CD Cover Analysis - Number 1

Oasis - What's The Story Morning Glory?

The name of the artist is Oasis, the band member Liam Gallagher suggested to change the name from The Rain to Oasis from an 'Inspiral Carpets' tour poster in his room that had a tour venue at a place called Oasis Leisure Centre. This connotes they are influenced by other artists and were always thinking about how to improve their band including the name. 

The font/lettering is best described as quite simple and is portrayed as a title of the album rather than being in your face and very bold. This connotes that the actual album artwork is more important to the band then just showing the title and the name of the album. 

The physical appearance of the star is quite hidden as the stars back is facing the camera so you cannot see facial expressions or much costume. He is wearing a casual jacket and dark jeans which connotes he is relaxed and chilled which is typical of the indie genre. There is another man on the cover and he is facing the camera, however, the image is slightly blurred so you cannot make out his facial expressions and cannot see how he is reacting to the star who is walking aside him. 

The dominant image within the front cover is a street with many shops, however, it looks empty aside from the two males walking in the middle of the road who are crossing paths. There is high key lighting due to the sunny day and also a street lamp that is lit up on the street, this suggests a positive atmosphere and also makes the connection between the two males more significant as there is no one else around them. 

The title of the album is '(What's the Story) Morning Glory?' and this signifies the use of drugs and can be a reference to morning glory seeds which are said to have hallucinogenic effects. This indicates that the band are familiar with substances such as drugs and also reinforces the stereotype that indie bands are obsessed with sex, drinking and drugs. 

Dominant colours include blue, yellow and green tones which appears quite cold which fits with the title of the album as the 'Morning' is associated with cold air and morning dew etc. The colours are quite earthy and these connote the artists relationship with the world and their surroundings which is shown by the artwork also. 

The CD is produced by Owen Morris and Noel Gallagher, this appeals to the audience as Owen Morris is a well know producer who has worked with other artists similar to Oasis such as the Verve, he has also produced other albums from Oasis such as 'Definitely Maybe' and this would appeal to the audience as they may be familiar with his other work and may appreciate him and know he is talented and works with good artists. Also, the fact it is produced by Noel Gallagher would appeal to the audience as it shows the band are working on all aspects of the album and are dedicated to making it the best they can.

The record labels include Sony Music and Columbia, this connotes that they have good support from big conglomerates that will help them sell their music and albums with financial security and backing. The fact that well known record labels have signed them also shows that the band must be very talented if they have backing from labels like that.

The artist fits into the genre of indie and this is signified by the costume and appearance from the album cover, the long hair of the artist and the casual clothes of an oversized jacket and dark jeans are conventions of a typical indie band. The simplicity of the album also signifies the indie genre as they tend to keep things simple and not over the top of dramatic like other genres e.g. pop. The simple colours are also evidence of this as they are not bright and in your face like other genres may be. Attitudes and values associated with this genre include drugs, sex, alcohol and heartbreak or depressing love stories. The indie genre is also associated with dark clothes usually leather jackets and long hair including sideburns that is considered fashionable. 

The attitudes of indie genres are also that they don't care about many things and nothing phases them much, they just care about music and there fast pace lifestyle. 

The target audience for this CD cover is teenagers or older male men, the cover is appealing to this audience as the band have developed a 'fan base' mostly from teenagers who are now becoming more familiar and fond of the indie genre particularly those from the 90's. 

I would think older middle aged men as they might find the artists and the album cover relatable, from the message behind the album but also the appearance of the band and also their morals and lifestyle.