CONTENTS PAGE ANALYSIS

ALTERNATIVE PRESS – PAGE ONEQ – PAGE TWO KERRANG! – PAGE THREE XXL – PAGE FOUR

NIKITA GROUVEL

The layout of the contents page frames the main image that covers the whole left third and part of the middle third of the page. This makes the image stand out as the most important feature on the page. The only text which is joined by a background is the anchorage text to the image. The image is of the lead singer of Green Day, which gives an insight of what the article connected with it is. This makes navigation to this main feature easier and clearer. As well as this having such a known artist with large text shows the artists control on the audience and over the editing of the magazine. This connotes his control over the music industry and the magazine, and as a result is shown as more of a main feature. The minimalistic design of AP allows the individual styles and fame of the featured artists to take centre stage without AP getting in the way. Thus, the prominence of the artists to be of significance to the genre and therefore, the audience(who are obviously music fans as demonstrated in their choice of magazine) will consider the featured artists to be worth listening too. This is shown as Green Day are one of the most known bands of all time. There is no clear colour scheme to the contents page as most of the text uses contrasting or complimentary colours, which change throughout the text. This gives the clean, polished look to the page a more unorganised effect. The colours create variation to the mostly dull, muted colours used in the background image. The yellow is common in alternative magazines as it represents the toxic and abrupt/dangerous association f to the genre. The red represents the passion and also gives a rebellious and dangerous feel as red is usually connected to blood. The shade of blue is not commonly used as it is usually connected with baby boys, which connotes the adolescent side of lead singer Billie Joel Armstrong.

Unlike Q and KERRANG!, AP does not feature images of their cover content on the contents page. This suggests that the cover content is so big and recognisable that it is not needed to be repeated. This shows how the magazine company trust their content to get enough attention without the need of repetition. Although they have not placed cover images, they have used the subtitle of ‘Specials’ to entice people to look at more content than they initially were going too. Most people in the age demographic will commonly pick a magazine for one specific piece of content, so putting features on the content page will make them want to explore the magazine more. By putting page numbers it also makes it easier for the audience to go straight to the content. The language used in this contents page is brash and modern, evoking the nature of the alternative music genre. Notable is the use of Morden technology such as ‘Wiretapping’ this suggests a slightly more immature nature and rebellious nature of alternative and indie musicians who are characterised by their ability to drag teenage rebellion into adulthood. The layout also screams modern as there is no real structure to the text boxes. Rather than being split into columns of features and regulars with few images in between, this contents page has no clear set of columns with the content being placed in a variety of differently sized ‘boxes’ each of which contain a large page number and a brief description of the content. Such a layout forces the reader to look at every piece of content individually to find what they are looking for. Although this may bore the reader and make navigation unnecessarily complicated, it does increase the chances of the reader taking greater interest in the magazine than they originally expected as they are forced to look at content they were not previously looking for.

The layout of the contents page frames the images on the left third and right third of the page, making them stand out as the most important feature of the page. The large red box banner at the top of the page makes it very clear that this is the contents page, thus making navigation easier. Furthermore the issue number in the banner on the right is such as large typeface that it suggests that Q views itself as a professional document that could be filed away and used in the future, or as part of a collection. The masthead corresponds with the masthead on the cover, as it uses the same colours and dominates the page. The masthead of the page as well as subheadings are written with white pillar-box red backing or underlining . The continuation of the Q logo theme into the contents also reflects how the content listed is under full control of the magazine instead of the artists who are pictured on the cover. Furthermore, red is also seen in all of the minor feature images such as the smaller images on the right side of the page, which suggests that Q has an influence in the success of these particular artists. Unlike the cover of Q, the contents page features mainly serif fonts, this typeface is also seen in the masthead of the cover. This further suggests the control of the editors have to Q is not only of the front cover. In extension, it adds a degree of traditional professionalism which implies Q to be a higher brow media platform rather than fans writing about their favourite bands.

The main image is a high-angle close up of Liam Gallagher of Beady Eye and formerly Oasis. The shot is clearly taken from the same shoot as pictures from the cover(pictured right hand top corner) which gives a sense of repetition. Such repetition indicates a minimalist house style that will continue throughout the magazine and onto page 46. Furthermore, in both images Gallagher is not visibly looking into the camera, which supports his often camera-shy, rebellious persona. In addition to this, the image does not feature any of Beady Eye’s other band members, instead Gallagher is alone suggesting that he has a more profound importance in the bad, music industry and Q; an image which is greater exaggerated in the large size of the image. However, the image is placed in the opposite side to where the eye is naturally drawn, such a choice indicates Q’s desire for other content than the feature to be appreciated. The layout of the page combines logical and random designs to prevent the contents page

looking boring or overfilled. Each of the two pages, is split into three separate columns,, the centre two on each page are predominately filled with images of varying sizes as this is where the reader will be naturally drawn to look when the page is opened. The placement of the third column is essential as it is the first thing the reader sees upon turning the page. The placement of Regulars’ rather than ‘Features’ in this column is effective as it introduces the reader to content they are not yet introduced to. Furthermore, the lists of content are broken up through the use of varying text sizes, and contrasting colours and lines. These make the individual pieces of information easier to read than boxed text and also breakdown these elements of content into useful bites (the page number is larger making it easier to navigate.)

By placing an image of the cover on the contents page, a list of both feature and regular content is provided for the reader. By using the word ‘Regular’ is makes the content seem familiar to the reader and therefore gives a sense of community to the audience. It also makes it easier for the reader to navigate as the page numbers for the feature are all attached to their respective images, thus giving them little reason to read the ‘Features’ column, unless they specifically wish to .

The contents is split in half between a large main image, and text. The primary colours used are black and white (black on top, white on the bottom) which is a very obvious contrast. Such a contrasting split would usually look mundane, however the use of chiaroscuro lighting breaks the image into areas of light and dark which highlights certain areas, and therefore features of the low angle, mid shot image, such as the subject’s hair and torso. Therefore the use of editing in the main image prevents it from being boring without the use of overpowering colours. Unlike contents pages of Q, KERRANG! Features an editorial piece within the contents along with a picture of the editor. This makes the magazine feel more personal and relatable as it suggest to the audience that the content within the magazine was written by a fan of the music genre itself, and not just an institution trying to make revenue/profit. Furthermore, the editorial gives an insight into what the key points of interest are within KERRANG!. This is effective as it provides new readers a sense of what to expect, and a starting point when they first pick up the magazine. Therefore, KERRANG! Is easily accessible and thus making it easier to expand on it’s audience.

The contents is split into five columns (including editorial) which are then split into eight sub-categories. Unlike most magazines, the structure of KERRANG! Is chaotic which makes it more difficult to read. Although it has some sort of structure, the images and icons overlap the column’s lined edges and sub-headings are unevenly spaced throughout. However the editing and design of the chaotic contents, mirrors the madness of the alternative rock genre, as it is known to most as ‘uncontrollable’. The target audience of a magazine such as KERRANG! Is aged between 13-21; such a young audience would have no trouble in deciphering the contents for what they want to read.

In addition, the colours and shapes used within the contents (headings and icons), makes them very easier to identify and read. Therefore, improving the navigational properties of the contents page. The use of icons (red star with black circle and white text) to point out cover stories will increase the readability of the whole contents page, as it singles out headings that are familiar to the audience from the front page. This occurs as the cover stories are placed throughout the magazine, instead of all together, so they are placed around the contents instead of under subheading of ‘cover stories’ like many other magazines favour. By varying the ‘of-interest’ content throughout the magazine will force readers to look at other content when they are either scanning through the contents page, or through the magazine to find the right page. This increases the chances of interest being non-specialised, and the audience’s interest being sparked in another article, instead of only what is on the cover. This can result in the reader being more likely to buy the magazine in the future, even if the cover content does not interest them directly.

Meanwhile, the colours used within the contents represent the rebellious ‘emo’ attitudes of the target demographic (i.e. black and red are symbolic of darkness, passion, violence, blood, and rebellion.) Whilst the combination of black and yellow makes the sub-headings throughout the page look like hazard warnings, implying that only certain kinds of people are able to handle the contents of KERRANG!. As a result, the readers of the magazine are made to feel as if they are a part of an elite group.

Substance over branding is seen in the presence of images of the content, rather than on the cover, it’s on the contents page. This draws the reader into the physical magazine rather than its branding which suggests the importance of the artist over the institution within the alternative music genre.

However, this is counteracted by the reuse of the masthead in a smaller size on the central banner, and the labelling of the issue number under the title which indicates a collectable property of the magazine, rather then a selling point for the content. As well as this, the subscription offer in the bottom right corner is the first element seen when the page is opened which implies the magazine as being of greater importance than its content.

The contents page of KERRANG! Continues their house style. Nothing on the page is arranged neatly, and everything falls at a slight diagonal angle, giving the page a distressed look, which the alternative music genre connotes. Therefore, the page combines key colours of black, white, red, and acid yellow providing the page with the aggressive but also mournful appearance of alternative music artists and bands.

Men and women are represented through images. On the contents page there is only one image of a woman. It is a mid shot of a scantily dressed, mixed race woman in her possibly early twenties that is simply labelled ‘Eye Candy’. The way the image has been cropped highlights her buttocks and therefore emphasises the objectification of this young woman as just a piece of eye candy. Due to how both the woman and 50 Cent are overlapping the banner it could be said that they are both as equally important as each-other. However, if you were to look closer to the related article, the woman’s article is placed at the back nearer to the end of the magazine, whereas this image is positioned to be seen as soon is the page is opened. This suggests that the woman is merely just a selling point. Not only this, being nearer to the back of the magazine it also suggests that the men in the magazine are more dominant as most are closer to the front.

The lack of female representation on the page reflects the amount of woman in the hip-hop industry as well as the misogynistic attitudes typically seen in male hip-hop artists. In extension , the title of eye candy feature gives women no voice whereas 50 Cent is given the whole page and a quote to express his views. Furthermore, 50 cent is using a hat and microphone to cover some of his face suggesting he needs to hide himself from society, whereas the direct address of the woman to the reader connotes that woman should be happy to love and expose their body and sexuality to society and thus be objectified. Like Q, XXL features two pages of contents. Although unlike Q these pages feature back to back and have different types of content which are covered on the A side and B side. The A side contains the features/cover content with the majority of the content relating to the music industry. Whereas the B side features content relating to the hip-hop industry. The B side features articles relating to material wealth, X-rated content and images of scantily dressed women. The separation of the content reflects the nature of the hip-hop industry; people try to get into it for the music but the reality quickly changes to the generally accepted perks of the industry. Thus, the slitting of the content in such a manner allows the reader to find what content they are interested in.

The house style from the cover is continued across the contents pages. The colour scheme still consists of mainly red, black and white. This allows the subjects of the images used to take prominence over the pages. Resultantly, the fame of the artists and their lifestyles appears far more important that the actual music.

The layout and the typefaces used on the Aside aim to look minimalistic and emphasise the image of 50 Cent. All of the text uses sans serif fonts to connote the modern and urban nature of hip-hop music. Furthermore, when used in the titles and lists of contents, the sans serif fonts are less decorative and therefore less distracting which allows the content to take centre stage. The same can be said for the B side where the layout is less minimalistic .The content is split into two columns which appears simplistic. This is less chaotic than KERRANG! Suggesting the simplicity behind the hip-hop industry.

Despite the modern design, the page titles connote amore traditional aspect of music; the record. Such a choice suggests that the magazine is paying tribute to the origins of hip-hop which lie in jazz and blues.