Analysing Music Magazines - Cover, Contents and Double Page Spread

1. Textually analysing music
magazines
Chloe Lang

2. Introduction…
The genre of magazines I have chosen is Pop music. This is
because it is most identifiable with people of my age, and since
it is the genre I am most familiar with, I know what will work for a
successful magazine.
The celebrity used on the cover can identify the genre usually. If
they are typically associated with the pop genre, the magazine is
likely to be a pop music magazine. The colours will be bright and
eye-catching, as the vibrant colours attract the teenage
audience of pop magazines.

3. COVERS

4. Masthead
Main Image
Cover Line
Anchorage
Cover Line
Cover Line
Cover Line
Cover Line

5. Masthead
Tag Line
Cover Lines
Puff
Headline
Cover Lines
Anchorage
Skyline
Cover Lines
Cover Lines

6. Signs and Signifiers
Masthead
The masthead on the
publication is an iconic sign.
This means that it doesn’t
represent anything deeper
than the brand of publication.
It is used so that each edition
of the magazine is easily
recognisable.
Masthead
The ‘Q’ masthead is located in
the same location on every
edition of the magazine. It is an
iconic sign as it only represents
the magazine, and nothing
more. Whilst the colours can
symbolise other things, the logo
as a whole only represents the
company.

7. Signs and Signifiers
Main Image
The main image uses Lana Del
Ray to attract more readers for
the magazine. The celebrities
used for Q magazine are
different than the artists used
for billboard, as they are
edgier in comparison to the
typically ‘poppy’ celebrities
featured on billboard. This is an
iconic sign, as the image just
represents the person.
Main Image
The main image uses a
celebrity to attract more
readers. They will also select
celebrities who we usually
associate with that genre of
music - Billboard is a pop
magazine, Taylor Swift is a pop
artist. This is an iconic sign, as
the image does not represent
anything other than the person
who's picture it is.

8. Signs and Signifiers
Typography
All the text featured on the
cover uses a sans serif
typeface. This is so it appeals to
a younger audience and it is
less formal. I believe that this is
a symbolic sign as it represents
informality. The preferred
reading is that it is for the
target audience of young
adults.
Typography
The typography used is sans
serif. They have used this to
attract the more informal
audience, which is who the
target audience is. They also
use a handwritten style of font
for the words ‘Lana Del Ray.’
This could be to show the more
relaxed style that she has.

9. Signs and Signifiers
Colour Scheme
The colour scheme they have
chosen is pink, grey and yellow. This
is repeated throughout all the
different elements on the cover, with
the pops of yellow in the puff and
skyline to make that information
stand out. Pink can represent
sweetness and innocence, which is
also seen in the white used (for
innocence). This is a symbolic sign,
as we can see they have used the
different colours to represent
different themes. The oppositional
reading is that it is for younger
readers due to the shade of pink.
Colour Scheme
The colours they have used are
white and yellow. They have
used these to mirror the
celebrities dress and hair. The
colour yellow represents joy,
youth and happiness, and the
white represents purity and
innocence. The colour scheme
is an symbolic sign. The
opposed reading is that it is
childish.

10. Signs and Signifiers
Costume
Even though you cannot see
much of the costume, at the
footer of the page, it looks like
she is wearing a white shirt or a
dress. As mentioned before,
white symbolises purity and
innocence. The jewellery is
kept girly and simple, which is
very much Swift’s look. It shows
she has the ‘good girl’ image.
This is a symbolic sign.
Costume
The costume she is wearing is
very similar to the billboard
costume in terms of the white
dress she is wearing. This
symbolises innocence and
purity. She is also wearing a
tiara. This could represent a
higher status or nobility. It could
also be telling us about her
success. These are symbolic
signs.

11. Signs and Signifiers
Make Up
The makeup she is wearing is
similar to the billboard makeup
in the sense that it looks
natural, apart from the dark
eyes, which the reader is
drawn to. The difference is the
blood which has been
designed onto her face. Blood
can symbolize morality of a
person, showing that they are
able to deal with pain. This is a
symbolic sign.
Make Up
Her makeup could be
considered quite girly. Aside
from the dark eyeliner, they
have kept it quite natural and
subtle. This could represent
that she is real, and doesn’t
need to hide behind lots of
makeup to be successful. This is
a symbolic sign.

12. Signs and Signifiers
Camera Shots
The camera shot they have
used for the image is a
medium close up. The effect of
this is that the readers of the
magazine feel comfortable
about the image, whilst
showing enough detail in the
face. This is an indexical sign.
The oppositional reading is that
all the article will be about is
her appearance.
Camera Shots
The camera shot they have
used is a medium shot. This
shows more of the body than
the other image does, which
can represent openness and
being comfortable.

13. CONTENTS PAGE

14. Masthead Masthead
Sub Images
Heading
Main Image
Articles

15. Masthead
Issue Number
Sub Heading
Main Image
Sub Images
Tagline
Articles

16. Signs and Signifiers
Main Image Main Image
The main image on the
contents page is of Lana Del
Ray. She has been used on the
contents page for the main
image as the main article is
about her. The image they
have used is a close up image
which is similar to the larger
one on the cover.
The main image on the
contents page is of a woman
mid jump with her hands to the
side of her.

17. Signs and Signifiers
Typography
The typography they have
used for the magazine is a sans
serif style. This is to show the
informality of the magazine.
They use the same fonts for
headings – ‘Contents’ and
‘No1’. This creates a house
style that they can use across
all editions of the magazine.
Typography
The typography for this
magazine also uses the sans
serif typeface. Where the other
magazine uses a certain font
that they have designed or
chosen, Q magazine uses a
more general and generic font
that anyone could use. This
makes it more familiar to
audiences.

18. Signs and Signifiers
Colour Scheme
The colours they have used for
the contents page are red,
white and black. The red and
white are colours taken from
the masthead image. The
colours are quite simplistic and
basic, which could indicate
that they care more about the
music and the information
published rather than how they
layout the information
Colour Scheme
The colour scheme they have
used for the contents page is
blue, white, black and grey.
They have chosen a contrasting
scheme to the one they have
used on the cover. However,
from looking at other examples
of Billboard magazine, I know
that this is the same colours they
use for every edition. The blue is
striking, and they have used it to
separate the different sections. It
is a gender neutral colour.

19. Signs and Signifiers
Costume
The main image shows a singer
wearing basic black clothes
against a white background.
This is very typical for billboard
magazine, as lots of the
editions will have the same
style of image. This format
makes the singer stand out
against the backdrop.
Costume
In the second image, we don’t
see the singer wearing a
costume.

20. Signs and Signifiers
Make Up
This image contrasts with the
large image on the cover. The
large image looks more made
up and unnatural in terms of
makeup, whereas this image
looks more natural. However,
the blood on her face in the
top right corner of the image is
more visible now, which is
where the readers eye is
drawn to.
Make Up
The model in the image is
wearing what could be
considered to be minimal
makeup. As she has dark hair,
and is wearing dark clothes,
they have used pink lips to
stand out and draw the
attention to the model. Pink
can symbolise success, which
could be why they have used
it in this instance. This is a
symbolic sign.

21. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

22. Heading
Main Image
Main Text

23. Main Image Heading
Masthead Article

24. Signs and Signifiers
Main Image
The image they have used for
the double page spread is of
Lana Del Ray. They have
advertised the article the
whole way through the
magazine. They have used this
picture to advertise her new
album and to gain publicity.
The image fills the whole left
side of the page.
Main Image
The image they have used for
the double page spread is of
Beyoncé. They have used this
image to demonstrate her
success, and how she has
achieved woman of the year.
The image fills the whole right
side of the page, which shows
the importance of the icon.

25. Signs and Signifiers
Typography
They use the sans serif
typeface again, which they
use the whole way through the
magazine. On the word
‘fiercely’, they have made it
bold so that it stands out. The
word ‘creative’ has been
designed with a more
handwritten style, which links to
the use of the word creative.
Typography
They have used a large ‘S’ to
decorate the page. This is
different to other magazines,
and makes Q magazine
different from others. They
have changed the sans serif
font to serif, which makes the
article look more professional
and polished.

26. Signs and Signifiers
Colour Scheme
The colours they have used for
this article are black and white.
This is different from the rest of
the magazine where they use
bright colours to attract the
younger audiences. They use a
pop of red in the image where
they have edited the light
slightly. Red can symbolize
ambition and determination.
Colour Scheme
The colours they have used are
pink, grey and white. The
colour pink (as mentioned
before) symbolises success,
and grey can represent
maturity and being
professional. The use of the
these colours will have been
carefully selected to mirror the
theme of the article, which is
about Beyoncé's success.

27. Signs and Signifiers
Make Up
After reading the article, the
makeup choices are all
explained. The use of the
blood, and the bruised effect
are to represent her life, or how
she feels at that moment. Her
mascara is smudged and out
of place, which is not typically
how you would see a celebrity
looking. This could symbolise
that there’s more to her than
just being good looking.
Make Up
The makeup that Beyoncé
wears for the photo-shoot is
natural, apart from the eye
makeup which the reader is
just drawn to. It makes her eyes
look bigger, which is effective
since she is looking straight at
the camera.

28. Signs and Signifiers
Camera Shots
The camera shot they have
used for the image is a close
up. This is so they can show the
attention to detail in the
makeup instead of the
costume she is wearing.
Camera Shots
The camera shot used is a
close up on the singers face.
They have done this so the
emotion can be seen not just
through the makeup, but
through the expression on her
face.