Magazine analysis

Front Covers

All of the front covers consist of the

Billboard masthead, and a main

image of a single dominant male or

female. The colour and styling

changes through each magazine

edition.

key statistics

Billboard readers:

• 71% are between the ages of 25-54

• 82% are college graduates

• 27.5% post degree graduates

• 65% director level or above

• 37% keep the annual double year end

issue for over a year

Billboard is a chart magazine with a varying

target audience and genre, depending on

what is in the charts at that time.

Overall it is aimed towards both genders,

usually depending on the cover star – and

the age range for the target audience is

around 25-54 years old.

Editor Danyel SmithFrequency WeeklyCirculation 16,327First Issue 1894Company Prometheus Global

MediaLanguage English

Contents

Pages

The contents pages of Billboard all

carry the same layout and house style

throughout every edition, with only the

contents and imaging different.

Billboard was founded on November 1, 1894, by William h. Donaldson and James Hennegan.

Originally titled Billboard Advertising, it was a trade paper for the bill posting industry, hence the

magazine's name. Eventually Billboard became the paper of record for carnivals, amusement

parks, fairs and other live entertainment. The magazine began coverage of motion pictures in

1909 and of radio in the 1920s.

With the development of the jukebox industry during the 1930s, The Billboard began publishing

music charts. In the 1950s it introduced a section covering the television industry, including

ratings charts for programs.

At the start of 1961, The Billboard was renamed Billboard Music Week. The publication was now

devoted almost entirely to the music industry, with some coverage of coin-operated vending and

entertainment machines on its jukebox pages. The title was changed to simply Billboard at the

start of 1963. In 2005, the magazine and its web sites were repositioned to provide coverage of

all forms of digital and mobile entertainment.

On January 4, 1936 The Billboard published its first music hit parade, and on July 20, 1940 the

first Music Popularity Chart was calculated. Since August 4, 1958, the Hot 100 has been

published, combining single sales and radio airplay.

Billboard currently puts out over 100 charts each week, the most popular ones being Hot 100,

Billboard 200, and Hot 100 Airplay.

The history of

double page spreads

The double page spreads in Billboard are all of the current popular artists and news at that time.

The genre and styling of each artists is different however.

Billboard is an international weekly news magazine, especially devoted to music and its

industry. It is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world.

Billboard follows the worldwide recognized music charts, tracking the most popular songs

and albums in various categories, on a weekly basis. The two most notable charts being the

Billboard Hot 100 – which ranks the top 100 songs regardless of genre; and the Billboard 200 – following the corresponding album sales chart.

Billboard is intended for music professionals, such as record label executives, artists,

music retailers, and radio DJs. Although it is generally considered a business-to-business

magazine, it can be found at many consumer bookstores and magazine stands, particularly

in cities with a large music industry presence such as New York, Los Angeles, Nashville,

and Miami. Editorial coverage and broader strategy are guided by its editorial director, Bill

Werde.

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