This is the latest issue of Rolling Stone. Rolling stone is a music specified magazine, other magazines which are similar in the genre are: Q Magazine and Mojo. These are similar, as these magazine all include information about cinema, film and television however, this magazine is heavily based on music. This magazine also features politics as well, which is unusual within the British music magazines. The musical genres vary from pop music (Britney spears) to Classic rock band (Led Zeplin) to country rock (Sheryl Crow), this is use full as is does not simplify the audience of the magazine, it widens the possible audience. However, one musical genre which isn't listen on the magazine front cover is any Trance musical artists, or any R'n'B musical artists, I feel the magazine is trying to widen their target audience, however not implying artists from them specific genres due to the fact, it's possible not the magazines ideology to do so. The stylistic features which identify the genre, the whole colour pallet over the splash, it's very grey toned i feel this shows the seriousness of the magazine which reflects how maybe they feel about music, that seriousness, that passion. This reinstates the idea of the magazine possible not displaying anyone commercial, an artist who they consider not serious about music on their cover and artists who obviously won't write they're own music however this could be undermined, for Britney Spears being on their front cover. The idea of the pallet also connects with the main headline as well as identifies the genre, which i believe is mainstream, so this includes any popular music as well as popular rock on the music scene, the musical artist reinstate this idea on the front page of the magazine: Britney Spears, Sheryle Crow, Led Zeplin and The Mars Volta.
The fonts used, reflect the seriousness of this magazine. The fonts are not sans serif font, they are serif fonts, and in capitals. Sans Serif shows the more serious side to the magazine, especially once they are printed in capitals. The whiteness connects with the story which reflects with the purity Britney Spears once had. It also creates the idea of realism within this magazine, the font is very basic and gender neutral which is very important as by doing this is widening the target audience to males and females.
The size of font varies, with the masthead being the biggest and boldest font which is a convention of magazines. The second biggest text on the page is the headline, which is again a convention of a magazine front cover, as it's to make the headline the next most noticeable text on the splash as it's the most important story within the magazine. The even smaller text on the splash is then name of musical artists and an actor towards the bottom, left of the page. This list is in small text, as it's not the most important features of the magazine, however they're there to spark more interest in the magazine as well to establish the type of music featured in the magazine. Using the same font size in the top right corner there is a plug displaying 'how the democrats screwed the anti-war movement,' this also informs the readers on other features in this magazine and also shows it's just as important to them as music is. It displays the idea of equality within their beliefs and values.
The colours of the font as basic white, this is a good idea as it is gender neutral and also it reflects the seriousness and this idea of Rolling Stone Magazine being very passionate about what's issued in their magazine as well as this connects with the main story 'inside an American Tragedy' which creates this idea of the text colour being respect full and almost reflects this feeling of mourning.
The main photograph used is of Britney Spears and is displaying direct mode of address: which to the audience is inviting and eye catching. There is not much make-up visible on Britney, i think the idea of this is the photograph relating to the main headline, how this is the naked truth, and how the story is not going to be sugar coated. If someone is photographed with their naked skin, it creates the idea of that person being open to the world and also makes the audience feel a certain trust is relied in them. The hair in the photograph is sweaped back off the face this also reinstates the idea of her being completely open, honest and seriously. She has a slight upset look upon her face which creates empathy for the reader, which then again, connects with the main headline.
The only photograph on this front page is of Britney Spears and seems dominating from a female prospective however, this seems to be outweighed with the mention of other musical bands which reinstate the reality of this being about music rather then another female magazine.
The splash it's self has been arranged to, i believe make the magazine as interesting and eye catching as possible. By using the image as direct mode of address and the headline on the right of her face, this automatically connects the relationship between Britney Spears and the main story: because it's about her. The idea of the headline being displayed over her face makes the connection stronger rather then the other bands which are places at the far left of her face and in smaller text. The masthead is at the top of the page and is the only section which is in a bright colour, this establishes the name of the magazine and automatically reinstates the ideology and the genre mainly through the iconography of the magazines name however, the rest of the information i believe is through the use age of photography editing and the the rest of the bands which are mentioned on the front page.
The masthead/ title of the magazine is 'Rolling Stone.' I believe this title was chosen due to the idea of how unstoppable a rolling stone is and how by viewing the stone as their beliefs about music and politics they basically won't back down publishing their views. In fact Rolling Stone when first founded had to overcome with a lot of criticism, critics calling the magazine 'Music for hippies.' The name gives the idea of security and passion, as their beliefs and values are hard to knock down. The name could also refer to the musical band 'The Rolling Stones' and how massive that band was could reflect the hopes for this magazine when it first started publishing.
The photograph reflects the idea of the masthead: how serious they feel about music. The way they've edited it, to make it black and white reinstates the idea of passion and the seriousness they feel to music, and have connected the idea of how serious they are about music; to the seriousness of the main story: Britney Spears, Inside An American Tragedy. The emotion showed on her face, is an upset, sad one: this creates empathy for the audience and again creates interest within the magazine. The angle of the photograph is eye level, this creates the idea of this person is just the same as any other person of the public or the audience, it's making the story a lot more personal towards the reader; it's creating the idea for just in this interview she is not above anybody, she is just human and telling you, personally, the story. The hair style is also brushed back, so it isn't in front of her face, this creates the idea of again, this main story is true, because she's open, she's not protected by anything not her make-up, nor her hair, this is the naked truth of Britney Spears. I feel the idea of the photograph just including her face makes the magazine a lot more personal, inviting and interesting for the reader.
I feel in the photographs, the person being represented is just you're average person. The idea of her being photographed with naked skin and hair brushed from her face makes Britney look open and due to this photograph looking so personal, the public and audience can see her vulnerability and the fact she is just a young girl. It allows the readers to connect with her, which sparks interest with in the magazine. It would be a different thing, i believe, if a rap artist is photographed with large cars and a lot of jewelery around their necks and long fur coats: it doesn't connect with the audience because the average working class family cannot connect with that certain person, which average working family do have the large expensive cars, large mansions are all the jewelry around their neck? The idea of the public seeing her vulnerability and the angle being eye level and the idea of status not even being involved with this photograph allows the audience to fully connect with the magazine. I don't believe it's saying much about the world appart from the fact we are all human, and at the end of the day everyone needs help from someone.
I believe the magazine, it's self is representing women as beautiful, determined however, sometimes vulnerable human beings. It doesn't at all, give the sense of one gender overpowering another, or the idea of the stereotypical women, or stereotypical man. It honestly just seems to focus on the artists and music, rather then one genre which has a stereotypical represented look.
I feel, this magazine is operating peoples interest who are interested in entertainment news, as just from the front cover there are actors also included as well as politics. The status quo within music seems to be, simple: write an album, create music videos for songs from the album, make guest appearances to promote your album and then do a tour (depending on how far your music reaches out) possibly a world tour, and they seem to repeat this and at the time of writing this Britney Spears was making world news, for all of the wrong reasons, she shaved her head in Feb 2007 and since this wasn't behaviour made by many other pop artists it broke the status quo which automatically created a lot of interest globally. It seems other magazines would be condemning breaking the status quo, whilst others promote it however from the front cover it just seems Rolling Stone want the public to know the full story rather then propaganda from other highly opinionated writers.
Rolling Stone is made by Wenner Media, this is a company specialised in entertainment and other magazines include US Weekley. The magazine makes it money by selling, and i feel by using these stories which spark interest within the audience then it will sell. Rolling stone focuses on popular culture and by focusing over popular the company are widening their audience. The audience is the most important feature of this magazine, as the magazine has to sell otherwise it wouldn't make any money. The title of Rolling Stone, is connected to the music group 'The Rolling Stones' and this creates the idea of if you know a lot of classic music, you are passionate about music and i feel this is what the masthead does to the audience. The problem with these magazines are, they're very expensive which i agree with: Rolling Stone magazine at Tesco supermarket is £3.95 which is really over priced in my opinion. therefore i wouldn't be surprised if Rolling Stone makes less money each year especially with the global economic. I feel the readers control the content of the magazine, in the back of magazines they include phone numbers and email addresses to the writers, by including these they are promoting the audience to write in and give their personal ideas which will help the magazine. The magazine's views aren't that independent as the main story headline is more about celebrity gossip rather then music, if a magazine is as passionate about music as Rolling Stone makes out to be, it seems wrong they're writing about Britney Spears' life, rather then her music: however, there was such a demand for the public to be in the know on what Britney spears was going to do next.
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