Analysis of Music magazine front covers, contents pages and double page spreads from Q, Vibe and Billboard magazine.

1. Magazine analysis
I am going to analyze a cover page, a contents page and a double page spread from the three magazine
companies Q, Vibe and Billboard. Doing this research will widen my knowledge of what works with a
magazine and which parts I feel are effective. Going on from this research, I can put these techniques into
my own magazine creation in order to achieve a cover, contents page and double page spread that will
catch the attention of my target audience (16-24 year olds and both genders).

2. Q magazine
• Founded in 1986 by Mark Ellen and David Hepworth
• A popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom
• It was originally going to be called Cue to symbolize cueing a record
ready to play but was changed so the audience wouldn’t mistake the
magazine for a music magazine.
• It was first publishes in October 1986 by the EMAP media group
• In January 2008 EMAP sold sold its consumer magazine titles which
includes Q to the Bauer Media Group.

3. Main image:
The artist is shot in medium shot and is central of the
magazine so he automatically attracts the audiences’
attention. He is dressed in black which is a vital aspect
of the thought behind the magazine as it allows the
layout of the text to be layered on top of his image to
stand out.
Masthead:
The masthead of this poster is white with a red background which makes the title stand out due
to the fact red is associated with danger so easily captures the attention of the audience. It also
stands out due to fact the background of the whole poster is fairly pale and the dynamic red
background of the masthead is also used for other text that the editors wished to stand out.
Cover lines:
The cover lines feature different artists and are in white font which contrast against the dark
background and is easily readable due to the colour, size and the sharp and bold font. The artist names
are in a larger font so will bring more of the audiences’ attention to them.
Main cover line:
The main cover lines shows the main image’s artist
name- ‘Ed Sheeran’. It is in the center of the magazine
which means the magazine will attract anyone who likes
this artist. It is also in red and is a fairly large font which
shows that this cover line is supposed to be at the focus
of the audiences’ attention.
Barcode:
The barcode includes the price of the magazine-
£3.99- the date of the issue which was January 2015
and the website for Q magazine. The barcode is
important as it provides information about the
magazine and due to the fact it has the magazine’s
website on it also, it increases publicity for Q
magazine as it encourages the audience to look at the
website.
Colour palette:
The colours on this magazine are all very spread out and
overall bring a very eye pleasing effect. The red and
white text is used to make particular aspects stand out
which I feel is a very effective method to attract the
audiences’ attention. I feel this colour palette works well
on this magazine as all of the colours go together well
yet still stands out.
Layering:
The layering of the magazine has the text over the main
image which means the text is easily readable so the
audience can clearly read it. But, the main image is over the
background of the masthead which is an effective
technique as the masthead and the main image is what
attracts the audiences’ ’ attention so by having each of
these next to each other it creates a bold, eye catching
statement overall for the magazine cover.

4. The masthead is also shown on the contents
which reminds the audience which brand this
magazine is and again is in a white font with a
red background. The red background makes the
title stand out but is a slightly less bold tone of
red in comparison to the cover page which
suggests the editors wanted o achieve the more
relaxed look for the contents page so it is eye
catching, but not too bold as the contents
page’s purpose is to give information rather
than catch the audiences’ eye.
The colour palette for the magazine in comparison to the magazine front cover is
very calm and relaxed which is due to the fact that contents pages’ are supposed
to clearly give information and by having bold colours it may be eye straining and
distracting. But I feel that all of the colours come together really well to achieve
an effective looking magazine contents page.
The images are spread out across the contents page and
are angles to achieve the idea of a unique and different
layout. This potentially could make the audience believe
that this magazine has it’s on individual and
unconventional style which could make them intrigued
for what more the magazine has in store.
Along with the masthead, the header for the contents
page also contains the contents title in black and the
issue of the magazine in white. These two colours work
well against the red background which means the text is
easily readable and stands out. Each text is a different
size having ‘Q’ as the largest and most eye catching as
this is the masthead for the magazine, ‘Contents’ next to
tell the reader what the page contains and ‘Issue 279’ in
the smallest font as it isn’t relevant information yet is
still interesting.
The text tells the reader where to find the most
important information the editors felt was in the
magazine. It includes the artists name and page
number in a bold black font and then goes on to
give a preview on what the page contains. This
makes the audience intrigued about why the
editors felt page should be featured on the
contents page. The Beatles section towards to top
of the page also shows an image of them and the
information about what this page contains is in red
font. This is an effective technique as the reader
will see the masthead first as it is the most eye-
catching but will then go on to look at the images
which then leads them to see what the magazine
features.

5. The colours for this magazine are very simple yet I feel all work together very effectively
to create an eye pleasing yet readable double page spread. I do feel the red on the ‘L’
should’ve been slightly less bold as although it is very bold and eye catching, I personally
find it quite straining to read the text underneath it. This tells me to not copy this style of
putting colours over black text in large pieces of text.
This text is smaller as it contains information but it is less
significant than the rest of the text. It is on the outside of the
margin so it brings attention to it yet doesn’t take away the
attention from the rest of the magazine. It shows the page
number, the issue date of this magazine and the masthead of
the magazine to remind the audience which brand of
magazine this is.
This tells the reader where they can subscribe to the magazine by giving them
a website that they can go to. This is benefital for the marketing of Q
magazine as if the reader enjoys this particular magazine then it may be likely
they’ll want more copies which brings Q magazine more profit. I feel this is a
very effective and subtle addition to the double page spread.
The image of Lady Gaga is shot in
medium shot and is edited in black and
white. It seems to be an image
demonstrating The Male Gaze which is
typically shown in magazines as the
artist isn’t covering much and is
wearing a lot of makeup. But I do feel
it’s a very good image and it works well
with the layout of this double page
spread.
This features the artist’s name at the
top of the page so the reader knows
who the article is about and can make
the connection between the name and
the ‘L’ representing Lady for Lady Gaga.
It’s on the outside of the margin so it is
clear, stands out and is easily readable.
The layout of text easily shows the
different sections but I feel that it
appears there is a lit to read which may
have an impact on whether the reader
choose to read the article or not. I feel
the text should be more laid out and not
have the red ‘L’ over the top as it seems
the page is very crowded and eye
straining.

6. Vibe Magazine
• An American music and entertainment magazine
• Founded by the producer Quincy Jones in September 1993
• Demographic audience is mainly young, urban followers of hip-hop culture
• Mainly features R&B and hip-hop artists, actors and various other
entertainers
• Based in New York
• The final issue was released in 2014 and now the magazine is online only.

7. Colour palette:
I feel all of the colours on this magazine go together
well to create a very calm yet eye catching look for the
front cover. Although the masthead is a pale colour and
I personally feel by having a black outline would make
the masthead much more bold but I do feel the colours
on the magazine work together effectively.
Masthead:
The masthead of this magazine cover is covered by the main
image and some text which suggests ‘Vibe’ felt their logo was
recognizable enough to be able to cover it. Personally I feel
mastheads are more effective when they are very clear and
easily readable as newer audience members who have not heard
about the magazine before need to instantly recognize the logo
which is different to do with the layering on this magazine. I feel
that by having the masthead on its own will be more benefital
for future profit of the magazine as the logo will be more
recognizable for the audience.
Main image
The main image is shot in medium shot and is her body position fills the
majority of the front cover which brings more attention to her. Her face is
central in the magazine and is holding a camera over her right eye yet as
an audience we can still see most of her face and I feel the camera is an
effective feature as it is an unconventional style that would make the
magazine stand out.
Main cover line:
The cover line features the artist’s name and is written
in a bold blue font and is in a larger font compared to
the majority of the other text. This brings more
attention to the text and due to the fact it is close to the
main image, the audience are able to associate the
name and artist. I feel this text works well against the
white background and it stands out on the front cover.
Cover lines:
The cover lines appear to include a range of artists included in
this magazine which is an effective technique as if the reader
recognizes one of these artists, it is likely that they will purchase
the magazine. The variety of colour and font size overall lead to
an eye pleasing layout for the cover.
Barcode:
The barcode includes the price ($4.99) and the website and issue date on either side of the barcode. The date (April 2008) is written in small black font and it
stands out but doesn’t draw the attention of the audience away from other aspects of the magazine. But, the website (Vibe.com) is written in the same pale
peach colour other text is also written in but unlike the other text, the website font is not outlined in white yet the other text this colour is. I personally find it
very difficult and straining to read what this text said and I feel it should've also been outlined in white as the text blends into the background and doesn’t stand
out. The website is an important feature as it encourages the reader to look at other issues for Vibe magazine and possibly get a subscription.. This tells me to
ensure all of my text is easily readable on my magazine cover.
Layering:
The main image is positioned over the masthead which brings
attention to the image yet the masthead is easily readable. But
the cover lines are positioned over the main image. This is an
effective technique to make the cover lines easily readable and
stand out and it also draws attention to the main image due to
the fact her face is not covered.

8. The colour palette is a mixture of
dark reds and a bright white which
is used for the text to make it
stand out and easily be readable.
I feel all the colours go well
together to create an eye catching
contents page.
The masthead in written in black with a white outline but is in a very small font which suggests
the masthead isn’t supposed to be eye catching. It suggests that there are other aspects of the
contents page that the editors feel are more important so the masthead reminds the reader the
magazine brand, but doesn’t take the audiences’ attention away from other parts of the contents
page.
The contents header is written in a unique style which
suggests this is an unconventional magazine and makes
the reader intrigues to find out more. It is written in a
large and bold white font which automatically attracts the
reader’s attention. This is an effective technique as it tells
the reader what this page is about.
The text tells the reader what is included in the
magazine which makes the reader intrigues for
what more is to come. It is written in white font
with the titles in a larger font. The purpose of this
is to make this text stand out so the reader sees it
first.
This text tells the reader the page number they are on and also includes the masthead and date. It is
written in a white font which contrasts against the dark red background which makes the text easily
readable. The masthead and page number are in a bold font which suggests to me the editors felt this
information would be more important to the reader than the issue date.
The main image is shot in medium shot and the
positioning of the model means he takes up the majority
of the page without the page feeling crowded. I feel this
positioning is effective as it draws more of the audiences’
attention to the image. The accessories work well with the
style of the contents page which tell me to ensure that my
model’s clothing works well with the design of the page.
This text tells the reader who the
image for the cover and contents
page was photographed by which is
an effective idea as it will gain
publicity for the photography for any
audience members who like his work.

9. The image takes up one of the
pages which makes the page
attractive and interesting as it
appears there isn’t as much text
which may have put the reader off
reading the article. I feel this is a
very simplistic yet effective
approach to the double page
spread and I feel it works well
overall.
This text reminds the reader of the magazine brand by having the ‘V’ to represent Vibe. This is a very subtle yet effective technique as it is symmetrical on
both sides of the paper and is in white font on one page and in black font on the other. This is done so the text can contrast against the background so it
stands out and is easily readable.
I love this colour palette for this magazine as it is very simplistic yet very effective and the colours all
go together very well. The text is simply in black against a white background so is easily readable and
the blue is used in both the background of the main image and in the title of the article to make
certain words stand out.
The text is spread out into sections
which makes the page layout very
effective in general and also means
the reader will be more likely to read
the article as it appears there is less
text in comparison to a large column
of writing. Certain lines are in bold to
bring attention to those particular
lines which suggests these are lines
the editors felt were important or
significant.
The title of this double page spread is
in a larger font size and has a variety of
two colours. The purpose of this is to
bring the audiences’ attention to it.
The title is intriguing and will then lead
the reader to find out what this article
is about.

10. Billboard magazine
• An American entertainment media brand
• Owned by Prometheus Global Media
• Founded in 1894 by William Donaldson and James Hennegan as a
trade publication for bill posters
• Weekly published
• Known for its music charts and publishing pieces including news,
video, opinions, reviews, events and style
• Looks at a variety of genres

11. Main image:
The model is shot in close up and is positioned to the right
of the magazine whilst the cover lines are to the left
which allows the main image to be clearly seen by the
audience. It has also been edited in black and white which
makes the coloured texts and filled in masthead stand out
and creates an unconventional style that will attract the
audience. I like the layout of this magazine as it is very
pleasing to the eye and the positioning of the text and the
image work very well together.
Colour Palette
The colours work together well on the poster with the
bold colours in the masthead and text adding a bold
finish to the cover which will easily attract attention
due to its originality.
Main cover line:
The main cover line features the artists’ name which
will easily capture the attention of anyone who
enjoys this particular artists’ music. It is in a thin
white font which I feel is a very suitable font for this
cover line. It stands out against the grey background
due to the positioning and is easily readable.
Cover lines:
The cover lines for this cover are in different font
colours and sizes which adds a sense of variety to the
magazine which will make it stand out. The text
colours are black and red and easily stand out against
the white background.
Extra text:
A barcode is not included on this magazine so I presume it usually is in a plastic covering with the barcode on top. This text however tells the audience the
website for this magazine and the price and by including the website, it is good publicity for the magazine as the reader can then go onto possibly subscribe to
the magazine or look at more of their work. The text is small and is in white so is readable but doesn’t draw attention away from other more important aspects
of the magazine cover.
Masthead:
The masthead is in a bold black font with sections filled in with bright, vivid colours to express uniqueness and makes the title
very dynamic as it clearly stands out. This is the logo for this magazine and it is very recognizable with the bright colours and
which ensures this magazine will stand out amongst the others.
Layering:
The main image has been positioned under the text which
means the text is easily readable but the positioning of
the main image means the model still stands out. The
masthead is on top of main image also yet doesn’t cover
much of the model’s face so is still an effective layout.

12. The masthead is shown in a small font but is still
clearly shown. This is an effective technique as it
reminds the audience of the magazine without
drawing attention away from other aspects of the
page.
The colour palette is effective on this magazine as it is very soft so the
text in blue stands out but isn’t very dramatic which is a good way to
present a contents page due to the fact the purpose of the page is to
give the reader information rather than stand out. This particular
contents page is eye pleasing and easily gives the reader all the
information they need to know and is very readable due to the choice
of using blue and black font contrasting against the background.
The range of images give the reader an insight to what
the magazine contains which intrigues them to find
out more. The range of pictures means it’s likely for
the audience to recognize a celebrity and will be likely
to directly read that particular article.
This text tells the reader the date this magazine issue
was released, the Billboard website and the page
number. The magazine issue date and the page
number are in a black font whereas the website is in
a red font which tells us the editors wanted this
information to stand out more to the reader. This is
because the reader could go on to subscribe to this
magazine and this makes more money for Billboard.
This text tells the reader the top charts albums
and songs. This allows the reader to perhaps look
into songs and artists they haven’t heard of
before and therefor the magazine is promoting
publicity for all of these songs and artist.
This text gives an insight into what a few certain
pages are about which will make the reader
intrigued about what more there is in store. By
having catchy headings, it will grab the attention of
the reader and it will be more likely that they will
continue reading and perhaps re-purchase.

13. This text tells the reader the page number, reminds the reader of the
masthead and the website. It is on both pages which means although it is in a
small font, having it on both pages means it is more likely the reader will see
it. This means the text is easily seen but isn’t too big or taking attention away
from the text and images.
This image automatically catches the attention of the reader and
draws them in to read the article. The image has a back background
which vividly contrasts against the rest of the page which means it
stands out. We can also see the picture goes across both pages which
means the reader will pay attention to both sides of the article.
The test is spread out in sections
which encourages the reader to
read the article as it may feel off
putting having the article in big
paragraphs. By having it in sections,
the text looks like its much shorter
than it actually is.
I like the colour palette for this
double page spread as the colours
are used to make certain text stands
out without being distracting and too
dramatic. The purpose of this is to
make the pages attractive and
interesting without taking the
audiences’ attention off the article
and I feel billboard editors have
achieved this.
The use of having quotes in a larger,
bolder fonts means the reader will
see these first and is likely to
interest them about what this
article is about. Having different
words in different colours makes
the text seem more interesting as it
adds a sense of variety.