Digipak Research - Main Features of a Digipak and Analysis

What is a digipak?:

A digipak simply consists of a gate-fold, book-like paperboard or card stock outer binding, which is capable enough to hold a booklet of the album and a CD attached to the inside. The digipak is an alternative, more environmentally friendly way to the jewel CD case we all know, which is just a bit of plastic which just opens up once. The digipak can open up several times and can contain usually between 4 and 6 different panels. The digipak is less resistant to abrasion, which means that it is easier to tear and wears rather quickly. Digipak-style cases became popular and was used by many record labels from the start of the 21st century, particularly the 2000's.

Above is a 6-panel digipak template. Here we have a front cover, back cover, an inside left panel, an inside right panel, and inside centre panel to put the CD and finally an extra panel. 

The dimensions for each is here:

Front Cover: 139.5mm x 125mm
Back Cover: 139.5mm x 125mm
Inside Left: 138mm x 125mm
Inside Right: 138mm x 125mm
Inside Centre: 136.5mm x 125mm
Extra Panel: 139.5mm x 125mm

I will take this information on board when I come to construct my digipak in the coming future for Benny Benassi.


Analysis of 'TRUE' by Avicii: 

Above are the front and back covers of the artist Avicii who is similar to my artist Benny Benassi as they are both house/dance pop artists and the annotations of the conventions of the digipak. The reason I chose this album cover is because it has similar conventions to that of a typical pop album. Here we see the star image in the front cover, set out in a mid-shot of the artist. 

Surprisingly for an album of that genre, the colours are very dull, with black connoting death or terror and white connoting emptiness and innocence. We can identify these connotations through it's song titles on the back cover of the album. Some of these include 'Liar Liar', 'Long Road to Hell', 'Shame on Me' and 'Lay me Down'. This is why the album is so unique in the fact that most pop music is very happy and enjoyable. 


Here are some more album covers from artists of a similar genre to mine: