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Den sexualiserade kvinnan och den humaniserade mannen: En kvalitativ innehållsanalys om hur femininitet och maskulinitet framställs i albumomslag
Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Media and Journalism. Tilde Gustafsson.
Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Media and Journalism.
2026 (Swedish)Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesisAlternative title
The Sexualized Woman and the Humanized Man : A Qualitative Content Analysis About How Femininity and Masculinity are Portrayed in Album Covers (English)
Abstract [en]

This study aims to examine how femininity and masculinity are portrayed in album covers of Grammy nominated albums. The music industry is a big part of popular culture, as well as our daily lives, and has therefore the ability and power to affect us. One important component that plays a big part within the music industry is visual expressions, including album covers. How album covers portray certain aspects, such as gender, could affect how the audiences perceive and interpret femininity and masculinity. Whether album covers reproduce or challenge gender norms and gender stereotypes could possibly have a cultural and social impact on how we view gender in society. Previous research shows that female and male artists tend to be portrayed in a normative way – women are, more often than men, sexualized and objectified. Men on the other hand tend to be portrayed as more nuanced and complex characters, where their body is not the main focus of the visual expression. By using a qualitative content analysis, the study is able to analyze 16 Grammy nominated album covers, eight by female artists, and eight by male. A content analysis allows this study to identify recurring patterns and expressions in the album covers associated with gender and how it is performed. Applying these theories: representation theory, the male gaze and gender performativity, enables the study to analyze how femininity and masculinity are portrayed in album covers. It also allows the study to further examine and understand how the portrayal differs between female and male artists, and how these representations reproduce or challenge gender norms. The results show that femininity and masculinity are depicted in a gender normative and gender stereotypical way that does not challenge the established power structures between genders. Like previous research shows, this study also shows that female artists tend to be portrayed in a sexualized way that presents them as objects. In the album covers by male artists, the focus is not solely directed towards their bodies, but rather on the entirety of the album cover. This portrayal does not reduce him to an object – it depicts him as a complete person with a story.  

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2026. , p. 34
Keywords [sv]
Genus, femininitet, maskulinitet, könsnormer, könsstereotyper, makt, representation, musikindustrin, albumomslag
National Category
Gender Studies
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-144837OAI: oai:DiVA.org:lnu-144837DiVA, id: diva2:2036460
Subject / course
Media and Communications Science
Educational program
Creative Media Programme, 180 credits
Supervisors
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Available from: 2026-02-24 Created: 2026-02-07 Last updated: 2026-02-24Bibliographically approved

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CiteExportLink to record
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Citation style
  • apa
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