Alicia Keys Debuts Official Album Cover For “The Element Of Freedom”
November 13, 2009 by TJ
Filed under Album Covers
Alicia Keys - The Element of Freedom (click to enlarge)
Oh, Amazon.com. You really had us going.
When the online retailer uploaded an image for Alicia Keys‘ new album, The Element of Freedom, fans (and bloggers alike) around the internet immediately thought what they were seeing was the official cover for AK’s fourth album.
Keys tweeted later that day to tell everyone it was not and to hold their horses to see the real thing.
See the unofficial cover here.
The real thing has finally arrived, thanks to a posting on Alicia’s official Facebook and Myspace pages.
Many of the elements of both album covers are the same. Keys looks gorgeous and free-spirited in front of an ethereal backdrop; it matches the free and boundless tone of the album perfectly.
The Element of Freedom, featuring the singles “Doesn’t Mean Anything” and “Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart,” is in stores December 15.
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It’s very beautiful and she’s gorgeous!!!!!!!
It expresses the feeling of freedom and also an airy style that make us hoping that 15 dec comes tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!
And, where do you think Amazon.com got the cover? Why would they have a technician post it using their “zoom” widget unless it was an official cover given to them by the distributor?
I have never seen Amazon.com post unofficial album art. The first cover had to have been given to Amazon.com through official channels. It was put in a workflow and posted to the website just like all of the other album art images they receive.
Where else could it have come from? It was obviously created using the same fonts and a real photo of Keys.
It is obvious that the record label or Keys pulled the cover. Either the distributor sent out the wrong cover or it was changed after it was posted and received negative reviews. There is nothing wrong with that. But to say that the first cover was not “real” is disingenuous. It was certainly a final cover produced by the record label.
And, Keys looks like she is a zombie covered in chicken feathers on this cover. It is hideous. The one with the Bedazzled head wrap was better. This one is busy, loud, and a terrible composition. It looks like an art student cropped it — right across her forehead. It is very amateurish. The costume looks cheap and tacky.
I agree that this official cover is too busy and is weaker than the one amazon initially had posted.
It was much simpler and more powerful. More isn’t always better. I like the less-is-more approach.
I also agree this official one does look amateurish. The other one looked more old school, almost as if it came from the 70s. But this “real” one is definitely of the 2000 and looks like someone got busy with new software.
They made the wrong decision.
Definitely should have kept the original cover. It conveys the title better and it’s far less busy. Looks like Alicia is wearing a turkey on the official cover.