AS Media Analysis of

Music Magazines

By Sian Martin

The large masthead is behind the image in sans serif font giving connotations of a modern, trendy magazine. The title ‘RAP UP’ opens a clue to the type of music featured in the magazine. The black font stands out on a pink background catching the reader’s attention. Informal language such as ‘OH SNAP!’, (an expression associated with the young girls TV programme ‘Thats So Raven’) used in the cover lines aligned to the left and right makes it clear the target audience is young people. The Sky line at the top confirms the magazine’s youth as it refers to the social networking site ‘Twitter’, which is only a recent addition to the internet. This also conveys that the magazine is targeting the younger generation because this a popular site with young teenagers.

Ciara is using direct mode of address to engage the reader and make a distinct relationship between her and the reader. She is wearing a revealing playsuit showing there is a male audience yet the bright pink background gives the connotations that female readers are being targeted as well. Ciara is holding a camera and this intertextual device makes the cover stand out as it is unusual and eye-catching with the flash. This could be a reference to Ciara’s song ‘Click Flash’ that is about a photo shoot, which was a successful hit and landed up on the film sensation ‘Sex and the City’. The zebra playsuit sticks out from the pink background, which is a comparison of Ciara to an animal, and this makes it appear edgy. The white and black colours in her playsuit are replicated in the cover lines so that she fits in and epitomises the look of the magazine.

There is quite a lot of detail but the mixture of colours within the text makes it seem as if there is less writing, therefore making the reader not feel swamped with information.

The cover lines consist of well-known artists names that are associated with the RnB style of music, giving an insight into the type of audience this magazine would appeal to, being those who like RnB. The word ‘HITS’ attracts the reader as it sums up the purpose of the article and provides an insight into what the reader would gain from buying the article and that is to know more information about their favourite hits.

The pink background gradually becomes lighter towards the centre of the frame, where Ciara is standing in a medium close up. This effect draws in all the reader’s attention towards Ciara, with the ‘spotlight’ directly on her showing her importance and high status. The light catches the middle of her body from her cheek down to her leg, making her look radiant and beautiful in order to attract more readers.

I like this magazine because there is something for both genders. Ciara looking beautiful in a zebra, skimpy playsuit for the boys, yet the bright pink background and a female dominating image shows that there is a target audience for girls as well.

This is a large, serif masthead with the ‘U’ in italics, giving the cover sophistication and high class. The white, grey and black complimentary colours give the illusion of a fresh magazine whilst tying in with what the musician is wearing. The ‘m’ is not a capital letter giving the effect of a more informal magazine, which is targeted for any age audience. Although the title ‘Music’ is not catchy or a pun, it is simple and straight to the point showing what type of magazine it is.

In the top right corner, an enticement is used in order to reach a wider audience. The red writing in ‘FREE CD’ stands out of the yellow background in order to catch the reader’s attention. Another enticement is used in a bright red circle with the words ‘WIN!’ in white, again, to make it stand out and be visible for the reader without over powering the purpose of the magazine.

The dominating image of a man playing a violin had been edited to make him look like slightly animated and blue and the words ‘Back & Blue’ attract the reader, as it sets an enigma code and makes the reader want to know more about why he is ‘blue’. The direct mode of address makes the reader feel engaged by the musician. The

black background makes the musician look almost like a silhouette and the shadowing gives a 3D dimensional effect. The use of the violin suggests the type of magazine as this particular instrument is associated with classical music. The cover line ‘Exclusive interview’ is enticing as it shows there is only one chance to read this article and this makes the magazine more appealing as it has an advantage over other similar styles of magazines. Repeats of the word ‘exclusive’ are found in other cover lines such as ‘Our exclusive extracts’, putting the magazine as a leading model to all other classical magazines.

The skyline at the top ‘world’s best-selling classical magazine’ makes the magazine appeal to the reader with the use of the superlative ‘best’, whilst giving a clue that the magazine is intended for people who love classical music. The logo of the BBC ties in an association with news and a huge media corporation. This sets a background for a target audience as it suggests that the people who are interested in the latest news will find a lot of it in this magazine.

The repetition of superlatives such as ‘best’ in the cover lines attracts readers, as it suggests no other magazine can beat it. The use of third person ‘CRITICS YOU CAN TRUST’ builds a strong relationship between the reader and the magazine as it’s engaging and speaks to the reader directly.

I like this magazine because it is unusual and eye-catching and the direct mode of address from the man makes the reader feel a connection to him. The unusual house style of the magazine with silvery, blue colours makes this magazine stand out from the rest.

This is large masthead with sans serif font making the cover seem fresh and modern. The masthead is slightly covered by Usher, making the reader focus more on the contents of the magazine. However this could also be because the magazine is so popular, the reader would know the title still reads ‘VIBE.

Usher is dominating the cover, with the text ‘USHER The king is back’ aligned to the left. This metaphor excites the reader and refers to his wide selling music. The association of a ‘king’ with the magazine gives a sense of glamour. Usher is addressing the audience with his body language, yet his sunglasses give the sense of mystery surrounding him, encouraging the reader to want to know more about him. The word ‘VENGEANCE’ makes the reader intrigued to know more about the story. His costume and ‘bling’ show he is modern and trendy and as his accessories look expensive, conveys the magazine is worth a lot.

There is a repetition of the word ‘sex’, giving a clue that the magazine is targeted at a younger generation, being teenagers to young adults. The word ‘Scandals’ also adds to the connotation that this magazine is targeted for younger people as it is more of a gossip music magazine rather than a serious, high class music magazine.

The cover line at the bottom ‘VIBE.com’, shows that a younger people are definitely being targeted as online is the new print-based for the new generation and teenagers would rather read an article online for free rather than buy a magazine.

CONTENT... The headlines looks delicate and feminine, giving the connotations the magazine is intended for young females. The black lettering makes the magazine seem more sophisticated. The layout of the text is split up into a range of fonts, shapes and styles, breaking up the length of the text. This makes the reader not be put off by a lot of information. The cover lines confirm that the magazine is intended for young woman as the stories are men orientated with the view that the articles are from a female perspective.

MASTHEAD... This masthead is eye-catchy and unusual as the word ‘CONTENTS’ is split up, giving a more creative look. The sans serif, font gives the connotation of a modern magazine and the title is not gender-based as it can appeal to both genders.

This is a medium sized, sans serif mast head with the C curving to underline the name of the

IMAGE… This image of a woman lying down using direct mode of address to engage with the reader is engaged is unusual and very creative. The lighting is catching her legs giving the page a sense of texture and glow, which might capture a male audience as her legs are stunningly long and slim. She is wearing a nude violet playsuit complimenting her olive skin tone. The lighting is soft against her face, showing her as delicate and peaceful.

magazine, showing its smooth, relaxed tone. The yellow and white glow to the title makes it look as if there is a spotlight on it, giving the connotations that this magazine is important and special. The name of the magazine ‘Country Music’ shows the magazine is targeted at people who like country music or perhaps live in the countryside. ‘Alabama’ is big and bold, extending from the left side to the right, giving connotations that the band is important and significant to the style of the magazine.

The image of the band ‘Alabama’ is only dominating one half of the magazine, showing a more in depth magazine that covers more information. The title ‘Alabama’ is below the image of four men, telling the audience that the band is called ‘Alabama. The calm colours blue and red, reflect a happy, relaxed, slightly old fashioned feel to the magazine. All the men are smiling and there is a subtle spotlight on them, making them look more friendly and welcoming. This creates an immediate liking for them. The men are wearing leather jackets and most of them have mullets, which is a popular hairstyle for country people. This gives the reader a clue that the target audience are people who are from the country of like country music, as the image is always a good representation of the intended audience. The cover line ‘The end of an era’ show that the magazine is doing a tribute to the band ‘Alabama’ and therefore in terms of age, this magazine could be targeted at people who are 40-55 years old, which seems to be the similar age to the men in the image.

In the other half, the background colour is red, coinciding with the red skyline, tying in the magazine together. The words ‘what’s ahead for the future’ show that the magazine also has a modern side and could potentially appeal to the younger generation as well. In the bottom left corner of the cover, there is a picture of a young woman playing the guitar, which may be that the text is referring to her as what’s ahead for the future. She has long blonde hair, and a golden glow is shining on her, making her look radiant and slightly angelic. This repletion of a glow, shows that this could be the house style of the magazine.

Here males are being targeted as the woman is very attractive and wearing quite skimpy clothes which follows on with the joke ‘now if she could only find her clothes’. This awareness that the woman is meant to appeal to men makes the joke quite funny and shows the magazine is quite informal.

This is a large, sans serif masthead slotted behind the image, giving the magazine cover a sense of depth and 3D effect. The name ‘MOJO’ is quite unusual and memorable.

An enticement is being used in the top left corner saying ‘FREE BEATLES’. The use of the ‘Beatles’ in red stands out from the circle and the ‘free’ is enlargened in order to capture the reader’s attention without over powering the image. As The Beatles are such a huge success, they have turned the front cover into a Beatles tribute, connecting everything to the Beatles so that fans can gain a lot from the magazine. Already the target audience is hinted at as it is clear only a Beatles fan would want a freebie of Beatles music.

IMAGE… This image of a woman lying down using direct mode of address to engage with the reader is engaged is unusual and very creative. The lighting is catching her legs giving the page a sense of texture and glow, which might capture a male audience as her legs are stunningly long and slim. She is wearing a nude violet playsuit complimenting her olive skin tone. The lighting is soft against her face, showing her as delicate and peaceful.

The image is of the four members of The Beatles, all spread out covering the full page and giving the illusion of huge depth. They are wearing sunglasses and their haircuts are all the same, as this is their signature look and although we cannot see their faces in detail, we can easily distinguish that they are The Beatles. John lennon has a cigarette in his mouth, giving connotations of a ‘cool’ and ‘carefree’ attitude, which they were well known for. However, it also gives the reader a sense that they aren’t angels, they have a dangerous side to them aswell. Their clothes indicate that they are still in the ‘hippy’ time period, however this was their style and therefore makes them more appealing to the reader. The cover line next to them ‘The Beatles’ confirms the bands identity and is the largest text on the cover page showing that they are the most important and crucial article of the magazine.

The three words of alliteration in the cover line’ Revolt, Revelation and Revolver’ is a technique which makes it stand out and sums up what The Beatles movement was about in the 60’s. In the bottom cover line ‘The album that shocked the world’, shows that there is an angle to this story and makes the reader want to read on. The colour in the text matches the colour on John’s jacket, drawing in the image and text and making the cover look complimentary.

The cover lines aligned to the right shows ‘101 greatest songs’ followed by a list of famous, popular artists, showing that the magazine is trendy and knows exactly what the target audience want. As these artists are well liked by the younger generation it appears the target audience is for young adults. However The Beatles were born with the people from the 60’s so this magazine could appeal to middle-aged people just as much if they were a fan of Beatlemania. The colours green and white, are neutral colours showing that this magazine can appeal to any gender.

HEADING... This large heading, immediately draws in the readers as it is catchy and gives the audience a taste of what the article is about. The rhetorical question shows that this article is more informal, and hints that the target audience is 14-25 year olds.

IMAGE...teenagers to young adults as that is the base of the fan club for this band. The four members are wearing unusual, clashing coloured clothes that immediately catch the readers attention, something they are well known for. Their body language makes them look robotic and the font in the heading matches this house style. Fergie is wearing a revealing top, showing that there is a male audience being targeted but the girly layout shows females are also being targeted. The three members are all slightly transparent as the white background makes them fade out, however Wil-i-am is fully visible and slightly in front of the other members showing the audience that the ‘he’ is related to him. Also, the transparency makes the reader focus on the writing as well as the image and shows an equal level of importance between the two.

CONTENT... The text within the article is a conversation between Wil-i-am and the journalist. This is a popular method of recording interviews and it keeps the audience entertained and doesn’t look like a mass load of information.

HEADING... The heading ‘USA’ is dominating half of the page but is transparent so that the image and the text can be read over it. It is sans serif font showing that the magazine can be modern yet the ‘got the love’ is serif font and sophisticated. This heading makes reference to Florence Welch’s song ‘You got the love’ yet also giving connotations that she is well loved by America. The knowledge that this article requires of the reader to know the song shows that the target audience is teenagers to young adults.

IMAGE... The image is of Florence Welch sitting on a table with direct mode of the address, which draws in the reader. A flag is draped over the table, showing her nationality and this gives connotations that this magazine is targeted at English people. Her outfit is a little eccentric and shows the readers a bit of her personality.

LAYOUT... The article begins with drop caption, giving it a sophisticated and classy look. The article is in columns aligned to the right which makes the article neat and easy to read.

CONTENT... The use of the superlative ‘biggest’ shows how successful Florence has been but also shows that the magazine is telling the best story they can find. This draws in the reader as they think they are getting the best possible article. The ‘Florence Welch’ is highlighted in blue to show that she is the main feature of the article.

The heading in this contents page is large and centered above the contents list. The list is designed to look like a menu and this is covering a picture, making the page look busy and full of life.

Next to each listing is a sub-heading summing up the story. This is so that the audience can read the contents clearly and decide to skip out some information if the topic does not take their fancy. The black font of white background makes the writing easy to read, and it stands out from the images. Below each image is a caption summing up what the image is about. This makes the page more ordered and tidy and is therefore more likely to be read by the audience. The red contrasts against the pictures and stands out makes the reader focus on them.

The images range from different generations and different styles. Some are old looking and even black and white, where as the cartoon of ‘Dennis the Menice’ which is relatively new, shows that there is a younger audience being targeted.

The writing is serif font giving the page a feminine look. Overall the cover, however, looks as though it is targeted for boys and the heading is more masculine looking with sans serif font.

This layout of the text is not always straight and there is a slight tilt to the contents box giving a child-like essence to the page. The target audience is for the younger generation and you can tell this by the stories. They are all short but simple in order to maintain the readers interest whereas in a more formal, older magazine the articles would be more complex and long.

This is large masthead in block lettering, making it seem fresh and modern. The bright red attracts the reader as it stands out from the neutral background. The white outline gives a 3D effect to the lettering.

La Roux is using direct mode of address in order to communicate with the reader. She is wearing light blue eye shadow, with no other make-up and her skin is pale looking, giving the connotations of the comparison to ice. Her hair is in her signature coif, which makes the reader know that she is La Roux. This style also makes her look unusual and the quote ‘I’m a whole new kind of pop star’ says what the reader is already thinking, showing a sense of understanding between the two. The Photoshop of a tear on La Roux’s cheek make the reader question why she is sad, but the sparkle in the tear, gives connotations of her being unique.

The background of the cover looks like animal skin, but the colours coincide with the colours of La Roux’s jacket. As it is unusual, it makes the cover look more interesting and tells the reader this magazine is like no other.

The cover line ‘The Future 50’ show that this magazine is ahead of time and gives it a unique selling point. This cover line is even bigger than the masthead showing that the editor wants it to be seen and paid attention to. The list of three ‘The Bands, The Artists, The Innovators’, is catchy and gives a short but sweet insight into more detail of the magazine.

HOUSE STYLE... This house style has a gothic feel to it with repetition of black and the writing is hard and edgy. Also the image of the band show that it is rock/ goth.

BRAND IDENTITY… The NME is big in block capitals and the red fill on a black border makes it stand out.

LURE… The ‘Kasabian got romantic in a chuch’ acts as a lure as it will make people want to the read the article because it sounds unsual.

LAYOUT… Here the use of an index running down the left hand side of the magazine, makes it easy to find any contents and also makes the magazine layout look more organised. This will appeal to any audience as it is easy to follow and doesn’t require much effort. The contents has sub-headings so that the reader can scan the page and get a feel for the style of the magazine. Through doing this the reader will be able to pick and choose and this makes the magazine more alluring.

The HEADLINE ‘Welcome to Lame Academy’ is dominating the top right corner, making the reader immediately drawn to the article. The serif writing makes the page look girly and sophisticated. The yellow section makes the heading stand out against the dull blue background. The play on words ‘Lame Academy’ is a reference to the hit show ‘Fame Academy’, giving an insight into the topic of the article.

The IMAGE is of a woman, who has been dressed to look like a celebrity. The reader can tell this as she looks glamorous and it using iconic celebrity props to make this obvious the reader. Also the silhouetted paparazzi show she is meant to be a celebrity. However, this exaggerated look shows that it is making fun of celebrities rather than showing them off.

The LAYOUT of the double page spread is mostly dominated by an image, showing that it is targeted for people who like images over reading mass information. This is particular younger people aged 13-25. The drop cap, makes the article look more interesting and alluring to the reader. The jagged edging to the text and images makes the article look more modernised.

Here the image of Shakira is dominating the top half of the magazine. The headline ‘Danger!’ acts as a LURE to the reader, as it sets an enigma for the audience. Shakira is wearing a black, satin top, making her look sophisticated but her red shoes show connotations of danger.

DROP CAP is used to make the article look classy and formal, giving a clue into the target audience of the double page spread. The word ‘Work’ remind the audience that Shakira is a successful artist and show that the article will be based around her work life that the reader wouldn’t get to see.

In the left, top of the page there is a picture of Shakira with no top on however she is covered up showing the audience she is very sexy yet sophisticated, with DIRECT MODE OF ADDRESS

making a connection between her and the reader. This picture indicates that a male audience is being targeted but also shows two sides to Shakira; a thriving business woman, and a young girl who still is adventurous and fun. The LAYOUT of the spread is easy to read as the text is in short columns, making the writing appear sparingly.The repetition of the colour red emphasises the seduction of the article but also ties together the double page spread.

Here the IMAGE is of Rihanna sat on the end of a tank. This is eye-catching as it is very abstract and may be hard to understand what she is sat on. This makes the reader be drawn in as they will read the article to find out what the picture is showing. Rihanna is wearing a black hat, with ears and a playsuit, showing that she is in a show and is dressed up as a character for the fun of it. The use of pink props on black background make the image pop so that it is hard to ignore.

The LAYOUT of the text has been put into columns to keep the spread looking neat and tidy, however there is a lot of information, unlike the other spreads that I have looked at. This may be because this magazine has an older target audience that would want to read and know a lot of information about the celebrity rather than just see images of them. The repetition of the colour pink, shows that this spread is targeted more at girls.

The unfinished sentence in the heading acts as a LURE, as the reader will carry on reading into the article as they will want to know the end of the sentence. This enables a chance for the reader to get involved with and hooked to the article and ensures they will read the information. The quotation embedded in the text from Rihanna makes the article seem reliable and valid as there is real evidence to the angle of the article. This means that the reader are more likely to carry on buying this magazine as it can provide more than just hearsay.

This mast head is partly hidden by the image and this shows that Rolling Stone have already made a brand identity and therefore the reader will know which magazine this is. The font looks quite old and classical making the magazine seem targeted at people who are 30 and over.

The image is of Barack Obama, who isn’t associated with music but is a political leader, and this shows that the magazine is quite classy as it would not be easy to have an interview with the president. He is dominating the front cover showing the reader he is very important and his positioning on the page makes it look as if the magazine is centered around him. His facial expressions and body language make him very authoritative and powerful, as he is stood with his hands on his hips and his head up right. This shows the reader what an influential and important man he is but also makes the magazine stand out as he is not easy to ignore. The white faded shadow around his body against a blue sky makes him look angelic and likens him to that of an angel. This sends a message to the reader that Obama is a saviour to the people. He

is wearing a suit and tie with an ominous look into air showing that he is looking at a bigger picture and is very important. The cover line next to him ‘A New Hope’, shows the positivity around this magazine and persuades the reader to delve into the article.

The words in the cover lines, ‘powered’ and ‘revolution’ exaggerate the interview with Obama but the word ‘exclusive’ reminds the audience that no other magazine has the story and therefore gives this magazine a unique selling point. Furthermore the cover line ‘Hillary’s last stand’ is a dramatic, short sentence that gives the reader a taste of what is to come inside the magazine. It also shows there is an element of drama beneath Obama’s angelic exterior.

The list of three ‘Back, better and still breathing’ with alliteration, makes it catchy and memorable to the reader. It also sets an enigma about, what ‘The black Crowes’ are and why are they better than before? This technique keeps the cover lines from being dull and draws in the reader.

The barcode in the bottom right hand corner shows the reader that the magazine is using conventions to establish what it is. Also the use of the cover line aligned to the left, and the dominating image are all conventions of magazine covers.

The mixture of fonts, shapes and sizes mix the writing up making it appear like there is little detail when infact there is quite a lot of text on the cover.

I like this magazine as it is strays quite a bit from the normal conventions of a magazine such as having an artist on the front cover. Also, the picture is quite clever as they have taken the use of Obama’s popularity with people and turned a cover into an eye-catching spectacular.

The mast head is unique as it is only one letter yet it still looks effective. The white ‘Q’ on a red square background, makes it look sophisticated and tells the reader that it could be targeted at a female audience. This unusual heading is emphasised by the phrase underneath ‘A different take on music’ and the key word different, makes the reader intrigued as to how it will be different.

The image is of Lilly Allen and she has her back to the audience but has no clothes on her top half, giving a cheeky feel and dismissing the idea that the magazine is targeted at only females. It is clear there is a male interest being targeted as she is an attractive woman and this magazine would draw in male attention. The two black tigers either side of her give the magazine a dangerous edge as tigers are known for being a dangerous yet beautiful animal. This cover is likening Lilly Allen to a tiger and the reader can tell this by the use of black in her clothes and her jet black hair which matches the tigers. Also the cover lines ‘Sexy Beast LILLY ALLEN’ and quotation from Allen ‘I am a tiger!’, shows the magazines attempts to liken her to the tigers with the use of a metaphor.

The repetition of the colour red shows class but also hints at danger, as it is accompanied with the image of tigers.

The word in the cover line ‘Exclusive’ sells the magazine to the reader as it gives connotations that the magazine has an advantage over others.

The three main big, bold cover lines feature popular, well known band names and this shows the reader that the magazine can offer something for everyone.

Here the largest image is in the centre of the text. At the top of the spread there are multiple images of the celebrity Solange Knowles, posing in different positions, giving the impression she is quite lively and fun. All of these shots are in grey but the main larger image of her is in colour, making the reader focus upon it. Her red dress shows she is sophisticated and wealthy but the ruffles show her fun personality and also her love for dancing.

Next to the image is the headline and her name is in bright blue, making it stand out and showing her importance within the article.

The layout of the text has been put into columns to make the spread look neat and tidy. The bright colours show that a female audience is being targeted and the amount of information show that this may be for people aged 16-25, who enjoy a lot of text.

The image shows a man sat back in a large, deep red chair. There is a lot of shadow but his face has a subtle light on him showing that he is important and under the spotlight in this article. He looks relaxed and very

confident and the reader can tell this by his body language. His hands are stretched out and gripping both sides of the chair giving connotations that he is powerful. He looks quite serious and this almost intimidates the reader, which is contrast to previous covers where the image welcomes the reader. His slicked back hair and leather jacket give the impression he is quite ‘cool’ and the heading to the left of the image tells the reader he is a DJ.

In the heading ‘Joris Voorn’ is in red, showing that he may be quite dangerous but exciting. The two phrases ‘du jour’ and ‘no more’ rhyme and this makes the heading catchy and interesting. The writing is sans serif showing that this article is more modern and trendy and therefore may be for an audience aged 15-25.

The layout of the text has been put into columns making it easy to read and giving the article a clean look. The drop cap makes the article seem more sophisticated and well written which attracts the reader. There is a lot of text showing the target audience could only interest the latter half of the target audience as most teenagers don’t like having to read a lot of information and prefer visual viewing.

The double page spread is not full of bright colours, and has a male dominating the image, so this shows the reader that a male audience is being targeted over a female audience. Also, the mans profession of a DJ, is more significant to males as most DJ’s are male.

This masthead is big and bold with sans serif font, showing that this magazine is modern and trendy. It is slightly covered by the image of Drake, showing that it has already created a brand identity and therefore doesn’t need to show the whole title. The use of white lettering on a black background makes the mast head stand out and draw in the audience.

Drake is dominating the front cover and is using direct mode of address to make the cover hard to ignore. He is wearing a black t-shirt with the word ‘Unstoppable’ printed on it in white, co-ordinating with the colours on the cover and also showing the reader his importance. The expression on his face is not welcoming but not too serious, giving the connotations that he is ‘cool’.

The name of artists in the skyline tell the reader that the magazine has more featured other than Drake but also hints at the target audience.

The cover lines are in yellow and white, which makes them stand out against the black background, and also give connotations that the magazine is stylish.

The target audience can be established as 14-25 year olds, as the type of music that is being featured has this similar target audience. Also the style of the magazine shows that it is for a younger audience.

The heading ‘The Vaccines’ is simple and tells the reader that the article is about the band positioned to the left of the article. The heading is in a simple font and is quite large, drawing the reader in. The name ‘Jamie Fullerton’ under the heading tells the reader that the article is focused on one of the band members.

The layout of the article is neat and tidy with the article in columns and the image covering the left side of the page. However the use of the blue lines scattered randomly across the page shows the reader that the band are quite funky and have an edge. The use of drop cap makes the article look professional and well written. It presents the text nicely and makes the reader interested in reading it.

This double page spread is partially dominated by the image. The image shows four men positioned one in front of the other, filling most of the space and letting the reader see all of them in great detail. Also, the use of this shows the reader which one of the band members is the band leader and the focus of the article. The men are all slightly gaunt looking with pale faces and dark hair. Their style and clothes lets the reader know that this is a pop band.

There is a quote in the centre of the text from one of the band members. It is larger than the rest of the text which makes the reader read this first. It reads ‘We are a pop band and we want to be a pop band’.

Here the heading is scattered across the page, making the article look edgy and interesting. The use of the colour red indicates that there is a sense of danger surrounding the band. Also red and black are colours associated with rock bands so this immediately tells the reader who the target audience for the article is. The use of the superlative ‘Best’ makes the band seem like they are better than the rest and this appeals to the audience as they want the best possible artists.

The text is in columns; however there is little of it showing that the target audience may be people aged 15-20, who prefer visual references rather than mass information. The text box to the right of the page titled ‘New MCR Tracks The lowdown’ shows the reader that the spread has more to offer than an article about ‘My Chemical Romance’.

The double page spread is dominated by images of members of the rock band. There is one dominating image taking up the left hand side of the page, showing a man stood by a microphone and the micro elements tell the reader that he is performing a show. His hair is swept across his face and his black clothing indicate to the reader that he is a rocker as this style is frequently associated with rockers. Other images of rock members give the reader more detail and makes the spread look more interesting.

This largest heading on this page says ‘Vixen’ yet this is quite conspicuous showing that the magazine have already established their brand identity and don’t need a huge, flashy heading in order for the reader to know which magazine this is.

The image dominating the cover is of a young woman, wearing a shirt and bikini and sat on a floor against a wall. She is looking away but her body language makes her look calm and relaxed, making the reader feel welcomed and comforted by her presence. Her legs have a glow to them, which makes them stand out from the murky plain corridor. This image tells the reader that it is summer due to her clothes and her tan.

The look of summer acts as a LURE to the reader as you can’t help but look at her lovely, tanned legs.

The contents is laid out on the left side of the page and is in quite small writing making the focus all about the woman and not the contents itself.

This contents page is unusual for VIBE as they have not stuck to their house style.

Instead of one main, dominating image of an artist, there is a lot of images broken and split up around the page in a grid like layout.

However the heading is still the same as it has been layered onto different lines in the same font. Although it is not as big as usual, it is still visible to the reader and makes the page recognisable as VIBE.

The contents is in the middle of the images, and although in a different position, it still has the same font, with similar conventions of a normal contents page.

The white spaces throughout the page make the contents page look fresh and bright but also gives connotations that the magazine is quite modern.

This is a large spaced out, sans serif mast head showing that this magazine is modern. The red gives connotations of sophistication but also danger. The mast head is slightly covered by the image of Beyonce, and this shows that the magazine has already established a brand identity and therefore only needs to show a small section in order to make it recognisable.

The image of Beyonce is dominating the cover, and she is looking very sensual and seductive, as she is wearing wet skimpy clothes and is quite wet herself. This hints to the reader that this magazine is being targeted at males.

The cover line ‘Beyonce strips down’ is followed by ‘ for summer’, but this cover line is exceptionally smaller than the ‘Strips down’ line, showing that the editor only wants you to see the strips down. This draws in the reader’s attention as the bold red lettering, give connotations of a saucy issue.

There is no heading here, which forces the reader to read the article in order to find out more about this band.

The use of drop cap makes the article look quite sophisticated and shows that the target audience is people aged 18- 30, as the band members look quite middle-aged.

Here the image is almost entirely dominating the double page spread. The image is of members of a band, and their style gives connotations the reader that they are a rock band. They are on an airplane and one is taking a picture with his phone showing that this band have a childish side. On the complete contrary the band member next to him is reading the The Independent, and this gives connotations that the band like to make jokes and don’t take themselves too seriously.

The heading here is simple in sans serif font, giving the illusion of a modern, trendy magazine. The slits make the title seem more interesting and are part of Billboards house style.

The No1 chart on the left, appeals to the reader as it is offering what some magazines don’t. As many people want to know the latest songs this gives the contents page a unique selling point.

The contents is positioned in the centre of the page, and has sub-headings making it easy for the reader to choose which section they want to read. The image of a girl crouched down adjacent to the text gives connotations of a welcome, friendly atmosphere.

The heading for this contents page is very compacted as the editor has made it squeeze into one broad line at the top. The use of multicolour font makes the page look unusual and exciting. The text ‘All the news that fits’, explains to the reader that the purpose of the compaction is to make a joke out of the news, and this shows that there is a target audience for people between the ages of 16-30.

The image is of a man, but he has been edited to look elongated and distorted, however is still recognisable to the audience as to who he is. If this isn’t clear enough the text along side of the man ‘Bob Mould’ shows the reader that he is an artist who is perhaps having an interview in this week’s magazine. The use of direct mode of address makes this contents page very ‘in your face’ and unforgettable.

The list of the contents is neatly aligned to the left of the image, in curly writing making is look almost hand-written. This shows that the magazine is quite classical and stylish. The headings above each subject allows the reader to scan through the text and makes the layout seem more neat and tidy.

The repetition of the colour red through the sub-headings show that there is an essence of class.

This contents page shows a dramatic difference from the previous one with the layout. The images of members of rock bands, gives connotations of the genre of the magazine.

The heading is quite spaced out and in a sans- serif font which makes it seem more modern yet the familiar murky yellow seen in danger signs, gives connotations that the magazine could be of the rock genre.

The images are broken up and divided in a grid-like fashion, making it look neat and tidy and easy to read. The man in the most dominating image, is easily distinguishable and a member of a rock band as he has the swept over hair, and a large tattoo on his neck, showing he is not so angelic. However his facial expression makes him look calm and harmless and so the reader is able to feel welcomed by the image rather than intimidated.

The contents is aligned down the right side of the page in a column making it look neat and tidy. The sub-headings, similar to the previous contents page, make it easy for the reader to pick and choose and this makes the contents page more appetising.

This large heading is compact and chunky, which gives the connotations that its modern and trendy. As its black is stands out against the pale background, and draws in the reader.