Album Covers Research

Typical Features:

• Album Title
• Focal Image of the band
• Band name
• Limited colour scheme
• Very little/lots of mise en scene
• Band logo
• Lyrics in booklet
• Thank yous/acknowledgements
• Production credits
• record company logo
• barcode
• typeface
• website
• little promo
• stickers
• Track list
• Product codePlace of manufacture
• Copyright
• Booklet
• Sleeve
• Release Sate
• Parental advice
• Colour scheme
• Abstract art
• Synergetic look
• Different conventions depending on format

Categories:

• Genres
• Concept vs Image of band
• Illustration/graphic vs photo of artist
• Photo of artist vs photo of other
• Framing eg CU, MS, LS
• format
• colour scheme eg Monochrome
• concept album
• Solo/band
• gender
• Band photo vs concept
• Abstract
• Bust mise-en-scene
• Decades
• Debut or not
• Record label
• Audience
• Influenced by other media
• Compilation
• Realism vs abstract
• Distinctive styled designs
• Accessibility - popular culture

Their functions:

• Sell the artist' image
• Attract artist's existing fans
• Interest people through design
• Set up artist identity
• Attract attention/eyecatching
• Extension of Artists art  
• A                                              

Revolver

Images used: Lots of pictures of the different band members, illustrated and photographed, but all in black and white, all moulding in to one another

Text: 'Revolver' with 'The Beatles' written on a black block at the left hand side

Relationship between text and images: Both monochromatic, text is bold an simple as opposed to the disorganized collage of pictures, contrasts with the drawings

Differing functions of the front, back, inside sleeve:
Front: Show the different direction of the band's music
Back: Institutional information, track list
Inside sleeve: lyrics, photos of artists, art

How signifiers/iconography reflects band, genre, overall image:

• Still have iconic beatles haircuts
• Monochromatic colours matched their suit and tie image
• The collage represents their fun loving and humorous side
• Mix of different styles matches their music
• funny pictures reflect their public image as humorous
• It reflects their innovative side

Target Audiences:

• With the exclusive funny/attractive photos of the bands it would appeal to their usual fans, especially teenagers
• The psychedelic aspect would've fitted in with the growing hippie culture
• The monochromatic colour scheme enable them to appeal more to adults than previously
• The artistry that has gone into the cover would enable them to appeal to an older audience than teenagers

Institutional context:

• They don't normally have any institutional information on the front, leaving the credits to the back of the CD or on the inside
• There is the Apple logo on the front and the inside