Evaluation: Question 2

How does your magazine represent Social Groups?

I used lots of different techniques and incorporated them into my music magazine; such as photos and cover lines and kickers to create a certain effect for the target audience and their preferred genre of music - in this case it is a R&B music magazine. R&B has been around since the 1940s and it has different sub genres such as contemporary, Smooth Jazz and Neo Soul also there are derivative forms which have influenced R&B such as Funk, Soul, Reggae, Disco, Rock and Roll and Beat music. Most R&B vocalists write songs based on sex, relationships, triumphs, failures, freedom, economics, aspirations and feminism.

In some magazines they perceive women in a negative way because they are mostly all the time half naked or just a mini skirt and a small top, showing their breasts, this shows them in a negative way because it looks like they want to have sex with everybody and in my opinion girls shouldn't be like that. therefore my magazine is going to show women in a positive yet appealing way to attract my audience.
 

A stereotypical male R&B artist would wear something like Usher (left), he is wearing plain black jeans with a round neck black jumper, a black bomber jacket, the shoes look like red Nike trainers which stand out when he is wearing all black also he is wearing a gold chain and a gold watch which implies he is wealthy.

Chris Brown (right) is wearing navy blue jeans, hoodie with the letters APE on it. He's wearing shoes that look like they're a designer version of Nike blazer trainers (which can be very expensive)

A stereotypical female R&B artist would wear something like this. Beyoncé  (bottom left) is wearing a v- neck cami, black jeans, a red and black blazer and Tom Ford heels which are very expensive therefore illustrates she makes a lot of money.

Nicki Minaj (bottom right) is wearing black jeans, a tight grey vest (showing off her curvy frame), leather jacket, a statement necklace and designer boots. Her nail colour -hot pink- matches her lip colour and this can refer to her PinkPrint album being released that month.

The images message's within the magazine is very important because it shows what music they make relates to their image and how they are perceived also how it can be personal to them, granting them to be closer to their favourite artists. For example the image below shows proves how Rihanna is very sexual and raunchy within her photoshoots also within her music videos.

She is very well known for this and even her body language is demonstrating her persona how she is a "bad girl" however she is just being herself and now is she one of the most known female R&B artists. This portrays an alternative music genre which is very relevant to my music magazine as it is of an R&B nature. This image definitely portrays her story and her usual 'self' to the audience as she is the only subject in the image and she is the only artist as she is a solo artist. The focus is entirely on her and with the white background it portrays a more sexual theme and fits well with her raunchy costumes and stage persona.  As we stereotypically associate artists with what the wear and the way they act in public, the music they produce goes hand in hand with completing their stage presence and their social image, due to this social groups are created and we can also identify these social groups through music videos.

 

These following music videos are ones that relate to the genre of my music magazine...

 

These music videos by Rihanna  represents her as a sex symbol and her fun and quirky style is represented throughout most of her music videos. This music video in particular reflects her individual style and the R&B genre as the music is mostly about sex / relationships. Her settings and actions are always very expressive and her body language is always given off in a sexual sense. I chose to include her in my magazine as she appeals to a wide fan base and as my magazine is an R&B music magazine - following in the footsteps of NME and other established music magazines - I decided she would be an excellent base to go from when it came to deciding who to include as she represents a wide range of social groups. She has a broad fan base, girls and boys can really enjoy her music and her music style has definitely evolved; she produces music from pop, to rap, to alternative.
The social group associated with this genre of music would most likely be into fashion and probably be quite daring with their dress sense. They would more than likely be seen in all the latest trends, females are more likely to experiment with different types of make up, maybe wearing darker lipstick and thick eyeliner to portray their personality and their link in the social group.

 

This music video by Beyoncé is completely different compared to the videos of Rihanna's mentioned earlier, In this video Beyoncé is perceived as a feminist and a very strong iconic woman also it is highlighting the fact that she has climbed the ladder in terms of music and now she is one of the worlds most renowned feminists and female R&B artists. She has a very wide gay fan base, girls and boys can really enjoy her music and her music style. Beyoncé has a very explorative fashion sense as you can see in the video, females look up to her and want to be like her, viewing her as a role model this is very important because she portrays as a strong, influential woman which is important for her fans and for her as for how her fans relate. She portrays a post modernist view of women's roles in society today and is therefore a positive influence on her young female audience.
 

 I've decided to include artists like these to work together and interest a wide audience range into purchasing my magazine.