1. FRONT COVER ANALYSIS

3. The main image on the front cover is of the band Arctic Monkeys the band are
positioned like a diamond, this allows them to be in a medium close up which is
convention for front covers but also allows them to be looking at one another and this
conveys the rebellious streak that is often carried with the genre indie rock. The Arctic
Monkeys are very high profile and admired among society so this rebellious and
mysterious streak is desired throughout their fans, due to this message being conveyed
it helps persuade the viewer to buy the magazine as it is this image that the viewers
have an aspiration to be like. The way that the band are positioned also have
connotations to the former band Queen this was an international recognized group and
by positioning the Arctic Monkeys like one of Queen’s positioning in a famous music
video Bohemian Rhapsody this could infer to an older audience who know and are fans
of Queen that the Arctic Monkeys are a band that have the same power and music, this
attracts the Queen’s fans due to the intrigue that this creates, this intrigue leads to a
purchase of the magazine. Only the front person is in full focus and the rest of the band
gradually gets out of focus this conveys to the viewer that the man from the Arctic
Monkeys in the front is maybe the face of the band and is probably the lead
singer/guitarist, this is important because by learning this from the positioning of the
image it implies the order of the band to the audience even if they’ve never heard
of, another way that this message is portrayed is by only this person looking straight
into the camera and the rest of the members looking at each other. The direction of all
the band look is also important because by looking at one another it has connotations of
them being clueless but the way that the front man of the Arctic Monkeys is looking
directly into the camera this has a higher impact upon the audience of their image of
they may be clueless but they’ll still do it. The lighting of the image is important
because it allows the faces to stand out and be more striking against the black. The
Arctic Monkeys make-up is natural which conveys that this is the band stripped back
without any intervention from another party. Their hair is also key to achieving a
perfect image , their hair is slicked back which creates their facial profiles and also
adds texture to the cover, this style also gives a ‘bad boy’ imagery as this is an
association of this cut and the genre they play. There is only one other image on the
front cover and this is on the Manic Street Preachers. It conveys a front cover of a mini
magazine that comes with Q, by placing this mini magazine cover on the front it
conveys to the audience that this is a mini publication which has been thoroughly done
like its own magazine, thus enforcing that if Q were to be purchased the consumer
would receive more value for money this makes the magazine more attractive to
purchase. The image is placed in the top right hand corner with the skyline that lists
about that mini publication, due to the publication being in the top right hand corner in
the skyline it allows it to be seen when the audience are looking through magazine.

4. The colours used on the cover of Q are fairly dark tones. Various parts of the
magazine contribute to colour and alter the tone that the overall magazine sets.
The image is from the main feature, which is on the band Arctic Monkeys, there
is a huge black and dark tone that is set in this image, the band are wearing
black suits, hair and background this use of black not only assists other features
to stand out and be seen by its target audience but it also aids with the bands
genre, which is indie rock, black has a mysterious feel which this band like to
convey throughout their music and their career the use of the dark colour aids
their public image in being dark characters with a dark style of music. The
masthead, Q¸ is the same colour, a vivid red, as usual this attracts the eye and
makes the brand of the magazine stand out, therefore making it more
recognizable and imprints on the viewer more, this could lead to them enquiring
about the magazine, therefore increasing the publicity. The use of a blue in the
skyline attracts the eye which is important as the information in the skyline is
about the mini-publication which is making it more likely that the viewer will
buy the issue. The use of white font allows the cover lines to stand out and to be
easily read by the audience; this conveys the information easier and makes it
more likely for the viewer to purchase the magazine as they know what the
content. Silver is used and has connotations of wealth and jewellry, this makes
the magazine more appealing as it is glossier and makes the audience feel like
the magazine is worth the £3.99 and that Q is a luxury. The silver is also used
for the buzz words which draws that audiences attention as silver stands out
against the light, this therefore draws the attention to the piece of information
that could persuade the viewer to purchase the magazine. On the cover lines Q
alter the colour between white and silver, this is to make the cover lines look
more spaced out and helps the viewer to establish between each cover line. Red
is used to separate cover lines as it goes with the colour of the masthead and
also stands out against the black so it can separate the cover lines. The blue
positive sign also matches with another part of the magazine which is the
skyline it also, like the red, stands out against the black which allows the viewer
to access the connotations which the positive sign brings, for example that there
is more than on the cover.

5. The design is very ordered and simple which makes it easy to read and
discover what is in the content. It follows conventions by having some
cover lines on the left third but subverts them by having others on the
right side. By having cover lines on the left third it allows the viewer to
see the main feature when looking at the magazine in a newsstand
because of the way that the magazines are stacked. There are cover
lines on the right side of front cover but this is to assist the design and
to make the magazine look more appealing. By subverting conventions
it conveys information when the magazine is picked up, doesn’t intrude
with the cover image and doesn’t make the magazine look crowded and
unprofessional. The font is very modern and stylish it is mostly Sans
Serif which lives off modern connotations, it also makes the cover look
more fluent by bringing the text closer together. The musicians that are
on the cover lines are in a bolder and bigger text than the caption, this
is to gain the viewers attention because if the viewer enjoys the
musician who is on the front cover then this will be another selling
point for Q. The font on the cover remains the same apart from in the
skyline, the font then becomes serif, there is use of ascenders and the
font is a new typeface. This technique is used to draw attention to this
part of the magazine which highlights another reason to buy the
publication. Another reason that the font has been changed is because a
different message is being conveyed to the audience; a serif font has
connotations of an old and less contemporary which implies that this
musician is slightly older and more legendary than the other artists
featured within the magazine. The same typeface is used in a buzz
word to convey that this is linked with the older band in the skyline.
The typeface is also slightly changed at the caption of the Arctic
Monkeys feature by including descenders, this separates the caption
from other cover lines.

6. The title is Q which sounds like Cue which has musical connotations
for example a well known saying is cue the music but this word also
has other connotations for example in snooker the cue is a component
used to play the game but the content on the artwork supports the
musical connotations, by using the letter Q this gives a more trendy
and unique title which will stand out more on the newsstand. There is
on no strapline which creates just a single piece of branding, but by
subverting the conventions it builds a more trendy and modern face
which is more appealing to the younger audience. Q magazine
depends hugely on society because only 3 words are related to music
and these aren’t highlighted out of the text which they are blended
into. These words are record, music and band apart from this Q rely
on the viewer to know who the Arctic Monkeys are and the other
names listed on the cover lines. The masthead is sized big enough so
it is recognizable from a distance which therefore draws in the
regular readers but also catches the eyes of people who are viewing
the newsstand, which therefore draws attention. The way that this
subverts conventions is that usually the masthead is text which is
written along the top of the magazine whereas this masthead is more
of a logo, this therefore is unique and individual from other
magazines thus allowing it to stand out more and be portrayed
different to other magazines in the same market which is a possible
selling point. It also allowed the masthead to be recognized and read
more due to it being located in the left third thus meaning that it
cannot be obscured by many magazines making it more apparent to
the viewer of the newsstand who might recognise the popular brand
and wish to try it out and to also make it easier for a regular reader to
locate the magazine and not look at other brands overly as they might get drawn in to similar products. When I placed this
magazine cover away from me the majority of the text was readable but there was a few captions that I struggled to read. This
was demonstrated in places like “I’m choosing which band to send into space” and other captions that used similar size
font, although I struggled it wasn’t impossible to make out but this could be my reading ability and my sight rather than a sizing
fault. Although by being able to recognise and read the artists this then draws me in so this could be a deliberate part of the font
to hook people in and to encourage them to pick up the issue.

7. Language features are used on the cover of magazines to persuade a viewer through words to pick up and purchase their
products. Although the design of the magazine is vital the language is also paramount to ensure that the artwork gives a
professional impression and impact to make the audience feel that they are investing their money into a legitimate publication
that conforms to the aims of informing and entertaining. On the cover there is no repetition which gives a profound image to
the cover as if Arctic Monkeys was being written all over the cover then this would make Q look very patronizing which could
come across very offensive to their more adult audience. Personification is also absent from the cover but this device is more
associated with fiction texts as when used in fiction it can be conveyed as very mad and amateur style of writing for a text that
has aims to inform. Imperative is a device that would be more common within this style of text but more commonly found in
adverts, there is no persuasive or commanding devices which are commonly found in buzz words such as buy although it can
be argued that the use of an exclamation mark after special adds a very similar effect to what an imperative does as it sets off a
feel of excitement which is an emotion then felt by the reader which causes them to be persuaded to buy the magazine through
emotion. Metaphors and similes are also scarce among the front cover which isn’t a surprise as like personification these
devices are connected more with storytelling and assist the reader on how to view certain imaginary characters which cannot
be depicted through an image but due to this being a non-fiction text quite often an image can be provided to aid the viewers
understanding so this eliminates the need for these devices, imagery is another language device which is unnecessary for that
same reason. Rhetorical question is a device that I would expect to appear on a magazine cover due to it making the audience
think about the answer and making them feel the need to know this unknown information therefore possibly causing the
viewer to buy the magazine to discover whether he/she was correct. Yet another language device that has been partly
employed is humour and pun, because although there is no specific wordplay among the cover lines there is a strong sense of
a joke or entertainment, this is demonstrated in the caption to the cover line which says “baking cakes for music” and is also
present with “How broken hands, competing haircuts and a strange voyeurism helped make their best record yet”. There is a
suggestion of playfulness achieved which makes the product more appealing to the viewer as they associate with this attitude
which can be almost described as some sort of banter, this makes the artwork more appealing to a new buyer as there is no
unknown terminology that alienates the viewer and this humour achieves an informal feel which is associated with how people
would communicate with their friends. This overall makes the magazine more approachable to a wider audience. Figure of
speech is avoided on the front cover as it can be taken literally by the viewer who could purchase the magazine to find out the
information but then be let down by the way that it was just sarcasm, this could cause the reader to never buy the publication
again. Sarcasm and irony is a very hard device to use in written text as there is a wide range of people viewing and reading
these captions, this wide range of people contains people who can identify sarcasm easily but others who can’t, this thin line
between is hard to achieve as it can hold so many risks as making the audience angry, upset or confused. Hyperbole is another
device that isn’t present within the magazine cover, the use of exaggeration can often come across very boastful yet is often
used in attempt to sell something, by avoiding hyperbole this works with humour and creates a friendly approachable feel to
the product which is vital for sales. Symbolism is also absent in the front cover as like sarcasm it can be read differently by
different people, this is more associated with design and colour for example red can have positive and negative
connotations, for example positive connotations include love, passion and romance but the negative connotations also carried
are blood, danger and stop the way people view words varies down to their personal experiences and is something that cannot
be generalized, this creates a same effect with many words and symbolism is hard to conceive on a front cover as it could bring
back negative and unhappy memories for the viewer who is trying to achieve pleasure in purchasing a magazine. This cover
prides itself in the use of alliteration which is presented in the captions such as “25 years of triumph and tragedy” and “on
beards, booze and baking cakes for music” this use of the language device creates more impact and increases dramatic effect
which makes the reader feel like they don’t just want the magazine but need the magazine as they will miss out if they don’t
purchase the issue, it also assists the reader in reading the captions, by using alliteration the cover lines are portrayed as more
fluent and create an easily read publication. Rhyme is another language device that is used it is demonstrated in “the Q
interview” this conveys a very catchy and fun vibe which is then fed off by the audience who are looking for a fun and
entertaining leisure activity and persuades he viewer to invest as it gives what the viewer is look for. It also gives off a fluency
like the use of alliteration gives, giving the impression that this magazine is easy to read. The final device present is the rule of
three which is present in the cover lines “on beards, booze and baking cakes for music” and “how broken hands, competing
haircuts and a strange voyeurism helped make their best record yet” the use of rule of three gives lists on what the viewer is
missing out on and enforces the depth of the interview conveying that the buyer would be making a good investment.

8. Overall I think the cover is very effective. It conveys a clear view on the kind of
contents that you are likely to find inside through the use of cover lines which
are sized and proportioned so they can be seen from a distance and can be easily
read if someone was at a newsstand. Through the use of language devices it
portrays a fun and playful tone which associates and connects with the audience
on a personal level. Although there is barely any reference to music through the
connection and heavy influence society has on us we can tell that this is a music
magazine due to the artists on the cover, these people have a huge impact upon
society and have household recognition which instantly allows the viewer to
know what kind of magazine Q is. Due to the sophisticated layout which has a
little range of colours this suggests that the target audience is older than
teenagers but aimed at both genders due to no strongly masculine or feminine
colours being exploited. Although there is no music genre being conveyed
whatever genre the Arctic Monkeys are is the genre of Q, the use of dark colours
such as blacks in the image suggest that the genre of music covered isn’t pop
but a more serious type such as rock or alternative. The readers interests are
conveyed through the artists, Q have paid attention to upcoming albums, tours
and artists to specify what kind of artists would the audience want to know and
have a particular interest in. The cover suggests an opening for a wide audience
but it neglects genres such as heavy metal due to the organization of the
page, due to the connotations of messy and destructive that they carry it is
expected for that genres cover to be messy. Another audience who isn’t
addressed is reggae fans who are naturally drawn to warm colours such as
red, yellow and green which are heavily influenced on Jamaica and Bob
Marley, the use of red and blue instantly neglects the reggae readers and creates
a cold dull feeling which isn’t the aim of that genre of music.

9. CONTENTS ANALYSIS

10. There are very few images on the contents
page as most of the contents is dominated by
text, which is convention for a contents page.
There is one main image which relates to the
cover image, this is bigger to everything else
and draws the readers eye to this story, unlike
the cover image the front man of the Arctic
Monkeys is looking away from the camera to
achieve this mysterious and rebel look that is
carried with the genre of music they carry.
Also there is no need for him to look directly
into the camera anymore as there is no need
to connect directly with the audience as this
process is only really needed when the viewer
first comes into contact with the magazine on
a newsstand as this can draw the viewer in to
become a consumer.
The artists are in bold to catch the eye of the
viewer, so they can easily navigate to the
page they want to be on, thus completing the
aim of a contents page. This is convention of
a contents page. There is a little caption under
each heading this conveys what each feature
and article are about this persuades the reader
more to read the content and also more
information is given which tells us about
whether this article is a review or a
biography, this again brings in the audience to
read the article.
The colour used is part of the house style and logo which has
been carried on from the front cover, this gives the magazine a
familiarity and a theme which will be recognized by the readers.
Buzz and puff words are still being used on
the contents page to highlight certain points
to the readers attention the use of 17-page
collector’s special draws the readers
attention especially as it’s in yellow which
is a bright and eye catching colour, the use
of collector also has connotations of
valuable and one day could be worth
money so this persuades people to keep or
buy the magazine if they look at the
contents before they buy. The other puff
and buzz word cover story helps the reader
navigate as this could be the story that they
most want to read as it could’ve brought the
viewer to become a reader.
The design is very plain and simple, it is not
too busy but there is no lack of content, this
page does what it is required to do and no
more. The way it splits the content up
between reviews, cover stories and other
content assists the reader on finding the ideal
content that they desire.
Q section off certain parts of their magazine to make it easier for their audience to navigate but also to draw the
attention to these articles. By including this it makes the contents page more interesting and appealing to the eye.

11. Images are use on the contents page to add interest and make it more appealing to the audience rather than
just have text which isn’t very visually pleasing yet very functional. There are only four images but this
creates a nice balance between text and image, if there wasn’t a very good balance then either text or
image could become very overwhelming and make the contents page confusing or unattractive. The main
image is of the Arctic Monkeys who are the cover on the cover image, this means that this is the main
feature of this issue meaning that most people are going to be looking for this article, by making this
image the biggest it makes it easier to navigate to the main article. In the image it is just of the front man
of the Arctic Monkeys he isn’t looking directly into the camera like he is on the cover. This is because
there is no need for there to be any direct contact between the viewer and the magazine as the contents
page isn’t a device that needs to get people to purchase into the issue, by having the front man look away
from the camera it creates this mysterious feel and that he is someone we will never understand, which
creates a feel of curiosity among the audience, this then is conveyed that by reading the story some of our
curiosity will be released as the viewers questions will be answered. By having a white background it
allows the image to sit more fluently into the contents page, it allows the head to go slightly over the
banner which almost replicates a cover of a magazine, it also conveys the Arctic Monkeys breaking the
boundaries like it is breaking out of the image area to the banner. By the lead singer facing the side it
creates a silhouette which also raises the audiences curiosities and persuades them to turn the page to the
main feature. There are very defined lines which is visually appealing and draws the eye due to the high
contrast of black and white. The musician wears a dark blue shirt which has connotations of night which
also brings a sense of secrets which again raises curiosity within the reader. Dark blue is also a very
masculine colour especially with the sunglasses, this manly persona also makes woman like him more than
a musician but also bring this kind of ‘crush’ emotion. The gold chain around the lead singers neck
conveys a wealth and a fashionable persona which appeals to the males who aspire to be like him. The
slicked back hair is a very 70s style and conveys a retro feel, just like their music, it also portrays a unique persona, many artists have modern hairstyles but this
hair conveys the picture to be retro which goes with the whole image of retro style. There are two other images on the contents page. One is of the Manic Street
Preachers who are wearing out dated and less fashionable clothing to our era, this conveys that this band are being brought back and it also conveys how times
have changed from when they were popular to now. The image is an older one which shows the band as young, their scruffy outfits and slouchy poses convey
that they are rough yet this is contradicted by how they are standing outside Buckingham Palace, home of the neat and royal, which creates more impact among
the viewer which could also convey that this band are so rebellious that they will never be inside Buckingham Palace and like us redeemed to look from the
outside. There is also a less concentrated person in the background who could be a member of the public yet it looks like he has been purposefully placed
there, he is not suited to the attire and looking away from the camera this suggests that there has been trouble between the members of this band. The third
image is of the new girl band Haim this is suggested by the surroundings of the image which is full of green and nature which therefore suggests fresh and down
to earth. There are posed with the lead vocalist closest, this is because the lead vocalist makes the majority of contact with the audience and is almost instantly
recognizable so the reader can easily identify who the band is. Haim are mostly wearing black which is normal attire for a musician but the garments are leather
jackets and skinny jeans which goes with their grunge genre due to the connotations of rebellious and laid back. The last image is separate from the rest of the
page and is placed with a sidebar, this informs the reader that this image is to do with The Q Review this assists the reader in navigating around the magazine.
The image of Green Day front man Joe Armstrong with his arms outstretched, this is a symbol of happiness and freedom which reflects that the reader will
attain this emotion if they were to read the article, it also conveys the artist as a good band to see live due to their openness to the audience, the feel of freedom
and how the lead singer is looking out towards the audience rather than paying attention to the photographer. The back of the photo is a blue form the stage
lights which causes it to stand out due to the high contrast between the blue and the white. The lead singers arms also break out of the photo therefore having
connotations of breaking out.

12. Unlike the front cover the colours on the contents page are very light. Although
the red is carried over as this is part of the house style. Black is used for the
font, which stands out and helps the contents page serve its purpose as it is clear
and readable, also if there was a white background this could come across very
harsh and overwhelming. Red is used in the banner, the titles and in text, this
frequent use of red, infers that this colour is the part of Q’s style and appearance
so wherever we see this style we will link it to Q magazine. Red is a very unisex
colour so it will appeal to both genders, it also has associations with passion and
energy, this reflects the reader who should be passionate about music and have
energy to participate in live music and dance. In the sidebar there is a slightly
more variety in the colour such as pink and light blue which draws your
attentions as these are only used on this part of the contents folio. There is also a
use of yellow in a buzz word to also draw attention. The use of colour on the
contents page is very basic and simple to assist the reader to move around the
magazine fluently and find their chosen article. The boundaries of colour is only
broken to draw attention. There is a use of a light brown as a background to the
bottom half of the contents page, the use of a more dull and transparent colour is
used to separate the pages from the stories on the cover, which again, assists the
audience with navigating around the magazine.

13. The design of this contents page mostly follows to the conventions of a
magazine contents page. There are 4 columns which all have an image
in, there is a main image which relates to the one from the front cover
and other images on the contents page which are close to the main
image. There is a very structured layout which helps the reader
navigate around the magazine, this includes page numbers next to titles.
There is a banner with the issue date, the Q logo and the title of the
page which again sticks to the codes and conventions of a typical
magazine contents page. The house style is continued as expected from
the front cover. The contents page is divided into cover stories and
other articles by how there are images with the cover artists on a plain
white background and the other articles there are no images and it is on
a dull brown colour. Other articles The Q Review get their own side bar
which is separated from the contents page by lines going around those
stories and the use of banners with a couple more vibrant colours.
There are sublines describing the article briefly and are very small so
they don’t distract from the main design yet tell the reader what to
expect from the article so they can judge whether to read it or not.
There is bold type used for the artist which informs the reader the artist
that the article is based on. In the bottom corner there is the Q logo with
the issue date and page number this is still to the typical codes and
conventions that contribute to the overall design. This magazine
contents page design subverts conventions by not providing any
subscription, contact details or editors letter which is usually on the
contents page. A flannel panel is also usually provided which contains
all the editors and credits to people like the photographers but this has
been left out due to this bulking out the design of the contents page and
therefore not serving its purpose due to it being hard to navigate. An
image of the front cover of the magazine would also disrupt the design
of the contents page therefore making it less fluent for the reader.

14. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD
ANALYSIS

15. There is a montage of pictures of various colours, this draws the eye
and makes the article more entertaining. It also assists the reader on
understanding the article for example who it is and what it’s about. It
also breaks down the text for the reader so they don’t feel
overwhelmed with writing. The images appease the eye while the
writing appeases the brain.
The headline of the double page spread is the biggest text on the whole page. This
is to draw your attention to it. It uses cameraman which is associated to the story.
Other parts include language that have film connotations, which is what the article
is about, for example it’s a wrap is cliché which is used in association with film
making. This use of lexis allows the reader to find out what this article is about
and to instantly decide whether they are interested or not.
The colour red is again used and must be part of the house style as it has been continuously used throughout the magazine. Both
on the front cover and the contents page red has been a colour. This is because red is very unisex so it appeals to both genders and
the mass audience. If pink was to be the colour of choice then it would eliminate half the market due to pink not being an
attractive colour to males and to it having very girly connotations. The use of a house style allows it to be more familiar to the
audience, rather than having random colours on every page, this familiarity allows it to be recognised even when the reader is
seeing another person reading another magazine. This house style labels the magazine a Q.
The text is serif so
makes it easier to be
read by the audience.
This is important as if
the article isn’t read or
enjoyed then Q could
lose a consumer. By
using serif text it allows
the reader to not feel too
overwhelmed by the
article and allow them
to finish without feeling
like they’ve read too
much and that they
struggled to get to the
end. The whole aim of
a magazine is to please
the reader rather than
make the audience feel
overcome by text.
The use of a pull quote
allows the text to be
presented in a more
attractive way and to
split the text
up, allowing the body
text to not come across
as so overwhelming
and make it more
attractive for the
audience to read.
The use of a sidebar
adds additional
information that assists
the main text. In this
case it gives some
context to other bands
that made a film. This
additional context is
placed here as it gives
the readers who are
interested extra
background information
that they also might
enjoy to read and who
would like to discover
more on the topic.

16. Institution/Distribution

17. Q is published by the Bauer Media Group which also own the publications on the page.

18. FRONT COVER ANALYSIS

19. The cover image is of the band standing
in an arrow formation with the front
man, this is the most recognizable
member of the band at the front, this
allows the viewer to recognize the band
and if they enjoy the band it persuades the
audience to buy it. They are dressed in
black which allows the tattoos to stand
out which has connotations of a ‘bad boy’
imagery that Bring Me the Horizon
carries. Black is also traditional uniform
for musicians so this conveys that these
are music artists so if no one has ever
heard of Rock Sound then this infers the
genre of the magazine. Their logo is
carried twice on the front cover, the
backdrop of the image is their logo and
there is a pale version of their logo behind
their name, this infers the relationship
between the logo and the band name
which is important for the band and its
magazine as fans will recognize this logo
and buy the magazine due to it
The colour used is very unisex so it appeals to girls and boys. Yellow and green are used, these are next to each other
so this means that they are harmonious which allow them to go together easily.
Rock Sound follow conventions by
placing all of their cover lines on the left
third. This is so they can be seen on the
newsstand. In Britain the way magazines
are stacked allow the left hand side to be
seen therefore magazines place their
stories here so the viewer can see as
much of their content as possible, this is
a typical example of this design.
The artists on the cover are in bold this
makes them as obvious to the viewer as
possible. So if the viewer likes the artists
that are featured in the magazine then the
viewer could buy the magazine and
become a reader.
The masthead is in red. This allows it to stand out against the green and yellow so the title is instantly recognizable against the rest of the magazine, this creates
more of an impact on the viewer as this is the first thing that is seen. It is clear that this brand of music magazine is popular as the image covers the majority of
it, therefore making it harder to tell what the magazine is called
The skyline includes information on
what is free with the magazine this is so
it is more likely to be seen and therefore
is another point for why the viewer
should purchase the magazine. The use
of yellow here, being a bright
colour, naturally draws our eyes attention
therefore causing us to read the
information within.
There is a high use of buzz words which
contributes to this very busy magazine.
These catch our eyes and draw it to
information about free content and other
perks that come with purchasing the
magazine.
The cover seems to have a very sketchy
and doodle type of font this adds to an
informal house style. It adds to the
freedom and feel of going beyond
boundaries that is often associated with
the rock genre. Rock also has
connotations of destruction which is also
inferred by the use of this font.

20. CONTENTS ANALYSIS

21. This contents page is spread over two pages, yet the majority of information that helps the audience navigate is on the right side of the
page. The left side is take up by a considerable amount of images. The colour green hasn’t been carried over from the front cover and there
is not even a trace of it apart from in the photos, this conveys that green was not part of the house style but part of the cover style which
means that the colour simply remains on the front page and probably doesn’t reoccur again. The images have more of a comedic and
informal value than on the front it almost gives the impression of a students poster wall, this contributes to the idea that the audience for this
magazine is aimed at the demographic of students. The use of lots of images in different shapes and scattered around the place gives the
feel of our eyes not being sure where to look. Red is used for the background of the contents this stands out against the images and makes
the eye look away from the images and look at the content of the magazine instead. Yellow is also used which is a bright colour so again
therefore draws the attention of the eye. On this page there is an in balance of images to text therefore suggesting that for the student
demographic that they prefer visuals than to words.

22. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD
ANALYSIS

23. The colour has no links to the cover, there is no sign of green, this conveys that it is not part of the house
style and the colour was simply to attract people to the magazine as it was eye catching as it was
bright, but this colour could be very overwhelming and distract from the article itself. The colours here
are still unisex yet very subtle so add interest to the page but doesn’t make the article too bright or over
powering.The use of images, the way
the article has been
presented has an impact on
what the readers think. The
article is given a very
‘school girl crush’
tone, this has been
conveyed by a doodle of a
love heart, the highlighting
of some of the article as if
it were a text book and the
use of the word obsession.
The word obsession has
very strong connotations of
crushes which are typical
of preteen and teenage
girls, This gives the
impression that we as an
audience should act like
teenage girls and admire
Brendon Urie.
The article is on one
page yet there is a
relating cartoon on the
opposite page. This
makes the page look
very different to other
articles which text
typically go across both
pages, this makes it
instantly stand out
against other articles
therefore making it
more appealing.
Although by doing this
it makes the text look
chunky and bulky
therefore putting the
audience who don’t
know Brendon Urie off.
Although there is the
‘school-girl crush’
element to the double
page spread there is a
clear tone that this is
aimed at mainly males.
Although this isn’t
overly emphasized the
beer on the right page
has huge male
connotations and is seen
as a very masculine
beverage, the way that
this is taking up a whole
page conveys this is
more of a masculine
page.
The use of a blue blazer gives off many connotations. The colour blue has connotations of cool and cold
which are the conditions that beer is kept it. It also gives the message that Brendon Urie is a ‘cool’
guy, this refers back to the ‘school-girl crush’ tone that is set the blazer and sunglasses back this
atmosphere as the blazer has associations with uniform which is worn when you are a student.
Sunglasses have connotations of celebrities which are seen as ‘cool’ within our society so this tone is
conveyed here, smoking has also been seen as a ‘cool’ thing to do so all these factors contribute to the
overall feel of the double page spread.

24. FRONT COVER ANALYSIS

25. The masthead is in the top left hand
corner so it can be seen when stacked on
the shelves. It also places it’s cover lines
on the left third which means NME
conform to conventions. By placing the
cover lines on the left it allows the
viewer to easily access the content of the
magazine without physically picking it
up.
Colour is important on this cover, it
highlights the cover lines and makes them
stand out against the image. The colours of
the cover lines are related to the origami
birds in the images, these are bold and
strong primary colours. These colours
have connotations of children and the way
David Bowie is positioned is like a
magician which is linked with
children, him being a magician symbol
can have many connotations for example
him bringing magic to the music industry.
David Bowie is a very legendary figure
within music and by being seen as a
magician it can have various connotations
to different people who have witnessed his
career some may see him as ‘fake’ as this
is another connotation of magic.
The use of swear words conveys that
this magazine is not aimed at a younger
audience. Due to this being on the
cover it conveys that the whole
magazine will contain content that is
too explicit for younger readers. This
eliminates a whole audience of below
16. It also conveys a ‘naked’ tone and
that the article within the magazine is
free of editing and that 100% of the
words spoken are from that artist and
aren’t edited. This creates an informal
tone which brings the audience in
persuading them that the content in the
magazine is what was actually said by
the musician therefore removing the
barrier and making it more personal
thus persuading the viewer to become a
reader.
David Bowie is in focus and not looking
directly into the camera, this conveys
that he is slightly mad and off the radar
it also conveys that he is inconspicuous
and will never be truly given to the
cameras and is different to the rest of he
pop stars. It also conveys a gritty feel
due to his messy hair and that he has
literally fought his way back onto our
magazine covers and album charts. The
costume is smart but there is no tie
which removes the formal attire and
creates a more scruffy feel, this reminds
me of a magicians attire which is
typically smart/casual this is in
harmony with the origami birds which
highlights that Bowie has a way with
music like musicians have with magic.

26. CONTENTS ANALYSIS

27. This contents page is very formal compared to
the other ones I have analyzed. This contents
page has only one colour, which is red, this is
their signature colour which contributes to the
house style combine this with the same font as on
the front cover and then this contents page can be
recognized as NME just by style. NME divide
their contents page into sections so the audience
can navigate around the magazine. The use of
images adds more interest to the contents page
and draws people in to certain stories, this is also
obtained by having a larger font which is
reversed out and having larger page
numbers, these are placed in the center of the
page which naturally draws your eye in. The way
pictures are placed within circles gives a feel that
there is more to see which again pulls the reader
in to see that certain article. The page numbers
are up in the centre of the page which subverts
conventions and is a little touch to imply that
NME is a magazine that is proud to be different.
By placing pictures with the contributors of the
magazine it adds a more personal touch rather
than it just being about a name.

28. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD
ANALYSIS

29. The lack of colour conveys that this is a series article, there are only two pictures which conveys that this article isn’t to entertain but inform of
a serious problem within music. With quotes embedded within the text to make the text seem less chunky and overwhelming. The pink mini
interview on the right conveys extra information and context that if the reader found interesting would then read more on the side. It is in
bright pink to draw the eye as this is the brightest colour on the page . Although pink is a very feminine colour this female tone is eliminated
due to the colourless and formal presentation of the double page spread, If the pink was more bleeding onto the page then this would have
considerably more connotations of girlishness. The article is spread over both pages but isn’t placed directly next to each other, for example
on the left page is a pull quote which separates the two columns of body text by doing this it makes the text a considerably less
overwhelming.

30. Institution/Distribution