Analysis of Existing Album Artwork - Frank Turner

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Re-Post of the Previous Album Cover Research - Snow Patrol/Green Day

Just to show that I produced research earlier into album artwork, this is a re-post of the two analysis that I completed earlier on in the research and planning stage:

1. Album/Single Covers Analysis - Snow Patrol:

Another part of the marketing campaign that I have to produce to promote the artist’s song release is an album/single cover with the digipak. I have only looked at the covers to gain inspiration at this point such as artistic effects and motifs that are used for popularity and links to other album covers:

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I have gained a lot of inspiration from this task because I know that I can apply my creativity to not just the filmmaking but the photography and manipulation editing of the photos as well. I particularly like the watermark effects and has even inspired me to think of that effect in my music video maybe.

2. Album/Single Cover Analysis - Comparison between the Subgenres:

In order to establish the difference between the subgenres in the Alternative Rock genre, I have compared the ‘Eyes Open’ album cover by Snow Patrol (in the Indie Rock subgenre) with the ‘21^st Century Breakdown’ album cover by Green Day (Punk Rock subgenre):

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From this task, I have learnt that the typography, colour, composition and use of motifs can really help determine what a particular audience will go for when they browse for a CD and how important the album artwork is to the sale of the song. As I am thinking of using the ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ song by Green Day, it will be the more modern and vibrant colours that I should think about; depending if that will suit the song and music video.

Analysis of Existing Album Artwork - Andrew W.K.

In this analysis, I have compared two album covers by Andrew W.K. because there is only a two year gap between the albums (and the covers are very different). I have looked at the photography used and the composition of the album cover; as well as the typography, colour and overall style.

Existing Cover Artwork - Colour Used

(Alternative Rock)


(Alternative Rock/Post-Grunge/Hard Rock)


(Indie Rock/Punk)

Existing Cover Artwork - Minimum Colour Used (B&W)

Apart from the ‘For He’s a Jolly Good Felon’ cover (last one), all of these covers are black and white (or have minimum colour). This suits the alternative rock genre because most of the songs in this genre address issues of social concern, which could be why black and white is used (for more grim purposes or to show that the issues are as clear to the bands as black and white).


(Indie Rock/Post-Punk Revival)


(Alternative Rock)


(Alternative Rock)


(Alternative Rock)


(Alternative Rock)

The last cover, by ‘Lostprophets’, has a blue colour running through it in order to contrast to the black background and allows the white text to stand out more. The effect of having streaks of colour could be quite a useful technique for my album cover.

Existing Album Cover Artwork - Interesting Ideas/Concepts

(Alternative Rock/Post-Britpop/Electronica)


(Hardcore Punk/Punk Rock)


(Hardcore Punk/Punk Rock)

The last two do not actually have the title of the songs or the band name on them but are both by ‘Gallows’ and are from the same album. I like the way that the simple graphic design used on the ‘Keane’ cover with the charging horses gives a very different affect to the more detailed designs of the shark and octopus on the ‘Gallows’ covers.

The ‘Keane’ cover has intertextuality references to the painting called ‘Neptune’s Horses’ by Walter Crane (shown below):

(Neptune's Horses by Walter Crane)

For some reason, the second one (called ‘In the Belly of a Shark’) reminds me of the film ‘Jaws’ because of the way that the shark is attacking the boat. Whether that was the intention or not; I have no idea. What these covers have given me is an initial idea into what I could use in order to add intertextuality references into my Digipak artwork and make it more interesting and eye-catching (even if it is not as detailed as the ‘Gallows’ covers).

Typography Research - "How to Choose a Typeface" Article

How to Choose a Typeface - 'Smashing Magazine' Website

I came across this website when researching into album artwork for the rock genre. I found the information and advice on this website very useful when starting to have a look at the possible typeface to use on my Digipak/Advert in order to suit the genre and audience of the song/musician.

Facebook (Audience Feedback/Research) - Edited Photos

Using some of the initial photos that I took a while ago of Joe, I have edited them using Premiere Elements (and then print screened them) in order to show the audience the progress of the band and also to gain some feedback of which pictures/effects the audience like better. I will post the feedback soon.

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These are the images that I uploaded:



Album/Single Cover Analysis - Comparison between the Subgenres

In order to establish the difference between the subgenres in the Alternative Rock genre, I have compared the ‘Eyes Open’ album cover by Snow Patrol (in the Indie Rock subgenre) with the ‘21^st Century Breakdown’ album cover by Green Day (Punk Rock subgenre):

(Click to Enlarge)

From this task, I have learnt that the typography, colour, composition and use of motifs can really help determine what a particular audience will go for when they browse for a CD and how important the album artwork is to the sale of the song. As I am thinking of using the ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ song by Green Day, it will be the more modern and vibrant colours that I should think about; depending if that will suit the song and music video.

Album/Single Covers Analysis - Snow Patrol

Another part of the marketing campaign that I have to produce to promote the artist’s song release is an album/single cover with the digipak. I have only looked at the covers to gain inspiration at this point such as artistic effects and motifs that are used for popularity and links to other album covers:

(Click to Enlarge)

I have gained a lot of inspiration from this task because I know that I can apply my creativity to not just the filmmaking but the photography and manipulation editing of the photos as well. I particularly like the watermark effects and has even inspired me to think of that effect in my music video maybe.