Reader profile

The majority of Kerrang’s readers are male coming between the age of 15 and 24 at 69.5%, showing that the magazine is full of youth and masculinity. However, the magazine does account for the older readers as well, 12.8% being between the age of 25 and 34 and 9.3% being between the age of 35 and 44. Kerrang’s readers being the heaviest music consumers are also active consumers of media, fashion and computer games.  On average a Kerrang reader will buy 6 albums a month, being 8 times more likely to spend £200 a year on various albums and they are 5.5 times more likely to attend a rock gig as all of Kerrang’s readers love rock music. The magazine is very young so this makes it perfect to advertise film and mobile technology since this appeals to the majority of Kerrang’s target audience. The magazine has a readership of 378,000 people and circulates 42,203 copies per issue (January-June 2012).

Jim, 22 lives and breathes rock music 24/7, he engages with music from the minute he wakes up to the minute he goes to sleep. It informs his choice of friends, leisure time, hobbies and attitudes to fashion sense and lifestyle. When he is not listening to music or watching music television, he talks to friends about the music he loves, he attends rock gigs and dreams about being a rock star. Jim, being like most other Kerrang readers is sharp and switched on, he has strong morals and is proud of his own individuality. He sets fashion trends in his peer group, but is also heavily influenced by well-known musical icons and scenes. The bands he supports he is extremely loyal to and trusts them. Jim is a reader which sums up all of Kerrang’s readers, who simply love rock music.

By looking at the reader profile of Kerrang’s readers it has helped me in planning my magazine as it has helped me come to conclusions about what my readers are like and how devoted they are to rock music. Kerrang is the magazine I am going to base my own magazine on and it will try to appeal to a broad spectrum of readers just like Kerrang does. Kerrang’s readers are interested in what their favourite bands are up to, music festivals and just listening to music, this is what should feature in the magazine that I produce. However, it should give project the message of rejoicing in individuality and being unique since this what Kerrang particularly celebrates. Kerrang’s readers are loyal to their favourite bands and are quite happy to pay money for their albums, singles and tickets to go see them play.