Music Magazine

Front Cover Analysis

Main Image
The main image is a full bleed, this exaggerates the image and
covers the whole of the front cover, as the main image is
mostly black, this gives the front cover a dark and moody
effect. A close up has been used of the modals face, this
emphasizes how well know the musician is. She is also directly
addressing the audience, this highlights that she's connecting
with the audience and it also draws you in to the magazine.
Her facial expression has her tongue out and the fact that her
mouth is open symbolises her as a sex symbol. Her facial
expression however is also quite moody, this also reflects the
full bleed. The costume she is wearing is black with the
accessory of a ring, her costume also comes across as dark
and mysterious. The shot has been taken in a studio, she has
been made to look wet and rain has also incorporated into the
full bleed.
Supporting Images
This particular has chosen not to have any supporting images, In
my opinion I think this has not been done purposely to not take
any limelight away from the main images as this is the main focal
point.
Colour
The colours used are black, red and white. By having just one
main bright colour, being red, makes the magazine look
professional and not at all messy. The red colour has even
been incorporated into the main image as the modal is wearing
red lipstick. This gives the magazine a colour scheme and
results in everything going together.
Masthead
The title of the magazine is Q this relates to the music industry
as its when you cue a record to play. The typography is serif
and is quite a fancy font, as none of the other typography is I
think It makes the masthead stand out even further. It is also
white with a red box witch does flow with the colour scheme.
The masthead does not stretch across the full however is
boxed out in a corner which still makes it stand out above
everything else. It also sits in front of the main images causing
it to stand out even further, it could also imply that the modal is
more well known that the magazine.
Sell Lines
The sell lines have been designed to sit in a
hierarchy of importance, with CHERYL COLE
ROCKS as the main sell line, it is centred and the
largest, this is because this is the main focus. All
the other cell lines are positioned around the main
image.
Typography
The fonts that are mainly used are simple, bold
and easy to read. They are san serif fonts
resulting in them being simple and eye catching.
Banners, buttons and other graphics
There is a button on the right hand side on the
front cover, this promotes an untold story and
unseen pictures, by doing this and making this
particular sell line stand out from the rest gives it
much more mystery and forces the reader to want
to purchase the magazine and find out this
unknown information.
Slogan
There is alliteration used the sell line that
emphasizes the status of the magazine: the UKs
biggest music magazine this emphasizes how
well known the magazine is as it shows its
arrogance. The other sell lines are then ordered
with importance with the larger ones having more
significance, such as the 10 best new acts.
Plugs
There is no plugs on this particular magazine, in
my opinion I think this is the same reason as to
why there is no supporting images as I think it
would of taken away the focus from the main
images and the main musician.
Administrative detail
There Is no price, currencies or barcode on this magazine, this Is part of the fact that it is so well known it probably doesnt need to advertise its price. Another reason for this is that it could be sold
worldwide and therefore doesn't have a specific price or currency and therefore could display a price on any of the magazine front covers. However a website is displayed on the right hand side,
this has been places vertically along the side, The font is so small it is hardly readable, this emphasizes furthermore that the magazine doesnt think it needs to promote itself any further. The issue
number has also been placed in the same position.
Q Magazine
Main Image
The main image is a full bleed, this exaggerates the image and
covers the whole of the front cover. There is a modal and also an
animal featured in this full bleed, the modal looks as if she is in
bed cuddling up to a cat, by doing this represents the musician as
loving, friendly and a nice person as she has been shown as an
animal lover. However she also has red lipstick on, this
represents love and reinforces the suggestion of her being kind
and friendly. The modals face is highly made up even though it
looks as if she's just woken up, the white surrounding of covers
also commutates pure and kind hearted. She doesnt look as if
she is wearing any costume which reverses the connotations of
the red lips and white covers, its gives her a slight sex symbol
look however in an elegant way. She is directly addressing the
audience, giving them her attention whilst the cat isnt.
Supporting Images
This particular has chosen not to have any supporting images, In
my opinion I think this has not been done purposely to not take
any limelight away from the main images as this is the main focal
point.
Colour
The colours used are black, red and white. By having just one
main bright colour, being red, makes the magazine look
professional and not at all messy. The red colour has even
been incorporated into the main image as the modal is wearing
red lipstick. This gives the magazine a colour scheme and
results in everything going together.
Masthead
The title of the magazine is Rolling Stones this represents an old
saying a rolling stone gathers no moss however it also
symbolises one of the greatest rock bands of all times in some
peoples opinion, by having this as there magazine name results
in its audience instantly knowing this is a proud music magazine.
The typography is serif however is still easy to read and not too
over the top, this results in the masthead being fancy however
still does its main job of displaying a clear title of the magazine.
This particular masthead does stretch across the full width of the
front cover, this emphasises its importance. The modal is also in
front of the text, implying that the magazine is confident that it is
well known enough to be recognised without its full title being
visible.
Sell Lines
The sell lines have been designed to sit in a hierarchy
of importance, the modals name is the largest
suggesting that her story is the most important above
all the other sell lines. Then musicians names are the
next in the hierarchy with small sub headings
underneath explaining more about each of there
stories.
Typography
The fonts that are mainly are quite simple distinctive
font however they do have some design to the letters
such as small little flicks but nothing that makes them
too hard to read. The less important font has been
made into caps as then, it can be a small size
however still be seen easily.
Banners, buttons and other graphics
There are no banners or buttons present on this front
cover however some of the text has been designed to
look as if there is; such as the line of musicians names
running across the top of the magazine, like a banner.
There are however some other use of other graphics
such as the small red lines to the right hand side of the
page. These have been used to separate the sell lines
and also to attract attention to then with the bright red
colouring.
Slogan
There has not been a slogan used about this
magazine, this could be for a number of reasons: it
could not be a well known magazine so cant be
arrogant about itself by displaying a confident slogan;
or it could suggest that this magazine doesnt think that
it needs to promote itself any further as it is already a
well enough known magazine to be brought without a
slogan.
Plugs
There are also no plugs on this front cover, this could
be because they do not want to draw attention away
from the main image by adding thumbnails of other
musicians.
Administrative detail
There is a small price in the top right area of the magazine, this also displays the magazines issue number and indicates that it is a popular magazine as it has published 1214 issues. It doesnt
have a website however or a barcode. This front cover does have its currencies in dollars which indicates that it is most likely an American music magazine.
Rolling Stone Magazine
Main Image
The main image is a full bleed, it extends to fill the whole of the
front cover, this exaggerates the main images and ensures it
attracts the most attention over anything else on the front
cover. The camera shot is a close up with the modal directly
addressing the audience, this emphasises how the modal is
Beyonc and captivates the readers as she is looking directly
at them. The modals lips are slightly parted indicating that her
facial expressions are trying to attract the male gaze and
signify her as a sex symbol. Her eyes are also squinting with
the direct address reinforcing this point. From this image the
audience doesnt know if she is wearing a costume or not
which again highlights the use of the male gaze. The lighting
has given her hair this golden colour which almost looks as if
its a lions main, my doing this represent the modal as powerful
and as almost a queen, a queen of music possibly. This shot
has also been taken in a studio not at a location, you can tell
this as the background is a yellowy white colour indicating
there is so scenery around the modal.
Supporting Images
There are no supporting images on this front cover, I think this
has been done on purpose, not to minimise the attention
readers pay on the main image. The focal point is Beyonc
and supporting images would distract viewers away for her.
Colour
The colour scheme that has been used is white with red,
yellow, green and blue also used. This colour scheme is
different to most magazines as it issues more than bold colour;
however they are only used in the masthead. White is the main
colour, this is used on all of the typography, its as if its been
colour picked from the whites of her eyes. I think by using
mainly white give the front cover a professional look.

Masthead
The masthead is Billboard, this title implies that it advertises
the musician on the main image. The typography of the
masthead is san serif, it have been displayed in a clear and
simple font, this ensures that it is easy to read and bold. The
masthead stretches across the full width of the front cover and
has been placed in front of the modal. It suggest that this has
been done on purpose, as they know that the musician;
Beyonc, is much more popular and well known compared to
there magazine brand name.
Sell Lines
The sell lines are ordered with the musicians name
as the largest, followed by where she is performing.
This makes it evident that Beyonc is the key
feature in the magazine. Then the other sell lines
are listed on the left hand side, in the majority with
the same font and size. The sell lines are also all
about Beyonc, emphasizing even more how she is
the most important aspect on the front cover.
Typography
The fonts that are mainly used are san serif fonts
however there is some serif font used as a sub
heading for the main sell line.
Banners, buttons and other graphics
There are no buttons or banners on this front
cover at all. It suggests that they dont want to
take any lime light away from the main image and
modal. There is also no real use of graphics other
than the coloured circles in the masthead. In my
opinion I do not like thee primary colours as I think
it make the masthead look messy and
unprofessional however I see how it could have
been done to give the front cover some colour
other than just white.

Slogan
There has not been a slogan used about this
magazine, this could be as they don they dont
feel as if they can be arrogant and promote there
self as they are not a well known brand of
magazine or because they dont think they need to
advertise their self.

Plugs
There are also no plugs on this front cover, this
could be because they do not want to draw
attention away from the main image by adding
thumbnails of other musicians.

Administrative detail
The price of the magazine is 5.50 in English pounds, this reveals that it is sold in the UK and is quite expensive. The website has
also been promoted above the barcode with two different web addresses. However the issue number has not been displayed on this
magazine front cover.
Billboard Magazine