CD Cover Analyses

We've decided to look at and anaylse three cd covers, to give us an idea of how to produce our cd cover.

This CD cover is Pixie Lott's from the album which includes the single 'Use Somebody' which is the song we have used in our piece. I've decided to look at this as this is the song we are covering, and to give us an idea of how the original one is used. This CD cover is extremely plain but creates such an impact through Pixie Lott's facial expression. She has a raunchy expression on her face, which attracts the viewer straight into the cover. The use of her name in pink, with the rest in black and white emphasises her girly side. The chain around her neck and head emphasises again the raunchy effect, as if she's been in trouble. The mise en scene of her make-up and lacy top creates the 'naughty' look again which I think the cover is persued to emphasise. As the name of the single is called 'Use Somebody' the 'naughty' expressions used could have been used to explain the name of the single. As if somebody does 'Use Somebody' it isn't the right thing to do, this is emphasised through the picture and the mischievious effect of the CD cover.

I've analysed the 'Use Somebody' produced by Pixie Lott and now decided to look at the original cover from the original artist. I decided to do this to compare and see the similarites from the two album covers. Looking at both album covers they are totally different and give off different vibes. The Pixie Lott cover comes across with the naughty, young girl approach. Where as, King Of Leon's album cover is more of a serious cover, expressing little vibarant emotions. The facial expressions on the band members face seems effortless, and lack of happiness. I think this is used to correspond the name of the single 'Use Somebody' as this isn't a happy topic as this is something the public wouldn't be smiling about. The bright light at the top centre of the album cover could have connatations of their iner feelings, which would be happy as they have produced such a popular single. I noticed a smiliarity between the two albums, which is that there isn't much going on in the CD covers and they are quite plain. Both of them include little action and effects, but create such a big impact through their facial expressions and the mise en scene through the use of props. The plain background setting and the fact the band are sat on four simple chairs have been carefully used to create the bland impact and how using somebody isn't the right thing to do.

I started to research into other album covers, and decided to analyse Rizzle Kicks new album called Stereo Typical. I decided this because we also analysed some of their other aspects, such as their music video in the early stages of the year when we were deciding on a song for our music video. Another thing which attracted me to analse this album cover is because I think it has similarites to the other two CD covers I have already looked at. The fact that there is little action going on in the album cover, and the hole impact of the CD cover is emphasised through facial expression. The two artists involved in 'Rizzle Kicks' are simply sat down, against a plain background, expressing their emotions through their facial expression. I think their expressions are used to create a 'confused' look. This is almost ironic, as the name of the album is 'Stereo Typical' which would normally indicate two young male's causing trouble as this is the Stereo typical view on young male's. Rizzle Kicks have emphasised this through a almost boring and blank look, opposite to how the public would expect their CD cover to look. The use of mise en scence in their outfits is again presented plain and ordinary, emphasising they aren't the stereo typical young male's which the public percieve young male's to look and act like.