The Beatles: Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band Analysis

This album was released in 1967 and therefore it was revolutionary as it broke the typical conventions and boundaries of album covers. Many typical album covers were plain with just the album name and artist name with a simple image of the artist. Therefore, this album is revolutionary as it gives different messages to the audience. This cover was made by Andy Warhole and Peter Blake who were current pop artists and pieced the cover together. This was a revolutionary culture as it was a mixture of high, serious art emerging with popular culture at the same time that everyone could enjoy.

Firstly, the flowers that are at the front of the album cover is code for the time that the album was released which when popular culture was forming and hippies became popular. Therefore, the flowers are connotation for for peace and peace.

The mise en scene of the costume of the artist is very flamboyant and military orientated and bright which makes them stand out from the crowd of people and to the audience. This links to the juxtaposition of the band taking their music seriously and their facial expressions being serious but have wacky costumes and mise en scene, which shows their passion for music.

Linking to the mise en scene of the costume, the instruments that The Beatles are holding such as the trombone, give the impression and could be code for weapons that link to the military costume that they are wearing. The instruments are also code for the bands the musicality that they want to show off to the audience.

The use of iconic people in the background of the cover is code for how iconic The Beatles are. Due to the positioning of the iconic people are behind the artist is also code that the band are more iconic than those people and are the most current and important at that moment.

The use of the blue sky at the top of the cover is also code for freedom, summer of love and an exotic, heavenly place. This could represent what The Beatles want to tell their audience and thats what you feel when you listen to their music.