Mika- Life in cartoon motion

Mika's life in motion was Mika's first famous album, with many of the songs becoming swell known singles such as "happy ending", "Grace Kelly" and others.

1.The Piano signifies Mikas musical talent and that he wants to show everyone that the music element is just as importnat as his image to the audience

2.Big women in the blue clothes is code for his mother, who we know was a rather large figure as Mika's song "Big girls you are beautiful".
3.Picture of Mika suggests that he does find his image important and wants to be recognised
4.Unrealistic setting suggest Mika is dreaming that he is becoming famous and that his whole world is so good that it is one big day dream
5.Dove shows Mika is not a violent man and nor is his music as, Doves signifies peace and harmony
6. The name Mika is big bold and clear suggesting that he wants everyone to remember his name
7. The Album font is a code for Mika is trying to make a personal connection with audience.

The XX (album cover)

This album cover is very simplistic; it is very effective as we have to focus on the main thing the 'X'. The fact that the band aren't on the album cover suggests they don't want to focus on their image but are much more worried about their music being good.

X marks the spot for success which "The XX" are trying to uncover as this is their first album cover.

Oasis' albums.

The first album i will be looking at is "Oasis Defiantly Maybe" This is was the first Oasis album. This therefore needed to try and show who they were and what there beliefs are.

1. The font that Oasis has become one of the most iconic things of Oasis. The font is very important. It is very simplistic as it is black and white and an average font is used. The font with the rectangle around it makes it look like it is a tabloid news paper which is signifies their working class background.

2. The other font of the album name "Definitely Maybe" this is made to look like it is personally written. This is to make it more personal to the reader and the writing is very posh and looks like it maybe written from a quill. This is a jux to position from the tabloid looking bands name.

3. The world clearly signifies that Oasis want to take it over and be the biggest band in the world. This shows the arrogance that the band have. It is on a same level as The Beatles with arrogance.

4. The television is code for the bands unity as they are meant all to be watching the television like a family would do. A key convention of a band is that they got on well together and have almost family relationship.

5. The photo in the frame is of a Manchester City player. Manchester City are associated with real working class, real manchester men. This is very important as many famous and influential bands have come from urban manchester such as Joy Division, The smiths, The blur etc.

6. The wine glass is interesting as although it is a code for alcohol and therefore symbolizes there rock and roll aspect. However Red Wine is a code for sophistication i believe that this signifies the ability of Oasis as red wine is associated with writers and literature. Oasis are trying to say that they are writers and that there songs contain sophisticated and thought provoking lyrics.

7. Liam Gallagher is the man lying down at the front of the cover. He is the singer often named the "front man", this is why he is at the front as well as the fact he considers himself the most important member of the band. Because he is lying this signifies that he is different from the majority of people and that he can do whatever he wants as no one is going to tell him to do anything else, no one else is lying down this is a code for Liam not being able to fit in with normal society as he is to creative.

8. The mise en scene of the house is very middle class. The sanded wooden floor, posh chair and nice fireplace are associated with the middle class. Oasis are not from this type of class however they could be using this as becoming middle class is one of the small steps needed to becoming famous.

9. The pack of cigarettes in the picture are benson and hedges Gold. These are very strong cigarettes and is code for them doing things only to the full. They would associate cigarettes such as marlboro light with the upper class living in london, however strong cigarettes are code for manchester people.

10. Is Noel Gallagher. He is the man who writes the lyrics to the songs. He is clearly important to the band he also is the only one with a musical instrument this symbolizes his love for music. The other two are no where near the photo and just at the back showing they are irrelevant and the band would last without them.


Oasis' album Be here now, was one Oasis' most famous albums and was made when they were already famous. This is reflected by the way they project their selves and the expensive things used in their album cover.

1. These are objects used in the first album they used making a clear connection showing that they are still the same people, however in this the things are modern more expensive or extravagant. For example the television is now futuristic whilst before it was an old one. The globe is now there but instead one of the artist is looking through a microscope to see it, this is a code for the world being so far away from them that they have almost gone on to bigger and better things in the world. 

2. The antique Rolls Royce in the pool suggests that it has been recklessy driven into the pool by the man who is climbing up the steps, this is code for them having so much money that they can do what ever they want with expensive items as they will just be able to buy another one. The fact that it is an antique Rolls Royce signifies that The Oasis re trying to get ride of the new and replace it with a fresher new music genre which the scooter could be a metaphor for.

3. The blue sky signifies that it is all gonig well for Oasis as it is a pathetic fallacy. This is their 3rd album and their music had been very successful and were starting to conquer the world.

4. The font that Oasis use is one of the most iconic logos. The font is very important. It is very simplistic as it is black and white and an average font is used. The font with the rectangle around it makes it look like it is a tabloid news paper which is signifies their working class background.

5. The mansion in the mise en scene once again symbolises the wealth of the band. The fact that it is one big place they they live in suggests that there is a unity in the band which is a convetion of most successful bands.

6. The scooter is code for Mods, this was a popular type of fashion and lifestyle which was symbolic of people such as Oasis.

7. The Gramaphone symbolises the history that is involved in Oasis and that they have got influences from different periods of musical history.

8. The calenders date August 21st was the release date of the album.

9. The clock has no hands, which is a code for their music being timeless and never getting old as it is so good. This shows the arrogance of the band.

10. Liam Gallagher is at the front again once again showing that he is the front man and also the lead man of the group. His outfit once again represents the Mod's. The fact that Liam has put himself at the front once again shows his confidence.

11. We can also see Noel Gallagher in the picture, but not as near to the camera as Liam. This shows that the two brothers are the most important people in the band and that the rest are easily replaceable

Nirvana- Nevermind

Nirvana's album never mind got a massive response for the album cover. Some thought it was creating a massive social message whilst others thought it was to far and was just wrong showing a naked baby on the front cover. However it is clear that Nirvana wanted put their point of view across in this album cover.

The fact a baby used is a code for youth and signifies innocence and purity. There is a one dollar note on a hook that the baby is chasing this signifies humans being taken away from innocence and being drawn away to a worse place by a corrupt evil society, that is completely influenced and dependent on money to live and that the baby is being dragged away from freedom (the water). The fact that the american dollar is being used suggests that Nirvana i saying this more about American society more than any other society.

The actual band members are not on the front cover this is signifies that they find it more important to focus on their music and the messages that they want to show society rather than there look and their public image. Although this is ironic as although Nirvana are having a go at American society about being to materialistic and to worried about money, however from the selling of this album they plan to make millions of pounds. 

The Beatles- Sergeant Pepper's lonely hearts club band

This Beatles album was revolutionairy as it was one of the first to make an album cover a peice of art rather than just something to put your CD into. The cover is a work of pop art, pop art was a revolution in art as high class expensive art was merged with popular culture. It was becoming increasingly popular with artists such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein the artwork on this cover is designed by Peter Blake.

1. The blue sky in the back of the album. This is a code for happyness and joy, presumbly because they have acheived their aim. Can be related to the summer of love.

2. The Beatles are dcostume is like Army clothing (this is a code for taking their music seriously) however with a twist as the clothes are in bright, vibrant colours this is to allow them to stand out more this is code for beliving they are better than everyone else. The positioning of the beatles is also another code for them thinking they are the best. They are in the the middle of the shot with many famous people behind them. This shows they think they are the best of the best.

3. The flowers are code for hippys, this was a type of scene that was very big when the Beatles were this means that they are trying to appeal to a certain psychographic. It also code for the Beatles being loving and caring and believe in nature.

4. The drum is also in the middle of the shot and is code for music, this suggests that the Beatles are not only worried about their apperance but also about there music. Music is central to everything they do. The big drum also i related to the circus this is code for suggesting that the Beatles can be fun and still youthful.

5. The background is of a many incredibly famous people such as Marilyn Monroe, Oscar Wilde, Elvis Presley, Edgar Allen Poe and many more. All of these had changed and shaped the way we looked at music or literature and now the Beatles had decided that they should join them and be at the front. This was an actual collage done in real, not just on a green screen from a computer.

6. The Palm tree suggests that it is on an transendental Island, where only the incredibly famous and people who have given something to society can go. This suggests they are too good to be living on a normal country like England.

7. There is also cut outs of The Beatles when they were younger suggesting the place has always been on that Island, however now they are so important there is two of them.