The document provides an analysis of album covers and their symbolism, focusing on Michael Jackson's 'Dangerous' and Imagine Dragons' album, as well as Green Day's 'American Idiot'. It discusses the imagery, colors, and themes in the artwork and how they relate to the music, societal issues, and the targeted audience for each album. The text emphasizes the representation of danger, isolation, and societal commentary through visual elements and song lyrics.

1. CD Cover Annotations
• By Luke Damagnez

2. The CD cover is for the
song Dangerous,
created by Michael
Jackson. You can see
Michael Jackson’s eyes
starting at you.
There is a kid trapped by a
unusual hand, most likely a
creatures hand. This can
portray that everyone is in
danger. There is teeth on
the hand, this can
represent a creature trying
to harm the child.
There is a mask, blocking the face of
Michael Jackson. When crimes are
committed the criminal would have a mask
on covering there whole face. This can also
portray, as he is wearing a mask, you cant
recognise him, and cant catch him, so there
will be more crimes and more people will
be in danger.
There is a globe in the middle of the picture.
This can portray that the whole world is
affected and in danger. There is also a ladder
which allows someone to climb up onto the
globe. This can portray that danger is coming
There is an eye looking
straight at you. This can
portray that someone is
always watching you. This can
represent that your never
safe, someone is watching
every move you do.
The audience is mainly teens but Michael
Jackson has a huge fan base so the
audience can go up to late 40s and 50s.
I think he has chosen this kind
of album because there is not
1 type of danger, there is
multiple types of danger and it
is shown in this album cover.
For example, there is a boy
trapped, there is a mask,
which criminals normally wear
This is the most colourful album MJ
has produced. All his albums have MJ
on their cover in different ways. This is
the only cover where you don’t see his
body. From looking at other pop
albums they are more of a low key
lighting, whereas MJ has used bright
colours.

3. There is harmless
animals like a elephant
and monkey going into
the tunnel
There is humans and
lizards coming out of the
tunnel. This can portray,
that not everyone is a
good person, some
people will be evil and
harm people
The background and the
top is dark, most crimes
happen at night as there
is a higher chance
criminals wont get
recognised.
There is a lot of colours, mostly
gold and light blue. These
colours are colours that can
portray happiness. In the middle
the colours are a lot darker,
more gloomy. This can represent
people have a good side, and a
bad side, but the bad side can
overweigh the good side.
The genre of this album is pop.
One song is called ‘Black or white’.
This song is directed about racism in
the world. People have been killed
due to there skin colour. But more
people respect other race’s now. But
people are still in danger from people
who want to hurt and abuse someone
who isn’t there skin colour.
Another song is called ‘Heal the World’. This clearly shows MJ
wants to help make the world fair and happy for everyone.
Everyone is in danger and we don’t want to be. This shows the type
of music MJ likes to create.

4. These seem to be pillars. But
they are separated. As they
come closer, they get taller. This
can symbolise
There is a boy standing in the
middle of the picture. He is also
on the highest pillar which is
separated from others. This can
symbolise that you are alone
and isolated. He is standing on
the highest pillar. This can
symbolise that
The colour in this picture is
mostly dark colours. There
is one bright colour, which
is on the left. This could be
the sun. This could
symbolise the sun is
moving away from the
boy. The sun can represent
happiness, and now
darkness will fall onto the
boy.
The boy is staring into the
clouds, like something is
behind it. The name of the
band is Imagine Dragons.
The ‘imagine’ bit can help
us understand that the
boy is imagining
something which could
come out of the cloud.
There is a dark cloud, this
can symbolise danger. This
cloud could be smothering
the boy soon. This can
symbolise danger to the boy
and danger to anyone who
is by themselves. This can
also represent that people
need help.
The target audience is from 14 to 25.
This genre for this album is alternative rock/indie so
typically album covers will be simplistic.
The background could be seen to signify evening,
or sunset, with the colours; blue, orange and light
green also representing sunsets or evening

5. This is the band’s name. It
is written in capital letters,
with the colour white. The
colour white makes the
writing stand out. This is
because the background
colours are low key
lighting. The album title is
a smaller font than the
band name. This can
represent that the album
title isn’t as important as
the band. When looking at
this album cover, the
audiences will see the
band’s name first this can
help increase sales if the
band is popular.
The first song in this album is called
‘Radioactive’. Radioactive is also
known with nuclear work. Nuclear
gas emits radioactive decay.
Radioactive decay is dangerous as it
can damage a person’s cells. Nuclear
is a weapon which can be and has
been used to kill thousands of
people. This can help symbolise the
low key lightings which represent
danger to the boy.
There is also songs called
‘Demons’ and ‘Bleeding Out’. This
can represent death, which is
dark. Death symbolises darkness.
There album colours are dark. The
songs can help represent the
album, and the type of music
Imagine Dragons like to crate.
The style of the ‘Imagine
Dragons’ is
Other CD covers of this genre is a mixture of low/high key lighting. This
album has both, there is a darker background than the boy and the
pillars. There is also a light coming from the left hand side of the album.
The child in the background can relate to one of
the song lyrics from On Top of the World, “I've
climbed the highest mountain.”

6. Back Cover
All the songs in this album is
stated in a list. The writing is in
the colour white and is in
capital letters.The background
colour is a dark
grey. Darkness can
represent danger
and some of the
songs in this album,
like ‘Bleeding Out’
can help symbolise
the message the
band is trying to
showcase. Whereas
its not the colour
black, so it isn’t all
gloomy and
dangerous this can
be shown by ‘On
Top Of The World’
where it is a more
joyful song.
There is a couple of songs
which can represent danger.
The first song on this list is
called ‘Radioactive’.
Radioactive is produced
from nuclear work.
Radioactive decay can
damage human body cells
and a nuclear bomb can kill
thousands of people.
Another song is called
‘Bleeding Out’. Humans start
bleeding when they have
either hurt themselves, or
have been hurt by someone.
Copyright Information. This
is for legal reasons to ensure
their music is protected.
Barcode, this is for
distribution and to see
how many people have
bought this CD.
Record label logos for the
record company. Lets
consumer’s know who
helped them
Website. Consumers
can look for more
information about
the band.
It has all the normal features
of a CD back cover. E.G
Copyright information

7. .
There is a hand grenade
which represents danger and
death. The grenade is shaped
as a love heart. This can
represent that people you
love are in danger or even
people you love can put you
in danger, even if they don’t
mean it. The grenade is red,
which can symbolise blood
and fear.
There is red blood dripping
from the grenade onto his
hand. You see blood when
someone has hurt
themselves or someone has
been violent to someone.
Red, white and black can
also theme rage and anger,
whereas the white can
theme peace
American Idiot is
the name of the
album. It is not in
capitals. This can
symbolise that the
artists want them
to be more
important than the
songs as the artists
name is in capitals.
You would call someone a
idiot for doing something
stupid. Idiot is in the colour
red which can symbolise
death, and fear. This can
symbolise that people do
idiotic things which can result
in violence and even death.
This album has 3 different genre’s Pump Rock, Pop Punk and Alternative
rock.
The audience will be 15-24 year olds.

8. The background colour is black.
This can represent darkness.
Most violence will happen
when its darker as there is a
higher chance the criminal will
not get found. With the red
colour as well, black and red
are colours of fear.
Green Day is the name of
the band. The word
‘GREEN DAY’ is in capitals,
which will make the word
stand out more then
‘American idiot’. This
symbolises that the
artists want there name
to stand out more to
customers than the
albums name.
There is a song called
Letterbomb. This helps
symbolise that the album
can be about death
especially with the hand
grenade in the.
There is another song called
Homecoming. This can
represent someone coming
home, maybe from a crime
scene. It could be someone
coming home hurt or even in a
coffin. Homecomings can be
celebrations, someone could of
come home from work in the
army.
The album name is ‘American Idiot’. This is a
stereotype which is known for a individual from a
strong developed nation, E.G America being
‘idiotic’ which can effect a large number of people

9. Using ‘American Idiot’ can
offend American citizens.
This can have a negative
impact on the sales of the
album. This is because they
are stereotyping Americans
to be ‘idiots’, which isn’t
the case. This will decrease
sales because they are
offending them and will
decrease Green Day’s
profit.
There reputation can also
decrease which will also
result in a decrease in sales
and profits.
However, they could be stating
that the band, Green Day are
the ‘idiots’.

10. Here is the list
of all the songs
featured in this
album. They are
all written in the
colour white
and they our all
in capital letters.
There is a warning that the language in
this album is strong. This shows the
audience is young adults and adults (16-
30)
Barcode, this is for distribution and to see how many
people have bought this CD.
Record label logos for the record
company. Lets consumer’s know who
helped them.
There is an object in the
middle, it’s a very clear
image. This imagine could be
of a tie and collar. Green Day
have worn a lot of ties in
videos and in photos. This
can help represent
themselves, and how the
audience can also represent
them.
The colour of the background is black.
The writing is red and white. The writing
is all in caps and some songs have parts
to them