The NME contents pages shown above are all representative of the entirety of contents pages in the later issues, as the layout, presentation, and general content all remain strikingly similar. Concerning the layout of the three contents pages, it is clear to see that the basic layout remains the same, with the simplistic professional aspects of them bringing associations with newsprint and early issues of the magazine. This is reflected in the serif font and standard black-and-white print, which is only separated into a more aesthetically pleasing page by the inclusion of feature article photographs and a singular bold text box, and the vintage feel is reminiscent of what the magazine is trying to advocate; a return to its roots and the appreciation of classic music. Consequently, this emphasises the idea that NME are presenting themselves to an older, more loyal target audience – those who may have loved the original NME but drew away as the magazine became more mainstream-focused. Proceeding on from this point, the absence of any masthead demonstrates how it is unnecessary for such an established company as NME, illustrating how their loyal fans will instantly recognise the magazine the page is from without need for the logo, and it is this absence of masthead that will allow true appreciators of the magazine to feel a sense of pride in their recognition of the fact that it is NME and will encourage them to remain as a loyal fan – and potential subscriber. Also, the use of this newsprint style actually enhances the overall contrast between colours such as the black font and white background, and the images are also emphasised by creating striking contrast with the background. This subtle combination of the vintage feel and the bold, modern artists being promoted in the images actually contradicts the aforementioned idea that it is focused on classic rock music, and instead indicates that it is attempting to make modern bands interesting to fans that are loyal to the old style of magazine. Evidently, this expands the target audience parameters significantly, drawing in a younger more modern audience with the promise of the current bands that they love, and also appealing to the more loyal fans of old, who have a slightly more mature attitude towards the music and will therefore be more attracted to the old-fashioned styling of the magazine. This is a unique selling point.Upon observing the contents page, however, the eye is instantly drawn towards the vivid red box in the bottom right hand corner, as it is the boldest use of colour on the otherwise simplistic page, and this is included in two of the three pages shown above. The reason this text box is so strategically enhanced and placed is that it is the text that benefits NME the most; it is imperatively commanding readers to subscribe to the magazine for a discounted price. As it is the most noticeable feature on the page, the chances of the reader following its wishes is increased substantially, and this constant demand for subscribers can be seen in almost all issues of NME due to the decrease in circulation and the introduction in online music websites. Furthermore, the mode of address remains consistent across all issues of NME, and the pages advertised above, with quotes from different pages such as ‘You’re fucked, you need to go to bed’ and ‘I want to be like a boot stamping on the human face forever’. Pull quotes such as these are a perfect reflection of the target audience; the editors expect their readership to be rebellious, with casual attitudes towards the wilder side of life advocated through the use of swearing and violent imagery, and this is typically expected of fans of the indie rock genre, hence why it features so much in NME.Clearly, the actual layout remains exactly the same across all three contents pages shown, with the exclusion of the optional promotional box in the bottom right hand corner. All three have one central image with two images on each side of it (three with the absence of the red text box) with one directly underneath the central image as well. Sandwiched between two gutters is a thin, narrow strip of several small subheadings, and this actually serves as the overall contents of all the pages of the magazine; and this is in exactly the same place in all issues of NME. The consistency used here in the contents pages advocates the idea that continuance is key in establishing loyalty with fans, and the fact that images largely dominate the contents page shows where the most popular articles will be without any need for actually looking at the small strip of contents. This highlights that NME fans may need to be won over by the use of imagery and mode of address, but once they are, their primary interest is the music itself, and the most interesting parts of it that are being

shown in the magazine. Continuing on from this, the subheadings of the feature article photographs that provide anchorage to the image share a consistency across all three contents pages in that the font changes per article. A prime example of this is the ‘sans serif’ bold font of the Vampire Weekend article, contrasting with the italic ‘times new roman’ font of the Suede article. In itself, this allows for variation within the text, thus making it more appealing to the eye and also expressing the band through just the font alone, allowing readers to get a grasp of the band identity. The fact that this is used in all issues of NME is illustrative of how integral the individuality of the bands/artists shown are to the magazine, with emphasis on the music itself, and this shows a mutually beneficial relationship for both the band/artist and the magazine.