Music magazine double page spread analysis

Layout- Very conventional and easy to read. The text layout is conventional as it is split into

3 columns with paragraphs for different topics in a conventional magazine style for an easy

read. The big, bold capital ‘S’ and ‘I’ helps to split up the text and is also a convention. Lots of

information is given connoting that Q magazine cares about the artists. It would also attract

fans of Lady Gaga to buy the magazine as lots of information about her career and private

life is given. The layout is also structured connoting that the artists are taken very seriously

by this magazine.

Image- Lady Gaga is taking up the whole page connoting her importance in the music

industry and how she is the main feature in this magazine. The image is black and white

which conforms to the colour scheme and also makes it stand out connoting how Lady Gaga

stands out against all of the other artists in the music industry. The fact that it’s in black and

white could suggest that there is a darker side to Lady Gaga, the chains around her suggest

something sadistic giving hints to the type of interview she will give- an outrageous,

unconventional, revealing one. The image is placed directly next to the interview suggesting

that the sexual themes will apply to both. The dark colours could also symbolise how serious

she is about her music. She isn’t wearing anything but chains in the photo adding to the

controversial and provocative image she portrays herself to the public suggesting that the

things featured about her in this magazine will be just as controversial, attracting people to

buy it to see what she says. The sexualised image connotes that Lady Gaga is in the male

gaze therefore attracting a male audience. The medium close up is cut at her breasts

connoting that it is the magazine’s intention for the picture to be provocative. She is in the

centre of the shot connoting how she is in full control of the interview and her music, she

will never be pushed around. The sexual theme of this image suggests that the target

audience for the magazine would be an older one, maybe over 18’s. The low key lighting, her

make-up and styled hair makes her look glamorous attracting women to buy the magazine if

they are interested in her look. Lady Gaga is using direct address, allowing her to connect

with the reader making the magazine more personal to them.

Colour scheme- The red and white colour scheme is conventional for magazines, especially

when the target audience is men. This colour scheme also fits in with the colour scheme of

‘Q Magazine’ the colour red connotes lust, adding to the risqué theme of the magazine. The

large, red ‘L’ which is dominating the interview page suggests that the majority of Lady

Gaga’s interview will be about lust and sex. It also represents how Lady Gaga is the USP of

this edition of ‘Q magazine’ as the huge ‘L’ and her picture stand out the most also

suggesting that the article and the image are just as important as each other. Despite the ‘L’

being a different colour to the background of the rest of the interview, the text is still easy to

read connoting that what the artists say is very important to the magazine & giving the

readers an easy read is their priority.

Title of the article-As well as being a convention,This tells the reader who they are reading

about, the whole double page spread is plastered with information reminding the reader

that Lady Gaga is the main artist featured in this magazine representing her dominance over

the music industry. The font that says ‘Lady’ is different to the one that says ‘Gaga’ , the

fonts used here are also different to the fonts used in the rest of the magazine connoting

how Lady Gaga is different to other artists in the industry and how she is forever changing

the way she looks.

Date, Page number& Logo- Another convention. The page number is white on black

suggesting that most of the pages in the magazine will have dark and risqué themes. They’re

placed at the bottom of the page emphasising how the content of the pages take priority

over conventional information for the reader.