Analysis of Music Magazine

3. The costume which the celebrities are wearing in Q
Magazine and Billboard is very sexy, and theirs not much of
it. This signs that the magazine want to attract an older,
more mature audience who maybe are living at home, in
student accommodation or in a small flat, fulfilling the last
step of their education, however, Q readers may be more
‘wild’, therefore may not still be in education. Gaga is using
a dildo under her trousers which is symbolic signing that the
media thinks she is a man so she is confidently making fun
of the media. I think this may be because she is
embarrassed of what they are saying. The magazines are
both very different in the way that Billboard have put
Rihanna in more of a pretty outfit and Gaga in a very rock
outfit. For Rihanna, the magazine is giving an symbolic sign
of her changing from this very sexy, rebel to this sexy but
soft and pretty lady, however, by showing the tattoo, a
symbolic sign could be that the bad side to her is still there.
In Q Magazine, Lady Gaga’s image is showing her iconic
sign. She has stayed her usual wacky self. The preferred
reading of this would be that they look young and appealing
to the eye. The oppositional reading could be for Rihanna,
that she will never change from her original self, and for
Lady Gaga, they may say she looks vulgar.

4. The language of these magazines signs a big interest in music. There’s
only one or two pieces of gossip on the front covers and rest of the
content is purely about music. Although the two magazines content is
primarily the same, Q’s is more laid back and the effort goes on the
music, which is more rock pop which signifies that for that particular
magazine, they care more about music. The preferred reading for this
would be that it’s nice to see a different range music and the emphasis
on music because it frequently gets put in the background. The
oppositional reading to this would be that the magazine has no exciting
content so the purchaser doesn’t buy the magazine. This is the opposite
to Billboard, who put more emphasis on the gossip, talking about how
Rihanna is a ‘re-invented’ person. This signifies that Rihanna’s gossip is
more important that the music itself. The preferred reading of this
would be that the magazine is interesting and people will buy it because
they feel it will keep them entertained, and the oppositional reading
would be that they may as well buy a gossip magazine where there is
more gossip, rather than reading a little gossip then a sparse amount of
music.

5. The camera shot for Billboard is head and shoulders which signs that
Rihanna feels confident with the camera up close. The shot for Q
Magazine is head to knees which signifies the magazine wants to show
off her clothes. Both of the magazines show confidence. The preferred
reading of this is that they are being role models for shy young ladies.
The oppositional reading is that they are egotistical and conceited.
The camera shots on both the magazines photos of the celebrities is
front on, which signifies a more intimate feeling to the magazine. The
preferred reading would be that the audience feels like the celebrities
are looking strait at them , resulting in them wanting to buy the
magazine. The oppositional reading would be that the audience feels
intimidated by the celebrities.

6. The layout is very
celebrity orientated
with the mastheads
behind the women.
This has a symbolic sign
of media needing
celebrities to stay in
business, so they praise
them and put them
over anything. The
preferred reading of
this is that the
audience wants to fully
see celebrities and
know that they can also
see the music news, so
don’t mind, however
the oppositional
reading is that the
audience thinks that
the magazine doesn't’t
care about the music.

8. The typography in both the magazines is san serif for the headline.
This signs as being informal, meaning the audience feels comfortable
reading it when they first glance at the page. The fact that it’s in a
very large font grabs the audiences attention. The preferred reading
of this would be that the audience knows that the article is not going
to be very confusing and hard-reading. The oppositional reading
would be that the audience thinks the article is going to not be
worth reading because it is so informal and they think there will be
no useful information in there.

9. The costume, which the models and celebrities
in this issue of Mayhem Magazine and Vibe
Magazine are wearing, signifies a very
provocative nature by the length of the costume
being short. This applies to Vibe magazine
more, as she is wearing stiletto heels which
signs her legs look longer, and stilettos signify
that sexual nature. In Vibe, the lady is also
wearing tight fitting clothes, whereas in
Mayhem, even though Rita’s legs are out, She is
in what looks like a baggy jacket and converse
high tops. This is iconic because she portrays
herself as quite laid back, cool and sexy woman.
The preferred reading of the costume being
seductive would be so the audience look up to
their styles and want to see more of their
beauty. The oppositional reading could be that
the costume is too revealing and the models
look vain, revealing too much skin.

10. The expression of the models’ faces and the gestures they are holding
are quite relaxed but still posed. Rita, in Mayhem is holding a more so
relaxed pose, however, the camera shot is angled so the audience can
view most of her outside leg and thigh. This is iconic because Rita’s
character is very sexy. She is pouting in the shot, which is also an
iconic sign, for the same reason. The fact that the camera angle is
pointing down at Rita is a symbolic sign because the magazine may be
trying to make Rita look more laid back and more approachable than
she may be. The position which the girl on is in emphasizes her legs as
they cover most of the contents page. The camera angle on Vibe
magazine has an indexical sign of the imagination of the lady lying
next to a partner on a bed, giving the audience the intensity of her
looking at you strait in your eyes and lying next to you. The preferred
reading of this would be that the girls want to be like them, so they
look at their positions and facial features and try to replicate them
because they look up to these woman as role models. The
oppositional reading could be that the girls look silly and too sexual
for their liking so don’t buy the magazine.

11. The colour scheme of both the
magazines is fairly dark and
mysterious with dark and light tones.
This has an iconic sign because both
the women are portrayed as very
sexy beings and dark lights
symbolically could represent an
intimate space, such as a bedroom or
a dark ally in Mayhem’s case. The
preferred reading would be that the
audience seems closer to the girls
and share intimacy with them, which
makes them want to read the article.
The oppositional reading is that the
reader thinks it is too dark on the
magazine and the audience thinks it
looks dull so they end up not wanting
to read the article.

12. The colour scheme in Q Magazine’s contents
page is full of bright reds and whites, which
looks very fresh. This signs that the magazine
is clear to read and signifies a mature feel
and that the magazine is open to all types of
music. The preferred reading of this would be
that the audience is happy that they can read
everything clearly and that they can read
about all different music types. The
oppositional reading would be that the
audience thinks the magazine looks boring
and they may think that the magazine is
wasting valuable space in the magazine for all
different types of music, rather than just one.

13. The costume for the contents page in Vibe Magazine is limited
but stripped back with just jewelery on. This is an iconic sign
because Gaga’s style is very provocative and other than her
performer ego with the costumes and the whole production, she
has a stripped back image where she sings as herself. She may
want to show off who she really is in this article which goes with
the stripped back costume photo. The preferred reading of this
would be that the audience wants to see Lady Gaga as herslef.
The oppositional reading would be that the audience thinks that
Lady Gaga is trying to be someone she’s not.