The document provides a textual analysis of the magazines Q and NME. It analyzes their circulation numbers, mission statements, publishers, target audiences, and use of images, language, layout and design. For both magazines, the target audience is music enthusiasts in their late teens to late 20s, and the magazines aim to keep readers informed on the latest music and connect them to their favorite artists through in-depth interviews and reviews. Visual elements like covers, photos and color palettes are designed to attract readers and align with the magazines' rock/indie genres.

1. By James Rawlinson

2. TEXTUAL ANAYLSIS OF
„Q‟
 Circulation: 64,596 (Jan-Jun 2012)
 Readership: 371,000 (April–Sept 2012)
 Mission Statement: Q is the magazine that brings music alive. It draws together
the biggest stars, the most exciting phenomena, the new artists that matter and a
healthy dose of irreverence to create an unmissable widescreen picture of what‟s really
happening in rock and roll right now. Every issue features agenda-setting star
interviews, the month‟s biggest moments in music, and fascinating investigations into
the wider world of rock and roll. Each month Q‟s comprehensive reviews section gives
the last word on all the most important new releases and reissues – and feeds Q‟s
readers‟ hunger for new music to enjoy. Q‟s reviews section is the ultimate critical
overview of music. And magazine‟s unrivalled access brings its readers up close and
personal with the stars who set the agenda. Q is the ultimate rock and roll read.
Andrew Harrison - Editor, Q Magazine
 Publishers: Bauer Media Group

3. Q CONTINUED
 Reader Profile: Chris is 29 years old and lives in Leeds. Music is more important to him than
anything else. It‟s at the centre of his social life. It soundtracks all the best moments in his life.
It‟s his identity, his social currency and his world.
 Chris lives for gigs, festivals, and those electrifying moments of togetherness that only music
can provide. He is the one who sorts out gig tickets for his friends, turns them on to new
bands and sets up the big festival weekend. His tastes are “mainstream eclectic” – the big
stadium acts like Muse or Noel Gallagher mixed with the best of genres spanning rock and
electronica, plus the finest discoveries from music‟s past.
 Chris works in a professional job and finally has the money and time to indulge his music
habit to the full. He lives with a partner (no kids yet) who is similarly music- mad. He is
“discovering quality” in all areas, from sound systems to deluxe reissues to cars, travel and
clothes.
 Chris loves technology – he was first with the iPod, iPhone, iPad and now streaming music
services. He downloads music but still prefers to own CDs. And he spends more on music
than anything else: a big-ticket gig every week or so, six albums a month plus a Spotify
subscription and countless on-the-go downloads.

4. TEXTUAL ANAYLISIS OF
„NME‟
 Circulation: 56, 284
 Readership: 411,000
 Reader profile:
„The NME is damn honest‟
„Its full of facts the we should all know but don‟t BUT we do know thanks to
NME‟
„Honest no-holds barred reviews‟

5. Q COLOUR
The logo for Q on the left uses a red background to
symbolize the passion behind the music and the people
that read this magazine are passionate about the music. It
can also be used to make the White „Q‟ stand out so the
readers can see it from the other magazines in a shop.
The front cover (left) uses white and yellow text which is
used to stand out from the abstract background. The
white could symbolize that the music is pure and the
yellow is used to show the genre of alternative rock or
Indie. Both the white and the yellow stick with the house
style and stand out from the background. The background
uses lots of different colours which links with the artist
„Coldplay‟. The multiple abstract background can
symbolize the music by showing that they are
„alternative/rebellious‟.

6. Q COLOUR CONTINUED
The contents page (left) uses mostly red which
links in with the logo because it uses red and
white. The red makes the white writing stand out
on the white background. The white background
is used to make the magazine feel more formal
and aimed at a higher age group (20). The
magazine sticks to the red white and black
which matches the genre of „laidback‟ and
shows the house style.
The double page spread (left) uses the same
house style of red, black and white so the
magazine looks similar the whole way through
and even includes a yellow guitar which is used
in the cover lines in the front page.

7. Q layout and design
The layout and design includes text and the
images on the magazine. The text (left) looks
like it has been hand written links with the
rough/laidback genre. The writing and the
image on the bottom left link well because the
artist is from an indie band and the writing links
with the genre.
The front cover of the magazine includes the
singer from Coldplay which is the most known
indie band and the whole front cover links with
their style of music. This uses (Marslow‟s
Hierarchy 1954) by using a idol to satisfy the
readers needs for friendship.

8. Q images
The main image on the front of the Q magazine is the image of the
singer in the band Coldplay. This is used because Coldplay are the
most known indie band and people will pick up the magazine to
expect there to be a review on him. The main image reflects on the
content because it is an indie magazine. So this would therefore
target the audience of indie listeners. Male gaze is used (Mulvey
1975) by using a male for women to look at.

9. Q Pose, style, hair and make
up
The Pose that is given by the main image is a natural pose, possible
from a performance and the model looks free so it fits the genre of indie
because it is laid back and this is shown through the main image pose.
It is also shown by the model not having make up or a hair style, it is
very lazy. Also uses (Mulvey‟s male gaze 1975) including a male on the
front for women to look at.

10. Q Framing
Both the main image and the double
 page spread image are long shots of
a band member and they are both
male which shows that most band
members are male and they are
male. The magazine is using Male
gaze (Mulvey‟s 1975) by using
mostly men so the women buy it t
gaze at them. This makes the
magazine for men and women. The
background on the front page is an
abstract background including lots of
different bright colours to link with the
band Coldplay. When you look at the
page, your eyes get drawn to the
picture first which are placed on the
left hand side so you can see what
the article is about before reading to
make it more interesting.

11. Q written codes
The written codes in the magazine
are mostly on the front cover, for
example, the biggest cover line is „50
ALBUMS OF THE YEAR‟ which tells
the reader that the 50 albums of the
year is included in the magazine.
Also the strapline has a list of artists
which tells the reader what is
included. This suggest that the typical
reader would like to know what the
best songs or albums are. The titles
and the title of the magazine are bold
and stand out from the background
which make it easy to see.

12. Q Language
The language style that is used in the
magazine suits the genre by using laidback
language that sounds like its talking t the
reader individually or as a friend would, „Its
Friday afternoon‟ this is also trying to make
the reader feel like the magazine is in the
present so they are up-to-date with the
information.
The image on the left shows the
language used on the front cover, it
used formal language with no slang
and short snappy words so the reader
doesn't‟t have to spend a long time
reading it and quickly knows what's in
the magazine without buying it.

13. Q Overall impression
 Overall I think that Q targets their audience very well (17-25)
by using laidback language and a laidback feel throughout
the magazine. This magazines strong points are using a
male model that is well known (Coldplay) so it targets a
wider audience that may not read Q. (Mulvey‟s 1975) male
gaze is used to get the male and female attention witch is a
strong point. However I think that the magazine could be
improved by adding female models in the magazine to get
the attention of more males. But overall it is a good
magazine and I will use some of the elements in my own
magazine such as, the male gaze to get more female
readers and the language style, by talking to the readers
individually as friends and not feeding them information.

14. NME Colour
The colours used in the NME
magazine are red, white and
some yellow text. The red is used
to show passion about the music
inside the magazine. And the
white is used to to make the text
stand out from the blue
background, which is similar to
the red text. The red and white
are consistent throughout the
magazine which shows that the
magazine is for and older
audience and the language is
more formal.

15. NME Layout and design
The layout and design of the NME magazine is formal and
matches the genre type of popular and indie music. The text is
bold and some is hand written to show the indie feel. And as
you can see from both pictures it uses popular artists to make
the reader want to read it because they may be their role
model and this helps the magazine sell more.

16. NME Images
The main image on the front cover of
the NME magazine is a male from a
band. This is used because the
majority of the magazine readers are
male and this will attract the female
attention aswell. This will be known as
the male gaze (1975). This is where a
magazine will use a female to get the
attention of the males and this can be
done in the same way for females. Also
the image could be used because he
could be a role model for young
people, or could link to a large age
group.

17. NME Pose, style, hair and make up
The pose on the cover of the NME
magazine is usually posed
because its popular music. The
hair and make in look to not have
been done to link the artist and the
magazine to the genre of rock or
indie. The pose also links to the
male gaze, because the image is
posed it will appeal to females
aswell.

18. NME Framing
The shot used for the image on the
front cover is a close up on his face
and the mage is put on a plain blue
background to make it stand out
from the background. The thing you
first notice is the main image
because it is the main part of the
page, Then your eyes get drawn to
the main coverline because it is the
largest piece of text „MUSE‟. Most of
the text is on the left hand side
because it is easier to read from the
left to the right.

19. NME Coding
The title is NME so the buyers
know what magazine it is, and the
strap lines on the front cover are
used to show what is inside the
magazine such as „Florence
Returns‟. The cover lines show the
main subjects the magazine will
talk about and this shows the
readers interest. The biggest cover
line is he biggest text on the front
of the magazine which makes the
magazine stand out on the shelf
from a distance.

20. NME Language
The language used in this magazine is informative
but relaxed at the same time. „This will be your last
chance to hear a lot of our songs‟ there isn't any
slang involved because it tries to appeal to an older
audience.
The language used on the contents page is
formal and informative because it tries to
reach and older audience so no slang is
used and the layout is neat.

21. NME Impression
 My overall impression of the magazine
NME is good because of the layout, colour
and language techniques. I will take the
language style from this magazine and put
it into my own because I want to reach an
older audience. However, I will not use
posed front covers because I want to get
the genre shown through this because the
genre is laid back and I will show that
through the model by using messy hair and
rough clothes.