They are cultural and artistic expressions. The initial attraction to a potential trove of new music. Titillating, mysterious, or in-your-face. Album covers are all these things and more. Their indelible images have come in the form of flawless portraits, unconventional artwork, and cutting-edge graphics. Some rock musicians, such as Michael Stipe (Accelerate), Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin IV), and John Entwistle (The Who by Numbers) have created their own cover art. Led Zeppelin introduced a revolving picture disc on Led Zeppelin III and cut-out windows on Physical Graffiti. Leave it to the Rolling Stones to give us the blue jean crotch complete with a zipper on Sticky Fingers.
CDs maintained some of the information and art associated with album covers. But the small, multi-fold “cover” pales in comparison to the visuals, band information, and lyrics spread out on an album cover. Gatefolds and double albums with inserts became treasured keepsakes. Vinyl has made a remarkable comeback (Record Store Day, April 20th!), but its heyday was decades ago. So, file this in nostalgia along with my other posts on concept albums, live albums, guitar solos, and ticket stubs.
I’m not artist by any means, but these timeless album covers made a lasting impression on my mind:
15. Unknown Pleasures (Joy Division, 1979): There’s something compelling about the stark monotone of astronomical radio waves on an anonymous album cover (no title or band name). Just ask the seemingly millions of people of all ages wearing the T-shirt.
14. Crisis, What Crisis? (Supertramp, 1975)/Red Sails in the Sunset (Midnight Oil, 1984): I’ve always enjoyed film or television about the apocalypse or environmental disaster. Not sure what that says about me.
13. For Your Pleasure (Roxy Music, 1973): In the lineup of idealized women on Roxy Music covers, this one with Salvador Dali muse and Bryan Ferry girlfriend, Amanda Lear, shows less skin. The tight leather dress with black panther in tow is dangerously tantalizing.
12. Hejira (Joni Mitchell, 1976): Joni Mitchell on a road trip on an album named Hejira. True poetry.
11. War (U2, 1983): The boy here was also photographed for several earlier U2 singles. The powerful image on War conveys what war does to childhood innocence.
10. Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd, 1973): One of many classic album covers by the English design company, Hipgnosis. Pink Floyd wanted a clean simple graphic and got it with this iconic cover and its spectrum of light.
9. Who’s Next (The Who, 1971): Inspired by the mysterious monoliths of 2001: A Space Odyssey, this was an impromptu stop on the road through a mining town. Pete Townshend was the only one who actually relieved himself, water was poured on the walls to depict the other splotches.
8. Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath, 1970): Perfect for the debut album of Black Sabbath. A woman dressed in a black cloak out in the woods amidst scary old buildings and maybe holding a black cat. Dark and ominous. Just like the music. The identity of the model, Louisa Livingstone, was revealed 50 years later.
7. Horses (Patti Smith, 1975): Lifelong friend and ex-lover, Robert Mapplethorpe, captured the essence of Patti Smith. The black and white photo with the androgynous pose and casual flair was not the typical promo for a female performer.
6. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John, 1973): This bedazzling cover with his ruby red platform heels and eponymous bomber jacket became even more symbolic after serving as the centerpiece of his long farewell tour. As the stage backdrop and off-into-the-sunset finale, the yellow brick road was once again the path to enlightenment.
5. Aladdin Sane (David Bowie, 1973): A shirtless Bowie with a red and blue lightning bolt across his face and maybe a tear on his collarbone. Its meaning is nebulous as with all things Bowie, but it became one of his lasting mesmerizing images.
4. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (The Beatles, 1967): This snapshot of ’60s pop culture blew minds in 1967. The colorful collage of the Beatles in costume surrounded by dozens of celebrity cardboard cut-outs is probably the most iconic album cover of all time.
3. Keys to Ascension, 1996/Going for the One, 1977 (Yes): As a longtime Yes fan with almost all of their many albums, I had to include some exotic fantasy landscapes by Roger Dean. But which one? Keys to Ascension was recorded live in San Luis Obispo, Ca so there you have it. And I grew up about a mile away from Century City with the Century Plaza Towers defining the skyline of my childhood. You can imagine my reaction when I went to the record store in 1977 to buy the new Yes album.
2. In the Court of the Crimson King (King Crimson, 1969): The title song off King Crimson’s debut is possibly the greatest of prog rock anthems. The album cover is one for the ages, too. The ghastly image was painted by a friend of the band using his own face as viewed through a mirror. Psychedelic madness. Say goodbye to the peace and love of the 1960s.
1. London Calling (The Clash, 1980): The Clash paid homage to Elvis Presley’s debut album by copying the layout of pink letters on the left, green text along the bottom. The image of bassist Paul Simonon smashing his guitar is a rock n’ roll moment in all its reckless abandon. (He was pissed at the bouncers for restricting the fans to their seats.) I’ve had these two side-by-side in their frames on my music wall for years.
Trivia: Who designed the banana on the cover of the debut Velver Underground (& Nico) album?
Trivia: Who illustrated the cover of Cheap Thrills, the second album by Big Brother & the Holding Company?
Answers below
Bonus: Back Cover of The Jam’s This is the Modern World – You can feel it!
Trivia Answers: Andy Warhol and Robert Crumb
Comments
2 responses to “15 Iconic Album Covers That Still Capture Our Attention”
Hey, MSquared is back! And I’ve got something to say!
I like your album cover choices, definitely some iconic images going on there. You got Joy Division, Pink Floyd, the Led Zep and the Rolling Stones ones, even some I didn’t consider being that influential, but they are. The Black Sabbath cover you selected was photographed with color infrared film, which definitely contributes to the eeriness of the image.
I’d like to add some of my faves to the cover art gallery, so to speak. Not necessarily iconic but certainly visually interesting. There are bands or individuals out there that have created unique cover art throughout their discography. Peter Gabriel’s first 3 solo albums come to mind, as well as “More Songs About Buildings and Food” and “Remain in Light” from the Talking Heads. REM has always made interesting cover art, especially for me, “New Adventures in Hi Fi”. The list goes on: “Mezzanine” by Massive Attack, “Diesel & Dust” by Midnight Oil, “Station to Station” by David Bowie, “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd, “The Bends” by Radiohead, “Look Sharp” by Joe Jackson, “Exile on Main Street” by the Rolling Stones, I could go on, but I won’t! For iconic, one that would be up there is “Abbey Road” by the Beatles.
MSquared, thank you for putting so much thought into this comment. I love it. Awesome. I have every album you cite, except for the Massive Attack. You made me go back and appreciate all those. I never really noticed REM’s that much. The dark city “Accelerate” jumped out at me. Yeah, “Abbey Road,” and probably, “Wish You Were Here” are iconic. Thanks again and glad you’re back.