Album Covers Analysis

What is the purpose of an album cover?

• An album cover is the front a packaging of a commercially-released audio recording album. Can be refer to either the printed cardboard covers typically used to package sets of 10" and 12" 78 rpm records.

• During the mid 1990's, CDs has become the most common form of physically distributed music products. Packaging formats vary, including the very common plastic jewel case, and the popular cardboard & plastic combination commonly known as a Digipak.

• Album covers has become an important part of the culture of music. In which it is a strong marketing tool and an expression of artistic intent and has gatefold covers, and inserts, often with lyric sheets, this has made the album cover a desirable product in its self.

• But because of the nature of downloading in recent years album covers has becoming more significant in selling CDs but has become less significant in selling the artist and therefore the state and importance of album covers in the future is uncertain.

• Information from Wikipedia

Benga -Diary of an Afro WarriorThe artist is identified by he use of font because it clearly states the artists name in the top left hand corner which is significant to how we read, left to right so it would be the first thing the readers will see and read.

Use of the same font and colour on front and back of the album cover. The album cover is simple and has not got much use of bright colours connoting that the album is a emotional album maybe, because the album is about him and his personal life.

The use of plain colours is an intertextuality when comparing the front and back of the album cover because it is suggests and gives us an insight that Benga is an simple and clear person

The album name connects to the album cover because an ‘Diary’ is structure chronologically where as the each song written downwards in a line on the back cover.As well as this Benga has an afro and the name of the album strongly suggests that the songs are about him. This expresses the feeling that music is a personal and a daily routine thing for him therefore important to Benga

Another connotation between the album name and the artist, is the use of a close up of him on the front cover, this allowing the audience to get closer to the artist mentally. Also by the Benga not facing the camera expresses again that it is a personal and emotional album because he is not able to look at the camera.

Bar code just below the track list.

The Prodigy- Invaders Must Die

The use of a lava and red colour strongly links to the album because red connotes blood and death. Also the people on the single cover links to the ‘invaders’ part of the CD song name. Also the sharp cuts in the letters connotations to the album name.

Use of black and white mise- en scene is significant because thorough- out the song ‘invaders must die’ it is set in black and white too, portraying the strong connection between pack- shot and the music video

The mise- en scene meets of their target audience because of the use of colours also because it is drum and bass music which is strongly linked to Dubstep genre

‘Prodigy’ is printed in the top centre of the pack- shot in bold portraying the importance of the audience having to know the bands name first.

Pendulum- Immersion The use of the so real mis- en scene portrays uniqueness from the artist group because the artists are not on album cover. Also the mis- en scene does not particularly relate to the genre which allows them to stand out other rock/drum and bass artist. This pack-shot is heavy related though to their website where this so realness is used often.

The artist name and album name is written the bottom centre of the album cover with colours blending in with the mis-en scene this having an significance because that gives an insight to the artist image.

The albums name has an strong connection with the pack-shot because ‘immersion means virtual reality, this being shown by the mis-en scene and the lighting on the two people.

This album cover compare to the others seemed to have a higher budget spent on it maybe because they are more mainstream in contrast to the others , so that being the reason why also that the artist do not need to be shown on the album cover because they are already well known , by their group name. Therefore suggesting because they are well known , they are being promoted and sold to differentiate them themselves from other artist in their genre. The use of the so realness expresses this.

Skream

The use of the track list being in black font and central links in well with the positioning of the artist which in contrast is central on the front cover. Portraying that music is a centre part to Skream life.

The use of the artist name being in the centre and bold in yellow on the front cover of the album and the artist himself is significant because Skream is does not appear in his music videos. So this ensures that the audience know who is producing these songs.

The artist wearing a plain white shirt suggests that he is simple and with him looking towards the camera shows that he is addressing the audience, maybe because again he does not appear in any of his music videos .

The use of the mis-en scene portraying that the pack-shot was taken in a party is significant because it relates to the artist target audience as well the genre.

Bar code bottom centre on the back cover of the album portraying the insignificance of it towards consumers

Chase and Status- More than Alot

The importance of music to the artist is shown with them immerging in the pack-shot. The album cover is relatively clear and simple.

The album name is in a pink graffiti way which could be said to be done to reach out to their target audience because the use of a bright colours ensures that it stands out and the typography also does this. Album cover stands out because of the use of pink but the artist are men, this may of been done to relate more at the female audience.

‘new edition’ relates to the use an bright colour and the way it is immerged into the letters. This portraying the new image that the group have.

Summary

• Most common techniques which occurred• Clear and simple• Connection between album name and pack-shot• Artist/ group name on front cover • Not many colours used• Artist/group relate to the pack-shot