Analysis of DigipaksJanakan LOGANATHAN

Digipak Analysis: Eminem - RecoveryFront CoverIn this album cover, we can only see Eminem from behind – he is wearing typical clothing that we would associate with Hip-Hip/Rap today, again allowing the audiences to identidy that its affiliated with the genre Hip-Hop. The ‘O’ in the title which has changed to a red cross is used to represent his recovery. Furthermore, the letter ‘E’ is turned backwards which symbolizes Einem’s logo. This is a significant image which fans are used to seeing when buying the album. The ‘plain’ blue sky could be used to try and singiy Eminem’s lack of power and dominance as he is on route to his recovery. ‘Diversion’ meanng that the suers could interact with theese products especially this one. This is because listening to Eminem’s music may chear the fans up or help the user escape from the real world. Additionally, the image portrays Eminem walking down a long road which links clearly with the title meaning that he is walking to his ‘Recovery’

Back CoverAt the back of the album cover, it says ‘Executive Producer Dr. Dre’ who is another famous artist which is introduced by creating the tracks for Eminem. This signifies the audiences that the album might be creative and surprising. All of Eminem’s recod labels are displayed at the bottom as it shows off his power to the fans making them weant to buy the album. Furthermore, the track listing Is centered clearly near the bottom of the page, allowing the audiences to know what songs are included in the album. Lastly, the artist’s website is placed at the bottom so the fans know where to go if they want to find out more information about Eminem and for any upcoming news about albums, singles or gigs.

The CDThe ‘red cross’ again implying Eminem’s ‘Recovery’ which singifies that he is back from his long break of his music. The ‘O’ in the title is used as the same image on the disk to make sure that this album title is related to the CD itself by having the same color scheme. Furthermore, the same colours appears throughout the cover to keep it simple and understandable.

The BookletThis particular booket contains the tracks in depth which involves eveyone who was involved in the album. Eminem’s logo is seen again in the booklet, the use of it is always being seen by the audience acts as a significant image so they know what to buy at the shop.

Digipak Analysis: Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Hip-Hop Genre)CharactersThis particular album art for Kanye West’ album ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ uses paintings painted by artist George Congo – 5 alternate covers were created for this album. In this version, it shows Kanye’s severed head, crowned, being pierced with a sword. The character appears fearsome and powerful, with the facial expression and the portrayal of his eyes wide open, relating to song ‘Power’ from the album. His assumed status is also conveyed through the crown that he ears, suggesting the artist believes he is dominant and higher than everyone else. The CD art shows another one of the George Condo paintings, one which was banned by Apple and superstores for being too provocative, featuring a naked half woman, half creature on top of a man shown drinking. The bizarreness of the painting suggest Kanye’s desire to be different and willingness to break rules. Furthermore, it supports the suggestion of Kanye’s powerful persona, as he knew such painting would cause controversy in the media, yet continued to use it anyway due to his album promotion.

IconographyAs an album of the Hip-Hop genre, this particular digipak does not show the steretypical features expected of a Hip-Hop CD. Instead, atist paintings are used for the front cover, suggesting a higher social class as oppose to the stereotypical street-raised rappers who emphasis their rough upbringing. Although in pinting form, the character is still recognisabled as Kanye West which could be classed as iconic as there is no artist name on the CD itself, it only contains the image. Moreover, the use of folk-tale like characters for the album art signifies that Kanye West, as a Hip-Hop artist is different and unique to the genre.

NarrativeThe use of specially made intriguing paintings by George Condo for this CD entices the audience by being so mysterious forcing them to wonder what each of them mean, creating a narrative enigma. Once listening to the album, the paintings being to make sense.

StyleAs the album art is all digital with no used of photographs, only paintings, no camera was used. The use of the colour red is frequent throughout the digipak, used on both the front cocer, back cover and internal artwork. This colour connotes strength and power – a continous theme of this digipak. Within the inside, typography of the artists name ‘Kanye West’ spreads across 4 pages This creative design reflects the artists imaginative side, which could also refer back to the ‘fantasy’ setting/theme of the digipak.

SettingThe front cover painting for this album appears to be set in a dreamlike world featuring clouds, vivid blue skies, which conveys an image of a fantasy heaven-like setting, relating to the title of the album ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’. The character severed head appears on a podium-like display, further suggesting the artists power and supremacy thoughts about himself and also referring to the track ‘Power’. At the back of the album, the tracks are written in a creative font. The type of font used suggests a similar quality to calligraphy – this font gives the album an almost regal sense. Which again relates to power and royalty.

Digipak Analysis: 50 Cent– The MassacreGenreThis album cover does represent a particular genre that being of Hip-Hop which is a musical genre that developed as part of Hip-Hop culture and is defined by four key stylistic elements: rapping, Djing/scratching, sampling and beat boxing. Futhermore, I think the genre for this cover is established through the image and text, with the image being of 50 Cent showing his ripped top half off with the stereotypical baggy jeans, showing the top of his boxers and the blinging chain with the stereotypical snapback, I think is also established through te text of 50 ent being written in a big bold font of yellow and blue colour choice maybe personal but bold writing may be interpreted as a big bold font representing the personality of 50 Cent and also being fitting of representing the Hip-Hop cuture and he Massacre being written also as a sktech kind of written – This is in a way that would probably be used as the font of a horror movie, connotating scariness, aggressiveness and masculinity whuch are all the representation of Hip-Hop genre.

NarrativePersonally, I would not say the cover is telling a story to the fans of 50 Cent, I would probably say font is representing the material in the album and giving the audience an indication of the meatrial within the album, with the massacre being the demonstrated with a aggressive sketch and the word and the definition of the word meaning slaughter. In addition, I think this cover is almost trying to put out a message whether it would be on a personal level, but I think the audience will definitely be able to interpret that as being the slaughtering of other artist on a copetitive level almost as if 50 Cent is trying to put across a message of the face that he intends to be the best.

RepresentationThe representation of this cover is that 50 Cent does like to represent himself in and aggressive masculin way as seen through all of his album covers which is the influences that modern day males aspire to especially within the ghetto/hood violent aggressive culture with the stereotypical demographics being young, black males in America/proverty stricken areas, which has obviously been the influence in both 50 Cent music but also seen through his album cover and mannerisms. Furthermore, there are stereotypical influences as previously mentioned for example his posture being very masculine and very aggressive that of the stereotypical black especially those within the demographics as previously mentioned, the costume again very masculine and the steretypical garments worn on the ghetto. I think the album defies steretypes in some ways with the background being of a white silhouette of his image and a white angelic design around the border of the photo which softens the album from the dominant masculinity which could make the audience wonder why and I personally interpret it as maybe another side of his personality that being of a softer side, which could appeal to the more female side as they appear to be a common ifluence in his music. Moreover, I think the contrast between the softer background and ore aggressive fore image help with the promotion side which as mentioned, being for both the women and men.AudienceThe target audience for this cover – The Massacre is aimed at the adults who are inbetween 20 to 30 years old. This particular cover is mostly aimed at those who are in the poverty/working class audience but as far as the females, I would say that they would be attracted to 50 Cent’s abs and the white bckground could have strategically been planned to attract the female audiences.