nice compilation. :)

Some very inspiring artwork here; thanks for sharing!

Nicely done, but you’re missing 10,000 Days by Tool.

that’s very cool covers

The Roots is wrong.

You typed Things Falll Apart, but the image shown is the album cover to Game Theory. Two completely different albums. However, both album covers are great.

I thought that was a very average compilation. How on earth did that Bon Jovi cover make it? Seems like you went through your (limited) iTunes collection and picked out some random artwork.

Disappointing SM - your articles are usually of a much higher quality than this!

Cd covers will become album artwork, right? This art won’t have to die will it? It’ll just start being at 72dpi

Yeah what the hell is so great about the Bon Jovi cover?

What’s up with the image you put up for OK Computer? That is someone’s flickr photoshop compliation.

I would also include some of the album art that 23 Envelope/v23 has done for the 4AD label, specifically for releases by This Mortal Coil, Dead Can Dance, the Cocteau Twins, and Lush, to name a few. These are some of the best examples of the artwork perfectly complementing, and even adding to, the music itself.

You can find a lot of example Link [www.dns.net].

more more

Arcade Fire’s Funeral is also pretty: Link [www6.nrk.no]

Glad to see the Kool-Aid man made the list. Oh yea!

To be honest none of these covers are very inspiring and a lot of them are very well known. For a truly beautiful/interesting piece of cover artwork you might take a look at the obscure independent band from the mid 90’s Neutral Milk Hotel and their album In The Aeroplane Over The Sea: Link [ecx.images-amazon.com]

No idea where you got that Radiohead cover from: you can see the actual cover–which is also brilliant–pretty much anywhere on the web, including:

Link [thatgirlkate.files.wordpress.com]

Yay, Abby Road!

My personal favorite across the years has been Link [www.amazon.com]. I remember being drawn into it as a kid, trying to understand what the hell was going through the mind of the person who created it. I still have no idea, but it continues to be a very intriguing cover.

Thanks, I appreciate seeing music-inspired design. I noticed the album year on Dark Side of the Moon, it would be interesting to see the dates for all the other designs as well.

you must be joking… some are very good indeed, some others… hmm…

I think in a lot of cases (e.g., Pink Floyd, Beatles) you’re confusing a classic cover with great / inspiring art. Being generous, I thought six deserved to be here. But Bon Jovi? Queens of the Stone Age?? Ack!

In fact, I had to check my calendar to make sure it wasn’t April 1.

Agreed, Radiohead cover is whacked, and where are the tool album covers and um, that bon jovi album It’s so beautiful it makes me feel sick in the guts. : /

Surpised to not find anything designed by Mike Shinoda
Link [i234.photobucket.com]
Link [content.answers.com]

A quick compilation by SM. Average collection I would say! I have seen much better covers in ASIAN MUSIC

Even in the world of digital, you do still get good artwork - check out the latest EP from Idiot3 for a really nice bit of “album art” - Link [www.idiot3.com]

It really does add something to the release - and I don’t think album art is dead yet - and it won’t be as long as there are computer interfaces such as coverflow, which display the artwork (albeit smaller than a 12-inch vinyl) as part of the library search / while the music is playing.

It’s nice.. but.. still… i feel something is missing here, and its not the best list.

I don’t know, a German blog with no reference to the great Krautrock LP covers?

Faust (typographically correct, too!): Link [www.cbc.ca]

Can: Link [www.pooterland.com]

Neu: Link [cdn.last.fm]

Good collection, but lots of great cover designs missing…
hint: TOOL

wow Gr8 album covers …
Link [www.netbulls.co.cc]

Damn, really bad choices.

You forgot about ‘In the court of the Crimson King’ by King Crimson

Hey! you chose those are the most sick designs i have ever seen!! where do u see the beauty in those covers???

The cover of “Weekend in the city, Bloc Party” isn’t the original. Link [images.google.com] No ?

I think would be nice to have some Dream Theater’s cover listed here (Scenes from a memory, Falling into infinity, …).

Ok I worked on this article and I’ll say that it was originally a complication of “illustrated album covers” so that’s why the list is missing so many good ones. SM added 15 more and made it a wider article.

And yes TOOL is missing. I’m a huge TOOL fan too. Silly me. We have covered almost all their albums here Link [sleevage.com]

Anyway no list is perfect. It’s meant to be a “Monday Inspiration” piece not the final chosen list of albums to be sent in the next space shuttle:)

It seems it would be a good idea to list the actual covers and not the first hit you get when you google for them. C´mon, the OK Computer is well-known! Hope you´re blushing now guys.

Radiohead - man, that’s so way off. C’mon get it right…

Anybody remember Roger Dean and his fantastic album covers?

radiohead - ok compter is wrong although the proper album cover is in that image. nice collection though

Not bad,

Wow ‘Gallows - In the Belly of the Shark’ is amazing. I’m tempted to seek out a poster.
I’d have liked to see Link [sleevage.com] on there but you can’t have everything, can you. :)

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven (Link [en.wikipedia.org])
The whole sleeve design, not just its cover - it is made of cardboard instead of plastic and inside there is special art too.

Good list, but one amazing cover is missing…

Link [upload.wikimedia.org]

yeah !!
“in rainbows” radiohead ?

this post really dated you guys.

as mentioned by some readers, some of the covers are truly great pieces of art, but some are not even worth a second look.

MJ - Dangerous and The Roots - Game Theory on the same list?

Yeah man, some of these covers are amazing, but classic and beautiful are definitely not the same (although many times they walk hand in hand). I got inspired though, I’ll choose my favourite album art and post them on my blog and start a discussion with my friends.

In fact, to be fair, the cover for Bloc Party isn’t even the artists original work — the album shown above uses a photograph by a popular photographer on DeviantArt. The site where the cover art was lifted for this article even acknowledges the wrong art is shown.

I think Muse’s Absolution album should be listed as well. It has a fantastically designed cover.

Great compilation, but irrespective of the music, Bon Jovi’s ‘Have a nice day’ cover isn’t that great to feature here.

So many bad choices - The plagiarised piece of crap that is ‘Mothership’ over ‘Houses Of The Holy’ for example. In fact, practically every Zep cover apart from ‘Coda is better!

I could go on, but, y’know…

What’s so special on the Beatles cover? 4 hippies cross the street.

Not a great post this time. Seeing a lot of mediocre album covers but miss a lot of brilliant album covers.

Where is “Tool - 10,000 Days”, “Soulwax - Nite Versions & Any Minute Now” or the new Coldplay cover “Viva la Vida”?

Not up to the standards of previous articles at all… only SOME of these covers are in any way decent or groundbreaking…. EG: Electric Light Orchestra - Out of the Blue - a gorgeously drawn piece of cover art with oodles or creativity and depth.

I really love the Soulwax and Arcade Fire covers, they both convey the ethos of the bands and the albums really well and simply.

Thanks for the list!

Joe - Link [www.anewbandaday.com]

Not a single (Reid Miles) BlueNote album cover made the list?! While most of their covers are fantastic, you should definitely take a look at the Herbie Hancock, Andrew Hill, Art Blakey, Donald Byrd, and Jackie McLean covers from the 60’s. Their covers have inspired so many artists it’s a shame to see them missing from this list.

I would love to see there cover of Merzbow “Frog: Remixed and Revisited”, Pelican “The Fire In Our Throats Will Beckon The Thaw” or The Mars Volta “Frances the Mute”. But the compilation is great anyway!

Some are excellent (Pink Floyd - The Division Bell), some are rubbish (Motley Crue - Theatre of Pain, Earth, Wind & Fire - All’n’all). Thanks for posting

No factory records releases?
Obviously everyone knows Unknown Pleasures- but what about Link [www.factory-overseas.de]
Transmission or Closer or Still
(All Joy Division)
Or the later New Order Stuff.
And as Jason said- where is the 4AD/ Vaughn Oliver worK? (I’m not sure if that is even the best Pixies cover- let alone the best of 4AD)

I love that you guys included VHS or BETA. What a great band! Great album too! They’re from my hometown too which is kind of cool.

I’m sorry, this is just a collection of CD’s you probably own or know that have nice covers. It’s a difficult article to create because such a massive portion of album artwork is great - you can’t narrow it down to 35. And it seems like you just thrown some up there just because they’re hand drawn or something. Metropolis? Appetite for Destruction? They’re not particularly special.

But hey, it’s a good idea and there are some good selections.

Always inspiring are the illustrated covers of toy piano band Twink:

Link [flickr.com]
Link [flickr.com]
Link [flickr.com]
Link [flickr.com]

I think is very hard to choose only 35. Anyway, this is a good collection, but I would have included Nevermind from Nirvana.

Also a very nice cover: Link [image002.mylivepage.com] by Story of the Year

check out Circa Survive’s covers

Link [upload.wikimedia.org]
Link [upload.wikimedia.org]

Well, if we’re allowed to change the list:

Peter Gabriel II;
Peter Gabriel III;
or pretty much anyHipgnosis cover;

I’m sorry, but just one Radiohead album doesn’t do it :)

You’d have to at least add The Eraser (it’s frickin’ Stanley Donwood, remember?!)

Suprising to see the Smashing Pumpkins cover on there instead of KMFDM, they’ve been doing albums like that for years, and better ones at that.

That said, with a catalog to choose from so big, there are bound to be covers that get missed, and everyone always has their personal favorites.

Link [www.amazon.com]

Tim already mentioned Factory Records album covers but to add to that, most of them were designed by Peter Saville. How you can miss out one of today’s most influential designers in this list is unforgivable.

Everyone has their favourites and will disagree over a list but how can you miss Power, Corruption & Lies by New Order, designed by Saville?

And pearl jam? great examples like vitalogy or no code. And Brad Klausen is a terrific designer. Just a suggestion ;)

I completely forgot about that Lemon Jelly album cover, it has such a childish quality about it. A very good album too, if you’re into the genre of music.

How about giving hip hop a little bit of love. The first album cover that came to my mind is Kanye West’s Graduation

Link [www.amazon.com]

Check out earlier ‘The The’ records.

Nice compilation. I would have included any cover from Iron Maiden in this list.

Where are the Link [lpcoverlover.com]? I would think Link [en.wikipedia.org] is worth mention in any collection of artistic album covers.

i almost find it offending you didn’t added sgt pepper cover of the beatles:
Link [stormgod.altervista.org]

I once met a graphic designer who was a great fan of the beatles. He told me there are alot of hidden secrets, also the pop-art designer of it made references to the rolling stones.

What about radiohead’s Kid A?

Looks like the Coldplay Viva La Vida cover is on there twice — you meant to put the picture for the New Order cover in the second instance!

I’d argue their floppy disk art for “Blue Monday” is even more smashing, altho that’s for a single.

And don’t forget Orbital’s In Sides… beautiful and colorful! SO MUCH GOING ON.

BTW, where’d you get this album art? It must’ve been big enough for you to resize it uniformly, too! Awesome.

tool > *

:)

If you want truly awe inspiring, look up the “Red Album” by Baroness.

Love this list of album covers. Reminds me somewhat of the full size Book of Album Covers, volume 1, that I have of LP covers lying around somewhere. Not sure if it’s still in print, but it’s Paper Tiger Press, I beileve. And there are a lot of great Yes and Grateful Dead covers in it worth checking out.

Hmm. My comment has been eaten twice.

Dream Theater! Wooohooooo! \m/_

What does this have to do with web design?

Link [www.amazon.com]

What about CAKE’s CD: B Sides and Rarities. THE ARTWORK IS SCRATCH AND SNIFF!

Disappointing. What’s the standard?

Great list! Also check out some Marillion/Fish/Porcupine Tree album artwork.

Commenter above is right — I spent hours as a child poring over Captain Fantastic.

On the flip side, I LOVE Link [www.sleeveface.com] :)

absolutely great collection!

Where’s the petition to have an Iron Maiden cover in this list ? =]

Love the idea.

Missing John Butler Trio’s Grand National though

I saw someone else commented on it, but Sgt. Pepper’s by The Beatles should be on the list. Their use of cardboard models and the arrangement of those models and other items makes it a one-of-a-kind cover.
The Rolling Stones’ Beggar’s Banquet alternate cover, though slightly disgusting, is a unique approach, as well. (Contributing to the debate about “trash as art”, perhaps.)
Bob Dylan’s Bringing It All Back Home has that unique fading effect.

Hmmm… less than inspiring. Some nice pieces for sure, but this doesn’t feel like a representative collection. This feels more like a designer went through his/her collection and picked pieces that they thought to be ‘inspiring’.

my fav is the Circa Survive: On Letting Go design

I suppose the Soulwax cover and the DJ Shadow cover are here to show what people should *NOT* do. The 1st looks like the ugly gift wrap used by my aunt, and the 2nd is just a bad photo…

A very average compilation, there’s not many “beautiful” music album covers here, and certainly not “35 beautiful music album covers”, as the title said.
I’m disappointed. :(

I love smashing, but this post is far more subjective (and disputable) than usual…

In the future, a sentence or two about “why” someone thought a piece was inspiring/beautiful/groundbreaking would at least make the opinion seem thoughtful and intentional vs. just picking random covers that look cool.

People don’t have to agree, but when disputed, it makes it apparent that it was “Mr Truffle’s” thoughtful opinion, and helps insulate Smashing’s reputation from differing opinions on design.

that rolling stones cover is terrible

what about stone temple pilot’s “tiny music”? that would also be a nice addition to the list.

and i know there’s already a smashing pumpkins cover, but “mellon collie…” also has great visual art all over.

$0.02.

Missing this Exploited cover:
Link [i99.photobucket.com]

Definitely a bad compilation. Some of them are so ugly - what the hell Tool: 10,000 Days and Elton John - Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy are doing here? :(

Uhhm, the G’N'R cover is the censored one,the original looks much
Missing ones: , one of the best photographies ever and Link [en.wikipedia.org]

Uhhm, the G’N'R cover is the censored one,the original looks much Link [upload.wikimedia.org]
Missing ones: London Calling, one of the best photographies ever and Link [en.wikipedia.org]

woops, thats to the “red album” by Baroness…

You left out Link [sleevage.com]. To get the full effect, you need to get the CD. The cover folds out, so you can see the whole bug, with cool robotic details.

I think you missed Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band here…

Germán
Link [www.iccc.es]

I love that you included the ELO album “Out of the Blue”. I see that the CD version of the LP pictured there. I happen to own the original LP album and what you don’t get out of that album picture is that the front and back were one continuous picture and the inside also had a very neat picture. I actually took photos of it (forgive my bad photoshop skewing skills) just for SM. Not that they’re worthy of posting, but here they are. (Outside) Link [img329.imageshack.us] and (Inside) Link [img172.imageshack.us]

Could we not have just said the name Storm Thorgerson and been done with it? Some of the best album covers of all time (including three here that I noticed) were created by this man including every Pink Floyd cover.

Nice covers. I would like to add : Ultra Zone (Steve Vai)

Soulwax - Nite Versions

Very lame, look like gift wrap

This one, Make Up The Breakdown by Hot Hot Heat, is my absolute favorite. IMO, it’s so much better than most of the covers here.

Link [betterpropaganda.com]

Their other album, Elevator, is also really good.

Link [support.novell.com]

what about mt. eerie’s haunting images and picture disc?

Link [www.pwelverumandsun.com]

Link [blogs.villagevoice.com]

perhaps # 36 Tres Hombres - ZZ Top

I don’t care for ZZ top, all that much. The album cover is iconic, if nothing else. But the inside picture of the meal - that is an all-time classic. What do you call that? Inside the fold?

Nice list.

The Motley Crew album is the worst … a trite image. Sargent peppers is an iconic cover that is missing. Although I suspect this collection has more to do with musical taste than album covers. You may as well add Andy Warhol’s cover for the velvet underground’s albums if we are going by that.

@ 99: Clearly, you don’t know much about music. That album cover is DEFINITIVE of a sound, a style, and a generation of music listeners. Just looking at that “bad photo” — as you so brazenly put it — gives me chills when I think about what’s on that album.

You should probably do some homework before you open your mouth about things you’ve proven to be uneducated about.

The Soulwax cover, on the other hand, atrocious. Not exactly amazing design there.

What exactly is beautiful about the new Smashing Pumpkins cover? Not trying to be negative here, but there’s something strangely un-inspiring about it…

My favorite cover has always been A Broken Frame by Depeche Mode (1982). Its a beautiful photo.

None of those have Bob Dylan in drag, so what good are they?

Link [tralfaz-archives.com]

Also, too much color! where is Klaus Voormann’s incredible cover for Beatles Revolver?

And why show Out of the Blue CD when the original LP was so much better looking?

yeah, should have been Sticky Fingers, obviously.

One of my best is the cover of the album “Romantic Warrior” by the group Return To Forever. Have a look here:
Link [www.amazon.com]

Good post. Designing Record cover is my favorite thing.
I agree with the comment 55. Reid Miles work is to important in Record cover artwork to not be in this list. But maybe Reid Miles would diserve an entire post of his own. The book about blue note records covers is a must have.
If some one is curious and want to peep my record cover artwork Link [www.straightstreet.fr]. peace

These are all great picks. I would have liked to see any of William Schaff’s covers for Okkervil River make the list, but I understand there’s more great artwork than there is time and energy to catalog it in a blog post.

For those interested, Link [www.flickr.com] which includes his Link [www.flickr.com].

very cool idea and collection.
my favourite ones are missing: makossa & megablast - kunuaka , jon hassel - earthquake island . .. .

Great selection of album covers, and like most commenters I could think of a few you could add (and subtract).

I did start thinking about how we perceive about album art, especially if the album has been around for years; I wonder, if we see an album cover regularly does this impact our objective appreciation of the artwork? Do we even appreciate the artwork even more when we love appreciate the music? I wonder this because I feel the Guns and Roses “Appetite for Destruction” cover is nothing special (even though I rate this album very highly).

As I’ve said it was meant to be a collection of 35 illustrated covers and their illustrators. This is easier to condense down to 35.

When you start talking iconic vs beautiful vs well designed then it’s a whole different ball game as seen by the comments here. No one can agree on anything.

You need to squint to see the cover. Or take 3 steps back formyou computer. See it?…. ahhhh now I see. Imagine that in a record shop

Mr Truffle here:

1: Soul Wax cover: Take a step back from your computer. Ahh now you see.
2: The list started out as “25 illustrated covers” so that was easier to contain and choose. Now as you can see we’ve opened up a can of worms as what makes a good cover vs what makes a iconic cover vs what makes somethign beautiful are all different things.

There would need to be 50 lists to cover all the different types of covers.

This compilation is shoddy at best. I think you need to separate best album covers into illustration & photo based. Some great ones in here but also some really lame ones.

What about?

or Yoshimi of course but I lean to these colors more.
If you’ve never seen the vinyl of this you have to try to get your hands on it - circular cutouts in the cover & rotating elements: so nice!

Ok computer musta been taken off cause I see everybody complaining that it was the wrong cover but its not in their anywhere - man, how could they mess that one up?

i effed up the links in my comment - just delete it, whatever. poop

very bad list. Nothing special with half of them.

Maybe not a definitive list, I can think of a lot of other great ones. But overall, some very nice album artwork, including some of my favorites.

There’s only one that I disagree with. Coldplay’s Viva La Vida. Doesn’t do much for me. Just some words scribbled over a famous painting. I think the others are a lot more creative personally. Just my opinion. All the others are great.

Any Earth Wind & Fire album, really now.

These are exactly what I would have picked!

Dark side of the moon, greatest album ever.

Nice list, though some of them aren’t that nice. I think this is the most beutifull Cover I know.

Link [ecx.images-amazon.com]

Its From ‘Kids in the Way’ and the Album is entitled ‘A love hate masquerade’.

Definitely the most inspiring cover of all time is Joy Division´s “Unknown Pleasures” by Peter Saville. When I saw this cover for the first time, I realised that I would be a graphic designer. The most iconic album cover design, ever!
Link [www.how-do.co.uk]

Sitting here looking over all the Beautiful Music Album Covers, makes me stop and think of what might be going throw each person mind when they came up with their idea. Some you can see just do it on a idea that pops up in there head. Others take time to really think hard and long an what they want to say. Why others do a play on ideas of other albums. All are great no matter how each one came up with the idea. Helps the rest of us to get motivated to do better. Thanks

Rose

Where is The Flaming Lips, Amon Tobin, August Burns Red, Burial, Chevelle, Pinback, and several others that have some great album covers. Others to mention are Peter Bjorn and John and Gnarls Barkley. Fujiya and Miyagi and Deftones [White Horse] both have good examples of minimalist design. And several others that deserve recognition more than some of those.

What about ALL of Stefan Sagmeister covers?

What about the first two albums by Santana?

Link [www.amazon.com]
Link [www.amazon.com]

Check Solomon Burke’s I Wish I Knew. That’s a truly awesome cover.

hey, how about UnkleJam?? their covers are unique…

Sure, you knew this would get a ton of comments as it becomes a musical preference vs. a design preference. Some nice choices, however, I would’ve liked to see some efforts from Hugh Syme. He does Rush album artwork and others.

I own some of these albums. You have some good taste in music :)

It’s great to see some australian bands up there. Speaking of which - The Grate’s new album, Teeth Lost, Hearts Won is quite addictive.

Little Birdy’s artwork for Hollywood was created by a employee of the the clothing shop Nobody (I believe there are stores all over the world). From what the employee was mention, Nobody releases a book every where which their employee’s make. The guys from Little birdy loved it and got the guy to do all the artwork for the album. The jacket is more impressive than the album artwork.

And then you can’t go far from Interpol’s Our Live to Admire for a cheeky laugh.

63. Bruno Aleman (August 4th, 2008, 4:53 am)

:) yeah, nevermind cover is the best!

These are pretty good. Deloused in the Comatorium by TMV would have been a better choice. But overall nice selection!

Nice collection. If you put all covers of Pink Floyd, you couldn’t miss though. They’re just smashing.

It’s nice, byt what about for example with Ayreon (The human equation) cover or Dream Theater (Octavarium) …

I guess my previous comment goes to spam section because of links.

Hmm well..
I have some additions:

Milosh - iii
hxxp://corde.up.seesaa.net/image/milosh_iii.jpg

Foxglove Hunt - Stop Heartbeat
hxxp://img253.imageshack.us/img253/5350/thefoxglovehuntjpgzs7.jpg

Explosions In The Sky - All of Sudden I Miss Everyone
hxxp://www.merryswankster.com/Images/AllofaSudden.jpg

Marching Band - Spark Large
hxxp://i38.tinypic.com/90swuf.jpg

Bjork - Greatest Hits
hxxp://music.porkrind.org/Bjork/Greatest%20Hits/cover.jpg

Organic Stereo - The Stories Linger in My Mind
hxxp://image.blog.livedoor.jp/masamusic/imgs/0/6/06166461.jpg

I guess enough although i have bunch more. Just preventive if SM put some anti-spam plugins.

p.s : xx change to tt

You should check out the album covers of jazz artists back in the 70’s. I especially love the covers from Miles Davis, Weather Report and Herbie Hancock. Now THOSE, are truly creative and inspiring pieces of art.

Peace

Nice!!! a must-have article… i have a goooood one… i love the cover of “Since i left you”, from The Avalanches. I don´t know the author… nice disc too, btw.

Not very inspiring for me…too old….just a few are not boring….(my opinion)

My love of music combined with my love of design. Great Article.

Smashing Magazine, you’re smashing!

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band is missing, it has a freaking wikipedia entry and your going to leave it out??

Link [en.wikipedia.org]

Completely second Luke Greenaway’s suggestion of any of the Lex records catalog, lots of embossing, foiling and attention to detail.
Also the lettering by Alex Trochut on the Rolling stones “Rolled Gold Plus” is sexy.
Did anyone else wonder why the hell a painting commemorating the July Revolution in france is featured on an album called “Viva la Vida”? Maybe it’s some kind of EU intergration directive.

*sorry about double post, forgot to close the link. Please delete post 161.

Completely second Luke Greenaway’s suggestion of any of the Lex records catalog, lots of embossing, foiling and attention to detail.
Also the lettering by Alex Trochut on the Rolling stones Link [www.zipdesign.co.uk] is sexy.
Did anyone else wonder why the hell a painting commemorating the July Revolution in france is featured on an album called “Viva la Vida”? Maybe it’s some kind of EU intergration directive.

You should’ve also added Green day’s “Dookie” album cover. It’s cool!

Hi, not a bad collection at all!

How about some Mother Tongue stuff?
They always have great cover artworks.
i.e. Link [ecx.images-amazon.com]
On the back of the album is a more “alive” version of the painting.

Greetings from Cologne,
Olli

You should’ve also added the most important, the cover that was the first of this art: “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band”.

Nice list. It’s a shame that you’ve missed NIRVANA’s “In Utero”, though!

A personal favourite from South Africa: Link [www.myspace.com]

nice liste
but you missed some essentials albums.
Just one : Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Deftones = White Pony
Deftones = Deftones

I’m sure there’s a million better album covers out there. I’ve had more inspiration flicking through iTunes. Is this by chance just your entire collection?

Great, but you have totally forgotten Anberlin - New Surrender
Link [www.amazon.de]

any album by the sea and cake would do!

Yeah, not a huge fan of this list… some are good, but others… well… yeah… not so much!

I’ve always been a fan of Keane’s covers though!!

Don’t forget about Mika, or Kaskade!!!!

I love the Fort Minor´s The Rising Tied Cover, as well as the album, it´s really good. Nice Job!

What a shit!

that Soulwax - Nite Versions is so cool. N so is Linkin Park “Reanimation” (my favourite band:) )

Great post. Although, I personally feel that DJ Shadow’s Preemptive Strike album cover design is better than the Endtroducing cover :)

Thats good post, but whats up with The Beatles covers? Or King Crimson? Seems to me that it.. so underrated.

Don’t forget The Cult - Electric

Lateralus shoulda been in there instead of 10000 days. that or undertow.

Here are a few more that are pretty f#$%ing good

Red Flags by The Provenance - Link [muzon.org]

A Method to Feel Alive by CrowneVict - Link [userserve-ak.last.fm]

Drop by Beatropolis - Link [ecx.images-amazon.com]

All of KMFDM album covers - Link [images.google.com]

its in there.

Sgt Pepper’s has been mentioned a couple of times, and so has Sticky Fingers. Too bad they won’t work on a CD cover…

Another one that won’t work on a CD but is IMHO one of the best vynil covers is Bob Marley’s “Light A Fire”.

But to end this discussion of which cover should definitely be or not be in this list, why not post 35 images of “The Beatles” (the White Album) and be done with it? (Well, maybe 34 and finish it of with Spinal Taps’ unpublished “Black Album”)

Not much hip hop or country or anything else. I listen to a lot of these bands you have listed, including Muse and Radiohead and Keane. These covers seem to represent a certain type of music. I really liked Kelis’ Kaleidoscope cover. Erykah Badu’s Amerikah just some examples

those are some pretty cool designs. I’ve always been a big fan of album art. I designed some of my own you can check out. Link [www.evanarussell.com]

The beauty not only concerns the senses. Also involve intelligence (concepts as: time, death, life, etc.., are present), and many seem to expect only the satisfaction of their senses (especially the visual one). For example: the cover of New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies (Peter Saville), is so beauty, I am very foolish to explain so I quote the following snippet:

“The second New Order album Power Corruption & Lies (1981) simply reproduces a scintillating detail of a Fantin-Latour painting and credits its source : The National Gallery, London. To cue us in on the mode of reproduction employed, the right edge of the cover carries a colour check guide in the form of a printer’s 4-colour registration code. Here Tschichold’s theories of mechanical reproduction (designing for such processes) are collided with Benjamin’s (the delusions involved in such processes) making this a pretty clever cover.”

MIGGS “UNRAVELED” should be up there. Beautiful artwork

Great collection of covers!!! I love the Muse, Chemical Brothers and Mars Volta’s cover.

The Best Album cover are not made for designers

So happy to see my ELO recommendation got up there… Ace :D

Simplemente la mejor compilación de portadas que he visto, crema en diseño!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn’t go through all the comments but what about Link [en.wikipedia.org] or Link [en.wikipedia.org] older and specific style but some great work.

On honestly as far as stones covers and art, what about the Sticky fingers original packaging (no pun intended if you know what the original loked like) but the old first pressing album had a working zipper on the pants. That function and form, relates to Link [www.smashingmagazine.com] too

fantástico

Famed sci-fi artist Frank Kelly Freas’ cover for Queens 1977 ‘News of the World’ is also a classic.

Yay :D love all of these! Some of my favourite bands in there - Muse especially

I’m surprised My chemical romance’s album ‘3 cheers for sweet revenge’ and the single cover for ‘thank you for the venom’ and even their earlier covers for example, ‘headfirst for halos’. They are all super awesome and drawn by lead singer Gerard way who also makes comics - shame about the new music >_

some good, some clearly don’t belong here.

obvious missing ones would be:

Anything on Ninja Tune
Most ambient albums
Aphex Twin: Selected Ambient Works II, Polygon Window, Caustic Window, On Ep…
All of Radioheads Albums, espcially OK Computer (genius!)
every BlueNote album from 1957 - 1962
Cream: Disraeli Gears
Hendrix: Axis: Bold as Love
Gorillas 1st Album
etc etc

the list could be endless!

i’ve seen another cover which more beatifull than this. but i understand its not easy to collecting beatifull music album cover whole the world, and also dificult to make an objective judgement, i like Dream Theater cover because i’m very nuts with this band event another cover looks great (is not objective isnt it?). Over all, you guys did nice work! keep rocking Smashing ;)

wow.

totally tasteless

there’s a lot more… Baroness, Mastodon …

you could use HISTORY INVADES “In Vision Vanish Invisible” on that list.

A fairly average collection. In case anyone was wondering - the YES cover art is by Roger Dean. I love his organic landscapes, he also designed the YES logo.

trust busy house sea apple frog right boat

How uninspiring. Have you, the author taken the time to contact hardcore record collectors, online record sites, I mean records, not trendy modern digital creations. Go take a look at the blue note library, or the website dustygroove.com. Come back with a better researched article, or don’t waste my precious time,

For “Circa Survive: On Letting Go,” Esao Andrews did the cover. his link is Link [www.esao.com] . Amazing stuff!

Wow! A Dream Theater album made the cut! I’m impressed! :) \m/

The Odyssey or Paradise Lost by Symphony X could easily make the cut as well … same with some Ayeron ;)

Great list!

this was so impressive!! thnx, i love this kida stuff!
sawdust, has a pretty great cover art too. i expected to see it…

What about NIN? The Fragile has an awesome cover, and so do many other NIN albums.

No Follow? Link [www.scyfox-site.com]

You missed Groove Armada - Soundboy Rock and A lot of Nine Inch Nails covers
Link [manchester.diarystar.co.uk]

There is a picture of the front cover.-

Silla!

You missed Groove Armada - Soundboy Rock and A lot of Nine Inch Nails covers
Link [manchester.diarystar.co.uk]

There is a picture of the front cover.-

Silla!
Link [www.scyfox-site.com]

You should have named this post “my fav cd’s”

the Soulwax cover OWNS

Well not sure what this is about. I see some very average stuff that is boring and uninspiring…
Dunno what coldplay does there? Just a painting (representing the French revolution I believe) with some letters over it… Thats not art IMHO…

Anyways for some more original covers, check out the ones for Peter Gabriel 2 and 3 (they where mentioned earlier but I think those are very good, especially 2).

if this was about illustrated covers then you can add anything from genesis (so tresspass, nursery crime, foxtrot, selling england by the pound, wind and wuthering, duke, we can’t dance are good choices). Of course the already mentioned “In the court of the Crimson King” from King Crimson. Marillion has some good painted covers (Fugazi, Script for a Jesters Tear, Clutching at straws, Misplaced Childhood, Curtain Call etc.) and there are a lot of other bands too I suppose. Weather Report has some, Queen (Night at the OPera or Innuendo), of course the famous Bitches Brew from Miles Davis and Im sure that mastermind Frank Zappa has something for this article too…

I still think one of the best album covers, for both concept and art direction, is Supertramp’s Breakfast in America:
Link [en.wikipedia.org]
It is also a great pop album that brings back many fond memories…

where’s iron maiden’s somewhere in time?!

I miss Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in your list!

Just in case you weren’t aware, Led Zeppelin’s ‘Mothership’ album cover was also illustrated/designed by Shepard Fairey. You’ll notice his signature ‘propaganda poster’ style not only on that cover but also with the Smashing Pumpkins most recent album ‘Zeitgeist’.

Really glad to see Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Dj Shadow in there.

linkin park and fort minor
the best band!!!

LINKIN PARK s2
FORT MINOR s2
s2 s2 s2 s2 s2 s2

Gente…eo nun achei nenhum bunito…
todos são feios, como vxs podem achar issu bunito!?
mi poupee viiu gentee, eu prefiro mais as capas aqui do Brasil
elas são lindass! *–*

=3

Bjoz pessoal!

↑

meu comentario…

mais como diz heein ingles

Comment =P

You should of put up a bright eyes one! (esp Casadega) they are cool. also NZ band ‘Goodshirt’ had stickers long before Beck.

yikes the only thing worse than this site design is this compilation!

Great compilation! I am the one from flickr that did the radiohead alternate cover:
Link [www.flickr.com]
You can put it back in, if you like.

This is another one I did:
Link [www.flickr.com]

Keane RULEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I like The cover of Van Halen - 1984 … That cool

Love the Keane one. The designer’s name seems like a Finnish one (not sure if it is), so here’s one of the most beautiful covers I’ve ever seen, it’s from a Finnish band. The impact between colorful pattern of the cover and b/w imagery of the booklet is stunning (these web versions don’t look that great though)

Link [www.behance.net]

Looking for inspiration for a graphic design essay on “typography of Album covers since 1980″, please can anyone help.
thanx.

You should put SM Town Summer 2007 album cover on the list.. The cover contains some liquid. Very interesting.

Here’s the link if you want to see:
Link [farm3.static.flickr.com]

Nice post!!!
Note: Yes “Relayer” by Roger Dean; Dream Theater “Scenes From a Memory” by Dave McKean; Pink Floyd “The Division Bell” by Storm Torgensen

yes sea

Link [www.opsiyonblog.com]

Wheres ‘Court of the Crimson King’ by King Crimson ?

what about kanya west graduation? great graphic design

what about kanye west: graduation? great graphic design

Nice compilation, but I think that in that compilation you should have put some cover of Journey. All of them are so beautiful and conceptual.

Surprisingly narrow and pedestrian. My, my, you ARE young, aren’t you???

Had it not been for the Moby Grape cover, I would have completely given up on you. HINT: After Bathing At Baxter’s, Jefferson Airplane, circa 1966.

very nice albums. nothing really to my taste but very very nice. i would really like to see some with grim reapers. i need some ideas for my bands album. lol

Okaiz. So. Im thinkin that the new Cute Is What We Aim For “Rotation” cover should be on here because i really like the way they use the objects to make the shape of a butterfly and its really colorful. It also contrasts with the grey-ish background. I really like it.

cool but u need to get death metal music covers

i think these are simply beautiful,
if you have something to complain about then why dont you start your own site.

Hi
Thanks beautiful album

subject add see Link [www.opsiyonblog.com]

I’m missing at least one of the jazz album covers from the 50’s. Here’s a publication with a bunch of them: Link [www.taschen.com]

Ozma - Melvins

first off im amazed that they would put the smashing pumpkins zeigiest album cover up , over all the other interesting ones…album art shouldnt be boreing….the zeigiest album sucks anywhoo…looks like greenday gone emo wannabe political statement .the only statement is that the album designer blows!!!!!!!!!!!IM not hating , the smashing pumpkins are awesome but , how humiliating for such a good band.

You should put there one of Iron Maidens covers with Eddie - they changed the way metal-covers are designed.
August Burns Red - Thrill Seeker… should be there also.
And definitely Black Light Burns - Cruel Melody (the one with hands).

Also, “Indestructible” by Disturbed is worth mentioning, i think.

I am an inspiring graphic designer and I’ve always wanted to design music ablum covers (cover art for books, video games, and various covers in general). If this is what I wanted to do primarily, could anyone point me in the right direction?

ok

They are very good but I addit the cover of the lp Mike Oldfield’s The Complete. It´s Great photo.

I liked the album art. My two favorite covers weren’t on it though: In Flames: Reruite to remain and Rise Againts: Revolutions per minute. You should check them out, they’re worth seeing.

this is a really nice compilation and it has some very inspiring artwork. i just dont like elton john that much!

these are some very good choices. but elton john is not good.

This is super cool! I love how you worked your imagination and came up with many masterpeices! I love the Deerhunter one, it messes with your eyes! 0.o

michael jackson-dangerous album cover was very unique…

I liked the end has a a start. The cover shows alot of motion. I adore the michanical look to the structure inside the wooshing motion, It is a very cool peice. =)

i think the “Nightmare” album cover by Lil’ Wayne should be apart of these album covers, it would make this page more unique

i like all of these but it shouldve included SOAD’s debut album by the same name

they were very cool and interesting to look at.

The album covers are TITE! i like The Mars Volta album cover!

There are a lot of great works and some of my favorite albums of all time are on this list. I don’t like the song that well, but I love the album cover for Gallows: in the belly of a shark. The song is decent but the album cover is amazing.

LED ZEPPLIN SUCKS!! PINK FLOYD ROCKS! SO DOES THE REST OF THE BANDDSSS! MUSIC IS LIFE. PEACE OUT!!

I enjoyed looking through your list, but I think KISS “Destroyer” is a serious oversight.

Some criminally-overlooked covers…

Porcupine Tree, “Fear of a Blank Planet”
Levitation, “Need For Not”
Andy Prieboy, “…upon my wicked son” and “Sins of My Fathers”
King Crimson, “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic” and “Discipline”
Jethro Tull, “Thick As a Brick”
Pure Reason Revolution, “The Dark Third”
Barkmarket, “Vegas Throat”
ELP, “Brain Salad Surgery” (HR Giger, for crying out loud!)
Eloy, “Colours”
The Mars Volta, “Deloused In the Comatorium”
Mike Oldfield, “Tubular Bells”
Primus, “Frizzle Fry”
VAST, “Visual Audio Sensory Theater”
Devo, “Q: Are We Not Men?”

Lykke Li is defiantly missing, i love her album cover it’s very victorian inspired.