Justin Bieber is a worldwide sensation with a handful of number one hits. His album 'Believe' was released in 2012 with great success as he won a number of awards for the collection of hit songs. One thing that stands out with this album cover is the artists face, not only does it take up a large proportion of the cover, they have used a close up shot to show his expression. This helps the promotion of the artist as he is clearly recognisable and people would remember the cover. We have decided to use a close up shot of our artist on our cover as we believe that it gets an artist in the public eye. We will decide whether to take the shot from the shoulders upwards, or whether to have more of the body showing once we have tested the shots. Another thing that stands out on this cover is the title. they have chosen a very bold font with a plan white background to make the letters even clearer. The slanted position of the title makes it look like a banner, which is appealing as its what your eyes are drawn to at first glance. Despite the album standing out on shelves, I am not fond of the colours that they chosen, I believe that the solid white background does not flow well with the fiery album background, therefore it looks clashed. I do like the black border that they have chosen to use as it makes the cover look like a Polaroid photograph, which makes it stand out to other covers. I think that the artists name is too small at the top of the cover, as this should be in a bigger font so that the name is easily linked with the album. Some may say that the cover is too plain, however the simplicity makes it look presentable.
Katy Perry is another well known artist who's songs have hit the number one position in a number of countries. The audience would easily be able to identify this album cover with the artist, which would increase sales. Like the 'Believe' album, they have decided to use a close up shot of the artist, they have chosen a brightly coloured wig which would make it stand out on the shelves. The angle of her face is interesting as she is not looking directly at the camera, the way her face is positioned relates to the theme of 'dreaming' as she is looking into the distance. I really like the colourful background they have chosen as it fits in well with Katy Perry's persona of being very bubbly and lively. Although the artists name is in a large font and is fairy central on the cover, I believe that the letters are not as clear due to the colour and style of font. The 'neon electric' writing in the top corner is very modern and mixes well with the other bright colours. It also links in well the albums title, as the 'dream-like' bubble around the text represents the notion of dreams.
Taylor Swift has released seven albums since 2006, however the 2014 release of her album '1989' has had huge success in the charts. It is clear that the cover is a Polaroid picture of the artist as the dimness suggests that an unusual camera was used. Taylor Swift used her Instagram to promote the album by posting a picture of a Polaroid camera and a bundle of film. Although the actual photo seems untouched, it is clear that the borders have been edited in order for it to look suitable on an album, I like the white border as it doesn't overpower the main picture. The outfit is questionable as it has no clear link to the title or the artists perceived persona. Also some say that the outfit blends too much into the background, making it look slightly boring and unappealing. One of the main things about this cover is the fact that half of the artists face has been cropped at the top. This could have several meanings, however due to the eyes being cropped, some may suggest that it has a deep meaning due to the eyes being the pathway to the soul. The reddish lipstick adds some colour to the cover, however compared to the previous two covers, this album would not stand out on the shelves. One good point about this album cover is that the title is very clear due to the black writing on the white background. The idea of writing in a black felt tip fits in with the uniqueness of the album, and would appeal to a young audience. Due to Taylor Swift being so well known, the idea of using her initials on the cover is original and I found that it makes the album stand out more. The whole concept of the album cover feels very vintage, which in today's society would fit in very well, as things like Polaroid cameras are coming back into fashion.
The first thing I noticed when looking at this album cover was the name of the artist. They have used a really large and bold font with the effect that makes the letters look like they are coming out of the cloud. Due to the level of bright colours that are being used, the fact that the artists name is white works well as it makes it stand out more and look like the central part of the cover. Whereas the title of the album is in a much smaller font, and positioned at an angle where it blends in too much. As a group, we feel that the title needs to be bold and a focal part of the cover, as it is effective if the audience can relate a certain artist to an album. Mika's songs are very upbeat and positive, therefore the strong use of colour throughout the cover fits in well and greatly appeals to the audience as it is pleasing to the eye. The cover also links in well with the title, the use of a cartoon effect and random images relates to "cartoon notion' which makes the cover more memorable. Another thing that stands out about this particular album cover is that it could have multiple meanings depending on who is looking at it, some would focus on the use of nature (the flowers and birds) whereas some may look at the the living room set-up. This broad prospective on the meaning of the album would attract more people, as its intriguing to look at. Although the artist is visible on the cover, it is implied that this is not what they wanted the central point to be, as his picture is on the side and relatively small.
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