Digipak Analysis

Let Go

Background

• Let Go was Avril Lavigne’s debut album; it was released in June 2002 and produced by Arista Records, and has been credited as the biggest pop debut of 2002. It had generally positive critical reviews, and sold over 18 million copies as of 2008. The songs are generally rock songs, with a couple of acoustic pop songs and a few ballads. The album was mainly aimed at young kids with most of the lyrics being relatable to that age.

Digipak Analysis

• The album uses lots of different colours that are lights and darks and contrasting, and there are blurred people walking past Avril Lavigne as well. This could reflect the albums name as it could show that she wants to let go of the ordinary life she lived and wants to start a new life as a singer. The album has 13 songs, and a booklet inside about the songs and the album in general.

Digipak Front Cover• The front cover of Let Go shows Avril Lavigne by herself with traffic and others

moving but blurred around her, this allows the audience to focus on her, it also represents her as the artist and could be used to show that it is her music and her work. The title is shown in the top centre of the album, and the words Let Go follow after her name, this could represent the fact that it is her debut album and her name is being recognised as the most important thing along with her on the cover. It could also show that by putting her name and face on the cover she is proud of her work.

Digipak Back Cover• The back of the album includes the thirteen song titles, along with their

running times. The producers of these songs are given credit on the cover. It also includes icons of a CD player and a computer to show what the album can be listened to on. The name and logo of the record label is also included on this, along with other companies that may have helped with the production of this album. Copyright information is also included on the back of the cover along with the barcode.

Digipak Spine

• The spine of the digipak is much like the front cover as it has Avril Lavigne’s name and the name of the album, Let Go. It also has the logo for ARISTA, the label that produced the album. The spine is easy to read and clear, so it would be easy to tell who’s album it is an which album, and it matches the overall look of the rest of the album, and matches the look for the genre of the album, pop-punk/rock.

Digipak Picture Panel• The picture panel is included in the CD case, along with facts about Avril

Lavigne and the CD. The majority of the pictures are of Avril, and are in black and white. This sticks with the theme of the album and the generic conventions of the albums genre. The facts are there as it is Avril's debut album, and information has been included to tell the audience more about her and more about the album.

Digipak Disc Impressions• The disc impressions show a star shape, along with writing in the

background. The impression is black with a grey star on it, the star being Avril’s logo, and to possibly show that this album will make her a star. The colours stick to the theme of the album and the generic conventions of the rock/punk-pop genre that the album is.

Digipak Discs• The disc shows a picture of Avril in a negative effect, possibly to support the fact

that Avril is different and unique. It also has her name and the title of the CD written in red, the colour red being a generic colour of the rock/punk-pop genre, and to identify that the album is hers. It also shows her star logo, again to show that this album will make her a star. The CD fits the theme and the overall look of the rest of the album, and includes 13 songs recorded by Avril on the album.

Digipak Booklet• The digipak booklet includes many pictures and facts about Avril. These three are

in colour, as opposed to the rest of the pictures in the booklet. The first one shows Avril playing the guitar, and wearing baggy, casual clothes, this could be included to show the audience that Avril is unique and rebellious, the picture also includes lyrics to her song Sk8er Boi, this could be to advertise the music on the CD. The second Picture shows Avril with her band, again in rebellious poses, and includes a long note written by Avril, possibly to show the audience who she is and make the album more personal. The final picture is a note by Avril thanking people, again this could have been included to make the CD more personal.

Digipak Booklet• These parts of the digipak booklet are all in black and white, this matches the look of the rest

of the album. The first picture shows Avril with her band hanging out, this could support the theme of youth and rebellion that the album has, again people around are blurred out to show that Avril (and her band) are the important ones in the picture. The second picture shows just Avril by herself, again including lyrics to her songs, this could show that it is her album and she wrote a lot of the songs herself, as it is her album. The third picture is the same, but shows Avril looking at the camera, and at the audience almost, this could be used to show that her album is addressed to her audience and that she wants people to listen. The colour is again black and white to match the overall theme of the album. The final picture is Avril in a photo shoot, with lyrics to her songs, in a black and white effect. This picture also fits the theme of the rest of the album.

Digipak Booklet• The first picture shows Avril sitting and looking away in a black and white effect,

this picture contrasts with the second one as it shows her calm and casual, whilst the second picture shows her rebellious side. Again lyrics are included on the pictures. The third picture is in colour, along with lyrics to one of her songs. Including the lyrics could advertise to the audience her songs, and they will be able to read them as they are listening, and will be able to sing along, plus the lyrics will relate to the age that the CD is aimed at. The final picture shows lyrics and pictures of her rehearsing with her band, whilst the other pictures show her lyrics and rebellious side, this picture finally shows her commitment and passion of making music, and the audience will like to see that.

Digipak Overview• The digipak is mainly based around Avril, as it’s her debut album it’s mainly based

around showing the audience her and who she is. The album and the lyrics have very youthful, rebellious theme to it which the young kids it’s aimed at will be able to relate to. The colours are mainly dark colours such as reds and blues, and a lot of the album is in black and white which is a generic convention of that genre of music. Overall the album design and content shows Avril, and represents who she is as an artist and what her music is about, and the overall design fits the genre that the music is.