Kid Rock: Born Free Analysis

In this album cover, certain conventions that are found in most pop genre album covers can be seen in this cover. Firstly, the evident name of the artist is situated at the top of the cover to attract the attention of the audience. The name is in a typical font that makes the artist recognizable. The font may connotate as the artist, Kid Rock, is bold with his musicality and is not shy of expressing himself to the audience. It is also situated in the clouds which may represent his music bringing peace of mind for the audience and calmness from his musicality. The album name is situated beneath this, to make sure that the audience sees it clearly and straight away, which is typical of a music cover.

The main image is of the artist and from the high angle position that the audience is subject to, we can become intimate with the artist as we can see what is in the car. The mise en scene is typically American and suggests wealth, linking to the American Dream idea that links to the album name “Born Free” which makes people makes them recognizable, linking to what the artist is also trying to achieve and the message he is trying to put across. In the car we see flamboyant leather furnishing the car, expensive snake boots, clean clothes and an expensive car. However, we also see guns around the car which could also represent that the artist is ruthless in getting what he wants which links to his image.

The background of the fields that do not end from the audience’s perspective also connotates for freedom and escapism for the artist and that could be the message that he wants to tell the audience through his music. The car positioned near the on going fields links to the idea of the artist heading that way too and also how the audience can join him if they listen to his music. Therefore, the artist successfully portrays his image to the audience by using the typical conventions of music album covers.