{Music Magazine Analysis

Signs and Signifiers

XXl magazine has a target audience of fans of Rap/Hip-Hop music which is why the usual main image includes a well known, usually American Rapper or a Group of Rappers.

Front coverThe Main image of this front cover is an image of Jay-Z standing above what appears to be the empires state building in New York. This is a indexical sign because the image is implying the message that Jay Z is currently one of the biggest artists in the world and is seen as bigger than hip hop itself. This is because hip hop is usually seen as originating from the streets of New York and so the fact that Jay Z is standing over that means that he is more powerful and is more famous than Hip Hop itself

Front coverThe fact that the rest of the city in the image is colourless and Jay Z isn't shows an indexical sign as it could be seen that Jay Z and Hip Hop brings colour to the city of New York and that makes it more interesting which is shown by Jay Z being in colour.

Front coverThe preferred reading of this cover is XXL want their readers to see that Jay Z is at the top of the hip hop genre and currently he is leading the way forward for the genre. The oppositional reading of this cover could be that Jay Z has too much power currently and the fact that he is standing over the buildings could imply he is becoming a greater power In the world not just in Hip Hop and the music industry which could come across as a big problem to many people

ContentsThe contents page also has the main image of a famous hip hop/ Rap artist. The image of rappers appears to be a theme throughout all XXl magazines as every magazine contains at least one. It appears that due to the fact that the image is more prominent than the text it could be implied that the images are the most important thing in the magazine more than the actual information in it.

ContentsThe colours in the contents much like the cover is dull Grey and black with just a simple splash or the colour red in the heart which is the heart in the hand of the arm draped over Kanye. The colour in this could have a sign of the emotion of love and the fact that it is a heart also supports that theory. This has a preferred reading that could imply that Kanye has love for what he is doing and is very passionate about Hip Hop. The oppositional reading to this is that the love/Heart has been ripped out of him and he is emotionless and does not feel passion for what he does anymore.

Double page spread

This double page spread contains another image of a rapper on one side. On the other side it says ‘Life of a shooting star’ in Graffiti style writing. The graffiti style has a sign of the rough places many rap stars grew up and it symbolises their life growing to be a star in the music industry. This also links to the preferred reading as it is saying that practically anyone can make it in rap industry no matter where you originate from as two different styles are being merged into one which could represent two different lifestyles