Digipak Analysis

A digipak is a type of packaging for CDs or DVDs, typically made from cardboard with an internal plastic holder for one or more discs. Here I have analyzed Hip Hop and one Pop digipak, to find the codes and conventions of this product.

While Billboard suggests CDs currently make up only 48% of sales (compared to 68% in 2011), even online or on smart devices album artwork is displayed, and can be a huge part for the marketing of any album. The cover is used conventionally to show the artist, colour scheme and set the tone of the album, without giving much away. The back cover is reserved for the track lists, containing a less dominant image, or no image at all. Inside the digipak will be the disk and sometimes a booklet containing info about the project, lyrics or dedications, as well as extra photos of the artist and/or additional artwork.

Graduation - Kanye West

The front and back cover features an illustration by a Japanese contemporary artist Takashu Murakami. The “Dropout bear” is a representation of Kanye and is shown being launched out of university after graduating. I love the colours used and the animation is well- known within the hiphop community, so has become a symbol of this album and thus time for artists.

The inside of the digipak shows the journey the bear had to get thought to get through his graduation ceremony. The lighting in the art goes from dark to warmer tones and shades, and it is believed that this is a depiction of the album being a journey to becoming successful in the music industry. The artwork is not stereotypical for a hiphop album as it doesn’t portray a “tough image” or show a particularly “gang” lifestyle, however is does display a “rags to riches” story which is a genre convention, especially when a hiphop artist emerges from a rough background and becomes success.

There was also a poster released with the album, featuring a pixelated theme. It doesn't fit with the house colours, however the Dropout bear is featured, combining the two and reaffirming the brand that the album is sporting.

TAKE CARE - DRAKE

Drake is a very popular artist from Toronto.  The album “Take Care” was released in November 2011 and the front cover introduces the artist, him being seen as the main focus and demonstrates his star persona. The cover portrays conventional rapper features that connote wealth, for example gold chains and gold goblet and candlesticks. The font used is quite feminine, and drake’s facial expressions seem to be quite absent and distracted, which gives a vibe of what to expect from the album. Drake does not place his name onto the cover, which is actually a conventional thing for hiphop artists to do. The colours used are a fairly dull pallet and the camera is used to make it look out of focus and aged, which fits with the outdated theme of the antiques in the background

The CD shows simplicity like the cover. It doesn’t show an image and is entirely black apart from the artist name and album name. The parental advisory sticker is also displayed here, but now it is in a fancier, rich type of design.

The inside cover shows drake smoking a cigar, signifying wealth and is looking away from the camera, portraying he is focused on himself and his smoking more than anything else around him. Smoking also goes against his album title, “Take Care” as cigars aren’t healthy. the track list is shown here, with a short description of who contributed to the production of the album. the songs are highlighted and despite the credits are probably more for business and logical purposes, the background is a distorted image of a wealthy mansion, continuing with the rich and gold theme.

SELENA GOMEZ - FOR YOU

The colours used are warm and bright, and the three colours of red, pink and black connote the genre of her music, and also give a sensual, calm but also pop vibe, so lets her audience interpret the cover themselves. This is further reinforced by Selena looking down in a shy, thoughtful way. The lack of direct address could indicate that the album is more of a self-reflection/ something written to a particular person- which could be reinforced by the album title “for you”, as opposed to something she has made for other people (like her fans). Her hair is tied in a messy bun and could be suggesting that in this moment she doesn’t care about her appearances, and she isn’t dressed up and glamorous, again connoting that she is simply being herself, and the audience should expect an album that is stripped down and personal. The typography is bold and easily seen despite being in the same colours as the background, and the large bold font used for her name stands out vibrantly over her dark hair.

The font used on the track list is the same as what is used on the front cover. I like how there is a smaller font next to the songs that have featuring, and the use of all words written in capital letters is effective as it makes them more eye catching and intriguing. The back cover features a picture of Selena looking directly into the camera, using direct address. The colours used are vibrant and match the front cover, and I personally love the use of the warm pink and orange tones. Both the side panels include Selena’s name and the album title. The back cover includes the bar code and the 
label Selena belongs to has been shown, advertising the record label.

GOOD FOR YOU- AMINE

Good for You is the debut studio album by American rapper Aminé. his carefree and humorous rapping style is reflected in his digipak design, with the bright, poppy yellow and the laughable photos featured. The cartoonish cover displays him sits nearly naked on a bright blue toilet reading The Good for You  Post, a newspaper.