Album Cover Analysis

 

 

 

This is a good example of a dance music album cover- simple yet effective. The bright pink and black colours help to represent the image in the background of the text. The image resembles graffiti, this complements and links to the genre of music (drum and bass) as graffiti is associated with young adults (dance music target audience) and is often used in dance music videos. The album title is emphasized by the plain background. The font used is also not your typical times new roman; block capitals are used to resemble graffiti, just like the background image.

 

This album cover from Ministry of Sound is a perfect example of an electronic dance music album. The bright multi colours represent the rave party culture. The background is a black and white image of a crowd in either a club or a festival of some sort. This instantly tells us what genre of music it is and where you are likely to hear it before you even listen to it, as party culture is stereotyped with dance music. The effect of black and white is seen as professional and simplistic, therefore this could be a technique Ministry of Sound are trying to use to capture their audience. The black and white effect is also shown in the media world to present a sense of realism because it captures the moment, something that is done perfectly on this album cover. The text on it says “Eat sleep rave repeat” the word “rave” instantly brings the idea of a party atmosphere. In addition, this cover does not seem  to follow the rule of thirds.

 

 

 

Avicii is a typical electronic dance music DJ. The lightening or electricity shocks at the top of the album cover Touching the text "Avicii" complement the genre of music being electronic. The Background shows multi coloured lights these lights suggest a party theme (dance) this instantly tells the buyer what genre of music this album is. The font used for the artists name is edgy and bold and instantly sticks out, Avicii also uses this font as his logo therefore it is used on all of his album covers. The font used for the word 'Levels' resembles paint, this links to the genre as graffiti is associated with the dance music genre. Furthermore, the word levels makes use of the right hotspots in the rule of thirds.

 

 

Sigmas album cover isn’t a typical dance music cover. The background image is a picture of a beach. This in a way complements the genre of music as dance music is often related with summer (holidays, festivals ect…). In addition, this album doesn't suggest the genre of music as well as the others however still has an element of it.




In conclusion, the majority of CD covers we have analysed include bright and contrasting colours. Therefore, when we create our own CD cover we shall aim to replicate this.

Music Magazine Analysis

 

This ATM magazine features Chase and Status, the background image is a photograph of the band. They are made to look rough and edgy relating to the genre of music. Both band mates are either wearing a black or white t-shirt these are extremely contrasting colours. High key lighting is used to give the magazine a young fresh theme linking in with the band and genre of music which is widely listened to by young adults. “Chase and status” is written in a red colour to contrast with the background giving it an edgy feel.
 

 

This USA top magazine ‘Billboard’ that features Avicii; the background is a photograph of the artist. Avicii is a worldwide top selling DJ which instantly tells us the genre of music featuring in this magazine. He is seen to be wearing headphones- this immediately complements the idea of a ‘music’ magazine. The colours used are neutral along with the high key lighting giving a clear photograph.

 

 



 

 ATM is typical music magazine. This magazine features Magnetic man. Magnetic man is electronic DJ set. Blue colours are used a lot on the magazine. Blue emphasises the electronic genre of music. The text ‘Magnetic man’ is in white writing white makes it stand out and bold.

 

 

In this version of the Billboard magazine features Rihanna a top dance music artist. The background image Is a photograph of Rihanna, her hair is a bright red colour, this conveys a bright and fiery look. Red contains connotations sex, lust and danger; all of these aspects are contained in dance music videos.

In conclusion, in every music magazine we have analysed the artist is always the main feature. Therefore, when we create our own music magazine front cover we would like to replicate this common feature. In addition, high key lighting is always used, this is not stereotypical of the genre of dance however helps to highlight the artist.

Textual Analysis Summary

Through the research we gathered from the textual analysis' we found some common themes and techniques in which are included throughout all of the videos. These common themes and techniques are:

Themes such as:

• drinking
• smoking
• sexual references
• relationships
• party culture
• drug use

Techniques such as:

• low key lighting,
• close up shots
• Shallow depth of field
• Slow motion
• Bright multi coloured lights
• Head and shoulder shots

Our group has selected a number of screen shots that represent these common themes and techniques.

Themes:

Drinking is often included in dance music videos as this genre is stereotypically played in clubs ands at parties where a lot of alcohol would be consumed by young adults varying from the ages 18 to late twenties. Including drinking in dance music videos allows the target audience to relate to what is going on. Furthermore, in our music video we would like to include scenes of alcohol being consumed so that we will be able to reach out to our target audience of young adults(18+) the way the music industry does currently when creating dance music videos. We believe this will help further enhance the professionalism of our music video.

 

 

 

 

Smoking is also included in a lot of dance tracks, this is because like drinking, it is associated with becoming an adult because there is an age restriction on drinking and smoking, so therefore by having smoking included it relates to young adults(18+). This is another feature we would like to include in our music video as it stereotypically relates to the genre. The shot below showed a particular interest to us because we thought the effect of the smoke coming out of the girls mouth looked unusual. This, again, is something we would like to replicate in our music video.

 





 

 

Another common theme relevant to dance music videos that we have found while completing our textual analysis's is sexual references. Sexual references are usually included in dance music videos due to the fact they show young adult experiences and help to connect the audience with the video because it is something the audience will be able to relate to.

 

 

 

 

Relationships are always included in dance music videos. This is because relationships are a major part of young adult life and are often what the dance music videos focus on, the narrative behind the relationship. In our own music video we would like our main focus to be a relationship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drug use is found in every dance music video we analysed and is often an important part of the music video as it is something that is stereotyped with the genre of dance. Drug use is something our group would like to emphasise in our music video.

 

 

 

 

 

Techniques:

 

Low key lighting is found in every music video we analysed; this may be due to the fact that dark dim lighting is linked with party culture and also the negative aspects to dance music videos such as drugs. Our group would like to include a variety of low key lighting. We were particularly interested in how low key lighting was used in the Chase and Status music video 'Alive'.

 

 

 

 

Close up shots are another technique that are widely used in dance music videos. we found that close up shots were mostly used to focus on the theme of alcohol or drugs, we aim to replicate this in our own dance music video. The close up of the woman's face in Ed Sheeran's 'A team' is of particular interest to us as we believe it be unusual and effective. the close up shows her eyes in which are dilated to show she is high on drugs. Our group would like to use a close up of someone's eyes and to make them appear dilated in our own dance music video.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shallow depth of field is a technique that appeared in a few of the music videos. It was often used to highlight a specific feature of the music video. This, again, is something our group intend to replicate.

 

 



 

 

 

Slow motion was used frequently throughout Tove Lo's music video 'Stay High With Me' to enhance the theme of drugs and show that the girl in the video was not of her own mind. Slow motion was also used in Chase and Status' music video 'Alive'. We will use this technique in our video.

 

 

 

Lots of multi coloured lights are generally used in dance music videos. This links to the theme of party culture and helps to enhance the dance music feel. Our group would like to include a party or club scence in our music video so that we may include this type of lighting.

 

Head and shoulder shots are frequently used in every music video we have analysed.





Textual analysis of Chase and Status ft Jacob Banks - Alive

In our analysis of Chase and Status ft Jacob Banks - Alive; we will be analysing the first 47 seconds of the music video, then skip to 1.54 minutes in until 3.07 minutes in and then skip to 6.05inutes to 6.16 minutes.

Ø    Opens with a warning saying ‘Parental Advisory Explicit Content’.

 

 Ø     Establishing shot of an iron eagle, suggests that the content is set in America as the golden eagle is often associated with America. This also connotes that ethnicity and nationality will   be important during the music video



 

Ø      High key lighting is used when there is a shot of a cross. This could be suggesting that someone in the music video may die and that they are of importance.

 

Ø      Several  close up shots of drawings, photographs and paintings of Native Americans are used, this links back to the eagle at the start of the music video and also suggest ethnicity and nationality will be of importance.

 

Ø     A head and shoulder shot of what appears to be a teenage Native American boy is used. This reveals his emotions, which seem to be angry as well as sad. He looks like he is in deep thought. The high key lighting in this shot also has connotations that the boy is a main character in the narrative music video.

     

     Ø     A straight cut is used to show a close up of his hands in which he is holding drugs.
            It then cuts back to a close up/head and shoulder shot of him smoking the drugs.

 

Ø     Establishing shot of an elder woman; presumably the mother, sat at a table.

 

Ø     The father walks in and sees the drugs on the table. A mid shot is used to show the father pushing his son around the kitchen in anger. the farther may be angry due to the fact that Native American's lives are very cultural and they live strict lifestyles.

  

    

Ø     The high key lighting in this shot suggests that the boys mind is alert and awake. This links to the genre of the music video; dance. Dance music is usually fast and upbeat. The fact he is holding a gun shows why his mind may be alert and awake.

 

Ø     The low key lighting and graffiti on the walls shows that the teenage boy is in with the wrong crowd and further links with the drugs his mother found at the start of the music video.

 

Ø     Over the shoulder shot of the teenage boy’s girlfriend shows that she is dead. The music isn’t playing at this point to emphasise the death. This suggests that he will see that he is living the wrong lifestyle. In this genre of music is it stereotypical for something tragic to happen during the music video.

 

Ø    High key lighting and slow music shows despair.

 

Ø     At around 4.30 minutes there is a sequence of cross cutting. This is used to show different narratives and settings; this being the teenage boys old life and the new cultural one he is about to embrace. Our group would like to use this idea in our own music video.

 

 

 

 

Ø     The scarlet red blood against the pure white shirt could suggest that it is the end of the teenage boys bad life and the beginning of a new, better one. The high key lighting shows that he is good again. The use of high key lighting throughout the music video is similar to how we would like to film our music video.