Digipak analysis
- 2. Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not Arctic Monkeys
- 3. The man on the front cover of the album gives the stereotypical image of a working class man smoking in a very basic black and white. Arctic Monkeys debut album 'Whatever People say I am, That’s What I'm Not" released in 2006 is a strong representative of the band when they first came about, known for being typical northern boys from Sheffield which is a common theme in their music. When you think of Northerners you think of rough accents, not very educated and working class people which is shown through their digipak. The cigarette and very basic front cover show the style of the band, the cover appears to look very cheap and basic and has little detail. The man happens to be a friend of the band so it suggests how cheap the cover actually was as they asked their friend to be the front cover. This cover connotes how Arctic Monkeys in fact see themselves, they come across as people you can relate to and as genuine people. Also smoking can appear to be a very stereotypically indie thing to do so it will sell well with fans who enjoy their indie rock genre. The black and white is a common style for Arctic Monkeys as it is often used in their music videos, posters, photoshoots and other album covers, their style is very basic however makes them appear to be down to earth people and not appear like major celebrities, However, this common colour scheme does connote depression and sadness which is an emotion commonly expressed in their songs, alongside dark and edgy subjects such as prostitutes and being caught by police. Overall this style of album cover sheds arctic monkeys in a positive light as they appear to want to be relatable and approachable to their fans rather than putting themselves at a superior level.
- 4. The actual disk has been made to resemble an ash tray and Is just as simplistic as the front cover suggesting their lack of care for the visuals which connotes their attitudes to life and their lifestyle which is what wed stereotypically expect from a northern Indie rock band. They again stuck to the black and white theme to keep it basic and to match their style of music. The common use of cigarettes also connotes rebellion as smoking is seen as a dangerous thing to do and those who smoke appear to have a lack of concern for their health with a "I don’t care attitude" which is what they use to relate to their indie fans as indie people tend to see themselves as quite rebellious. Again keeping it consistent with their poster as it matches the album cover, This whole lazy vibe the album gives off relates directly to the theme as well as the name, "Whatever People say I am, That’s what I'm not"
- 5. Electra Heart Marina and the Diamonds
- 6. The thick bubble font used represents a pop/retro vibe hinting towards the genre electronic pop. This is also strengthened by her style as her hair is in thick rollers and she is wearing a dark red lipstick which gives the impression she's from the 50's and has her own vintage style whilst also representing herself as an iconic figure similar to Marilyn Monroe. It also suggests that the album will be very unusual in the modern day as she appears different to most modern pop icons such as Ariana Grande. A soft focus is used on the front of the album cover which gives it a very youthful and tender tone. The artists face is central on the cover to appear like she is addressing the audience and that she is centre of attention which is common for female pop singers to portray themselves (as important). The album name is included on the front cover however doesn’t drown out the artist as she and her name appear more important, strengthening my point that female pop artists see themselves as the centre of attention, also demonstrated by the look she is giving the audience as it is almost a careless look like she is superior to others. Her staring into the camera is almost intimidating so represents her as an important woman. The use of a white font connotes purity and innocence which is a stereotype for females however the use of the word "Bitch" in her songs shows how she is somewhat rebellious and doesn’t comply to all female stereotypes despite appearing feminine and girly. The use of the word "heart" in the album title and the heart painted onto her cheek signifies that the album may be about heartbreak and relationships which is a common theme for female pop artists.
- 7. The inside of the album follows the same theme as the outside where she is presented as pretty feminine and girly. This is shown through the use of the white floral background and her white dress as it connotes a strong sense of purity and innocence, also shown through her smile. The pastel yellow colour on the disk and the dark blue/grey colour used for the background of the front and back cover of the album symbolise the contrasting personalities throughout the album to represent how is sometimes singing about happy times and depressing times.
- 9. The cover to Beyoncé’s album features her in an expensive looking fur coat, the fur coat will help to represent her wealth. Beyoncé also has her hair styled in a typical style in black culture, called cornrows. This helps add to the feel of black power portrayed heavily in the album. The cover doesn’t represent a usually female pop artist which is what Beyoncé is commonly known to be. Instead she comes across as how you'd usually see an RnB artist as they stereotypically promote their wealth and culture in their photos, albums and posters. Beyoncé has shifted from a feminine girly look for a more powerful, wealthy and intimidating look. The fact that she is not facing the camera and in fact looking towards the ground, it suggests the theme of the album is depressing, with Lemonade being created to expose her cheating husband it has avoided the common stereotypes of a feminine heartbreak album and instead portrays her to be strong and powerful rather than playing the victim which most female artists do. Instead she has portrayed herself to appear like she is seeking revenge as she exposes her husband to the world. Thus is also connotated through the colours used on the cover, the dark blues and greys in the background strengthen the dark theme she has made the album about as it reflects a dark part of her life. The album cover also uses very low lighting to represent this low mood and state she is in and feeling.
- 10. I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It The 1975
- 11. The 1975 are an Indie rock band who have a target audience of teenagers (mostly girls). The album cover is very simplistic and almost identical to their debut albums cover apart from the colour scheme which has gone from a very indie rebellious rock style to a delicate and feminine image. The colour and title suggest that this is an album about love life and relationships . This style connotes self love and The 1975 are very repetitive in their style throughout their advertising of the album. The neon signs are repetitive as they are used on the cover of both of their albums, on their posters and in their concerts. The band conform to most of the indie stereotypes such as the heartbreak songs along with depressing themes such as suicide, death, love and illness, they have a stereotypical indie rock image such as the lead singer has messy black hair and often wears leather which connotes a sense of rebellion. The entire band often wears dark colours so they promote a strong image which complies to all indie Rockstar's, so why go from low lighting, dark colours and rebellious looks to pastel pinks and lilacs? This new approach could be described as being very "individual" as indie kids tend to not want to follow the crowd and want to stand out and gain attention. This new approach could have been The 1975's way of being indie by challenging the stereotypes of being an indie rock band.
- 12. There is a common use of pink and pastel colours such as the flowers and the cassette tape most of their album art tends to be very basic and plain, it mostly uses a plain background giving it a very clean and crisp look. They have a very feminine appearance when it comes to their digipak despite being an entirely male indie rock band. However, this is to engage with their fans as the majority of their fans happens to be teenage indie girls. The use of the pastel colours is also similar to what they use in their concerts, also the reoccurring neon sign theme.