CD design: What Format To Choose?

Here are the different designs that i have contemplated when designing my CD for Blighters. I have looked at a variety of design, both conventional and unconventional.

The Gatefold Card Case:


Here is the Arctic Monkeys 2007 album 'Favourite Worst Nightmare'. This design looks stylish, well made and i like how you open out the design to reveal the CD. Another advantage for this design is that more artwork can be shown in the design, showing images of the band or the house design. However, his design can be damaged easily due to the material used. I like this design and this is a main contender when making the final decision.

Molded Plastic CD Case:


This CD design is by Bloc Party for their 'Flux Remixes' CD single that was handed out with an issue of NME in 2007. I like how different this design is to all the other cases I have considered, making a simple thing interesting and cool. The downsides for this design is that it does not have much room for artwork to be displayed or a booklet to be included inside the design. Furthermore, this design would be difficult to use as the design is rare.

Super Jewel Plastic Case


Here is the standard CD case for a brand new CD single or album. This case, the Super Jewel Box, is the successor to the conventional clear plastic case that sold in the millions. I like look and feel of the design, but is too run of the mill for my liking as i want my design to stand out. I would prefer something that allows me to be more creative and i beleive that this does not allow that.

Plastic Jewel Case with Clear Plastic Sleeve:


This unconventional CD design is by Bloc Party, when releasing their second album, 'Weekend In The City'. This version of the album is a special edition which includes a DVD. Unlike the normal version of this album, the band name and album title is printed onto a clear plastic sleeve. Another difference for the edition is the red plastic jewel case, which makes in distinctive for other designs. I like this design as it is striking and different from most other designs. Also, the clear plastic clear could be used for many ideas to create the front or back covers.

Card Boxset Case:


This design was used for the 2008 album by Maximo Park called 'Quicken The Heart'. I really like this design for the CD/DVD version of the album as it looks very professional and a different design from the normal. Inside the card sleeve are two seperate card gatefold designs that include the CD or DVD and a booklet to go with it. Along with that is a booklet of pictures from the bands 'journey' when producing the album. As well as the look, I think the feel of the design is excellent and this is my favourite design from the ones I have reviewed.

Arctic Monkeys: 'Favourite Worst Nightmare'

Above is the Arctic Monkey’s second album, produced in 2007, which was titled ‘Favourite Worst Nightmare’. The format of the CD is a card gatefold style, with a booklet including pictures to compliment the artwork. I like this format for band as it looks and feel like a quality product and also allows more artwork to be shown inside.

The artwork used by the Sheffield 4 piece band shows a council estate with modernist artwork within the windows. This setting for the album is a common place to the band, which grew up in the poor suburbs of the ‘Steel City’. The name of the album, ‘Favourite Worst Nightmare’ also connotes the rough and tough lifestyle in this part of the country, meaning it can be a nightmare at times but always good fun.

The front cover of the album represents the changing image of the band. Their first album, ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s what I am not’ had an image of a working class man between the ages of 18-25 smoking a cigarette, a stereotypical image of a man living in a council estate. The second album follows on in this style with the image of a council flats. Also, the dark saturation of the album cover conveys the gloomy and dark nature of council house lifestyle. In contrast to this connotation, the bright and vivid colours of the modernist artwork in the windows show another side to their lifestyle. This represents the artist’s playful side in their music and lifestyle, which has developed as their music popularity has grown. An example of their slightly eccentric side was in 2007; when they played live on the Jonathon Ross show dressed up as clowns.



The band image and album appeals to the target audience as the audience can connect to the bands lifestyle before they hit stardom. Before they became a massive hit through Myspace, they were four normal teenagers from Sheffield and this is showed through their music and artwork. There artwork is different from the norm, which usually includes the band in the front cover. However, they still suit the genre of the band, a rock/british indie style.