Iconic Album Art

Posted on 01. Dec, 2009 by Mike in Memories, Music

I have always loved the visual side to buying an album or single; holding it, reading all the information – and I have often bought an album purely because of the album art.

The cover of a record is not only a marketing tool which helps sell the music and gives us information about the artists, it is also an art form. I have in the past displayed some of my favorites proudly on my walls at home.

Record companies have used many different ideas to make an album stand out from the rest like putting them in boxes, cutout sleeves, round sleeves, gatefold sleeves; the list is endless.

Ten of the most famous iconic album sleeves.

1. Elvis Presley “First Album”

This was Elvis Presley’s first studio album and the sleeve design was used twenty or so years later by The Clash for their London Calling album.

2. The Beatles Sgt Peppers

An amazing 70 famous people appeared on the album sleeve and included film stars, musicians, writers and Indian gurus, the album also included on release a set of cardboard cut-outs.

I see Peter Kay has done a parody of this album sleeve on his no 1 charity single for Children In Need 2009.

The Velvet Underground and Nico The Velvet Underground and Nico

The original album sleeve featured a peel-able banana which was designed by Andy Warhol.

4. Pink Floyd Dark Side Of The Moon

5. Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells

6. Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers

This Rolling Stones album sleeve originally had a real working metal zip from a concept by Andy Warhol.

7. The Sex Pistols Never mind the Bollocks Here’s The Sex Pistols

I remember this album sleeve causing controversy on it´s release in 1977 and was banned from record shop windows. A Virgin record shop in Nottingham placed the album in their window and was duly taken to court. The case was won by the record shop.

8. David Bowie The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders From Mars

In 1972 this black and white photograph, shot by Brian Ward and then colour tinted, depicted David as the space age rocker Ziggy Stardust looking like he had been beamed down from another planet to Heddon Street W1 London.

9. Nirvana Nevermind

A striking photograph of a new born baby swimming towards a dollar bill, this concept was from the late Kurt Cobain who had recently seen a documentary on water births.

10. PiL Metal Box

This album came in a metal tin which had two 12inch records inside. This was popular in the 80´s when many CD singles were released in this format, I remember buying ones by Eurythmics, Fine Young Cannibals and The Clash.

Here is a list of my own personal favourite album sleeves.

1. Grace Jones Slave To The Rhythm

Ladies and gentlemen the amazing Grace Jones.

2. Blondie Parallel Lines

Blondie at their new wave best with the band in suits and skinny ties while Debbie looking stunning. This was their most successful album

I thought I´d also share this homage to the album by Blur, go Damon!

3. The Smiths The Smiths

Morrissey always designed great sleeves and this one featured Joe Dallesandro from the film Flesh by Andy Warhol.

The Smiths single sleeves were also fantastic; here are some of my favourites. Do you recognise Pat Phoenix and Yootha Joyce?

4. David Bowie Aladdin Sane

David changed his image with almost every album and his sleeves were always exciting, here are just some of those image “ch ch ch changes”

5. Kraftwerk Man Machine

Kraftwerk the godfathers of electronic music always looked different. Here they cut a striking image which has been copied many times.

6. T.Rex The Slider

The album sleeve photograph was taken by ex Beatle Ringo Star who went on to produce Marc Bolan’s only film Born To Boogie.

7. Roxy Music For Your Pleasure

This Roxy album sleeve features transsexual model/singer Amanda Leer.

8. Eurythmics Touch

This their first number one album and the first to be released on record and CD at the same time in the USA has one of the most memorable images of the 80´s.

9. X ray Spex Germ Free Adolescents

The band included the wonderfully named Poly Styrene whose sleeve inspired Girls Aloud for their Biology album.

10. Iggy Pop Lust for Life

I love this photo of Iggy Pop. Somehow it works at odds with the classic tracks featured within it´s sleeve.

You know when an album sleeve becomes truly iconic when someone does a parody of it; here are some interesting ones:

Left To Right – Amanda, Girls Aloud, The Dandy Warhols, El Vez, Big Black The Clash and Frank Zappa

I´d like to hear what your favourite album/single sleeves are; so post a comment whether it be Madonna, 50 Cent, Coldplay, Adam Ant, or Girls Aloud.

Tags: Album sleeves, Blondie, Bowie, Elvis Presley, Girls aloud, Grace Jones, iconic albums, Iggy Pop, sparkle, The Beatles

Mike Belshaw

Author for the online friendship and dating site Sparkle and creator of the very successful blog "Off the Record"

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17 Responses to “Iconic Album Art”

Nicki Vincent

01. Dec, 2009

Hi, My favorite album covers are

Rio – Duran Duran
Gentlemen take Poloroids – Japan
Andy Montgomery

01. Dec, 2009

I had an original ‘zipped’ Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones and I love that Roxy Music cover.
I remember my big brother sending my mum to collect his copy of Jimi Hendrix ‘Are You Experienced’ – the one that’s covered in naked ladies. Mum was mortified!

I also like the Blind Faith cover, the only album they ever released and another favourite is the Robert Palmer ‘Pressure Drop’ album.

I loved album covers and I miss them. Though it’s much easier to store music nowadays, I think we’ve lost some of the art from music.
Great post, really enjoyed it.
Norman Chapman

01. Dec, 2009

A couple of the best album covers ever, have got to be the original cover (before it was withdrawn) of Appetite for destruction by Guns n’ Roses and Billy Curry’s stance on the cover of The Cult’s, Sonic Temple album.
Mike

02. Dec, 2009

Andy the zipper sleeve goes for around 45 pounds now, I like the Robert Palmer sleeve to and the Jimi Hendrix one has been copied a few times.

I agree not having the 12inch sleeve is just not the same ,first CD´s and now downloads everthing is getting so small.

Norman, yes a great sleeve by The Cult, a great rock pose.Guns and Roses original sleeve with the robots is great just looked it up didnt know about that one cheers.
Mike

02. Dec, 2009

Hi Niki
I was toying with the Duran Duran Rio sleeve but opted for the Eurythmics instead, yes a great sleeve and so 80´s didnt everone have similar pictures on their walls in the 80´s like it.

I also loved Japan great band and great image David Sylvian looks amazing. Good choices thanks
ken

02. Dec, 2009

i found some of the artwork by roger dean,(yes,osibisa) some of the best around, and during the 60s a lot of album art came to its peak,but i fear we are seeing the end of it now that the download is taking over.
Mike

02. Dec, 2009

Ken, I used to love his Yes album covers and his Yes logo is a classic.

I also remember 80´s band It Bites having one of their albums done by Roger and a CD single in a triangle sleeve “Still To Young To Remember”
Phil

02. Dec, 2009

What was the King Crimson LP with the big gaping mouth?

And loved Alice Cooper’s Schools Out with the desk that opened covered in school-boy graffiti.
Mike

02. Dec, 2009

Phil, the King Crimson album was called “In The Court of the Crimson King”

Do you remember the pair of girls briefs inside the sleeve of Alice Cooper´s ” Schools Out” album?

He always had good album sleeves I remember “Muscle of Love” in a cardboard box and “Billion Dollar Babies” with it´s giant dollar bill.
Jack

03. Dec, 2009

Thanks for the picture of Debbie Harry… brought back schoolboy memories… sigh.

Here’s my twopence worth. Supertramp’s Breakfast in America, Meatloaf and Bat Out of Hell and Elvis Costello with Oliver’s Army.
Norman Chapman

07. Dec, 2009

I saw Gary Numan at the Indigo2 last thursday on his Pleasure Principle mini tour, but a week before I went I raided my old vinyl boxes and pulled my old albums out. I’d forgotten how the Replicas album cover had drawn me into the Tubeway Army / Gary Numan bandwaggon as a 15 year old.
The cover has Gary Numan standing in a room with no expression looking out into the darkness of the park below with his eerie reflection in the window looking directly at you. Fantastic!!!!
Mike

07. Dec, 2009

Great choice Norman,I remember buying one of my first picture disc singles “Are Friends Electric” which had his eye on one side, and a close up of the “Replicas” sleeve on the other. brilliant images.
How was the “Pleasure Principle” tour ? would have loved to of seen this , did you go to the “Replicas “tour last year as well?
Norman Chapman

07. Dec, 2009

I missed that one Mike, but I was pleased to see that he has announced that he is doing another Replicas tour in March. Although he says he hates doing retro gigs he does a bloody good job of it!
Look out for the Replicas tour hitting the Indigo2 mid March, maybe even see you there.
Mike

09. Dec, 2009

I would love to see his Replicas tour but unless he comes to Tenerife I think I´ll miss that one.

What we do have to look froward here is the car crash that is Whitney Houston mmm interesting!
ken

09. Dec, 2009

the prettiest picture disc has to be saturnalias magical love spent hours stareing at it and just watching it go round,not the best music but an amazing disc
Mike

09. Dec, 2009

Just had a look at this one Ken ,

http://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=352580

yeah I can see why you got mesmerized.
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