Q4 Analyse the representation of musicians

Analyse the representation of musicians in Extract 1, which is from MOJO Magazine. 


The magazine extract uses a simple colour palette of monochrome colours and uses white and brown writing with an accent colour of red. This use of colour connotes a serious tone towards the magazine and the artist Nick Drake. This is further supported through the decision of the editor presenting Nick Drake in black and white with his head covering the title of the magazine which once again shows seriousness and respect towards Nick Drake.

The magazine has quite a masculine feel to it, partly due to the colour scheme used. The masculine feel is also portrayed through the other artists discussed, including Nirvana and Krist Novoselic. All of these artists or bands are male dominated which suggests that the world of rock is male dominated and enjoyed by a male target audience, which is further reinforced by the monochrome colour scheme and capitals for the coverlines.

This feeling of masculinity is further reinforced by the choice of language used in some coverlines. Phrases such as 'Krist Alive!' and 'war and peace' connote a sense of struggle or a battle to live shared by many of the artists covered in the magazine; use of words like these are stereo typically male.

Finally, MOJO magazine is challenging the stereotype that music is dominated by younger artists as it is representing 'authentic' music as being the domain of the older, more established artists such as Nick Drake.