This document provides an analysis of magazine covers and layouts. Key points include: 1) Magazine covers and layouts use symbols, colors, images and text placement to appeal to target audiences and imply certain meanings about the artists. 2) Red is often used to symbolize power, dominance, sexuality and intensity, as seen on covers featuring Jay-Z and Lady Gaga. 3) Images are deliberately selected and edited to attract audiences and widen an artist's reach, such as Lady Gaga in a revealing grey-scale photo. 4) Layouts emphasize dominance in the industry through size of images and text, like Florence's large cover image sitting on an American flag.

1. Line of appeal creates emulation The ‘baller’ lifestyle. The red theme content
and envy
symbolises power and
All Clean cut layout dominance
music magazine
Makes audience idealise him –
perfect life. Implies he has
everything. Implies he has a
legacy.
Serious facial expression
Intertextuality- reference to the film connotes a man serious
‘American gangster’- trying to leave about his money and his
behind a legacy. music
Arbitrary signs- triangle
Flower- a symbol of the
Puff- connotes a favouritism with Jay mafia and the gangster
Z- intimate friendship lifestyle(continuity
throughout the front cover)
The ring emulates the bling/
glamorous lifestyle
Elegant/ sophisticated suit re- The slash in the mast head-
inventing and re branding Jay Z the cut between the
different genres dedicated
in the magazine
A variety of features, not just from one genre A new Jay Z- his brand – the elite initials
group for Sean Carter- Jay Z’s real name.

2. The Large L dominates the whole page, linked to the singers
name Lady Gaga. It represents a takeover of the music industry
as the L takes over the page and the visual aspect of the double
page spread. The Red connotes power and sexuality, and it also
is in keep with her personality, being an over the top and almost
off character. There is no title on
the double page
spread just the artists
name, ‘Lady Gaga’.
The size of the L and the size of
However the ‘lady’ is
her photo, symbolise the
written in lower case
largeness of her personality and
italics , taking of
the dominance of her music and
emphasise of the
her as an artist.
‘lady’, sophisticated
side of her, but
drawing attention to
The photo has been edited into gray the ‘ GAGA’, shocking
scale, to create a 1950’s looks, as performance name
another way to enhance her attraction.
The medium shot of Lady Gaga depicts her looks directly into the The Photo also being in gray scale,
camera, with a sultry look, in keeping with her known forward emphasises the red L, allowing that
sexuality, and holding her breasts. Lady Gaga is wearing only a colour to dominate the double page
necklace that lays across most of her chest. There is a temptation that spread.
was purposely intended with this picture that can contrast as an
editorial photo, for a fashion magazine, and also to entice more of the
male audience- both widening her target audience.

3. Florence’s bright red hair and the vibrant
red of the American flag are the only Arbitrary – the lyrics ‘got the love’ from
colours on the double page spread. Florence’s no. 1 single is something a fan that
Florence is well known for the colour of her knows her music well would know, helps to
hair, the only colour on the double page identify her audience and attract her target
spread helps the double page spread relate audience.
to her as an artist.
The colours on
the double page
spread are red
black and white,
in keeping with
a rock genre Clean layout of text helps to
identify her with a more
sophisticated audience but
also the mise en scene
helps to identify her with
the more heavy rock artist-
her dress and shoes jet
black against her flame red
hair creates an edgy style
artist.
Florence is sitting
on the American
flag although she
is from the UK, it is The large image of Florence sitting on the
representing her flag dominates most of the double page
impact on the US spread emphasising her new dominance
and also in the music industry and the impact she
broadening her has had as a new artist.
target audience us
wide.

4. Band index- helping the audience to identify which artists
will be featuring in the magazine without having to flip
through each page. Big heading- brand
The layout of the identity
contents page is
organised as it in lines
of three however
adhering to a rock
genre, there is a lot
going on in the page
with bold fonts and
the font colours red,
black and white
Additional scenery
emphasise the image of ‘worlds
dominant and almost greatest music venue’-
angry connotations
you receive within a
adhering to the
rock genre. audience interest in
the artist and the
music industry.
The magazine has a give
away, to attract its target
audience and it is also a way to
get a repeat buyer in the
magazine.