The arctic monkeys image as a band is alternative indie/rock, their album cover manages to successfully portray this. One of the most striking thing about the cover is the fact it is in black and white, in terms of a marketing view, this means that the item stands out on a shelf next to competing albums which are mostly done in colour. The cover is very simplistic, only containing a portrait of a man and the title of the band/album. However, although there is not a lot in the picture it is still powerful imagery as it depicts a man that seems to have little or no emotion, it shows attitude which links in with the bands image. The writing seems small and insignificant so it doesn't take the attention away from the image, this image stands out because of the rigid way it is shot and the careless expression of the man.

The typography follows the black and white theme and has ornamental lettering with monkey tail letters, which is custom made and unique to the band. The lettering is continued through he inside booklet of the album cover and becomes a theme unique to arctic monkeys. The layout of the picture is very symmetrical and doesn't comply to the rule of thirds, the only part of the cover which is not central is the writing which is at an angle in the top left, this looks like a tag on the picture and draws your attention to the writing. There is no other use of text on the cover, leaving the impression of a simplistic image. The cover conforms to certain conventions as the text is presented in the primary optical area, also the smoke is typical of the rock/alternative image. It could be argued that the cover is not conventional to the rock/alternative band as you would expect to see a picture of the band together, the man on the cover of this album is a man names Chris McClure and is a friend of the band which holds no significance to the audience. Some people describe it as 'reality design' as he is pictured raw and unpolished as he is in reality rather than an actor acting his persona.