Analysis of album covers

Gorillaz!

This is the Gorillaz album cover which was released May 2005, looking firstly at the fact the choice for background colour was black allows me to infer that the music on the album could be ‘raw’ in the sense that it stands out for it single genre and simply highlights one specific genre. The choice of background colour also proves to have a relationship with the fact that the album is entitled ‘Demon Days’ and the word ‘demon’ has naturally dark connotations so the colour black suits that purpose.

The title ‘Demon Days’ also allows the key images to have a bigger effect on the audience when the audience are first are introduced to the album cover. This can be said as neither one of the animated characters are shown to be smiling they all seem to have a rather sinister look on their faces and one is also seen to have red eyes, the effect of having the four separate shots also conveys the idea that there are four different people with different characteristics in the one band. Another point to be made is the similarity between the four individual shots shown on the album cover and a ‘mug’ shot, the photo taken by authority after you are arrested; this allows the thought of danger to surround the four characters placed before the audience. So effectively the key images firstly enforce a unique selling point as the band is presented as animated characters whilst simultaneously portraying ‘demonic ways’.

Having the parental warning put on the front of the cover in direct view of the consumer proves to have two roles. The first being to warn audience of what expletives the music could contain such as references to sex, alcohol or drugs, therefore it is put in place to ensure that the right content reaches appropriate audience. Although this is the intended role the parent guidance mark potentially is an advertising tool that allows producers to entice audiences of a younger market to their product by fuelling the consumer’s curiosity, functioning on the idea that youth enjoy going against these parental guidelines and will push harder to purchase the CD.

Overall the album cover has what I believe are the common features of a rock album due to the dark but simplistic design choice and I believe it would appeal to teenagers who prefer niche sounds and are drawn to animation and new musical styles.