Rolling Stone have kept their mast head at the top as always.

The main image is Snoop Dogg, he has eye contact with the reader and is dressed in Christmas items due to the fact this is a Christmas themed issue with the Santa hat and candy cane for a pipe. Red and white colours also back this theme up.

The lead article fits perfectly with the main image as he is holding a pipe.

Lead Article

Skyline

Cover Lines

Main Image

The Left Third

The left third contains a lot of useful information for the reader. This would be seen on a magazine rack due to a lot of magazines being places on top of each other.

Q have kept the basic style of the white and red front cover. The main image being Metallica is just them themselves, as they are such a big, famous band this is all that needed to sell the band.

The masthead is positioned in the left third at the top to be seen easiest on a magazine rack.

The lead article is positioned right in the middle at the waist of Metallica.

There are only 3 cover lines yet they all stand out against the white background.

The one that stood out the most for me is at the bottom. It draws attention to itself and readers who like Metallica may buy this magazine as the 20 loudest albums will most probably be the same genre of music as Metallica.

The flash is at the bottom right and shows the large amount of albums reviewed to show how big this magazine is and shows its dominance.

Coverlines

Flash

Lead ArticleLeft Third

Masthead

Main Image

Mixmag have used yellows and blues to create a very effective design. The white masthead, positioned at the top, stands out from the light blue background.

The main image used is The Prodigy. The three members are standing with the most important member at the front and the other two standing behind. They have eye contact with the reader.

The lead article is in the middle just below the main images face. The facial expressions of the band fit with the lead article;’ came back from hell’.

The coverlines have been placed down the right third rather than the left. This is because the left third has been used by the free CD which would probably been the main selling point on first glance.

The skyline reads ‘the world’s biggest dance music and clubbing magazine’. It is boasting about its high popularity and asserts its dominance against other rival magazines.

Flashes have also been used with important magazine articles.

Coverlines

FlashesMasthead

Main Image

Skyline Lead Article

Q has kept its traditional house style of red and white in this contents page. It has a simple and clear title with the issue number beside it.

Down the left hand side the features are laid out very clearly with sub-headings and separating red lines. The main feature has been given a small image and is above the other features. It has also been printed in red font rather than black to make it stand out from the rest. It has a larger sub-heading than the others also, reading ‘The Beatles’

Images down the right hand side have been used to give the reader a glimpse of what the articles may be about without revealing everything. The lead article has been given the biggest slot for the image and features the same band/artist from the front cover.

Overall this contents page is very clear and supplies the reader with easy access to the contents of the magazine.

This contents follows from the last slide and as it should, keeps the same design and style.

The regulars have been placed down the right hand side this time and these would be the things that would be in every Q magazine. These have yet again, clear sub-headings and page numbers. The different sections are separated by red lines.One of the main regulars have also got its own image like the main feature and a larger sub-heading. This also has been printed in red font to stand out.

A small image of the front cover has been placed at the top right of the page and almost reminds the reader of the front cover allowing them to remember what they saw and can pick it out in the contents.

The images have been positioned on the left hand side with the page references. In the magazine when these two would of been put next to each other it would of shown the images in the middle with the regulars and features either side.

NME have used a very effective black and white colour scheme for their contents page. With a big bold title and the masthead from the front cover it is easily found. Most of the page is dominated by a piece of writing written by either an editor of the magazine or someone who would normally write articles after being out there and experiencing it. This piece is about the UK gig scene and includes page references so while reading it you will be picking up on certain pages of interest. The article has been places on top of a black background which looks like the big black boxes bands use to store their instruments etc so this ties in well. Above the article is the picture of maybe the writer of the piece and she is with a tour bus.

The features and regulars have been places in the same place down the right hand side and are separated by big bold sub-heading which makes it very clear to spot each one. The page numbers have been printed in red to stand out from almost everything else on the page.

An advert has been used at the bottom right for subscriptions to this magazine. As nearly everyone who buys the magazine will look at this page it is an ideal place to advertise.

NME’s double page spread on Dizzee Rascal comes across very in your face with the colours and presentation. The title of the article is a pun on the well know phrase ‘from rags to riches’. This means to have succeeded from a poor environment into fame and fortune. As this reads ‘from tags to riches’ Dizzee, in the article is no doubt talking about his journey from the home life he used to have as a kid to the fame and stardom he now holds. The full page image of Dizzee supports this and brings the two ways of life into one, the clothes he is wearing and his appearance shows the state he is in now with his money yet he is committing a crime and looks pretty sneaky doing so. This may also signal that the way he was brought up and the way he lived life as a teen are not lost or forgotten due to how famous he is now.

The background of the article is paint splatters to look to be done by a spray can.

Images have been used to separate the text so it doesn’t seem to long and have been given captions in relation to the articles content. A pull quote has also been used which also highlights the main subject of the article as Dizzee can’t believe this has came this far.

The overall style of this magazine seems more commercial to maybe attract a younger audience.

Q music magazine follows throughout its front cover, contents and now the double page spread a more professional design, limiting its colours to red, black and white in its editing with the exception of colour images. This approach comes across to attract older readers who want a more professional music magazine.

The main full page image is also the band on the front cover as this is the lead. It shows the more important member of the band standing closer to the camera compared to the drummer and bassist. They are all holding their instruments below their waste as if they are in control and can create anything with them.

The first page of the article is that with most the text. In the middle is an image with a pullquote, it is easily visible there and separates the text well. The pullquote has been printed in red and stands out perfectly against the white background. The large M at the beginning of the article may not be the bands name Muse yet Muse does begin with M so it asserts the bands dominance as it is the biggest letter.

The right hand page contains the most images with captions related to the article.

This magazines double page spread is shorter in text than the others I have analysed. This is because this article is a question and answer, put across on one page. ‘A round with Ian Brown’ is the title for the Q & A and in a way compares this person to a boxer, maybe not in physical terms but maybe others. The piece of writing underneath gives a brief description of the man for those who may not know who he is. The questions and then the replies are set out clearly with gaps and different coloured font for each. A pull quote in bigger lettering has been placed in the middle which is where it is most easily spotted and intends to draw the reader in if they weren’t specifically looking for this page.

The main full page image shows Ian Brown in a more intellectual state, reading a science book written by Stephen Hawking and drinking a cup of coffee or tea. This may have been done to portray the fact that Ian Brown isn’t what he is made out to be and he does have other sides. He is pointing to the cup asif saying this is what I drink as well! He also appears to be sitting in a café of some sort.