The signs and signifers of two music magazines.

1.  Billboard magazine
The Billboard magazine is produced in America by
a company in new york and is owned by
Prometheus Global Media.
 Q Magazine
Q magazine is a popular music magazine which is
produced monthly in the united kingdom. It was
founded by Mark Ellen and David Hepworth.

2. Cover Page: Billboard Magazine
There is a heavy theme of the colour
red which could be a symbolic sign
of love. The image is a mid shot of
Rihanna looking quite provocative
which is a sign that ‘Billboard’
magazine are using the male gaze to
attract a wider oppositional
audience. Other colours like
purple/blue and white are used
showing that the magazine is made
professionally by keeping to a colour
scheme. This may also signify that
although the target audience is
young adults they still like to be seen
as mature and sophisticated.

3. The typography is bold and sans serif meaning
that is informal, which is typical for a downmarket
magazine. This could signify that the target
audience is for young adults who are reading this
magazine for pleasure and to not necessarily to
be educated, this would effectively entertain
and create a sense of escapism whilst they are
away from work or college.
The masthead is bold and is the logo of the
company ‘Billboard’. This signifies that the
magazine is to advertise music and role model
artist like Rihanna, as that is what billboards do.
The logo is an iconic
sign as the preferred
readers would
recognize the
company name.

4. The close up of Beyoncé is an iconic sign as most people
would be able to recognise her and look up to her. It is
also an iconic sign as he is looking directly at the camera
inviting the reader to the magazine. The main colour on
this double spread is a pinkie/purple colour showing an
indexical sign of gender. This page appears to be very
feminine.

5. The text is san
serif making the
contents page
informal. This
signifies that the
magazine is
serious.
The contents page has a
white background on it
and uses black and blue
text to create a contrast
on the page. This also
continues to show that
there is a colour scheme
used like on the cover
page. The colours are
consistent throughout the
Billboard magazine and
therefore creates a feeling
of familiarity for the
preferred readers. The
colour blue is also seen as
a positive vibrant colour,
this could be seen as a
sign of confidence which
would positively effect the
reader when they open
the magazine.
Kiera Hilson is an iconic sign as she is
recognisable in the pop industry, this
also is indicating that ‘Billboard’
magazine focus mainly on the pop
genre and would attract the preferred
readers.

6. This magazine uses three
mean colours, these colour
are red, orange, white and
grey. These colours are very
sophisticated and mature
signifying that ‘Q’ magazine
has a target audience of
adults. The washed out grey
colour in the back ground
colour allows the brighter
colours like red stand out,
making it clear that the
colour red is the main colour.
This could be a sign of love,
this sign could indicate the
love for music.
Cover Page: ‘Q’ Magazine

7. The main image of rihanna holding the mega phone in
her hand is an iconic sign as it is like she is calling out to
the readers, making the readers want to continue reading
because the mid shot of rihanna is engaging.

8. The heart is a sign
of love refereeing
to Elton john’s
song ‘can you feel
the love tonight’.
Both Elton John
and his song is
iconic as it is
recognisable to
both oppositional
and preferred
readers.
The colour red is
consistent
throughout the
magazine showing
a sign of love. Love
being welcoming
to the reader.
Elton john
generally attracts
an older and
mature audience,
as he this long
shot of Elton john
is the main image
this iconic sign
indicates the type
of target
audience ‘Q’
magazine are
aiming for.