Jason Aldean's Wide Open
The Opportunity: With up-and-comer Jason Aldean releasing three albums in rapid succession, Broken Bow Records wanted a new look for his third album, "Wide Open." We needed to stay true to the artist's laid-back country brand but present him as an established artist with an edge.
The LTC Approach: Our concept was to preserve elements from the cover art found on Aldean's first two albums – his trademark cowboy hat, open collar and straight-ahead gaze – but to continue to "progress" his image to indicate his growth as an artist.
Instead of headshots (something very important for new artists), we used more artistic, full-body photos of Aldean, using a limited palette to reflect the album's darker, more dangerous tone. We also added a rough texture at the edges of the photos so that the finished product wouldn't seem too slick.
We wanted to present Aldean's rebelliousness as that of a man, not a boy.
The Results: Jason Aldean's "Wide Open" has been certified platinum. It debuted at No. 2 on the U.S. Top Country Albums chart and has produced Aldean's second and third No. 1 songs, "She's Country" and "Big Green Tractor."