Analysing Music Magazine Covers.

'Q' magazine states that it is the uk's biggest music magazine. It's name 'Q' relates to the phrase 'cue the music' but the word 'cue' has been shortened to 'Q' to make it more memorable and so that the readers know it is to do with music and not anything to do with a cue used in snooker.  Shortening the word to just a letter makes the letter act like a logo, making it instantly recognisable and creating the brand 'Q'.  The magazine covers a wide range of music genres so that it appeals to a wide audience.

Just by looking at the cover of this magazine you can see why it is so successful as it fits with all the generic conventions of a typical magazine cover. The colour scheme of red, black and white straight away tells me that this magazine is probably aimed at a unisex audience. The main image fits with the colour scheme and the staplines also support it. The main image is of a picture of Cheryl Cole, a very relevant, successful and popular pop artist, appealing to both men and women as women aspire to be like her and men might want to be with her. In this image she looks head strong, in control and also quite sexy because of her red lips and the pose that she is in, again supporting the previous point. Furthermore, she is also looking directly in to the camera, a good technique to use when trying to address the audience and lure people in and make them buy it.

Staplines such as; 'The 10 Best New Acts' appeals to the target audience because the acts that follow are all quite different, appealing to both men and women and lots of different types of people. Also, this is telling the readers about new acts, this will make the readers think that if they buy this magazine then they will be 'in the know' about up to date and good new acts to follow. The kicker reads 'CHERYL COLE ROCKS' in large red, capital letters, keeping its link with the colour scheme and main image. The word 'rock' also links with the genre of music that is rock linking with the music magazine its self. As the kicker is very eye-catching, it will catch the attention of Cheryl Cole fans and make them want to buy it and as she has a huge fan base, that will be a lot of people and mean a lot of sales for the magazine. The layout of the magazine is clear, although it is full and there are a lot of things on it, it does not look overcrowded. The staplines are all placed nicely around the main image, so that they grab enough attention but at the same time don't take any attention away from the main image as it is very eye-catching, as is the title and the kicker. There is also a pug on the middle of the right hand side of the magazine that says; 'John Lennon'. John Lennon is very popular with older generations attracting them to the magazine. Whereas, Cheryl Cole attracts a younger audience. Having both of these artists involved in the front cover creates a balance between young and old and ultimately draws in a wider audience to the magazine.