The document discusses key elements to consider when designing CD covers, including genre conventions, representation of the artist, and intended audience. It provides examples from Beyonce's "4" album cover focusing on the sophisticated font fitting her image and Drake's "Take Care" cover where his name is omitted assuming recognition. Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" cover features her stretched and eye-catching edited face as the main focus to instantly identify the artist. Key elements like images, colors, text and track listings aim to represent the artist and genre while appealing to the target audience.

1. Analysis of CD covers

2. CD COVER CONVENTIONS

3. MAIN FOCUS’S
Genre
whilst always
considering the
generic conventions of
CD covers for instance
what is typically seen
on a CD cover, it is
always important to
think about that genre
of music the CD cover
belongs to.

4. Lettering/fonts
Does the front and
lettering fit in with its
genre? For instance most
album cover represents
its star/s and genre
through its font choice, if
you look at this Beyonce
4 album cover the font
choice is very
sophisticated and neat,
representing her in this
way.

5. Star and icons
This is the image that you
expect to see on the front
of the cover. As you can
see Beyonce is shown on
her cover in a glamorous
way this is how she wants
to be represented and
how she wants her album
to be perceived. Most of
Beyonce’s album show
portray her on the cover
whereas more indie and
rock band tend to show
other things on their
covers.

6. Audience
Who will buy this CD?
What target audience
are you aiming? How do
you want them to feel
when listening to the
CD? Is it going to reflect
their true identity or are
they going to gain a
sense of belonging from
it?

7. Image
What picture is on
the cover? Is it a
design or is it a
picture of the artist?
Think about the MES
and the camera
angles used. A big
aspect of the front
cover is the use of
colour, props,
makeup, clothing and
lighting

8. Representation
How do you want the
star to be represented?
Is the genre
represented in the
cover and how will the
audience react to that?
For instance some stars
have been criticised for
being to sexual and
feeding off the wrong
representation.

9. DRAKE – TAKE CARE
ALBUM COVER

10. Parent advisory sticker
Artist name is not featuring on the album
cover this is a clear signification that Drake
things he is known by everyone therefore his
name does not appear on his album cover.
Album name
The
Background producers
Basic gold and
represents the details in
black colours are
album as small print as
used
deep/dark and this is not
meaningful important to
Track names, amount of tracks on the fans
the album and a running order of
them. The text is fitted in the centre
on a black background this is
suggest that nothing else matters
that his tracks. It also features bonus
tracks

11. LADY GAGA -BORN THIS WAY
ALBUM COVER

12. Artist full name
The use of black
and white
Album cover
softens the
picture down
The image is the main focus of about, but by
the album cover. Lady Gagas editing her lips
face has been stretched across so there eye
making it a unique selling point catching to her
so that fans will instantly know audiences giving
its her. it an edge.
The image is in the
Album track same format as the
listing on both image on the front, it
CD’s all right a looks as if they have
lined used the same image
on the front and back
Privacy warning, no but just cropping her
copyrighting face on the front.
Album and music producer Barcode

13. 2011 ALBUM COVERS