This is my analysis of Front Cover Music Magazines

1. Production Task-
Research into
Codes and
Conventions of
FRONT
COVER
Harry Gupta

2. Recognizable
singer on front
cover posing half
naked- attracts
attention.
Bold masthead-
red- color of
romance- creates
a sensual theme-
shirtless male.
Magazine
focused on men-
‘4 Ways to Rock
a Suit’.
Three color
house scheme-
red, black and
white appealing
to the eye.
Various artists
to entice
audience to
read inside
the magazine.
Advertising brands
such as Calvin Klein
Color coordination-
background has
been set to a dark
color which avoids
contrast with his
skin colour
Fully displays
other issues of
the magazine
Cover lines stand
out, create
meaning for the
image- poses
interest for
reader.
Direct address-
singer and model
looking at
audience- creates
personal bond
(uses and grat)
Mid shot, revealing
torso- hot and
sweaty implies
target audience-
women. Creates
personal
connection with
audience- uses and
gratSmaller different text- showing date- unusual and not repeated again on the page.

3. VIBE Codes and Conventions
• Firstly, I have noticed that ‘VIBE’ have used hermeneutic questions to entice the audience into
reading further articles such as, “Haiti, A Survival Story”. This is something that I intend to do.
• The bold mast head is very effective and recognizable, which is a key factor in which I wish to
include when I create my Print music magazine.
• I find the fact that they used a current artist as their Front Cover model interesting. This creates a
more modern feel for the magazine and will link in a wider target audience range; such as love-
struck teen agers, mature young adults, males who possibly see Trey Songz as an idol, not alone in
music but in his physical appearance-displayed on the front cover of the magazine. VIBE also targets
professional young adults as they’ll be the audience who can afford to buy the magazine.
• They separate cover lines with regular (less urgent to- important text) by highlighting the cover lines
in bold, bigger font. This allows the audience to differentiate between the two and decide which is
more important to read. I will use this convention as I find it effective to use wasted space, and also
that it creates a better understanding and easier layout for the design of the magazine.
• A house style is consistent. They have used the mast head, cover lines and less important text as the
boldest theme color, red. I will use this as it attracts the attention of the reader to read that text
over some other parts.
• To conclude, VIBE have boldly made it clear that their magazine, is mainly for males. Firstly they
state “NO DICE, GAMBLING” relating things back to gambling which is a predominantly male activity.
They go on further to say “4 Ways to Rock a Suit” and “Living the Dream… and the Nightmare”
suggesting that men are fearless and have a great life, whilst living a horrible one. I intend on using
scenarios like these in my music magazine to define a target audience clearly.

4. Masthead dominates top
left hand corner of page.
Red and white. Creates
power and a sense of
global success, with the
singular letter of ‘Q’ and
slogan ‘DISCOVER GREAT
MUSIC’ implying infinite
possibilities to cater to
all music genres and
passions
Creative, angular header
with bright colors to
attract attention.
Realistic blood trickling
down Lana Del Rey’s
face- links in with ‘Q’s
red theme in addition
to this, mentioning of
Jay-Z and Kanye West.
Red- sexual semiotics
Recurring theme of
pink, as it is a female
artist who will
attract the target
audience of teenage
girls (aged 10-20)
pink would be the
stereotypically
appropriate color.
Incorporating blood
with speech and a
pun to include
humor and appeal
to a wider target
audience.
Hermeneutic
attractions, putting
the number in bold
to display how many
there are- usually
the bigger the
number the more
interesting the
product/event is.
Different font of text
to introduce the
meaning behind the
artist on the front
cover. (Uses and
grat),
Direct mode of
address, artist looks
directly at the
audience, creating a
personal relationship
with them- leads them
to question why she is
bleeding- creating
Possible sexual
gaze, sexual desire
Medium shot- Uses
and Grat

5. Q Codes and Conventions
• Firstly, I have noticed that ‘Q’ have used hermeneutic labels to entice the audience into reading
further articles, which I intend to do. I will include this key piece of research, when I’m creating my
music magazine. They have also displayed a hermeneutic question with the blood on her head. Most
readers would question this and wonder why she has blood on her forehead, querying as to whether
it has anything to do with an upcoming song or a past experience, and would wonder if it reveals so
inside.
• The bold mast head is very effective and recognizable as its is their logo and just a single letter. I will
remember this when I create my Print music magazine.
• I find the fact that they used current artist, Lana Del Rey as their Front Cover model very effective. The
global success of Lana Del Rey on the front cover will attract a wider target audience range; such as
female teenagers and young and older adults.
• They separate cover lines with regular (less urgent to- important text) by highlighting the cover lines
in bold, bigger font. They also distinguish the artist Lana Del Rey’s identity by having her name spewed
across the left corner of the page in a contrasting, bold and pink font. This allows the audience to
differentiate between the two and decide which is more important to read. I will use this convention
in moderation. As much as I find it will be useful for me to use when creating my magazine, I feel it will
be more important to publicize what is inside the magazine rather than display the ‘celebrities’ name.
• There isn’t really a house style consistent on this Pop magazine. The masthead is a bold red logo of Q,
however then some of the writing is in pink bold font, with contrasting black, white and red colors as
well- not including the pink and yellow header above the Q logo. The quirkiness of the design could be
resulting in the fact that the target audience to buy the magazine will be younger teenagers (ages 13-
15).

6. Back drop is pink-
demonstrating that the
target audience supposedly
would be aimed at young
girls- this is supported by
the fact that the model and
singer, Katy Perry has pink
gerberas and yellow daisies
rapped around her. She also
is wearing a hot pink lip
stick to incorporate herself
into the backdrop
Striking bold black
masthead at the back, with
added color to tie in with
the colorful theme. In
addition to this, the main
cover line, ‘Katy Perry” is
also in black signifying an
importance.
Sell line- uses a
contrasting
combination of colors,
no fill effect just a
circle drawing the
readers attention to
it.
Hermeneutic question:
leaves the audience
wondering who else is on
the Charts Heat and in
which order and also leaves
the audience wondering if
Taylor Swift will debut with
a million copies sold.
Contrasting house style
colors of black, white and
yellow, with the yellow
color essentially being the
subheadings and the
black font to be the
important key features of
the front cover
Medium-long shot
creates an impersonal,
distant feeling-however
due to the pose of the
artist can spark a feeling
of mystery and intrigue,
causing the reader to
discover why the artist is
being ‘distant’. Uses and
grat
Fun themed coloring
and design layout of
the magazine, partially
due to the fact that it is
basically a teenagers
Pop music magazine.
Finding common interests
with the audience by linking
in social media- builds
stronger relationship.

7. Billboard Codes and Conventions
• Firstly, Billboard have clearly displayed that the main target audience for their magazine is
girls, due to the stereotypically pinkly dressed Katy Perry (a global icon to teenage girls).
Additionally she is rapped up in pink gerbera flowers and what looks to be like white/yellow
daisies, representing happiness and fun. The contrast between this ‘Billboard’ magazine and
the ‘VIBE’ magazine in which I looked at earlier is that the VIBE magazine focused more on
the male target audience, it is made clear that there will be more females purchasing a copy
of the magazine, due to the lack of muscle, discussion of suits and gambling. I intend on
doing just this and creating a definite target audience, one in which is easily recognized.
• Billboard have used several Hermeneutic questions in their print, where they left the reader
wondering about the various celebrities on the ‘Chart Heat’ list. In addition to this, they also
cleverly used another one which stated “CAN TAYLOR SWIFT’S Q4 ALBUM DEBUT WITH A
MILLION SOLD?” leaving the reader wanting to find out if it can, what are the chances and
possibilities. This creates desire in the reader. I will definitely include this when I come to
creating my print. I think that it is useful and creates a reality to a magazine.
• Billboard have displayed a contrast of colors and the house style is black, white and yellow-
not forgetting the pink background. I will incorporate a house style, but have it in keeping
with my target audience.
• Finally they have found a small common interest with the reader, Facebook, as most people
would have social media. By including Facebook it allows you to question what Facebook has
to do with ‘making money’ as it is described and why it is on the front cover with Katy Perry.
This poses as a Hermeneutic question on its own.

8. White back drop-
inferring a ranged
target audience. Also
the model/singer, Taylor
Swift is positioned with
suggestive leg (male
gaze) and her attire is a
‘jocks’ jacket
Direct address.
Personal connection
with audience, (uses
and grat) poses as a
hermeuntic question-
why is she looking at
‘us’ the audience like
that? Why is she
sitting the way she is-
is there a purpose to
this?
Cover lines- introduce
the artist on the front
cover and also has a
describing sub cover
line describing her
purpose on the front
cover of a music
magazine, besides
being a global success.
Contrast in colors
against background-
purpose?- when
describing the word
hot- appropriate to
use the color red-
connotes heat.
Hermeneutic question
Hermeneutic question-
leads the audience to
wonder and intrigue
about ‘Mitt Romney’s
Mormon Ghosts’- are
they real? Intrigued to
read more
Archetypical to have a
successful blonde,
beautiful singer on the
front cover of a magazine
discussing heart break.
Contrasts against
background.
Another cover line, this
time in bold to contrast
against the background of
white.
White T-shirt connecting to
back drop of white- white
background possibly
displaying purity to the
reader about this blonde
singer- stereotypical view on
a blonde- innocence-
possibly showing rebellion
against innocence due to her
wearing boys jacket and
revealing shorts.

9. Rolling Stones Codes and Conventions
• Firstly, the Rolling Stones haven targeted their main selling audience as male and females of 15-40. This is
due to the fact that Taylor Swift is a monumental ‘teenage girl’s’ icon, however the magazine has displayed
a heavy metal rock group, Led Zeppelin, most popular in the 1970’s. This would attract the attention of
parents of the teenagers, possibly. They also discuss the late John Lennon in ‘Lennon’s Lost Letters’ and
Rod Stewart- an elderly singer from the 1970’s also. This all is tied together by the young and centered
Taylor Swift- appearing on the cover for her second time. This could connote that she is a popular celebrity
with both teenagers and adults. This is definitely a technique that I plan on using when making my print
front cover.
• In addition to using Taylor Swift as their model to advertise the magazine, I intend on using someone well
known, who of course isn’t a celebrity but attracts attention from possibly the male gaze, and female
admiration. I think that using a female model is a lot clearer to advertise the magazine, rather than using a
male. The fact that Swift is showing bare leg, appeals to the men more than the women, but when the
cover line discusses “The Heart Break Kid” that applies stereotypically to the women, having to deal with
the majority of heart break themselves.
• Rolling Stones have displayed a contrast of colors and the house style is black, white and red- similarly to
that of VIBE magazine. I will incorporate a house style, but have it in keeping with my target audience. In
addition to this I think that, although it is a Pop magazine, they have masked that to keep it available to a
wider target audience which I think is clever and I intend on doing just that.
• Rolling Stones have used various Hermeneutic Questions on the front cover for e.g., her long distanced
gaze into the camera, creating a direct address with the reader. This poses the question of why is she
sitting the way that she's sitting? Or why is she brushing her hair off of her face and looking so serious.
Finally there is a cover line stating “ Lennon’s Lost Letters” and “Mitt Romney’s Mormon Ghosts” leaving
the reader puzzled and interested to find out more, and to reading the music magazine.

10. Common Codes and Conventions
• There is the bold, commonly red masthead situated at
the top of the page, center or if not then the top left
hand corner.
• The cover line is usually in contrast to the back drop
color- creating definition.
• The artist is always situated in the middle of the
screen, posing in either strange of suggestive way.
• There is always bold text to separate the important
information with the more minor information.
• Alternate fonts and colors to entice the reader.
• Hermeneutic questions or pictures to entice the
reader.