Album cover print analysis

Angel - Wonderful

This album cover has been constructed to look like ripped up images and letters out of magazines, which makes the artist come across as artistic and fun. It also differentiates itself on the market to other albums with one photo and the album title, which is very common for this genre of music (R&B). The album is targeted at teenagers and young-adults, but the artist and modern composition of the album may attract a wider audience of younger children and adults.

The large central image of the artist looking directly at the camera with a serious expression asserts seriousness and confidence. The high-contrast photography make the eyes, cheekbone and bottom lip of the artist eye-catching. The denotation of the perhaps 'sparkling' eye, has the connotation that he may be 'wonderful' (title of album), because eyes are known to be the key to the soul. Therefore the technical codes used make the artist comes across as powerful by his captivating strong glare in a close up shot.

In the other photos of the artist on the album cover, there is one of him looking serious which is quite simple to see.  The two images bottom left of the artwork are of the artist laughing and having a good time. The happier images of the artist are under the 'ripped up' effect and are not as noticeable when first looking at the album. The composition of photographs is symbolic of the artists personality, that he takes his music seriously but underneath he is a fun energetic happy man.

The bold typography of the album title 'Wonderful' is colourful and every letter has a different colour scheme and font, working with the background of the album cover this reinforces the look of a magazine being cut and ripped up. This signifies the artist as an edgy artist and compliments the music's variety of instruments and effects used.

In the bottom left hand corner there is a black background with dark grey text in a font which is likely intended to look like handwriting. On top of that background in bold white there is 'Angel', the artists name. I think this is intended to look like the artist's signature to give the album a personal effect. Above the artist's name to the left is the logo of the ace of spades, and there is also an ace of spades in the 'o' in the central typography. In popular myth and folklore it is known as the death card. On one of the ace of spades in the album artwork there is a smiley face drawn on the shape, this could be seen as symbolic that this is an album to make people feel happier and that the artist has been through difficult times.






Ellie Goulding - Bright Lights

This album cover follows the typical construction of a female artist album cover, a posed image of the artist with the artist's name and album name on display. The artist is looking down and away from the camera with her head tilted back, hence portraying her as relaxed and peaceful, and arguably vulnerable. A shallow focus has been used so that the artist is the central gaze. This album cover has been used to attract a wide audience of teenagers to adults, and even children, anybody who is interested in calm, peaceful, soothing music.

The typography of the artist name and the ablum name is in a bright colour which looks like light, illustrating the album name 'bright lights'. There is high key lighting from behind the artist, and there are dots of orange and yellow (light) surrounding the central artist and text. The high key lighting contrasts with the shadows of the artist's hair (central right) and the dots used ontop as a layer, tie the picture together well. Also, by placing the artist in the middle of these two high contrasting sections, the artist is portrayed as being a neutral shade hence reinforces the calm and peaceful overall tone, implied by body language.

The artist's hair is blowing in the wind which has the connotations of romance. She has been represented as very feminin by her body language. The colour codes used for the artist's costume has been chosen carefully for she is wearing white. White is the colour symbolic of innocence, purity, goodness and light (fits well with album title). The photo may be interpretated as the artist taking a breath of fresh air, which fits the genre of music which is calm and uplifting. Another perspective is that the denotations of the technical codes used, composition, and typography may connotate the artist as an angel.




Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History

 The colour scheme of this album cover is very contrasting, the top of the album cover is pitch black an the background gradually gets lighter, whilst a dark coloured cat is central of the cover with typography central gaze on top. The typography is bold in white, and represents the band as original and ready to make a statement.

The cat's eyes are the vocal point of this album artwork the green eyes have white in them looking as though the cat has been electrocuted or is electric. This promotes the genre of music well, because Two Door Cinema Club are an Indie-Rock band, and the electric look represents the electronic in the band's lively energetic music. The cat on a tiled floor is quirky and definitely original signifying the Indie genre. The cat may be seen as symbolic depending on the audience's demographics and psychographics. The preferred reading would be that the cat is symbolising independence, adventure, freedom and wildness.

The Wanted

This album has been constructed to attract quite a wide audience, because there isn't any strong conventions of a particular genre. The overall tone of the album is quite low key with costume and setting being dark tones, this makes the artists and the typography stand out with higher contrast. The effect of all of the band wearing the same colour makes them look united and symbolises that they stick together. They are all wearing black and black symbolises strength and power. Sven E Carlsson's theory can be applied that this is a performance clip for the artists are being sold as commercialists. The selling point of this album is the band members for all focus is on them. Therefore the primary audience would be young people and pop music fans, and the secondary audience would be people who find the album cover attractive. 
All of the band members are looking directly at the camera except for one member at the back in the middle who is looking to the viewers right. This could be for a dramatic effect to differentiate him from the group. Perhaps signifying that he has a more emotional connection to the lyrics of the song than the other band members. The body language of serious expressions compliments the colour code used and reinforces the message that they are strong and powerful and take there music seriously. Whilst also hoping to catch the audiences attention.

The setting of the photograph is in a car, and a black bag is in the foreground. This could represent the band escaping. Promoting the idea of the uses and gratification theory, that the audience could use the album to fulfil the need of escapism.