Using magazine front cover analysis

I would like to create a cover that challenged music magazine conventions, as I think todays music magazines have an ugly visual style, as in, they are very cluttered and hard to digest. An example is the 19 August 06 issue of NME. The first thing I noticed about it is that there is nothing noticeable about it at a first glance. Nothing catches a potential viewers eye, as the way it is designed makes it look as though everything is the most important part of the magazine - as if each article, headline and photo were all competing over which to catch a buyer's eye. In short I think it looks cluttered, and slightly undistinguishable from other music magazines. The March 11 2006 issue of Kerrang! music magazine I think also looks cluttered, and you cannot actually read the title of the magazine.
I think design magazines, partly because they have to, use very unique, stylized, original designs on their front covers. I would prefer to use these same techniques to design my front cover. I would make sure it was clear it was a music magazine, but look, in a way, slightly more like an art piece than todays mainstream music magazines.