Textual Analysis

The First thing that strikes you looking at this magazine is the way the cover image is used so that it affects the look of the masthead. Pictured is Matt Bellamy, swinging his guitar and smashing the Q logo with shards of the logo seen flying across the whole page. I think this is a very clever use of the image not only does it draw your eye to the magazine, so if it were on a shelf it would stand out against the rest, it also immediately tells the reader that inside is a large feature on one of the UK’s biggest bands.

The eye is also drawn to the large word ‘Muse’ backing up the cover image telling the reader what is inside. Above the word muse if a quote from the article “I bought 50 tins of beans and an axe.” This quote has been taken out of context to make it sound very unique and interesting, hooking the reader into buying the magazine. It also links to the cover image as it looks like he is using his guitar like an axe. Bellow the word is the phrase “Matt Bellamy is out of control” again relating to the cover image as it is anarchistic and portrays Matt Bellamy like a huge rock star, smashing things up with his instruments, like how he is pictured.

Bellow is the cover lines explaining other articles inside, with the more interesting words enlarged to attract the reader. Also next to Matt Bellamy’s head are more cover lines these have smaller writing but are placed on a white background to make them stand out and as they are placed next to his head, as the reader looks at Bellamy they notice the other cover lines. Then the final cover line is in the bottom right hand corner. This is about one article instead of many as it would probably attract more people to buy the magazine, due to the fame of the band. This is evident throughout the cover as the more interesting titles/articles have a larger space for advertising.

The magazine also keeps to its house style as it used the same two or three fonts it always does, and has the same colour scheme, with certain words highlighted in different colours to draw the reader eye to it. And at the top a strap line is used advertising that it’s the UK’s largest magazine, this would help to sell copies as if it was voted that title, it’s going to have good material inside to read.

I really like this cover and I think it’s very unique and professional. And makes it seem like one of the better magazines as not only does it have the big names, but it also looks like one of the best sellers as it looks like a lot of time and money has gone into making it look good