Research of CD covers.

I have done five different anaylsis bullet pointing the key coventions used. Each show similar conventions and they all seem to fit the typical ideas of what a CD cover under the chosen genre should look like.
The CDs I analysed were 'Basshunter'-'Now You're Gone', 'Cascada'-'Evacuate the Dancefloor', 'Love2Club', 'Ministry of Sound'-'Electro House Sessions' and finally 'Ministy of Sound'-'The Annual 2008'.
All the fonts used on the CD covers are bold and have an almost 'techno' feel to them. This re-enforces the CDs genre as this type of techno, square font used is what people regognise and would most likely link to the genre.
Another convention the CD covers share is the use of bright colours. This is also a way audiences can regognise the genre as it is something used not only on many CD covers but on advertisements made for dance music and in dance music videos. This could be seen as a way of bringing the genre to life. The use of bright colours could possibly make the audience feel happy and lively, which could create a mood in which they would want to listen to the music and follow what the genre means.
Artists such as Basshunter and Cascada who specify in dance music have slightly different CD covers. As they are the only artists featuring on the CD they have more of a role on the CD cover. The artists both take up more than 70% of the CD cover which makes them stand out more as an artist, their faces are regognised and well known so audiences will pay more attention to the CD so it has a better chance of becoming more profitable. A close up is used of their faces and they are both attractive artists which also means audiences may pay more attention to them.
The 'Love2Club' CD cover uses the most bright colours and it also uses images to connote the genre. There is a picture of a heart shaped disco ball placed behind the CD title. This is used to express the genre and grab audiences attention.
The reason being for my choices to use two different CD covers from the same label, 'Ministry of Sound', is that both covers share some of the same conventions although 'The Annual 2008' CD uses more images that are also a regognisable convention known to be part of the dance genre. The cover uses images of 3 young, attractive girls. The girls are wearing clothes that would appeal to males, which again grabs the audiences attention. The use of attractive young girls dressed perogitively is also a convetion used in the dance music industry and has become a regognisable factor when it comes to the genre.
Over all I believe my research on the 5 different covers has enabled me to gain a good and thorough understanding of what is expected to be seen on a Dance CD cover and will come in excellent use when it comes to the designing of our CD cover.