Rolling stone Magazine front cover and contents analysis

1. Magazine Cover & Contents page
Analysis

2. Cover
Line
Masthead
Skyline
Teasers/ Subheadings
Main Image
Main Pull
line/
kickers.
Masthead – The masthead,
the main aspects of the
front cover, stays the same
colour and typeface through
virtually every issue,
showing consistency. It is a
bold typeface with black
outline and drop shadow
effect, emphasising its
importance to the audience
in contrast to readers.
However, this issue’s font
colour is pink making it
unique and even more eye-
catching. The colour pink
connotes to femininity as a
juxtaposition to the almost
aggressive main image of
Dunham and the knowledge
that she is a proponent
activist of feminism.
Background – The background
is grey, not just putting a lot
more emphases and attention
on the image of highlighted
Lena Dunham , but it also
makes the magazine stand out
compared to other music
magazines available. Due to its
simple design, it looks
professional.
Main Image – The central image is of the
actor/director Lena Dunham and takes up
the whole cover of the magazine which is
drawing attention to it. She is wearing a
loose fitting and revealing shirt which
relates to “Goffman’ Theory” of
dismemberment as only her upper body is
shown. Dunham is looking straight at the
camera which is giving a direct mode of
address the audience.
Main Pull Line – The main
cover line, “Lena Dunham –
Anxiety, Bad Sex & The best
show on TV”, is in bold, white
capitals and larder than any of
the other teaser lines on the
cover to show its significance as
the main story.
Cover Lines – The main focus of
the cover lines is the bolder text
at the beginning of each, which
in this case is the names of the
bands and artists that the cover
line concerns . The topics of the
cover lines diff
Cover Page Analysis

3. Contents Page Analysis
• There are three main fonts used in the TOC; one for the
headlines and title of the page; one for the numbering; and
one for the leading text of the articles.
• There is one constant colour scheme that is followed
throughout the TOC; red, white and black. A bold black
font has been used for the leading texts and article
headlines; and a white background.
• The TOC is split up into two main sections; on the left a
column of photos; and on the right the editorial pillars of
the TOC.
• The cover date is
included at the very
bottom of the page
Sub-lines give further
explanation to the
different sections and
these are written in
an informal way –
perpetuating the
connection of the
magazine to the
reader.
Contents divided
into different
sections and
these sections
are organized
under different
headings.
The column
layout makes for
easy navigation
around the
different sections
included in the
contents page.
Contents page as
the front cover –
reinforces the
continuity aspect
of the magazine.
As the largest the
largest picture on
the page it implies
artist (“Master
Plan.”) the main
feature of the
issue.
Musician of a
relevant genre to
the RS’s audience
(e.g. relevant to
targeted readers
young age group).
Number of
magazine issue.
Convention of the
white background
makes the text
easier to read.
Information about the issue
number and cover date.