Beyond Streaming: Recapturing the Magic of CD Booklets, Liner Notes in the Digital Age

The Unique Appeal of CD Booklets: A Physical Connection to Music

I’m a big fan of CD booklets from my favorite music artists. Digital booklets & iTunes LPs are cool, but the rise of music streaming creates room for a dedicated experience, letting fans delve into the artist’s creative journey and the branding narrative of the album.

A page from Owl City’s ‘Ocean Eyes’ album booklet showcasing album credits with imagery that complements the album’s aesthetics and style; A page from Michael Jackson’s album booklet for ‘Dangerous’ featuring lyrics from his iconic song ‘Heal The World’ intertwined with distinctive graphics and formatting

A simple page from Adele’s ‘25’ album booklet with a heartfelt message from the artist to her fans, accompanied by a picture from the recording sessions of the album; An artistic page from Coldplay’s ‘Kaleidoscope — EP’ booklet showcasing lyrics in a style that resonates with the band’s fanbase, and complements the album’s branding

The Gap in Today’s Digital Music Experience

Sadly, many albums on iTunes don’t come with digital booklets, but they do have physical CD booklets. This shows a disconnect between artists and the necessity for including digital booklets on iTunes. A unique digital experience can streamline album branding into a universal digital experience; one through which you don’t just hear the music but you see, touch, and explore an aesthetic that mirrors and extends an album.

The Intimacy and Artistry Encapsulated in CD Booklets

CD booklets complement the spirit of the album they represent, featuring candid photos, unique graphics, artist’s creative process, handwritten lyrics, anecdotes, messages of gratitude — humanizing the artist and creating a sense of intimacy that’s often missing in the digital music landscape.

Imagining a Future of Immersive Digital Album Experiences

Imagine opening an album on a streaming platform and being greeted with a unique multimedia experience that matches the artist’s creativity — concept art, images, lyrics, personal anecdotes, inspirations, descriptions of each track, commentary, demos, and even videos — pulling you into the album’s world.

Past Attempts: Dynamic Interfaces, Potential of animated album covers, iTunes LP

Unique album experiences have been explored in the past but eventually fell through.

iTunes, 2015. OS X El Capitan; Apple Music, 2023. macOS Ventura

First example: iTunes in 2015 used to have a dynamic colorful interface, vastly different from today’s standardized/templatized design of Apple Music interface. This has shown austerity in design personality over the years.

Thriller 25th Anniversary Edition from 2008 doesn’t feature animations which were recently added to the original 1982 version

Ocean Eyes Delxue Version from 2010 doesn’t feature animations which were recently added to the original 2009 version

Second example: the limited selection of animated album covers on Apple Music, a feature that has yet to see widespread adoption. In fact, other versions of the same album may not even have the animation.

iTunes LP of Justin Timberlake’s ‘The 20/20 Experience’ album

Third example: iTunes LP provided an interactive digital multimedia experience, but it required a considerable amount of effort for artists. It was also a secluded & hidden experience, diminishing engagement — limited to the desktop version of iTunes, never extended support on mobile. It was eventually discontinued in 2018.

The Potential for Expression, Immersion, and Creativity in Digital Music Platforms

In a time when expression, immersion and creativity are championed more than ever, digital platforms should evolve into reflecting this as well, and a great place to start is the way we experience music.