Do covers of CD's matter?

[SPRΞΞ]

When an artist releases an album, does the cover artwork persuade or not persuade you to buy the album? Do you think the quality of the album cover artwork influences sales? Would a bad cover hinder sales?

[bornfearless2000]

Yes. Of course.

But just TINY

[Lozzy]

Album covers can influence by decision in purchasing physical albums, and poorly designed covers forever frustrate me.

[Deleted]

Never, but I've purchased 2 physical CDs (shoutout to Soundz!!!) in the past 3 years anyway.

[Caviar]

Not really. Because whether I purchase the physical or digital and if I hate the official over I'll just use another one anyway.

[horchata]

God bless those poor souls who had the strength to walk out of any store purchasing Adam Lambert's first album, that cover was awful.

Anyways, not really. It's not like I sit with the cd case (or in some cases vinyl) in hand and look at it while I listen to the music. It's a bonus if an album can have a good cover, but not a prerequisite either. I am obviously more concerned about the music being worth listening to before anything else.

[.indulgecountry]

I guess so. I put Rihanna's Talk That Talk on my Xmas wishlist among another dozen CDs and my mom ordered all of them, save for that one because she said the cover looked 'vulgar.'

The irony was that I called her the next day after hearing the album previews ( ) to tell her to take it off my list and not worry about buying it, but she hadn't anyway, lmao.

For me though, I can't say that its ever stopped me from buying an album I legitimately wanted. If I was just browsing, I could see where a bad cover might turn me off to considering even looking at it though.

[Deleted]

I wouldn't buy an album because of a good cover, but I'd be less likely to buy a good album with a horrible cover.

[Deleted]

I was considering buying The Complete Confection since I don't have a physical of the original, but since that cover blows and the original one is good except for the "Teenage Dream" font, I'll be buying the original instead. That and because I know there's a cotton candy scent on the original edition

[Deleted]

I think it matters more when you're dealing with an artist you're not aware of, as that CD cover is the first and so far only impression you have of them. And while logically you know that a cover =/= the music, if it's an obviously cheap and crappy cover it gives the subtle impression that an equally little amount of effort was probably put into the music, and one is less inclined to find it of interest. So I'd say it makes a bigger difference for a new artist who is still fairly unknown to the public and needs all the help he or she can get to not deter people from being interested. Even then, it probably isn't a huge deal as there will ultimately be other reasons why that new artist does or doesn't take off (like lack of airplay or promotion, or actually having crappy music). If it's someone we've heard of before, the CD cover won't faze most b/c we are familiar enough with them to know whether we'd want to check out their music regardless of the artwork. I mean, people immediately made fun of BTW's cover but that didn't stop 2 million + people from buying it anyway.

Feb 10, 2012 12:52:02 GMT -5 horchata said:

God bless those poor souls who had the strength to walk out of any store purchasing Adam Lambert's first album, that cover was awful.

I have a friend who bought that cd in a store the week it came out and she said this is the conversation that happened at the check out:

Cashier: "Oh, this is P!nk."
Friend: "No, that's Adam Lambert."
Cashier: "Nuh-uh, that's P!nk."
Friend: "Noooo, it's Adam Lambert. See?" *points to name*
Cashier: "Say what? Hey girl *motions to co-worker* look at this!"
Co-worker: *looks* "Yeah, that's P!nk."

Mess. I was offended on P!nk's behalf.

[Au$tin]

I don't let the cover influence my choice to purchase something at all. I'm not that fickle.

Although, I dislike bad covers. I just don't look at them.

[HEADOFTHEPACK]

If the music's good I'll get the album somehow, but I'd be more inclined to buy a physical copy of an album package that's well designed i.e. Rihanna's last three albums all had stellar creative.

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

It's good to put a picture to the music when it comes to the album cover but at the end of the day, if I want an album, I'll get it no matter how ugly a cover is. I'd say it makes a tiny difference but only really in retrospect and marketing purposes.

[esoteric76]

Jordin Sparks' "Battlefield" cover really says it all. I honestly believe, even with all the singles screw-ups, that the album would have sold DOUBLE with a more flattering picture.

[SPRΞΞ]

will Madonna's cd's sell more because of her awesome artwork? Even just a smidgen? It could play a role. You have to admit, she has 2 very good album artworks out there, and when put on the shelves, it might spark interest. Even if people see it and wonder, and then put it down, it is STILL provoking interest. Who knows how many of those people who pick up the cd (because of the brilliant artwork) go ahead and buy the cd, verses put it back on the shelf. I bet there is a small percentage that actually DOES buy it. Hmm...

[Mack]

Feb 10, 2012 12:52:02 GMT -5 horchata said:

Anyways, not really. It's not like I sit with the cd case (or in some cases vinyl) in hand and look at it while I listen to the music. It's a bonus if an album can have a good cover, but not a prerequisite either. I am obviously more concerned about the music being worth listening to before anything else.

Yeah, this. I don't base my decision whether or not to purchase an album on the artwork. If I dislike a cover, I just replace it with a fan-made cover on iTunes.

[franklin]

Gotta be honest, I was a tad bit embarrassed buying All I Ever Wanted (multiple copies obviously) in stores. If I wasn't a stan I doubt I would've gone through with it.

so... yes, CD covers matter.

[Cody Wants Out...]

I think they do, but not in a life-or-death matter, though.