Case Study – The Stone Roses

This cover consists of a Jackson Pollock-inspired painting, with lemons placed around the title. The painting in the background
connotes ideas of chaos; this being the Stone Roses’ debut album, it suggests that they could be a band who causes friction and
noise around the music industry. In addition to the previous point, the lemons in the image could represent the ‘zestful’ spirit
amongst the band members.

The colours on the left-hand side of

the album cover refers to the French
flag (when flipped around 90 degrees,
clockwise). Ian Brown – lead singer of
the ‘Roses – remembers an
experience of when he met a French
man whilst discussing the 1968 riots in
Paris. The dynamic of the painting,
stamped with the French flag on the
side reinforces the historical context
and meaning of this album cover; that
the chaos of those events in 1968 is
resonated within the spirit of the band.

In terms of brand identity, The Stone Roses have utilized

elements of their first album onto later releases; the lemon
slices have been used as almost as a logo. This has in time,
allowed their audience to recognize them through this
emblem. As seen on the cover in the bottom-right corner, the
‘Roses have kept their iconic emblem of recognition; the
th
lemon slice. Also, the fact that this is a 20 anniversary
album, shows that the brand identity is strong and ever-
lasting.
 Case Study – The Stone Roses

The back cover uses the same colour and

typography as the front, which creates a
sense of consistency within the band.

The use of black on the back cover

introduces simplicity – the lack of
complication is something that indie
bands maintain within their values and
when making products, as ‘do-it-
yourself’ artists.