Whoa!
In an age where so many R&B belles fail to shoot and release album artwork striking enough to attract passing trade, Ashanti gets it righter than right this time around…doing so for her new LP ‘Braveheart.’
For, perhaps in realising that it takes far more than an album’s material to turn a doubting shopper into a willing customer, the ‘Happy’ vocalist takes the breath right out of our lungs with a brand new cover shot in support of the aforementioned project, still set for an independent release later on this year.
So, with the masterpiece above in mind, we ask…
Has an album’s artwork ever prompted you to pick it up?
If so, why?
Let us know below!
I can’t say a cover has prompted me to buy an album. This is a great cover, but I wonder if she will change it again when “Braveheart” is released in August, 2017.
All shade aside, as I said Ashanti looks great and I like the cover. I would just like to hear the album, possibly purchase, and let her put this era behind her and start a new one and stop with the messy promo and pushbacks.
Ashanti’s a pretty girl..Beautiful cover.
It’ll be more breathtaking if I see the album in the record stores.
Gorgeous! Braveheart in stores MARCH 18th!
Is this not the THIRD announced album cover for Braveheart?
It’s beautiful but…
Beautiful cover… no hit singles………
May debut Top 10 but Ashanti gona need more than an album cover to help her sell
gurl bye ain’t nobody here for this tired album !
She’s beautiful but I have no interest in buying her album. Her music isn’t consistent enough. Tamar’s album cover prompted me to go get love and war.
MUCH MUCH BETTER!!
LOVE THIS COVER
Need to hear a couple songs though.
Ashanti is really pretty. Like, she’s only gotten better with age and this album cover is gorgeous. Imma need her to GET IT TOGETHER and release this damn album!
Nice cover and all, but what she really needs to do is sign with a major label. This whole ordeal should be proving to her that she can’t handle being an independent artist. This album is becoming like those “new” albums by D’Angelo, Dr. Dre and Missy Elliott…forever in limbo. Just go ahead and take the 360 deal. I know they suck, but the alternative doesn’t work for most artists who’re used to major label support.
Lmao girl bye…..
Much better!!! That other one was just asking for flop numbers. And when I was a kid, yes covers did prompt me to want to buy an album. Now, I do research on the album and artist and I have to connect with both before I buy the full album..
I do feel this is more of a single cover though…
Hey TGJ, I’m glad you asked this question as it’s great for the interaction and market research.
Yes, a good album cover inspires me to check out what’s underneath the surface. I think this is where Michael Jackson scored a homerun with the Dangerous album because that alone is a masterpiece of visual art. The “Michael” album also had an incredible cover and that probably helped uphold the album’s campaign considering the music was so hit and miss.
A good case of it going wrong is Beyonce’s new album. I was excited, at first, when I heard that she’d dropped a surprise new album with so much new music and videos…then I saw the cover. The fact that the album was called “Beyonce” was understandable in that she was making a statement and this was her. However, a simple black cover with a boring pink font was a complete no-no. This album is vastly different from her others and is such a heavily creative project with alternate R&B and so many stunning visuals, how could she encase all that in such a dry, uninspired cover? It put me right off. Sasha Fierce’s various covers were intriguing with her wearing different outfits and striking different, complex poses, some were coloured, others were plain black and white along with accompanying videos. There’s , perhaps, an artistic message within the cover art. Pink is the colour of innocence and youth while black is often seen as the colour of mystery, sin and secrecy. Even so, I just said “Nah!” a collage of video stills would have been better than this.
LeToya Luckett’s new single “Don’t Make Me Wait” looks exciting. The cityscape artwork show’s time passing and that this time LeToya is thinking on a grander scale, one that can encompass everybody, something her music and success has lacked. With such a title it was easy for her to go for a glamour shoot of her half naked looking desperate but she chose wisely.
Kelly Rowland’s album covers have been mostly disappointing with the exception of her first. Michelle’s “Do You Know” and “Unexpected” were good. Beyonce’s Dangerously In Love” looked amazing with the diamond vest she was wearing…then it was ruined by cheap-looking denim jeans!!!
Michael Jackson’s original “Bad” cover with the floral lace was actually really good. It would’ve worked if the album had kept the original title of “Smooth Criminal”. His original cover for “Invincible” where he wore the black turtleneck with gold or multicoloured buttons (depending on the version you see) was also amazing.
Gaga got Fame/Fame Moster right. Born This Way was a mess, especially the deluxe. Being “Born” represents nature, joy and innocence. Hers was mechanical, ugly and morbid. The Born Remix was…let’s pray!
Ciara had it right for One Woman Army, then went all the way south with “Ciara”‘s cover. Brandy had a good cover but the deluxe was terrible. I could go on, you get my drift.
In years to come people will flick through images on the net and if your cover doesn’t stand out it will get passed by. Beyonce should know this.
adding on to what @Matthew Charlery-Smith said I agree sometime an album cover can help promote the album a lot for example with Beyonce, Ciara, Janet, Brandy, Mary and Aaliyah’s self titled album each other perfectly explain what we as the viewers were getting which was their personal growth in their careers. The Iconic Janet album cover symbolizes that She is n*** to the world for the viewers to get a indepth look to what it is to be a Jackson, and how she managed to go in her own path instead of using her brother’s success, Aaliyah’s show the world that the s*** tomboy has grown into a Mature Woman, Mary show us that She isn’t perfect and she has flaws and accept them, Ciara is showing the woman that is a One woman Army and still standing( yea she have a One woman army cover before but if you look at the outfits it is very military and danceful) Brandy is show the world an all american girl with alittle pop and r&b influence in her, and Beyonce’s the black background shows mystery and unsafe while the pink show femmine and innocene…. these woman play that role with their album cover and it works beyonce sold 600k her first week, MARY ALBUMS introduce fans to a new mature side of her, janet is a legendary classic, ciara had a successful single with body party and has open up new doors for her career, aaliyah’s did the same also like ciara, and brandy push her to be and r&b icon…
I have never purchased an album based on the cover. If I don’t like the singles or snippets, I won’t purchase no matter how great the cover is. I won’t be purchasing Ashanti’s album but it’s a pretty cover…
SCREAMING @ August 2017
She keeps delaying the inevitable. At the rate she’s going, she’ll be lucky to see Nelly Furtados sales Kiii
But It will flop…
Gorgeous, cant wait to get my copies
I never understood the Ashanti slander ….her “flop” sold more than a majoroty of other artists flop….y’all got Ciara out here doin 37k but y’all still give her a chance…she writes ALL her own material and the girl can sing better than Rihanna, Ciara etc idk I just don’t get it! I’ll be purchasing !!!!!!
Ashanti always shows love for her music peers why can’t y’all do the same…she’s never shaded anyone and always says how she like rih and bey …y’all so f***** backwards
YALL FAIL TO REALIZE THAT SHE IS NOW A INDEPENDENT ARTIST…of course she’s not going to do 200k the first week but even if it does flop she’s still gonna make a hell of a lot of money from it…all the earnings go directly to her so hate if y’all want this woman will still be paid!
@braveheart they do this cause they ( the fans are threat and believe anything a source says who probably have no levels in the industry) all these ladies had respect and love for each other but it is blog like this that make these stan wars start, now I will say I, myself have been involve in some but it is more of a defending type way cause clearly these women have more than me…. but I just pointed out fact and not lies like some on here do…. but i will say ignore them cause they love chart checking for someone they clearly don’t like which is banannas to me… i don’t pay people who i don’t like any attention…. now yesterday I did diss kerri but it was in a joking matter ( i really don’t care for her) but when her stans started talking about sells and other things I have to pull out facts… so just do that with them… they love to repeat the same old things over and over again…
THIS COVER IS STUNNING!
HER BEAUTY IS UNDENIABLE (EVEN WITHOUT THE POUNDS OF MAKE-UP)
IM HONESTLY GAGGING, AND THIS COVER MADE ME WANT TO PURCHASE THIS PROJECT.
KEEP IT UP ASHANTI!! I LIKE THE DIRECTION YOUR HEADED IN, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT YOU ARE ‘CONVENIENTLY’ BACK TOGETHER WITH NELLY. (Actually I liked you more when ya’ll were broken up!)
BUT THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO SEE FROM MORE OF OUR R&B GURLS! #BEAUTY
BTW ALBUM ARTWORK SPEAKS VOLUMES!!!
IT PLAYS A BIG ROLE FOR ME WHEN I DECIDE TO PURCHASE AN ACTUAL PHYSICAL CD, AS WELL AS A DOWNLOAD. BUT EVEN MORE SO A TANGIBLE CD ON A SHELF!
IF IT DOESNT STAND OUT IN A SHELF FULL OF OTHERS WITHOUT BEING ON ITS OWN ADVERTISING KIOSK, THEN THE AVERAGE PERSON WILL WALK RIGHT PAST IT IF THEY ARENT LOOKING FOR IT.
SO ALBUM ARTWORK SHOULD GRAB THE ATTENTION OF EVERY CONSUMER WALKING BY, WHETHER THEY ARE PLANNING ON PURCHASING MUSIC OR NOT!
ITS VERY IMPORTANT, YOU CAN RARELY JUST THROW A BUNCH OF IMAGES TOGETHER AND CALL IT AN ALBUM ART COVER…. ASK LADY GAGAS ‘ARTPOP’ HOW THAT WORKED OUT!
this is soo beautiful! I will be getting my copies when it releases. yes copies! 🙂 but to answer that question being prompted to buy because of the artwork I would say sometimes. for the most part i’ll only buy it if the music is hot. I am loving Ashanti’s single I got it.
When will she just release it already?
Actually its the only Announced cover. Try not to listen to media sites too mucn Twitter, the information is more reliable when it comes from her.
yesss! the album cover is giving me Ashanti’s first album vibe. you know this is gonna be goood!
Why? Hadsn’t this album been coming out for like five years now?
Only a few thousand people will but it if it ever does get released. By now, aren’t the tracks gonna be stale and dated. She should get a new manager. That mom anger stuff was cute when she was twenty but seems like she would grow a bit being a grown woman now. But as she wishes…. @Foolish
Wow…….I am speechless, the real (none) plastic surgery Queen has returned….cant wait for her new Braveheart CD
Ashanti is one beautiful Natural woman ! I got it video looks scorchiN…..cant wait to purchase new CD.
@Mizzytv.
As an independent artist, yes all the money will go directly to her but correct me if i am wrong, as an independent artist don’t they have to take care of the expenses themselves as well? Doesn’t she pay producers? and video directors? and photographers? If the album doesn’t do well, isn’t it possible that she could end up spending more than she actually makes?