1. MAGAZINE
ANALYSIS
By Olatoyin Shonowo

2. Masthead Date/ issue
barcode
Main Image
Sell linecover lines
Price

3. Masthead
cover lines
No barcode
Sell line
banner
sticker
cover lines

4. MUSIC MAGAZINE ANALYSIS
For my music magazine analysis, I have decided to compare and contrast a modern day magazine with a late County Music
issue. It is evident by the quality of the magazines one is a lot more recent than the other. Rolling Stone is a bi-weekly
American magazine focused on music, liberal politics, and popular culture.
Country Music was a bi-monthly magazine on Country music that was published by American Media from 1972 to 2003. After
the closure of Country Music. Country Weekly, continued publication.

5. MASTHEAD
The masthead of these magazines are highly
appropriate towards their genre as well as their
public perception.
The Country Music magazine masthead
resembles a ‘Century’ font which is particularly
simple with a faint elegance which also
resembles the font used for baseball jerseys.
This font is able to complement the magazine
as Country music is generally linked to US
southerners and the stereotypical idea of them
being hillbillies; being ‘out of touch’ with the
modern world, in other words, old fashioned
and in this case particularly classic. This may
also be evident by the use of a brown
background, which may connote the
rough, dirty, southern, western life.
The font on this cover is able to contrast the
backdrop of the main image allowing it to
stand out even though the subject matter
(model/artist) overlaps it
The Rolling Stones is a highly recognised brand in America as a general
music orientated magazine which does not appeal to one genre, therefore
it is clear the magazine must generalise in particular conventions. The font
may be regarded as animated as it almost pops out of the
cover, comically, by the use of its heavy black drop shadow and the use of a
vibrant red with a white sketched outline. This allows the magazine to look
exciting and engages the consumer. As the magazine is well known they can
afford to allow the subject matter (model/artist) to overlap the masthead
for it has already established itself as an international brand.
The use of the white background is significant as it make the magazine
appeal more to an audience as it is bright enhancing the rest of the
magazine, in high definition.

6. MAIN IMAGE
It is evident these images differ from
each other in various ways.
The Rolling Stones cover starring
Country Pop singer Taylor Swift, there is
a use of high key lighting present which
allows the image to look vibrant and
give meaning, as it is perceived as
professionally photographed with a
high quality camera.
It is somewhat evident the Country
Music magazine is the complete
opposite. Although it may be
questionable whether or not the quality
of the magazine is because of the
camera or due to it being so old.
A similarity can be seen through their
positioning of the cover as they are in
the middle. The use of direct eye
contact towards the camera is present
too, however on the country magazine
her eyes are off the straight focus and
almost as she is looking over the
audiences shoulders. This may be able
to connote her purpose of being on the
magazine, it may have relation to her
cover story, is she dreaming?
Both they’re make up is fairly simple
featuring a heavy eye, with the use of
cosmetic eye shadow, eyeliner etc
Taylor Swift is shown to be seated down in a rather relaxed manor, this is presented by a mid shot.
Whereas Faith Hill’s cover is a mid shot of her standing. Both artists costumes allow them to be bare in
one sense or another. As the Rolling Stones is known to be charismatic and fun we understand their
representation of young celebrities to meet the appeal of the audience, enhancing the idea of Taylor
Swift creating a sexual appeal as the length of her legs, arms and face seem to be the center of the
photo. The use of her arm between her legs is significant as it may symbolise her sexuality referring to
her private life and hence explaining the sell line “The Heart Break Kid”.
The Country Music magazine is able to portray Faith Hill ‘freely’ this impression is stemmed from how
her hair has been presented as it intentionally hadn’t been done up, this is shown on the Rolling Stones
magazine as well.

7. The cover lines presented here are a general depiction of any magazine cover.
These cover lines are presented in the same font allowing the magazine to look more presentable.
The use of lines are evident yet very effective on the magazine as it is able to split up the various cover lines similar to the
purpose of contents pages.
The Rolling Stones issue may be seen to havemore style, as the text aren’t all formatted the same way. They are able to
distinguish differences between writers by formatting it in italics, the most important features are in bold and others
regular.
The Country Music magazine on the other hands font is less appealing and more default throughout.
COVER LINES

8. CONTENTS PAGE
ANALYSIS

9. The masthead of the page has
been portrayed to look almost
abstract as they have broken
up the word, to make it seem
to be more than it is. This is
able to give not only meaning
to the page but style
The use of one coloumn is able
to make the layout more visible
towards the audience for it
becomes more clear as it is easily
accessible on the page. This also
allows the page to look neat and
presentable.
The coloumn is formatted in a
reasonable font and is in black to
contrast the pale background.
It is clear there isn’t much on the
contents page, the question is, is
the magazine interesting
enough?
As this is a hip hop magazine
contents page , it may seem
ironic how there is an article on
fashion, this allows most hip
hop rap stars to subvert ideas
of not being into such things
The big ‘V’ in the background allows
the contents page to individually
represent the magazine, as it acts as
a logo of some sort.
Allowing everything else to overlay
it lowers its significance on the
page. Yet it is one of the two forms
of colour shown.
The fact this single
coloumn is on a
completely other
side of the
page, singled out it
basically, screaming
to the audience as
it is clearly to be
noticed and not
ignored
Kanye West is a well known
and established hip hop artist.
As he is not only the only
image in the foreground but
the only image on the whole
magazine we understand he is
probably the feature in the
possible cover story.
As he is in black and white
and not colour he almost lacks
significance as a celebrity and
may be regarded as another
commoner. However his black
and white may connote his
attitude: ‘what you see is
what you get’.
The fact there is a female
hand wrapped around him
reaching for his bright red
heart, it creates an appeal
for him as an artist.
The use of the vibrant colour red may indicate not love but
danger, danger of reaching and using the heart.
This column may be general
information on the
magazine i.e website

10. The use of the colour red as
a highlight on the headline
of the contents allows the
page to look vibrant in
contrast to the white
background.
The effectiveness of the contents page being
double page, engages the reader and allows
them to pay more of an interest into the
magazine for they get a variety
The top stories are
distributed across the
pages, giving a brief
description of what
each article entails.
This gives the reader
the chance to chose
whether or not to read
it by seeing if their
interested in it or not
The use of the images
are able to illustrate to
the reader what
consists of the issue.
Here, the magazine
sells its top articles
which may consist of
well known celebrities
in which the readers
are attentive into
finding out more about.
The page numbers
presented on the images
are specifically larger.
They are formatted to
contrast the image i.e in
white font on black
highlights helping give
meaning to the image as
the reader is able to
recognise and locate
where in the magazine it
is.
The colour red may connote the
alertness of the magazine as
well as being monarchic
The dominant image in this double page contents is able to
correspond to the front cover of the magazine, this is able to
allow the reader to relate to the context as it is almost further
elaborating on what was shown on the cover
The context has been presented in the
form of columns, as they are informative
mini articles making it presentable as
well as easy to read
A preview of the
front cover giving an
overview

11. DOUBLE PAGE
SPREAD
ANALYSIS

12. language
main image
layout
It is clear the main
image of this is
dominant and it
surpasses the half
way line and goes into
both pages. The
feature of this is
music artist Florence
Welch and the
iconography of the
photo suggests how
she is establishing or
has already done so in
America as she is
seated on their
national flag.
As her costume is
black it almost makes
her seem like a spy or
a robber snatching
away the American
fans. As red is the
dominant colour in
the image it may
represent how she is
‘on fire’ in the states
I personally admire the layout of this DPS as it has
a reasonable size image which relates to the
article and the article itself is presented neatly
into three columns. This allows the columns to
look appealing to read without looking too bulky
The language presented in this DPS addresses the audience in an
appropriate manor, as it is formal and general. This makes it easier
to read and promote elsewhere such as on a contents page.

13. This hip hop
magazines, double
page spread is very
simple yet
effective, the
language used in this
varies as it is clearly
colloquial in regard
to the artist. This is
presented by the use
of an urban
font, which is able to
resemble graffiti
layout
language
main image
standfirst
quote
The main image features hip hop artist Soulja
Boy, from this close up he automatically
conforms into the category of being
stereotyped as a ‘thug’ as he is of African
American heritage, has many tattoos and an
ear piercing. The brightness and contrast
present on the image is highly effective as it
allows him to be the main focus and standout
This is a classic layout of columns, the fact the image is on one page
and the article on another may entice the reader, as they get a
chance to tear the page out and later use it as a poster.
It is evident the article is very brief and this may make readers think
there isn’t much about him at first glance
The standfirst is very
small, indicating it
gets to the
point, which may
reflect the
personality of our
celebrity
The quote shown
here is presented
on the page as if it
is vandalism but
works well in the
presentation as the
artist has so many
tattoos
In comparison with the DPS featuring Florence Welch, this
layout can be regarded as simple while hers in fairly complex.
Florence Welch’s cover is able to attract an audience more as it
says a lot