The Power of Album Cover Art: From the Earliest to the Most Controversial

Purple Rain and 2014 Forest Hills Drive are two albums which have a number of the greatest album artwork of all time. On this article, I’ll share examples of album covers that prompted controversy and talk about how the primary ever album cowl artwork was created.

1. The World’s First Album Cowl Artwork

A 23-year-old newly appointed artwork director created the very first album cowl artwork. In 1933, Alex Steinweiss was in a position to persuade the proprietor of the Imperial Theatre to vary the marquee to Smash Music Hits by Rodgers & Hart, and the remainder is historical past. 

2. The Most Controversial Album Cowl Artwork

Controversial album cowl artwork like My Stunning Darkish Twisted Fantasy or Nirvana’s Nevermind can create a variety of buzz and get individuals speaking. I’ll begin my listing of controversial album cowl artwork with The Beatles.

The Beatles: Yesterday and Right this moment (1966)

Yesterday and Right this moment, also referred to as the butcher’s cowl, sparked outrage as a result of its gory and graphic nature of uncooked meat and dismembered child dolls. A extra subdued picture of the 4 sitting on a packing trunk was used as a substitute. 

Nirvana: Nevermind (1991)

Some would contemplate the Nevermind album cowl to be youngster pornography—as would Spencer Elden, who would later sue Kurt Cobain’s property and former bandmates, claiming they profited off his bare picture. 

Pusha T: Daytona (2018)

Whitney Houston’s drug paraphernalia-filled rest room was used for the controversial album cowl artwork of Pusha T’s Daytona. Pusha T’s use of the picture rubbed some followers the mistaken means.

Kanye West: My Stunning Darkish Twisted Fantasy (2010)

Kanye took to Twitter to exclaim, “Yoooo they banned my album cowl!!!!! Banned within the USA!!! They do not need me chilling on the sofa with my Phoenix.” Due to the controversy, the album cowl artwork was changed.

Zayn Malik: Thoughts of Mine (2016)

To spherical out our listing of controversial album artwork, we’ve got Zayn Malik’s Thoughts of Mine. Malik was accused of plagiarizing Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter IV album due to the kid photograph with photoshopped tattoos. This begs the query: is imitation actually the sincerest type of flattery?

3. The Finest Album Artwork of All Time

Have you ever seen a “greatest album artwork of all time” listing? I’ve compiled a listing of noteworthy, greatest album artwork that it’s best to admire.

Images/Picture Manipulation

The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Membership Band (1967)

The album cowl artwork for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Membership Band contains 40+ well-known people. The quilt additionally contains two wax dummies. Can you see them?

Taylor Swift: 1989 (2014)

Swift’s 1989 Polaroid cowl captured the nostalgia of childhood. Her signature pink lipstick, sepia filter, and light colours seize a extra uncooked and private aspect to the singer than the everyday glamour shot. The handwritten album title and initials assist to create an intimate second with the viewers.

Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)

Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly album cowl contains a group of individuals in entrance of the White Home. Lamar established the scene’s temper by presenting it as a black and white {photograph}.

Beyoncé: Lemonade (2016)

Lemonade options Beyoncé herself, clothed in a fur coat, together with her head down and her face shielded by her arm. The pinnacle and arm placement converse to the sense of introspection and vulnerability that was fantastically captured.

Rihanna: Anti (2016)

Using photograph manipulation and overlay strategies on Rihanna’s Anti album cowl appears to generate motion, as if the picture is vibrating. A younger Rihanna holding a balloon has her eyes lined by a crown with braille textual content. This album cowl was created in collaboration with Israeli-born artist Roy Nachum. The braille on the quilt is a poem written by Chloë Mitchell, and an excerpt reads, “I typically worry that I’m misunderstood. It’s just because what I wish to say, what I must say, will not be heard.”

Girl Gaga: The Fame Monster (2009)

“Unconventional” is one phrase that I’d use to explain The Fame Monster album cowl. Girl Gaga’s file label tried to discourage her from utilizing it as a result of “It’s not pop.” The pop star was finally in a position to persuade her file label to permit the photograph shoot to occur. On the album cowl, Girl Gaga donned a platinum blond wig, wrapped in a shiny leather-based jacket that completely frames her eyes and provides to the dramatic distinction of the picture.

Summary/Minimalist

Jay-Z: 4:44 (2017)

Jay-Z used his album cowl as a branding aspect, as a substitute of the standard artist headshot. He needed the colours black and peach to be related together with his album cowl.

Pink Floyd: The Darkish Aspect of the Moon (1973)

Black background, triangle, and a colour streak. When you guessed appropriately, the album cowl artwork is The Darkish Aspect of the Moon. Pink Floyd used these parts on their 1973 album cowl as a substitute of the summary, trippy model they’re identified for.

Jamie xx: In Color (2015)

Jamie xx designed the quilt artwork for his In Color album. It is uncommon for an artist to design their very own album cowl. In Color is a pleasant change to the moody, darkish album covers we’ve got turn into accustomed to. Jamie xx described the usage of colour as: “We do costume in black, however we’re additionally fairly optimistic individuals.”

Illustration

Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Street (1973)

Elton John’s album cowl options the singer stepping via a wall poster carrying pink platform heels. In collaboration with illustrator Ian Beck, John reimagined a scene from the favored movie Wizard of Oz.

Marvin Gaye: I Need You (1976)

A portray titled The Sugar Shack by Ernie Barnes was used for Gaye’s I Need You album cowl and set the tone for soulful music and a great time. Do you know that there are two variations of the portray that exist?

Kanye West: Commencement (2007)

Commencement may very well be thought-about the most effective album artwork of all time. The quilt shows Kanye’s signature dropout bear being launched from an summary school setting. It represents creating your personal path and rejecting societal norms.

Typography

Drake: If You are Studying This It is Too Late (2015)

When you bear in mind Drake’s If You are Studying This It is Too Late album cowl in 2015, then you definitely most likely bear in mind the memes that got here from it. The quilt creates an informal however private really feel, as if Drake had written it himself. The design attracts your consideration and makes you deal with the phrases themselves. 

Paramore: Riot! (2007)

“Distress Enterprise” stands out as certainly one of my favourite songs from Paramore’s album Riot! The album cowl options the phrase “Riot!” handwritten repeatedly in a distressed, grunge model. 

John Mayer: Born and Raised (2012)

John Mayer and David A. Smith collaborated to create the Born and Raised cowl, which options cash, watches, flowers, and hand-drawn kind. You possibly can respect the quantity of effort and time put into the quilt simply by taking a look at it. 

Conclusion

Now we have seen some notable examples of album cowl artwork and gone via a listing of controversial album artwork. We have lined every little thing from the primary album cowl created by Alex Steinweiss to the contentious use of a photograph that includes the drug-filled rest room of Whitney Houston on Pusha T’s Daytona album and Girl Gaga’s redefinition of what a pop album cowl ought to appear to be. So subsequent time you purchase a brand new album, ensure you admire the quilt artwork and respect the time it took to create it.