Digipak analysis taylor swift -1989

Clear links made with imagery and album theme

The imagery used on the front cover of the digipak conveys a sense of aging. The album title ‘1989’ implies these polaroid-like images have faded and aged over time. It features a polaroid photograph of Taylor Swift, which has then been handwritten on. As this artist is extremely well known, the imagery used will attract an already built up fan base. This is a somewhat entropic front cover, as we expect to see the artist’s face. However, in this piece, her face is cut off.

Having an image of the artist on the front cover is a not a typical convention of the Indie Pop genre. However, it is more of a convention within female indie pop artists to have themselves featured on the cover of their album. The layout of this cover is simple, however is somewhat entropic in the sense that we assume that the photograph will feature the entirety of the artist’s face.

The front cover image is quite soft and warm, which implies that the music on this album will be following a similar theme of warm, positive, light-hearted songs.

The album name, 1989, was chosen based on the artist’s birth year. This album seems personal – as though the polaroid was something kept from her past. From the front cover’s design elements, the buyer will receive the sense that the album will contain more personal, nostalgic songs. This is done through the idea that the cover has been written on by the artist herself.

Continuity – similar imagery used on the front and back over to make the casing flow and feel as though it is one product.

Again, on the back cover of the 1989 digipak casing, a polaroid photograph has been used. The focus point of the photograph; Taylor Swift, has not been covered with text, the text on this cover has been placed around her so as to make it more legible.

The back cover of the digipak casing shows not only the track list, but bonus tracks and voice memos too. Digipaks tend to be limited edition album releases, or deluxe versions which include extra tracks. Also included is essential information such as the barcode, record label information and production house.

The handwritten font is again used on the back cover to number and head the track lists. This creates a sense of continuity. To enhance the idea of ‘old fashioned’ technology which is evident in this cover, (old polaroid effect images), a typewriter-like font has been used to list the song names. The fonts used will appeal to a wide target audience as they are aimed neither specifically toward a male or female audience member.

Inside the digipak, comes a bundle of polaroid images of Taylor Swift in what seems like a make-shift photoshoot. Each photograph features lyrics from songs within the album in a handwritten print onto the images. This shows a sense of continuity from the images seen on the front and back cover of the digipak. It is also something is more memorabilia-like than a CD alone.

There is also a booklet inside the 1989 digipak, which includes an introduction to the album from the artist, as well as lyrics to each song. These are accompanied by more polaroid style photos of the artist, conveying a clear sense of continuity throughout each element of the digipak product.

The colours used within this booklet are primarily pale blue tones alongside polaroid images. Typically, polaroid images are somewhat faded and desaturated in tone. This is mirrored in the pale, light tone of blue which has been used behind the lyric guides.