Analysis Of Two Album Covers: Eminem's Recovery Album

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Analysis of Two Album Covers
Artists communicate with their audience in different ways and one of them involves the choice of photo or the design of the album cover. Trends have indeed changed and how people consume information is indeed different today than it was before. Currently, people communicate in more complex ways and artists have also adapted. The needs and expectations of the people have also changed and without a certain level of mystery, the audience feels cheated. People do not care about the music alone. They seem to care about everything that comes with the music as well. For example, Jay Z’s newest album and his 13th since he started his career had a simple label with the inscriptions 4:44. Everyone believed 4:44 had a deeper meaning and therefore, people started investigating until someone asked him. The answer to this question was simple and Jay Z said, “4:44 is a song that I wrote, and it’s the crux of the album, just right in the middle of the album. And I woke up, literally, at 4:44 in the morning, 4:44 Am, to write this song. So it became the title of the album and everything.” The above response goes a long way to show how consumers seem to always believe that their favorite artists are trying to communicate with them. This article will analyze two simple yet seemingly difficult album covers.
Eminem’s Recovery Album
Eminem is considered as one of the best rappers alive today and therefore, his albums, from the cover to the songs to the lyrics are often closely scrutinized. His album Recovery came after he had taken a long hiatus from the Music industry and somehow helps to explain his absence from the limelight.
First of all, the album cover shows the artist, Eminem, sited on a couch and reading a book. In the room there is also a television set which is not clear whether it is on or not since Eminem is not paying attention to it. One strange thing in the cover is the fact that Eminem somehow seems oblivious to the fact that he is in a glass house which means that everything he does is visible to the outside world. One of the best and simple explanations about Eminem’s choice of album cover could be that he is inviting the world and especially his fans to his life. It could also mean that he is somehow ready to reveal or that he is revealing some of his deepest and darkest secrets to the world. Additionally, it could mean that he has been living his life under the spotlight or watch of someone or people. The latter seems feasible since the cover also shows Eminem’s waning comparison to the buildings behind him which seem firm and permanent than his glass house.
Additionally, the album cover also showcases several tall buildings which are behind Eminem. While to some people these could simply be...