R&B digipakconventions

By Sekemi Olunloyo

Front coverThis is usually made up of the artist picture, artist name or album name.

They are stereotypically either black or mixed race. The main image is of

the artist and looking directly into the camera. It shows an essence of

confidence and they have serious facial expressions which could link in

with type of persona that the artist s trying to give off to fans of an alpha

male. This image leads to the genre because it focuses on the artist

rather than the music, none of the artists are seen with musical

instruments either which could connote the fact that they either sing or

rap.

His outfit is very simple and consists of a plain black shirt and

gold chains which could also connote wealth.

The font throughout the album is consistent through out and all

thought the gold is very noticeable he is still trying to go about

the cover in a minimalistic manner.

Front cover

Front cover cont….A typical convention of front covers is too feature the artists name but this album doesn’t do so which shows that maybe the artist already has acclaimed fame. Which could mean that he no longer needs to introduce himself because people already know who he is.

It has a specific colour scheme and is very consistent with the use of prestige colours i.e. gold, bronze, black, etc. they also connote something classic. These same colours can also been seen as rusty colours which could show something timeless which is obviously what he wants his fans to share with him when they are listening to his music.

The image as a whole is a mid shot of Drake looking inside a cup and he is avoiding eye contact which gives of a vibe of vulnerability. Also because his head is down it could mean that he was in deep thought.

Back coverThe back of the albums are fairly simple I will be analysing

Drake’s ‘Take Care’ album. It features the album track list,

producers, music companies who were affiliated with the

album. The font used is simple and primary; the side

panels have the album title, artist name which stays

consistent with the front cover in terms of colour scheme. It

also features a barcode which is a general convention of

digipaks.

Inside…….The simplicity of the CD itself seems prominent. The

fact that Drake did not put his name on the front but

could put it on the CD shows that even though there

is no need to introduce himself he still feels the need

to identify with his brand.

Front cover This digipak is quite simple and has no images or long sections of text,

although there is a promo sticker in the bottom right corner and this could

be used to attract new audience who haven't heard his music before.

This is a good technique which underground singers/bands make use of

to promote themselves. There is also a parental advisory notice on it

which is vital because it informs buyers that there is explicit content

included. The back ground of orange is rather eye catching and attracts

attention and coincidently matches the name of the album.

Back cover The back of this album is rather interesting and eye catching because

you begin to think and wonder what it is? What lead to it?, etc. It is

covered with two paragraphs which were personally written by Frank

Ocean to his fans who have bought the album. And it consists of him

talking about how his life has changed over the last 4 years and

thanking his fans for there support. And this allows him to have a

special connection with his fans. It is very unconventional and not

most artists normally do this.

Inside….This folds out into three separate panels and it also includes the CD and a small alternative poster of the artist. This is a general convention of a digipak and sometimes artists do this but along with it charge a bit more for the album. The inside panels feature a picture of a house and jewellery and this could be seen as a convention of R&B and the lifestyle which is perceived.

There is also a text booklet which contains of lyrics to all songs on the album and the people who wrote and produced the songs. Not all albums include this but it gives the fans and new listeners the chance to connect with the music on another level.

The images are spread over 2 pages and they are very dark and mysterious but it doesn’t have the face of the artist which goes against conventions because its meant to be promotional and feature different pictures of the artist but it does not stick to the general concept because he features game inspired skits which has a psychedelic feel to it.

Front cover This is a compilation of all of Rihanna's first 3 albums

and it is filled with pictures of her. But this doesn’t

show anything around her which draws attention

towards her. She is wearing revealing clothing which

lets her appeal more to audience and also leads to

other peoples aspiring to be her. She is wearing a

top which reveals a zebra print bikini top; the top is

white and can be seen to connote innocence and the

zebra print can be seen as sexy and feminine. The

shot also allows her to come off as important and in

control.

Inside…..On the inside flap there is writing about her music

and about herself. Pictures of her previous albums

are shown in this album’s front flap and could be

used to emphasize her accomplishments as an

artist. The mise en sene in this picture is very

warming and happy and autumnal, so overall it looks

rich and expensive which could be linked in with

themes of R&B.

Front cover The title is in red which could be used to connote danger which could also line

in with the fact that men in the R&B genre are often perceived as bad boys.

The title also has a sense of strength because of the font which has been used,

and he is often trying to make a bold statement and show a representation of

his character.

The colour red could also be a representation of passion which Usher as an

artist can be linked in which then leads into what his songs are about. The car

could suggest him coming to the end of a metaphorical journey. The

background isn't very clear and has some type of mist effect to it which is quite

mysterious.

The car could also suggest wealth which is a convention of this genre and his

costume supports this theory through his jewellery and sunglasses.

Back coverThe colour scheme is the same through out and also has a red

banner which links in with the red at the front which connotes danger.

The title is written in a different colour which could bee seen as two

sides to a story or rebirth. Usher is entering a car which backs up the

R&B genre once again and its wealth connotation. He seems to be

looking over his shoulder slightly which could be him being cautious

about the danger which the red banner makes us think about.

Inside……..

Inside cont….The booklet inside has 18 pages and it has

information about the production labels for this

album and the directors who were involved in the

production. It also has information about Usher

himself and talking about his experience with the

album. It also has reviews from people in the

industry and what they think.

Front cover The picture of Beyoncé on the front is rather large which shows that

she is the most important thing about the album and it is also used

to draw attention to people buying the album. Beyoncé is wearing a

diamond encrusted top which is quite revealing she also has very

big hair which links in with the R&B genre which her target audience

will take notice of, which would encourage them to buy the album.

Her name on the album is bigger than the title itself which shows

that her name is more than a brand which is very important and

relevant than the album name.

Back cover The image on the back is even more provocative than the one on the front

which draws more attention to her as a brand rather than an artist. The

barcode is a general convention of digipaks because it is obviously used to

purchase the album. There is a track listing on the back and is used to inform

the audience of what songs are included on the album. There are also logos

on the back which show the companies which were involved with the

production and distribution of the album and they are used for legal purposes

and so that people know who is responsible for making the album.

Front cover

Front cover cont….The picture of Trey Songz on the front is a mid shot

of him looking straight ahead. And this is used to

show the viewer his muscle and body in general

with his tattoos. This is a typical convention of R&B

because they portray the men with normally little or

no clothes which adds an element of the fact men

might want to be him and women may want him.

The lighting which was used above has been used

to define his body and show off his muscles.

Conclusion………I have found that digipaks under the R&B genre

have the following characteristics:

• Bold text

• Consistency

• Lyrics booklet

• Scantily clad men and women