Analysis of XXL cover, contents page and double page spread

FRONT COVER

XXL is a predominantly Hip-Hop magazine, it was first published in 1997. The magazine looks at different Hip-Hop artists and rap stars. They also do special releases and a top ten freshmen list, the magazine is aimed at 16-25 year old and usually aimed at a male  audience. I have labelled this cover with some techniques that have been used and that i have noticed on the other covers that i have analysed also.

CONTENTS PAGE

The first thing i notice about this magazines contents page is that its layout is different to how the other magazines i have looked at have set their magazine. The layout includes pictures and articles in different spaces, instead of just featuring their cover star in the contents page they have also included other pictures of artists that they have got articles about; this makes the page look more crowded and busy. The colours that are included in this page link to the cover page as they use the same trademark colours to keep the contents page recognisable to the magazine and therefore keep the colour scheme flowing throughout. The articles in this cover page are segregated by page numbers like the other contents pages i have looked at, however they are not in any sort of order, the small clips of articles together with a picture are in random places on the page and the less dominant articles are put at the bottom of the page without a picture. I have noticed there is a predominant photo of the cover artist, this usually occurs on the cover of the magazine but in this magazine it also occurs in the contents page as the cover stars second photo is also covering part of the mast head of this page. Finally this magazine doesn't name it's contents page 'contents' instead it names it 'the b-side' this could be to differentiate itself from the other magazines as it is creative and individual.



DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

This is a magazine double page spread featuring Usher, he is an American musician, film director and fashion designer. He focuses on urban R&B music, but also can be called a Hip Hop artist as well. This means that the artist links in well with the genre of the magazine as the magazine features mostly r&b singers. In this posed picture of Usher, it shows him smoking and looking 'cool', i think this picture really represents Usher as that's what his personality is like, therefore the magazine already just by the picture gives itself a good image as they are not portraying their artists for anything but they are, i say this because the magazine could have had a nice picture of Usher without smoking as a picture of an idol smoking could give across a bad representation to the rest of the world, but instead they put Usher smoking as that's what he does and they kept the picture genuine. Like the Blender double page spread this pages layout includes the full page photo on one side and then the writing on the other. To keep the article interesting however, they have set out the article as a question and answer, this helps the reader locate what they would find interesting and what they wouldn't, therefore keeping the article interesting and tailored to the readers own needs and wants.