Analysing album covers

Here are two very different looking album covers from two very famous and successful artists in this generation. However, the way In which their successes have arrived have been from very different reasons. Rihanna is a highly sexualised music artist who is looked up to by many girls in their teens as she puts across a 'beautiful' image and one some may aspire to be like. She has the talent. arguably, but It is more about the image. Where as, James Bay is considered a far more organic artist who is less about the image and more about the talent per say. Although when he was discovered as an artist the labels would have taken his original image, then enhanced and exaggerated it so that he stands out and becomes someone to look up to as well but in his own 'cool' image. You could argue all artists these days are about the image and if they have the talent it's just a plus side. Of course talent is important but can be improved massively through the use of technology and other programs. 

James Bay's album cover is clearly very different to Rihanna's as it is dark, non-revealing, he is fully clothed, not trying to appeal to anyone in a sexual way and he it is generally far more revealing. This would be because his age group of fans are more likely to not care about the image and more about the music. He is more of an organic artist and therefore is keeping it low form and not anything too shocking. Typically for an artist like him he is holiday is guitar, looking down so there is no eye line connection and he has a hat on which cover most of his facial features. interestingly everything around his is dark, even his clothing, and his guitar is the only highlighted object in the image emphasising the importance of music in his case and how that's what he relies his fame on. However, the whole point of his image is being on the down low, 'indie' and generally quite chilled and cool therefore he doesn't want to aim for that naked, revealing image like an artist similar to Rihanna.

This Unapologetic album cover by Rihanna is clearly extremely explicit and open. You can see her eye contact is aimed directly at the viewer, emphasising a sexual desire almost for a split second and draws the buyers in. This is a typical example of how artists like Rihanna use their bodies as a selling point and allow them to push their success that bit further. Sadly our society relies on the looks more then the talent when they become an artist like this. There is only some writing covering up her naked body showing the interest is her 'perfect' body.