Generic conventions of r&b digipaks

1. R&B digipak
conventions
By Sekemi Olunloyo

2. Front cover
This is usually made up of the artist picture, artist name or album name.
They are stereotypically either black or mixed race. The main image is of
the artist and looking directly into the camera. It shows an essence of
confidence and they have serious facial expressions which could link in
with type of persona that the artist s trying to give off to fans of an alpha
male. This image leads to the genre because it focuses on the artist
rather than the music, none of the artists are seen with musical
instruments either which could connote the fact that they either sing or
rap.

3. Front cover
His outfit is very simple and consists of a plain black shirt and
gold chains which could also connote wealth.
The font throughout the album is consistent through out and all
thought the gold is very noticeable he is still trying to go about
the cover in a minimalistic manner.

4. Front cover cont….
A typical convention of front covers is too feature the
artists name but this album doesn’t do so which shows that
maybe the artist already has acclaimed fame. Which could
mean that he no longer needs to introduce himself
because people already know who he is.
It has a specific colour scheme and is very consistent with
the use of prestige colours i.e. gold, bronze, black, etc.
they also connote something classic. These same colours
can also been seen as rusty colours which could show
something timeless which is obviously what he wants his
fans to share with him when they are listening to his music.
The image as a whole is a mid shot of Drake looking inside
a cup and he is avoiding eye contact which gives of a vibe
of vulnerability. Also because his head is down it could
mean that he was in deep thought.

5. Back cover
The back of the albums are fairly simple I will be analysing
Drake’s ‘Take Care’ album. It features the album track list,
producers, music companies who were affiliated with the
album. The font used is simple and primary; the side
panels have the album title, artist name which stays
consistent with the front cover in terms of colour scheme. It
also features a barcode which is a general convention of
digipaks.

6. Inside…….
The simplicity of the CD itself seems prominent. The
fact that Drake did not put his name on the front but
could put it on the CD shows that even though there
is no need to introduce himself he still feels the need
to identify with his brand.

7. Front cover
This digipak is quite simple and has no images or long sections of text,
although there is a promo sticker in the bottom right corner and this could
be used to attract new audience who haven't heard his music before.
This is a good technique which underground singers/bands make use of
to promote themselves. There is also a parental advisory notice on it
which is vital because it informs buyers that there is explicit content
included. The back ground of orange is rather eye catching and attracts
attention and coincidently matches the name of the album.

8. Back cover
The back of this album is rather interesting and eye catching because
you begin to think and wonder what it is? What lead to it?, etc. It is
covered with two paragraphs which were personally written by Frank
Ocean to his fans who have bought the album. And it consists of him
talking about how his life has changed over the last 4 years and
thanking his fans for there support. And this allows him to have a
special connection with his fans. It is very unconventional and not
most artists normally do this.

10. Inside….
This folds out into three separate panels and it also includes the
CD and a small alternative poster of the artist. This is a general
convention of a digipak and sometimes artists do this but along
with it charge a bit more for the album. The inside panels feature a
picture of a house and jewellery and this could be seen as a
convention of R&B and the lifestyle which is perceived.
There is also a text booklet which contains of lyrics to all songs on
the album and the people who wrote and produced the songs. Not
all albums include this but it gives the fans and new listeners the
chance to connect with the music on another level.
The images are spread over 2 pages and they are very dark and
mysterious but it doesn’t have the face of the artist which goes
against conventions because its meant to be promotional and
feature different pictures of the artist but it does not stick to the
general concept because he features game inspired skits which
has a psychedelic feel to it.

12. Front cover
This is a compilation of all of Rihanna's first 3 albums
and it is filled with pictures of her. But this doesn’t
show anything around her which draws attention
towards her. She is wearing revealing clothing which
lets her appeal more to audience and also leads to
other peoples aspiring to be her. She is wearing a
top which reveals a zebra print bikini top; the top is
white and can be seen to connote innocence and the
zebra print can be seen as sexy and feminine. The
shot also allows her to come off as important and in
control.

13. Inside…..
On the inside flap there is writing about her music
and about herself. Pictures of her previous albums
are shown in this album’s front flap and could be
used to emphasize her accomplishments as an
artist. The mise en sene in this picture is very
warming and happy and autumnal, so overall it looks
rich and expensive which could be linked in with
themes of R&B.

14. Front cover
The title is in red which could be used to connote danger which could also line
in with the fact that men in the R&B genre are often perceived as bad boys.
The title also has a sense of strength because of the font which has been used,
and he is often trying to make a bold statement and show a representation of
his character.
The colour red could also be a representation of passion which Usher as an
artist can be linked in which then leads into what his songs are about. The car
could suggest him coming to the end of a metaphorical journey. The
background isn't very clear and has some type of mist effect to it which is quite
mysterious.
The car could also suggest wealth which is a convention of this genre and his
costume supports this theory through his jewellery and sunglasses.

15. Back cover
The colour scheme is the same through out and also has a red
banner which links in with the red at the front which connotes danger.
The title is written in a different colour which could bee seen as two
sides to a story or rebirth. Usher is entering a car which backs up the
R&B genre once again and its wealth connotation. He seems to be
looking over his shoulder slightly which could be him being cautious
about the danger which the red banner makes us think about.

16. Inside……..

17. Inside cont….
The booklet inside has 18 pages and it has
information about the production labels for this
album and the directors who were involved in the
production. It also has information about Usher
himself and talking about his experience with the
album. It also has reviews from people in the
industry and what they think.

18. Front cover
The picture of Beyoncé on the front is rather large which shows that
she is the most important thing about the album and it is also used
to draw attention to people buying the album. Beyoncé is wearing a
diamond encrusted top which is quite revealing she also has very
big hair which links in with the R&B genre which her target audience
will take notice of, which would encourage them to buy the album.
Her name on the album is bigger than the title itself which shows
that her name is more than a brand which is very important and
relevant than the album name.

19. Back cover
The image on the back is even more provocative than the one on the front
which draws more attention to her as a brand rather than an artist. The
barcode is a general convention of digipaks because it is obviously used to
purchase the album. There is a track listing on the back and is used to inform
the audience of what songs are included on the album. There are also logos
on the back which show the companies which were involved with the
production and distribution of the album and they are used for legal purposes
and so that people know who is responsible for making the album.

20. Front cover

21. Front cover cont….
The picture of Trey Songz on the front is a mid shot
of him looking straight ahead. And this is used to
show the viewer his muscle and body in general
with his tattoos. This is a typical convention of R&B
because they portray the men with normally little or
no clothes which adds an element of the fact men
might want to be him and women may want him.
The lighting which was used above has been used
to define his body and show off his muscles.

22. Conclusion………
I have found that digipaks under the R&B genre
have the following characteristics:
• Bold text
• Consistency
• Lyrics booklet
• Scantily clad men and women