Chris Briant WGSB AS Media Studies
The title of "Q" gives the impression to the reader that you're about to cue the music at the start of a record. This in turn means that the magazine doesn't have to stick to a certain genre of music, which allows it to reach out to a lot of music fans all over the world. This helps the magazine to be fairly discrete unlike "Kerrang!" as there isn't something on the magazine that screams out at you which means the average music fan won't be put off from buying the magazine. The "Q" masthead differs from the other two magazines I will be analysing (Rolling Stone & Billboard) as it is positioned in the top left hand corner of the magazine. "Q" is written in a serif font which exemplifies how the magazine is serious unlike a hardcore magazine such as "Kerrang!". It also insinuates how the magazine has some history to it as the font hasn't changed. This particular edition of "Q" is an "Awards Special Edition" written below the "Q" logo, which tells the reader that this issue is of importance, and it's a one off version of "Q". The Q is coloured white in a red box which draws the reader to the magazine, as red is an eye-catching colour. Overall the logo is easily identifiable and straightforward, and is consistent throughout every magazine cover.
I have decided to analyse "Q" magazine as it is a prestigious and well-known magazine, that is well presented and respected in the magazine industry. "Q" is published monthly, so the quality of the print of the magazine is going to be better than a magazine such as "Billboard", which is published weekly. The cost of this magazine is £3.99 per issue, and it is published by the Bauer Media Group, like the magazine "Kerrang!".
The Bauer Media Group describes the average "Q" reader to be a 29-year-old man who thinks "music is more important to him than anything else" and "it's at the centre of his social life". He has no proper family responsibilty, he works in a professional job, he attends music festivals often, and he spends most of his disposable income on gigs and albums (6 per month) because he has a deep passion for music. He absolutely loves technology as it helps him to listen to music wherever he goes, whether it's on his iPhone or iPod, it gives him a way to listen to his favourite music all the time. His other interests aren't really impacted by his taste in music, and these are things such as gaming, films, TV and sport.
Background Research
Front Page Analysis
The main image on the cover of this issue of "Q" magazine is a medium shot of Ed Sheeran, who is looking up and right. This may be because of the creative style of his music, as he may be thinking of some lyrics he could write, or a song he could produce. In this image Ed has a straight and upright posture as if he is ready for some casual conversation, which indicates that the interview he has done is fairly laid back and open which is similar to his music. This tells the reader that they may learn some interesting information about him. His facial expressions suggest that he is being friendly and is thinking positive thoughts, however this differs from the connotations associated with the message from his music. Ed's clothes are casual and he looks natural, which is seen through the messy hair and scruffy beard. This all adds to the friendly and open persona the reader will see in Ed Sheeran when they pick up this issue of "Q".
There is only one image on the cover of this issue of "Q" magazine, which demonstrates that the main focus of this particular magazine is Ed Sheeran. This is an interesting concept to use, as it draws people in who are fans of Ed Sheeran, which will help to increase sales, and it doesn't bombard the reader with a lot of pointless images that may take their attention away from the main focus point, which on this cover is Ed Sheeran. Under the "Q" logo there is a sub title that says "Awards Special Edition" which expresses to the reader how this is an important issue of "Q" and it is done to try and make the reader feel special as they will buy this issue because it is an "Essential!" thing to have, as stated with the use of a sticker on the far right of the cover.
"Q" magazine isn't outlandish and is facially-orientated with the images it uses, which is similar to magazines such as "Billboard" and "Rolling Stone", but differs heavily to magazines such as "Kerrang!" that has a recognised target audience. Overall, "Q" is a serious and pure magazine that is just about the music, this is because of the consistent house style and layout that is minimal compared to a magazine such as "Kerrang!" that floods the readers eyes with articles and images.
The language that is used on the front cover of "Q" is sophisticated, and it aids it in standing out and helps it to appeal to potential buyers, which for "Q" is anyone who is interested in music. The main cover line states that Ed Sheeran's story is "an everyday tale of one man, his guitar and global superstardom..." which because of the bold and vibrant colour used to make "Ed Sheeran" stand out, draws the reader in. The main cover line also inspires the reader in a way because it states that the success of Ed Sheeran is something that anyone can achieve, due to the use of "everyday". This will help to entice people to buy this issue of "Q" as it may give some of the readers, for example aspirers, hope. There is a cover line on the left hand side of the front cover that reads "Neil Young Exclusive! On family, CSNY & the future" which gives the reader the sense that this is a special interview because of the use of "Exclusive!". The exclamation mark also proposes to the reader that this is an interview that must be read, and because it is exclusive, it will make the reader feel special, as if it is exclusive to them. The cover lines are all promoting interviews, and in total including the main interview, there are 8 interviews in this issue of "Q". This is interesting as this fits in with the type of issue this magazine is, because it is a special edition issue, so "Q" have gone the extra mile and interviewed a lot of well-known artists.
All of the typefaces that have been used are sans-serif, bold fonts, apart from the masthead itself. This makes the magazine feel modern, and makes the entire magazine stand out because the cover is full of eye catching cover lines that draw the reader in. By making the cover lines bold, it helps to emphasise the importance of them. Red headline dividers have been used to separate each cover line, which exhibits how each interview is important in its own right. There have only been 3 colours used, white, red and grey, and on this front cover, white is used to highlight areas of importance as all the cover lines apart from the main one, which is in red. Red is used to highlight the focus point of the magazine, which is Ed Sheeran. Lastly grey has been used for the summaries of each cover line. These colours overall don't make the magazine seem overpowering, but do make it stand out.
