1. Analyse 3 music magazines
Semiotics is the study of symbols and signs. In this essay, I am going to explain by using
semiotics how the 3 front covers establish a genre. Semiotics is denotations and connotation;
semiotics is what you can see and connotation means what it implies.An example of a
denotation is,if you can see a close up thatโs a denotation. An example of a connotation is when
you see blue, you may think of the sky or happy this is what blue connotes.
In the magazine RollingStones, we can see Wiz Khalifa in front of the masthead โRolling Stonesโ.
This signifiesWiz Khalifa importance to the magazine that heโs worthy to be in front of a
prestigious brand like RollingStones. Furthermore you can see some of Wiz Khalifaโs chest, this
is important in establishing a genre. A lot of famous rappers have a lot tattoos, and when you
see an artist whoโs covered in tattoos you immediatelythink that he raps due to the
connotations linkedwith the genre. Rap is commonly linked with gangs, because a lot of gangs
use/used rap to express themselvesand rap is seen as the music of gangs. For example in the
90โs gangster rap was common, and people used to rebel against society through rap. This is
linkedin with his tattoo which impliesrebellionand a lot of gangs have gangs signs tattooed on
them. You can see on Wiz Khalifaโs head, tattooed teardrops and in gang culture this means the
amount of people he has killed.This helps to establisha genre, as gang signs within music is
usually linkedto rap due to the history of the genre. Also the costume helps to establish the rap
genre. Although it may not evidentlypoint out it is rap, it will narrow down the possible options
to what genre theyโre advertising. As you can see Wiz Khalifa is wearing a gold chain and a
leather jacket. Both are expensive items,and this relates back to rap but also stereotypes. As
previously mentionedrap was most prominent in America in the streets, and most people who
used rap were poor. Many would dream to be rich one day, and the item Wiz Khalifa is
extravagantly showing Wizโs wealth. This is most commonly seenin Rap due to most rappers
coming from the street. For example the picture (right) featuring Lil Wayne proves my theory
that most rappers wear expensive items like chains.
In NME we can see a mid shot of Rihanna, this helps to establish the pop genre. If a close up was
used, we wouldnโt be able to see her stance which helps to establishthe pop genre. Rihanna
stance suggests style,and this style is most commonly linked with Pop than other genres. For
example in Rap the style is very similar, where as in Pop people have a variety of stylesfrom
Lady Gaga to Rihanna. NME magazine front cover establishesits genre is a similar way. First of
all the costume and prop establishes the genre. Rihanna is wearing a bright blue skirt, and a
glitter covered eagle.Rihanna genre is pop, and the genre pop compared to Rap is very
different;pop is more glitz and glamour. The skirt and the eagle help to emphasise my point of
view.The colour blue within the music industry connotes disco, or fun and this is what pop is
like.Pop is seenas a fun, high energy drama and if Rihanna wore full black this would connote a
differentgenre like Rock. Furthermore the sequenced eagle impliespop too, as pop is about the
glitz and the sequenced bird establishesthe pop genre more than the costume. For example in
most of the other genres, you would relate a sequence bird to any other drama except pop. The
sequenced bird symbolisesthe glitz and the glamour that comes with being a pop star.
2. Furthermore the masthead and the heading are coloured in bright pink. Similarly to the
costume, the bright pink means a similar thing. As previously mentioned, the genre pop is high
energy, glamour and pink relates to both of these things. As Pink evidentlyrelates to both of
these features of pop, it obviously helps to establish the genre pop.
In Kerrang you can see Billie Joe Armstrong as the front image; heโs the lead vocalist/guitarist in
the band Green Day which is a Punk Rock band. You can see a Low Angle shot in use, this
connotes that Billie Joe Armstrong is a man of power. This is proven since Billie Joe Armstrong is
the lead vocalist in Green Day, and basically the face of the band when you think of members.
This helpsto establish the genre, as everyone knows who Billie Joe Armstrong is even if you
donโt know his name. The Low Angle helps to establishthe genre even more as it suggest
power, so if people know who Billie Armstrong is theyโll know heโs got more power over other
members being the head of the band through the camera angle. Also you can see a guitar; this
evidentlymeans that Billie Armstrong is related to music as a guitar impliesmusic. Furthermore
bands normally use use guitars more than solo artists, this suggests that Billie Armstrong is in a
band. So if you put all the piecesof the puzzle together, you would have worked out that this
man is a man of power, who has a band. Finallythe final piece of the puzzle that establishesthe
punk rock is the eye makeup and the black clothes. Black connotes dark, horror and within the
music industry it usuallymeans gothic and rock is the most gothic genre; also the eye makeup
proves that itโs a rock genre, as stereotypically rock bands wear eye make up to shows darkness
and Goth which all relates to Rock. All these features help to establish the rock genre, Kerrang
produced.
3. Denotation- Pink masthead
Connotation- Pink impliesfun and glamour and this proven by the glitter eagle which shows
glamour
Denotation- Subheading in a differentfont a colour
Connotation- Trying to make it stand out to show importance
Denotation- Rihanna name placed in the middle of the page
Connotation- Implieshow important Rihanna is and that sheโs worthy to be placed in the middle
of the page
Denotation- Subheading at the top of the page
Connotation- At the top of the page to show something big has happened. Further emphasised
by the bold writing, which is used to emphasise the point
Denotation- Large Green Day font in the middle of the page
Connotation- Impliesthat itโs all about green day, and something emphatic is coming since its
worthy enough to be in the middle of the page
Denotation- Insight into the magazine with a picture
Connotation- Trying to seduce customers to buying the
magazine, b y using differentfeatures
4. Denotation- Large Bold โNewFaces 2011โ in the colour red
Connotation- It is important enough to go ahead of Wizโs head, emphasises importance
Denotation- Consistent font except from the Wiz Khalifa
Connotation- Impliesconsistency so everything looks professional
Denotation- Wiz Khalifa name typed in a stylish writing
Connotation- Could shows Wizโs style through music and fashion. Different from any other text,
could mean he is different
