CD Cover Analysis

1. Artist: The Beatles
Album: Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Designer: Sir Peter Blake
This album cover is extremely famous and instantly recognisable to most people. It has been heavily referenced to
and parodied since its release in June 1st, 1967 as the English rock band’s eight studio album. The album received
Grammy award for album of the year and several others.
The original concept of this album artwork was to create a scene that showed the Sgt Pepper band performing in a
park. This gradually evolved into its final form, which as seen, shows the Beatles as the Sgt Pepper band surrounded
by a large group of their heroes rendered as life sized cut outs. Also included in this were wax work figures of the
band as they appear in the early 60’s (borrowed from Madame Tussauds). In keeping with the park concept, the
foreground of the scene is a floral display displaying the word ‘Beatles’ spelt out in flowers. There are also several
objects from the Beatle’s homes including small statues etc. At the edge is a Shirley Temple doll in homage to the
Rolling stones (who later returned the tribute by having the Beatles hidden in the cover of their own artwork.
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2. Typography: The name of
the band is displayed in a
huge, over-the-top flower
display. This coincides
with the fact that the
band itself was huge,
completely dominating
the music industry
throughout the 60’s. This
use of titling denotes how
the artist (band) is the
most important aspect of
the album (people will
buy the album just
because of the band). The
use of the flower display
together with other bright
colours may also connote
the band’s extravagance,
colourfulness and perhaps
relation to the emergence
of psychedelic rock
culture and the use of
psychedelic drugs.
It could be said that this album cover is stereotypical of a
rock band, due to the inclusion of visuals of instruments
(the drum) and the band members appearing looking
rather solemn and serious. The posture that the band
members have on the back cover demonstrates this.
The lettering on the back is plain and simple, which
contrasts with the flamboyance of the lettering on the
front cover. This could be indicating that the contents
of the album is of equal importance and should be
taken with the same seriousness as the fun front
cover.
Genre conventions of the
rock genre can be
identified in this artwork.
For example, the entire
band appear together on
the front cover. This
convention can be seen in
some of Queens and The
Rolling Stones artwork.
Another convention of
the rock genre could be
said to be the slight
mockery/tribute paying
of prominent figures.
These figures include
people such as Karl Marx,
Marilyn Monroe, Carl
Jung, and Bob Dylan. This
can be likened to the
‘God Save The Queen’
campaign from the Sex
Pistols. This leaves the
band open to controversy
and public backlash,
which again is all part of
the Rock music culture.
The key signifier(s) in this image is the band. They
appear not only larger but more bold, colourful and
prominent than the other figures. This creates the idea
that they are, perhaps, the most important and
powerful.

3. By placing the band in the foreground in front of all these
hugely influential and prominent historical figures
including authors, poets, actresses, political figures etc.
the designer is suggesting that the Beatles are not only
among and of equal importance and popularity to these
figures, but that they are bigger than them. This is a big
statement that coincides with the huge fame the Beatles
had.
Goodwin’s idea of the ‘demands of the record label’ can
be identified here, as the record label would require the
whole band to be included in the cover, due to the fact
that fans loved them together as a band and that was
their selling point.
Roland Barthes’ enigma code can be identified within
this album cover. What exactly the album cover means
is not explained, it is more an abstract piece of art
which is open to ambiguity. For example, a possible
interpretation of this could be that the Lonely Hearts
club consists of all these prominent figures, who one
way or another have something in common. However
as I have previously mentioned another interpretation
of this is that the Beatles are making a statement that
all of these prominent figures have been and gone,
and they are now just cardboard cut-outs and the
Beatles are bigger and better than them. This would
coincide with Lennon’s claim that the band was ‘bigger
than the son of God’ which caused public backlash due
to Christians taking offence. Symbolic code – as I have
previously mentioned the bright bold colours and
random objects etc. seen in this cover could be
symbolic of the ‘hippie’ psychedelic rock culture of the
60’s. There have been claims that the foliage depicted
in the image could be a marijuana plant. The bright
blue sky could be symbolic of the laid back sex, drugs,
leisurely life style that the band had, it indicates being
carefree and happy which was a part of the bands
image.
The cultural code can be identified in this artwork as a
part of the Beatles image was all about controversy and
teenage/young adult rebellion as well as being quirky and
alternative. All of these things can be identified within the
visuals of this cover, which all link back to going against
society and conservatism.
Reception Theory -Preferred Reading: People who listen
to rock music and the Beatles will enjoy and appreciate
this quirky, vibrant and iconic album artwork.
Negotiated Reading: Some people May be unsure as to
what this means
Oppositional Reading: religious, more conservative people
may be offended by this cover

4. Dyer on Celebrity – The Theorist
Richard Dyer’s ‘Star Theory’ could
be applied here. His theory states
that celebrity figures are not real
and promote themselves to be a
certain image which may not
reflect their true personality or
style. The Beatles’ image was
constructed in a certain way as
their music, campaigns, album
covers etc. portrayed them to be
carefree, peaceful ‘Hippie’
characters who were the
prominent figures of the 60s rock
culture. (Which can all be seen in
this cd cover) However it’s
possible that they are not truly
those people but are being
represented in that way in order
to allow the audience to identify
with them therefore increasing
sales etc. We cannot know
whether the artists images are
true their personalities behind
the scenes.
It’s possible to argue that this Cd cover is not stereotypical in comparison
with others of those in the rock Genre. This could be argued on the grounds
that conventionally, rock bands have more of a dark, mysterious ‘sexy’ image
which is portrayed throughout all of their campaigns and album covers. This
one in particular however contradicts this convention as it is garish, bright
and ‘happy’ looking, which blends in with the Beatles image of being more
‘Hippies’ than rock stars. Therefore they are defying conventions to express
their individuality and personality. Here are some of examples of other
massive Rock bands album covers, so a comparison between the two can be
drawn: