Photoshop and Indesign

I used photoshop in order to alter my images to suit the style of my magazine by enchaning the shadows and making them all black and white. However I've decided to use Indesign for the actual consruction of my magazine as I found that Indesign provides a wider use of tools and features which help in the comstruction of a magazine such correct allignment and being able to navigate on it in an easier manner than on Photoshop.

Analysing the front cover of Q magazine and Mojo magazine

The cover of Q magazine has its masthead and strap-line in the top left corner, both connotate sophistication and style with the Q being an abbreviation of "Cue the music" and the stylised font being quite formal. The strapline too is simplistic yet effective "Discover great music". The clever title and the promising strap-line is not only very interesting but also very eye-catching, taking up the entire upper left corner and the contrasting colours of red and white making it stand out. The central dominant image shows the singer Lana Del Rey dressed quite simply yet blood drips down her face. Her expression however shows her at complete ease. All in all the image connotates a hard and dangerous side to the artist and seems to suggests that she can withstand pain. In addition to this the cover line links to the image reading " Everybody's Mad For Lana Del Rey. So What's So Bloody Good?" Not only does the cover line link to the image but it is also personalised for its UK readers, the term "bloody good" being one used in everyday conversation. The cover line above this one has the artists names in large red letters to place more emphasis on it and to make it stand out. This is again done in the upper right hand corner of the magazine and is coupled with a buzz word, "EXCLUSIVE PRO GREEN" is written in a deep pink, contrasting against the white background. The other buzz word too is done in a contrasting colour followed by an exclamation mark "PLUS" (bottom right corner) The buzz words draws the readers attention and suggests the magazine has valuable and interesting content. Alliteration is used in the article heading on the right hand side of the image of Lana Del Rey, "Fights!Feuds!Feathers!" The literary technique is used in order to attract readers, those interested in Kings of Leons will want to know more about it because of the catchy article title. 
Different fonts are used effectively for the overall composition of the magazine cover, Lana Del Rey's name looks like an autograph suggesting a more intimate relationship. In addition to this the article title to do with music festivals is to written a different font and is placed in the middle of a yellow circle. The shape, colour and font differs from most of the cover. What this does is connotate the magazines variation in content, that there is more to the magazine. This technique is used again at the top of the cover with the article title on the "140 songs you must download now" layout in a zig-zagging design with alternate colours of pink and yellow. This reinforces the variety Q magazine offers. 
The bar-code, date, price and web address is all neatly placed in the bottom right corner.This layout, as oppose to having the date up at the top, the date in the other corner etc. etc., keeps in line with the simplisticy of the cover. The simplisticy is reinforced too by the fact that there is only one image on the front, the central dominate one and that the colour scheme is very simple too, red, white and black with splashes of pink and yellow. Whilst the cover is eye-catching it is not overally vibrant, this, along with the rest of the composition suggests that the intended audience is an older one where its not the vibrancy of the cover that will appeal to them but the valuable content of the magazine itself. 






















The cover of Mojo magazine has its masthead dominating the upper part of the cover and its strap-line is placed within the masthead itself. The use of the word Mojo connotates a classic approach to music seeing as Mojo is a old turn of phrase for music. It addition to this the strap-line helps to identify the magazine as a music magazine. The red strap-line on top of the white masthead helps for it to stand out whilst the jazz like font suggests that the content of the magazine focuses on classic styles of music. This is re-enforced by the main dominant image of Bob Dylan in a black and white photograph. Fans of Bob Dylan will know that this a picture of him when he was younger and the fact that it is in black and white re-enforces this. It also connotates again the fact that the magazine focuses on classic styles of music. The buzz words are made to stand out by the contrasting colour of red against black and white and they are also finished with an exclamation mark suggesting the articles importance of exclusivity. For the article title on Bob Dylan the use of font and the fact that it is slanted suggests two things. Firstly the use of font which looks as though it were typewritten again implies that Bob Dylan is a classic rock and roll artist, and secondly the fact that the quote is slanted further re-enforces what the quote is saying, Dylan "doesn't break the rules because there are none" the slanted writing breaks away from conventional alimentary and so too suggests as though it were breaking the rules. 
The bottom right article title and information is framed in quite an old fashioned frame not only keeping in style with the rest of the cover but also bringing it to the readers attention thus making the cover more eye-catching. Moreover the fact that the promise of a free CD (in a sticker effect)  and information on an exclusive interview is in green and yellow heavily contrasts against the rest of the cover and thus makes it more eye-catching. A free gift is used to make readers wish to buy it whilst the article title and additional picture helps to make the cover more aesthetically pleasing. 

Annotation of 2 DPS in competitor magazines

The first DPS I will be annotating is Q magazines DPS on Lana Del Rey. The entire article is in fact more than one DPS, it is in 4 DPS due to the amount of images used. 

PAGE 1-TITLE

The first page is entirely taken up with the title of the article. It is very stylised and is different from the conventional use of article titles. I think this is purposely done due to the artist herself breaking convention.

IMAGE 1 &2

 The first image of Lana Del Rey is a mid shot of her with half her face in the shadows showing her long, manicured nails. The images on the following page too shows a shadowed image of her, obscured by something out of focus. With her eyes closed and her hand stroking her neck the image connotates seductiveness.

ARTICLE LAYOUT

 The layout too is very stylish, there are two columns with a large capital S positioned behind them which is actually the beginning of the article. There is again a large capital letter used for the start of a new paragraph.The bottom of the left page has the date, page number, masthead and web, twitter and Facebook address. The right page has the web address to go and subscribe to the magazine on and again has the date, page number and masthead.

IMAGE 3&4

There is again a close up of the artist face this time of her crying. The quote positioned at the bottom right of the image links to the image and creates a sense of sympathy for the artist, moreover it emphasizes that she is an outsider and that she is different. 

ARTICLE LAYOUT 2

Here the article layout shifts from paragraphs to Q&A with the artist. The distinction between the questions and answers are done by bolding the font of the questions. 

ARTICLE LAYOUT 3
The article continues in a Q&A style and in addition to this a timeline of the artists rise to success is included. A 4 page article can seem too long so this is provided to make the article more interesting and sum up the articles content. A quote is included again in large bold lettering in the colour red to stand out against the white background and the black lettering. This is also done to keep to the house style of the magazine. 
IMAGE 5&6
The images here are more darker then the ones previously , they are also similar to the cover shot however again is much darker than the cover shot. Here the artist is seen in semi-darkness, lit only from underneath with blood dripping all done her face. The images here reflect not only the artists persona but also who exactly the magazine is aimed at. These images would not perhaps be found in a women's magazine, there are neither wholly feminine nor delicate. 
FINAL PAGE
As the article progresses it becomes more and more intimate. The final image highlights the contours of her body whilst the quote which accompanies the image, although contradictory to the image is very declarative and is an insight into the artists mind and music. 
LANGUAGE ANALYSIS AND MODE OF ADDRESS
The language used is highly detailed and provides an intimate insight into the artist "the camera accentuates the big deep pools of her eyes and the epic pout of her lips..." In addition to this the language used seems highly sophisticated, here the mode of address is focused on the intended male readers from the ABC1 category, this is re-enforced by the fact that the artist is portrayed in a seductive but not wholly provocative manner "...girlish giggle to filthy cackle." The use of swearing and sexual references further re-enforced that the intended readers are male.






 

The second DPS I will annotate is the cover story for Elle Magazine. The reason I've decided to deconstruct a women's fashion/lifestyle magazine is in order to understand ways in which women in the ABC1 category are specifically targeted. Again the DPS is more than just one, the article consists of 5 DPS'.
PAGE 1-TITLE
The first page has the article title and a small paragraph referring to the article. The font differs from the the other font used in the magazine and actually the font used for the article itself. This I believe is done intentionally, Elle Magazine features many articles and interviews. To highlight that this the cover story a different font id used to make it stand out from the others. 
IMAGE 1 & 2
As in Q magazine an entire page is used for an image. The pose connotes a partnership, a closeness between the two sisters. Moreover the image seems very high end fashion as does the cover and contents image of Mary-Kate and Ashley.  The image on the following page again focuses on the clothes the two of them are wearing. The images are studio shots, simmilar to the images in Q magazine which were studio shots too. 
ARTICLE LAYOUT 1
The article layout seems quite text heavy and is spilt into two columns with a break for a quote. Certain words are made to stand out to refer to the interview. 
IMAGE 3&4
As with the other images there is a small description of what the two sisters are wearing, this is a common convention for fashion magazines.
ARTICLE LAYOUT 2
Here, as in Q magazine there is a questions and answers section of the article. The questions are typed in capitals to make them stand out and show that there is a shift in the layout. 

ARTICLE LAYOUT3

This layout is the same as the layout on the first page. At the end of the article is the magazines website and a promise for exclusive content on the two sisters. Here again is a common convention for magazines, using their website to support their magazine and offering interactivity with their website.

LANGUAGE ANALYSIS AND MODE OF ADDRESS

The use of language doesn't differ too much from Q magazine. It is highly detailed and provides an intimate insight into the two designers,"Two slight, golden-haired creatures step out. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen skim across the pavement on their high, thin heels, to be swallowed up by the building opposite." Here though, the mode of address focuses on reaching its intended readers with its focus on fashion, "At once unique and utterly-polarising (they appear equally in best-and worst-dressed lists) their style is often politely described as "eccentric." 

Annotation of 2 contents pages

Here I used issue 307 of Q magazine to analyse the contents page which in this case is a double page spread. 
BASICS
It includes all the requirements of a contents page with the masthead, followed by the contents title and finished with the cover line. The issue number is included under the masthead and title in a red boost which helps the bold white font stand out.In addition to this the bottom of the page includes the magazines website which it tells readers they can subscribe to the magazine on and, on the bottom right it has the date, the page number and the smaller version of the Q magazine. On the second page this shifts with the date and page number know placed on the bottom left hand side and on the right readers are offered interactivity with the magazines website, twitter address and facebook address.
HOUSE STYLE
Overall the contents page fits in with the house style of the magazine e.g the colour scheme red, white and black.
IMAGES
 The first thing I noticed with the layout is that The double page spread is consists mainly of images which, depending on the article content vary in size. The image of Lana Del Rey is the largest and is made even more prominent by the extreme close-shot of her face, this is done purposely to highlight the image linking to the main cover story in the magazine. The same technique is used with the image of the Muppets on the right, the size of the image connotates that it is one of the main articles. 
The smaller images that are also on the contents page provide a visual insight into the magazine articles and work to draw the readers in. Moreover, images of double page spreads are included in the contents page on the right which again helps to draw the readers in whilst the small image of the magazine cover ensures readers know what their getting.  None of the images includes a caption perhaps for one of two reasons the first that it may well draw the reader to find out for themselves what the article is about or else because the target audience are expected to already know who the artists featured are. However the only image accompanied  with information is on the second page, bottom right where there is a synopsis for a review on Rihanna's latest live tour. This I believe is done to ensure that the layout remains looking interesting and with enough relevant information. 
ARTICLE CONTENT
 The content information is spilt into two sections, Features and Regulars. After each feature title a small synopsis is included insuring readers immediately know what they're going to be reading. In addition to this the page numbers are included and stand out against the page encased in a small red box with bold white numbers. This is also done on the images and the size of the boxes differ as well to link with the size of the image. 
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
On the second page interaction is offered with a special offer for subscribing to the magazine which stands out  due to the large black lettering used to draw attention to the subscription offer. 
LAYOUT AND COMPOSTION
It is overall very aesthetically pleasing with a number of different shapes and varying sizes ensuring that it looks as though it has all relevant information without looking too cluttered and does suit its target audience of male 20+ due to its simplistic style and article content. 

Here I used April edition of Elle magazine to analyse. This contents differs alot from Q magazines content.
HOUSE STYLE
 It is far more simplistic and the colour scheme isn't as vibrant. For the masthead and the contents titles a light grey is used whilst the article titles and synopsis is in black. 
MAIN IMAGE
There is only one main dominant image on the the first page of the contents page, this picture relates to the main cover story however has no caption, just like the images in Q magazine. I think this is done because both Q and Elle are well established magazines, they already a have a strong following therefore their readers would already know what to expect. 
FONTS AND WRITING
The fonts used are very similar to the masthead font, the only exception is the date. 
The bottom of the page shows Elle magazines awards, again I think this can only be done for a well established magazine although Q magazine doesn't do this. I believe this is done as female readers better appreciate an award winning magazine. In addition to this because there is compition between fashion magazines female readers look to find the best magazine there is therefore they would be drawn to Elle due to its numerous awards.The slim font used in Elle contrasts heavily with the bold font used in Q magazine. Q magazine contents page seems to have a few exclamation marks whilst Elle magazine has none whatsoever. Despite it only being the contents page its clear what the mode of address is in both. 
ADDITIONAL IMAGES
 The second page of contents shows a small group of pictures positioned at the top, again the minimalistic approach to the layout seems better suited to women. 
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
There is a small grey box near the bottom left for subscribing to the magazine, free make-up is offered, this again is better suited for women, Maybelline must have collaborated with Elle as female readers in the ABC1 category would most likely use a high end make-up brand such as Maybelline. 
ARTICLE SECTIONS
Elle magazine has 6 sections however seeing as it is a women's lifestyle/fashion magazine.
Comparing Elle magazine with Q it is clear to see in what ways the magazines target their audience through their layout and choice of colour and font.



In light of the fact that I wish to create a music magazine aimed specifically at women I want to combine the elements of both contents page.

Mocking up intial designs for masthead

I decided to call my magazine ENCORE because a, it connotates music and b, the word encore means a another round, a follow on from the original and this I believe is what my magazine is. It is the follow on from Q magazine, a high quality magazine aimed at women. Here I tried a few different fonts to find one that I feel would work however I think most the above is too decorative, the first and second are simplistic however I feel that they look too masculine. Therefore when it comes to creating my masthead I want to take inspiration from female fashion magazines such as ELLE and VOGUE.

Draft of contents list

FEATURES


100 MOST CONTROVERSIAL LIVE PERFORMANCES. 


PAUL McCARTNEY- talks to - about surprising inspiration for his 23rd album and how he feels more alive than ever.


SUMMER 2012 LINE-UP- exclusive info on the biggest names playing at the biggest events. 


Q+A WITH GRAMMY WINNERS-Check out what all those walking off with the trophies had to say.


THE MACCABEES-  on ambiguity and authenticity. 


SOPHIA MONET-World exclusive interview with Sophia De Luca on the impact her music has had so far. 

WORD COLUMNS


ANNIE MAC


JOOLS HOLLAND


CATLIN MORAN

REGULARS


-MAIL-
Q & A- 


- REVIEWS


LAST BUT NOT LEAST-B.o.B gives us his greatest chat-up lines for the ladies and tells us the top ten things he wants to do before the end of the world. 


Here is a draft  of my magazines content page. I included both the features and regulars of my magazine. I highlighted the feature that will be on the cover of the magazine and that will be the double page spread of my magazine. 

Style of music magazine

I've decided to create a monthly mainstream magazine targeted at an older female audience. I want to use the basic colour scheme of black, white and pink but with splashes of colour. The layout will be simplistic and minimalistic, is this way I believe the layout will highlight the fact that my magazine is not just about one particular genre of music. I want to provide in-depth interviews on a variety of artists, upcoming, popular and classic. Therefore I want to provide variety in the magazine. Overall the magazine will be sophisticated and stylish, this linked with the colour scheme I hope may attract female readers too however, this will depend on the content too. I want the focus to be on the music and the artists relationship with their music, for this reason I want the images to be minmalistic and sophisticated. I would like the font of the magazine to be simplistic yet quite rememberable too, especially for the cover of the magazine and the masthead. 

Content profile moodboard

With the content I want to incorporate the traditional articles found in Q magazine with additional articles more suited to the intended readers. I want articles similar to that found in Sunday Times Culture magazine. High end, quality articles incorporating all the arts. Examples of this could be reviews for modern dance shows, new movie soundtracks (movies women from this age range and this demographic category would watch), book reviews, new art exhibitions however it will be pre-predominately focused on music and the other articles will have reference to music. 

The reason I want to so this is because a music magazine aimed at women doesn't really exists however, researching  Q magazines readers I found that there are a small percentage of female readers however the overall style and composition of the magazine seems aimed at men. By creating the female version of Q magazine I can concentrate on targeting the audience via the style, photos, composition.

Reader profile moodboard

The audience I wanted to target at is one similar to Q magazine however, as oppose to targeting a male audience I want to target a female audience. Therefore the age range will remain the same, 20+, and will fall mainly in the ABC1 category. What I want to achieve with my magazine is the female eqviulant of Q magazine however I feel that, as Q magazine isn't too male orientated with its content the articles don't need to differ. However the layout will need to show that it is a music magazine aimed more at women therefore the things I may wish to consider is the colour scheme, the composition, the style of the photos, of the masthead etc. etc. It is therefore the style of the magazine that will need to appeal to women. For this reason I want to draw inspiration from covers such as ELLE and VOGUE that are aimed at women of the same age. 

Deconstruction of 3 mastheads and possible magazine names

With "KERRANG!"'s masthead the colour of red which usually suggests passion conveying a passion for music. In addition to this the messy font of the word "KERRANG!" looks like vibrations from a loud noise in this case from an electric guitar which, when strummed, makes the noise "KERRANG!" The small strap-line "Life is loud" links in with the title and overall seems to point to a younger target audience. Furthermore the overall layout looks like a ticket suggesting that the reader of "KERRANG!" would probably be a concert goer.



"MOJO"'s magazine masthead uses the same colour scheme of "KERRANG!", red, black and white. The first thing I noticed is that word "MOJO" is not only a very 60's music term but also the font is quite retro as is the strap-line "The Music Magazine". The strap-line alone suggests that "MOJO" is the definitive music magazine, this along with the name and the font suggests an older target audience with a love for classic rock music.

"Q"'s masthead is very simplistic which in itself says that the magazine is not a busy or messy magazine in its layout. The capital Q too suggests how much more sophisticated it is plus, links in with the music term "Cue the music..." The red again, like in "KERRANG!", suggests a passion for music and also makes the white Q stand out. The font is again simplistic and stylish suggesting an older target audience.


Possible names for my magazine:

• AUDIO
• BASS
• BEAT
• ANIMA
• ENCORE
• VIBRATIONS
• MIXED TAPE
• PLAYBACK
• REWIND
• ON AIR
• CHORDS

Survey testing potential content/style and look of magazine

Music Magazine Survey

We are currently doing research for the launch of a new magazine.  We would greatly appreciate it if you take the time to complete this survey.

Thank you, your opinion is very valuable to us.

What is your sex?

Male _

Female _

What is your age?

A. Under 2o

B. 2o-34

C. 35-44

D. 45-54

E. Older.

Do you read any music magazine? If so which ones?

__________________________________________________________________________


Do you buy them on a regular basis or from time to time?
                                                                                                                                                                     
                      

Do you read any other type of magazine? If so which ones?

__________________________________________________________________________


Do you buy them on a regular basis or from time to time?
                                                                                                                                                                     
                       

What is your favourite genre of music?

Pop

R&B

Soul

Reggae

Folk

Rock & Roll

Blues

Dance

Classical

Would you read these articles?

YES    MAYBE     NO

A." 100 greatest albums"  

                                                                

YES    MAYBE     NO

B. "Woman in music"

                                                                           

YES    MAYBE     NO

C. "Rock star fitness" 

                                                                          

YES    MAYBE     NO

D. "Download on 2012 gigs"  

                                                            

YES    MAYBE     NO

E. "Most infamous rock couples"     

                                               

YES    MAYBE     NO

F. "State of music today"     

                                                               

YES    MAYBE     NO

G. "Sex, skins and standing in the way of control"    

                         

YES    MAYBE     NO

H. "Give in to indie-rave"        

                                                           

YES    MAYBE     NO

I. “Top 25 bands making America cool again"         

                    

YES    MAYBE     NO

J. "Emo suicide-your reaction"                                                          

Which 3 do you find the MOST interesting?          _     _     _

.Are there any other articles you would like featured?  

Who would you like on a magazine cover?(tick 2 only)

A. Someone that looks interesting   _

B. Someone who looks sexy  _

C. An music artist you like  _

D. A popular music artist  _

What layout would attract you most to a magazine?

A. Simplistic and minimalistic

B. Detailed and full

What colours would attract you the most?

A. Black and white _

B. Green and red _

What would make the difference between buying one magazine from another(tick 2 only)

A. Imaginative design _

B. Exclusive and valuable information provided_

C. How stylish the photos look_

D. Special offers _

E. Chances to win prizes _

Thank you for your time, your opinion is very valuable to us.


I gave the survey to 50 people 25 of which were male and 25 of which were female. The average age of those who read music magazines were 20-34. 20 of the men who took the survey had bought a music magazine, 18 of them bought them on a regular basis. Only 6 of the women bought a music magazine and none bought them on a regular basis. However 23 women bought other magazines, examples of which are Cosmo, Vogue, Elle, Heat and 20 of them bought them on a regular basis.
There was a correlation between the results in terms of the favourite article titles.

Articles such as "Download on 2012 gigs" and "100 greatest albums"  were some of the most popular. Women especially were interested in articles such as "Most infamous rock couples" and "Woman in music". There were alot of suggestions on possible articles, such as interviews with new upcoming artists and word columns from writers such as Annie Mac or Jools Holland. 
In terms of the possible design for the magazine most said that they wanted a cover with an image of an artist they liked, this was followed by the second most popular which was a popular music artist. For the layout there was a an equal number for each although it was mainly the men that ticked the "Detailed and full" layout and women who picked the "Simplistic and minimalistic" layout. Black and white was voted the most popular colour scheme.  This last question again didn't have one popular answer although "Exclusive and valuable information provided" had the most votes by a small margin.

From this survey I see that there is a gap in the market for a female music magazine that focuses on quality music. 

Therefore I aim to create a magazine that is aimed specifically at women, the interest is there however because music magazines are so male oriented female readers feel as though they are not included or that their needs are met. 

It seems it's not the contents of music magazines such as Q or Mojo that doesn't interest female reader, there is in fact a circulation (small though it is) of female readers for both. It is the style of the magazine that is slightly off putting for women. I want to create a magazine that would be appealing to women but be about music.

Stimulating ideas

Q magazines colour scheme of red, black and white seem to be more appropriate for its target audience. This I believe is vital as the cover of a magazine must appeal to its audience and the colours used are a subtle way to do so.This is the mistake I made in my pre-lim task, the colours were too vibrant for my target audience.
As I want my cover to appeal to an older target audience I think the black and white colour scheme would work well with one other vibrant colour in contrast.
The photographs on the cover are sophisticated and fit in with the colour scheme and are mostly medium shots of the artists yet take up most of the front cover and in fact, because the masthead is very simplistic and short there is more emphasis on the artists themselves. The title being long doesn't add anything to the cover of the magazine but does need to link to the magazine's subject
In addition to this the lack of so many pictures makes the cover overall much more simplistic and thus, more appropriate for its audience.

Fact file for my competitors magazine

I researched UK based music magazines to decide what type of music magazine I want to create. The one that stood out for me was Q magazine. Its a popular music magazine yet also covers classic artists and upcoming artists. This I feel is the type of magazine I want to try to create. A stylish trendy music magazine aimed at a slightly older audience.
Publishers: Bauer Media Group


Editor: Paul Reeds


Circulation: 94,811


Brand extensions: Q radio, Q TV(television channel), Q awards.


Synopsis: The magazine provides exclusive music news along with interviews with artists and music and gig reviews.


Frequency of publishing: Monthly


Subscription: Available


Distribution: UK, USA and Australia.


Bauer Media Group brands: Examples of two are Empire and Mojo

Pre-lim task-design a magzine cover

What a poor excuse of a magazine cover. The irony is that I felt this was quite good when I was creating it.
I had to create a magazine cover for 6th formers.
The design is quite good, I included article titles, competitions titles the barcode and the title.
However the colours are are too "picasso-esqe" and the main picture is not nearly large enough.
The target audience was 6th formers,so 16-18 yr olds however the colours would appeal more to 4yr olds than a teenager. Plus my Photoshop skills are atrocious! MUST learn to use a computer properly...

Analysis of Q magazines language and letters page

Editorial of Q magazine February 2012
HAPPY NEW YEAR
We usher in 2012 profiling the most viewed and talked about new artist of the moment-Lana Del Rey-via her first in-depth profile and through the lens of Q debutant Simon Emmett's extraordinary photographs. Like millions of others we were, and are, riveted by Del Rey's Video Games, the song and the clip. She is no less fascinating in person-as, I trust, you'd agree once you've read this month's cover feature, which starts on page 48. I expect this to be but the first of her Q cover appearances.
Elsewhere, in what you could entirely accurately refer to as a packed issue, you can discover the essential new music of the month via our list of 140 new songs to download(produced with expert help and impeccable taste from musos, insiders and you) and the world's most in-depth music guide, Q Review, which ranges from the striking debut of Emeli Sande to hip hop's most heavyweight tag team - Jay-Z and Kanye West. You can read compelling accounts of Kings of Leon's annus horribilis and the Occupy movement, too. And then there's The Muppets...
This, then, is Q as it is and will be:the unique and definitive take on the music that matters most and the people making it. 
Now, tell us what you think-it's your magazine...


Reading this I found that the editor addresses the reader as though they too are music professional, this conveys the idea that the readers are wise, because of this I can identify the audience which is about 20+, in addition to this the way in which the cover stories are described suggests an older audience. "in-depth" "impeccable taste" "compelling" "profiling" "riveted" the language is both sophisticated and poetic again suggesting an older target audience. Furthermore the way in which the readers are addressed places great emphasis on them,"produced with expert help and impeccable taste from musos, insiders and you" "as I    trust, you'll agree..." "Now tell us what you think-it's your magazine..." this makes the readers think they are in the know and that their opinion is valuable, making the readers feel like an informed and intelligent fan.


Reading the letters I can tell that the readers are very loyal with many of the letters explaining how they have been reading the magazine for years, "For the third year running I have been engrossed..." and moreover the letters suggest an intelligent and interested readership. The letters helps to establish the target audience as does the pictures which show readers with the magazine abroad. The pictures show mostly older male readers.


The layout of the letter page continues with the colour scheme of Q magazine which is red, black and white, in addition to this the right page of the double spread has letter of the month and tweets from their twitter page.
Q magazine offers a purehmv card pre-loaded with 10,000 point and £50 HMV gift vouchers.
The letters suggest not only loyalty but also how involved the readers are with the magazine content offering information on artists and possible article titles.

Content analysis on Q magazine

Using Q magazines February edition I have made a tally of the different types of pages, including adverts.

Looking at the tally the number of reviews and adverts seems to make up a majority of the magazine, what this shows me about the magazine is that it is aimed at a target audience interested in quality music and therefore at an older audience.

In addition to this the amount of newsworthy articles is small connotating that the audience of the magazine are not that interested in news or gossip.

The adverts are mainly for gigs or for new technology, this specifies the target audience, From a older audience I can now narrow it down to a older male audience, an audience interested in gigs and the newest phone or speakers.

Therefore from the content analysis alone I am able to figure out the target audience for Q which is about 20+ male audience.
Having said that it is clear that, whilst mainly male orientated it may also attract a small number of female readers yet as they are not specifically target keeping reader engagement is limited.