annalysis of 4 album covers

I have chosen to analyse 4 album covers as 3 of the album covers are around the same genre of music and one of them is from a completely opposite genre to really get a spectrum of research.

I shall firstly start with the album cover from 50 Cent who preforms in the genre of rap. The album is entitled the massacre which connotes death which is almost glorified by the image of the rapper on the front cover. This is made apparent through his sculpted body and is enhanced by the illustrated lines added to the image to make his muscles look threatening towards men yet attractive toward women. The gloves he is wearing also makes him look violent or that he has just been violent to someone because of his over bearing stature. This is involved in youth culture because of teenage gangs and the title of the album puts it into this category. the rap culture is also about excess e.g. expensive jewelry, muscular body and excessive power over others. I believe the stance of 50 cent is quite domineering as it is shot from below so hes looking down on the viewer. The font and writing on the front cover also replicate rap and the connotations of rap. the words 'the massacre' are written in a graffiti type style which would connote defacing a building or wall which would be illegal. the words '50 cent' are written in a yellow font which would connote his name written in gold and to be admired. This album cover stereotypes the rap genre instantly and glamorizes gang culture whereas i would like to do a more gritty representation of youth culture in a different genre than rap.

The second album i will be analysing is from a band called parkway drive who are a post-hardcore/metal band. the album is entitled killing with a smile which corresponds with the image on the front cover. This relates to youth culture because knife crime is highlighted between youths. This gives youth culture a much grittier and real sense because of the shocking image of a teenager slumped on a pavement who has been stabbed. You can tell it is a teenager as they are wearing stereotypical teenage fashion which are jeans and converse shoes. The namesake of the album would also suggest the that person who stabbed the victim would have taken pleasure in doing so or' killing with a smile' as such. The bands name 'parkway drive' has a distressed/smashed look to it which also ties in the un-glamorized front cover along with the 'killing with a smile' lettering which looks scratched. The colours on the front cover are quite drab and bland which makes the album cover more realistic to the scene. I would like to create a front cover like this as it captures the readers attention because of sheer reality and bring something so violent onto a front cover of a album.

The third album is from a band called green day who fall into the genre of punk/rock. The album is titled 21st century breakdown which would connote failure in the modern society which could explain the fire in the background of the stenciled image though the fire behind them could also represent the metaphorical passion between the embraced couple. This album cover is surrounded by youth culture because of the use of graffiti and the passionate embrace between the male and female. The parental advisory sticker also adds to the youth culture specification as it contains explicit language. the font used on the 'Green Day' text is also graffiti which is noticeable because of the drip marks from the paint. i believe that the iconography of the album cover also relates to the street artist Banksy because of the stenciled graffiti this is relevant because Banksy was a controversial artist would someone people viewed his work as either art or criminal damage. this may link to the misrepresentation of the majority of teenagers because of the way that the youth are viewed by the modern society. The colours on the cover are eye catching and adds to the black and white on the main focus of the couple. the red could be represented as passion, anger and rebellion.

The fourth and final album cover i shall analyse is from a welsh band called Funeral for a Friend who fit into the genre of rock. I like this front cover because it is very simple yet conveys a message simply and is a iconic and memorable album cover for me. It plays on many conventions that school would be a safe place for student to be yet she is wearing a stab vest which highlights knife crime and violence in teenage society. The face that the model is a female is also surprising as females are stereotypically seen to be involved in knife crime. It also plays on the innocence of the female because of her light complexion, school uniform and blonde hair which are linked which purity, its a juxtaposition to the stab vest she is wearing which is dark in colour and stands of protection against violence. The graffitti on the lockers behind her gives the impresent that shes in a school where the other students lack respect and disapline for their place of education and becuase of the stab vest also eachother. Blue is a signiure colour on the cover which could show calm and tranquility which would be a juxpoistion to the violence. Although, blue can also connote coldness which would show her isolation from the school.