pace rapping. Bieber is on an entirely new level here engaging a falsetto that will get everybody dancing.

Some of the best moments of his album come when Bieber simply rocks his acoustic guitar with barely any artificial music or autotune. That's where his voice truly shines, as it’s just himself and his guitar.

His single "U Smile" is a massive track that's as insightful as it is soulful. Its acoustic hum gives a melancholy, calming mood, as Bieber effortlessly shifts from the verse to verse, which further highlights his natural singing talent.

His title ‘Believe’ is definitely an appropriate title for this album, as it centres on his inspiring journey from a little boy on Youtube to a Man who’s known worldwide for his music. The word ‘Believe’ was probably chosen to portray a message to Bieber’s audience that if you believe in yourself, you will succeed. This gives a very positive message about perseverance to his audience.