Exploring/ Values/ Ideologies of Different Music Magazines

I looked at two different genres of music magazines Smash Hits and NME. I studied how the two magazines focus on different ideologies and beliefs.

NME’s Ideology

NME’s values are:

• its interest in the history of music
• its focus on the new technologies and social networking sites (eg. facebook, twitter.)
• it has an alternative image that does not follow the mainstream.
• It has political values
• The quality of music is important it is very serious

• Contradicting image of fun (offering gig tickets)                     
• Has wider interests (movies)
• Business like not inviting corporate (online music store)
• Gives image of independent however belongs to IPC media. 

http://www.nme.com/

On the other hand Smash Hits has very different values and ideas

Smash Hits Ideology

Smash Hits values are:

• Celebrity culture
• Feminism dominance (pink, lip-gloss)
• Plastic “perfect” artists

• Not Political                              
• Image important                            
• Being popular is important (eg. association with chart kiss, the box etc.)
• Fun
• Simple (suggests younger age range than NME)

http://www.smashhits.net/