Digipak Analysis

Digipak Analysis

Digipaks are made out of cardboard and contain the CD/CD'S of an artist. They became largely popular in the early 2000's. Digipaks are for fans of the artist or band as they feel like they're getting more for their money. They often buy them for the extra information that they contain e.g. more artwork, booklets that contain the lyrics to each track on the album or posters.

This is the digipak for Rihanna's album 'Loud'. I've chosen to analyse this design as the album is of the same genre as the song I've chosen for my music video. The colour scheme of blue and red is carried through each of the images. During the time the album was made a part of Rihanna's brand identity was her long brightly coloured red hair which is clearly shown and emphasised by the red lipstick and roses. The colour red connotes love and romance which is a theme that is evident through the imagery of roses and the sensual expression on her face on the front cover. The use of bold colours is a convention of pop music and culture which this album is promoting. She's also wearing a white dress which has symbolism of purity and goodness and is associated with femininity. 

All of the images are of the artist themselves, therefore making the album more noticeable for fans and promoting the artist. This may also appeal to a male audience through sex appeal. The image on the inside follows through all three panels with the artist's face situated in the middle of the frame so that it's not covered up by the CD's. On the CD's themselves there are pink roses which will appeal to a female audience and follows the theme of love.
The artist name 'Rihanna' and album title 'Loud' are placed on the front panel and the CD's on the inside. This is one of the conventions of digipak's as it makes it easier for people to identify the artist when it's on the shelf. The typography is very small and white so that it doesn't overpower or cover the image. It also contradicts the word 'loud' as it's very minimal and doesn't necessarily stand out on the front cover. 

In the images above the back cover isn't visible, however it features the copyright details and logo for the artist's label as well as a track listing and bar-code. These are key conventions of digipak's. It's placed on the back panel so that it's easy to access but doesn't ruin the imagery and theme of the other panels.

This is the digipak for Muse's 'Black Holes and Revelations' album. The colour scheme of black and orange follows through each panel including the CD's itself. The colour black is stereotypically associated with the rock genre which this digipak is promoting. The colour orange has connotations of happiness and enthusiasm which suggests that the album will be pleasant and enjoyable to listen to; it also contrasts against the black background making it stand out. On the panel's with the black background there is a dusty and scratched effect which creates a rock/grunge like look.

The band logo which is part of their brand identity is positioned on the second panel. The typography is usually black but it has been changed to better match the imagery and colour scheme which is space and orange tones. It also contrasts against the background creating a larger impact. Again, the back cover has the track listing and copyright details as well as a bar-code and the band's website. On the spine the artist and album name are repeated so that it can be easily recognised when staked on a shelf. 

This digipak was inspired by one of their previous albums 'Origin of Symmetry'. Rather than an image of the band on the front cover there are the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse from the Book of Revelation which challenges the conventions of digipak's as the front cover usually features the name of the artist and an image of them to promote the band. However, there is an image of them on one of the inside panels. In the image they are directly addressing the camera and in turn the audience. The low camera angle and high-key lighting suggest importance and that they're a band of great influence; this is emphasised by the fact that they're wearing suits. This will also appeal to fans who will enjoy seeing photos of the band.