It’s a truth universally acknowledged that nowadays, album artwork is criminally underrated by music listeners.
While digital libraries and streaming services are super convenient for on-the-go listening, there’s really nothing better than holding a vinyl record album in your hands.
The thrill of poring over the cover as it spins on your vinyl player in the background is something that can never be replicated with a digital device.
Originally created in the 1940s as a protective measure to ensure the safety of the LP, record sleeves have evolved to become a genuine artistic expression, often acting as a visual component to compliment the aural goodness hidden beneath.
It’s little wonder why vinyl’s making a comeback. Ranging from perfectly timed photos to meticulously arranged artworks, here’s our pick of some of the best album covers throughout popular music.
Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are renowned for having multiple iconic album covers, but none takes the cake quite like the fiery handshake depicted on the cover of Wish You Were Here. Shot outside a Warner Brothers studio in Los Angeles, the haunting image was shot by longtime collaborator Storm Thorgerson, who also designed the famous Dark Side Of The Moon artwork as well as pieces for The Mars Volta, Led Zeppelin and Muse.
Island Life – Grace Jones
No one quite does album covers like Grace Jones, the Jamaican-born megastar who became a household name in the 80s through her endeavours into music, fashion, and acting. This limb-twisting LP sleeve, designed by then-partner Jean-Paul Goude, is actually a well-crafted collage of several images of Jones, and is apparently anatomically impossible to pull off in real life, resulting in one of the best album covers of the 80’s.
Straight Outta Compton – N.W.A
Declaring themselves as ‘The Most Dangerous Group In The World,’ it’s hard to dispute N.W.A’s claim when the cover of their debut record features Eazy E pointing a pistol in your face. The fearless ground-up image of Dr Dre, MC Ren, Ice Cube, Eazy E, DJ Yella and Arabian Prince set the template for the impending explosion of gangsta rap in the 1990s, and today, Straight Outta Compton remains just as relevant as when it was released almost 30 years ago.
London Calling – The Clash
The image of Paul Simonon obliterating his bass guitar on the cover of London Calling is so famous that many aren’t aware that it’s actually based off an old Elvis Presley album cover. Captured at a New York gig in 1979 when Simonon was frustrated that security wouldn’t let the audience out of their seats to dance, the image was later described by Q Magazine as being “the ultimate rock and roll moment – total loss of control.”
The Velvet Underground and Nico – The Velvet Underground
Regarded as being one of the most influential albums of all time, The Velvet Underground and Nico is also fondly remembered for its bizarre album artwork, featuring a banana drawn by legendary pop artist Andy Warhol. Early versions of the album featured a sticker inviting owners to ‘Peel Slowly And See,’ revealing a flesh coloured banana beneath the yellow sticker – if you’re lucky enough, you can still find recently recreated versions of these early records online.
Horses – Patti Smith
Described as one of the best photographs of a woman ever taken, Patti Smith’s portrait on the cover of her debut LP Horses is probably rock music’s equivalent to Mona Lisa. Regarded as one of the best album covers of all time and self-described as being “a mix of Charles Baudelaire and Frank Sinatra,” the striking portrait of Smith combined with her own unique blend of punk and poetry enshrines Horses as being one of the most influential records of the 20th century.
In Through The Out Door – Led Zeppelin
In Through The Out Door is sonically one of Led Zeppelin’s weakest albums – however, visually, it’s an absolute treat. Originally packaged in a brown paper bag, the seemingly nonchalant album cover (also designed by Wish You Were Here mastermind Storm Thorgerson) featured a black and white image of a man drinking in a bar, which would suddenly bloom into colour when exposed to water. While it might have been a bit of a shock to unsuspecting fans at the time, the trickery on the cover of In Through The Out Door simply reaffirms that after all these years, there still isn’t any cooler musical format than the humble old LP.
So that’s our pick of the best album covers of all time. Do yourself a favour, grab a new record turntable and speakers and come experience the world of vinyl.