The cover for The Miracles’ 1961 debut encapsulates the old-school showbiz that Motown would soon lead the world away from. Listen here: 86: The Miracles: Hi, We’re The Miracles (design by Wakefield & Mitchell) The minimalism of The Velvet Underground & Nico peel-away banana cover became an influence on punk visual style many years later and remains one of the greatest album covers. It was weird, it was witty, it was Warhol. PiL’s follow-up to their famous Metal Box cover was even more effective, showing non-performing bandmember Jeanette Lee with a rose in her teeth, a weapon in her hand, and a murderous look in her eyes.Ĩ7: The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground & Nico (design by Andy Warhol) Listen here: 88: Public Image Ltd: The Flowers of Romance Ten points if you can find where the Beatles are hiding in the 3D image on Their Satanic Majesties Request. The Rolling Stones probably couldn’t beat the Beatles for a psychedelic album in 1967, but they arguably had the better cover, the first 3D sleeve in rock. Of course, it got an extra dimension by playing with Love’s own image at the time.Ĩ9: The Rolling Stones: Their Satanic Majesties Request (design by Michael Cooper) Candy-O is one of the two best uses of pin-up art on a rock record, along with…ĩ0: Courtney Love: America’s Sweetheart (design by Olivia De Berardinis)įor her debut solo album, Courtney Love took the Cars’ concept a step further by enlisting the younger, edgier pin-up artist (known professionally as Olivia) to paint her. The graphic photo of Bushwick Bill at the hospital was as unflinching as their music.ĩ1: The Cars: Candy-O (design by Alberto Vargas)Īlberto Vargas was already the most famous pin-up artist before designing the cover for The Cars classic 1979 album Candy-O, but this painting of a stylish redhead, on a car of course, became his most famous piece. Walking a razor-thin line between exploitation and cultural commentary was the Geto Boys’ modus operandi, and nothing exemplified this dynamic more than their 1991 LP cover art. Listen here: 92: Geto Boys: We Can’t Be Stopped (design by Cliff Blodget) The fact that it looked remarkably low budget only made it funkier. George Clinton’s gonzoid take on outer-space adventure found its perfect match in the spaceship-party cover for Parliament’s Mothership Connection. Listen here: 93: Parliament: Mothership Connection (photo by David Alexander, design by Gribbitth) Inspired by the album’s themes of the subconscious, the dark sleeve of Billie Eilish’s When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? served notice that Eilish was here to mess with your head. Since people were already using LPs to store and clean marijuana, the Airplane gave you a cardboard box holder for it, along with the pot, or at least a realistic-looking photo.ĩ4: Billie Eilish: When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (design by Kenneth Cappello)Īny artist who dares to look this terrifying on the cover of their first album deserves all the platinum success they get. Jefferson Airplane’s Long John Silver hails from the golden age of elaborate album covers. On an album that made a mad dash through the whole of pop history, Nick Lowe pictured himself in a bunch of different guises, from rockabilly hoodlum to sensitive balladeer (there were different pics on the US and UK versions), all with tongue firmly in cheek.ĩ5: Jefferson Airplane: Long John Silver (design by Pacific Eye & Ear)
As he rapped on Wu-Tang’s “Dog Sh_t,”: “Got meals but still grill that old good welfare cheese.”ĩ6: Nick Lowe: Jesus of Cool/Pure Pop for Now People (design by Barney Bubbles) Forgoing any blinged-out tropes, the former Wu-Tang member put a doctored version of his welfare ID card on the front cover of his solo debut, as both a reminder of where he came from and to destigmatize being on public assistance. Whenever hip-hop started to take itself too seriously, ODB was there to disrupt, agitate, and give the middle finger to convention. Listen here: 97: Ol’ Dirty Bastard: Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version (design by Alli Truch, photo by Danny Clinch) Put the notorious bathroom cover together with the engraved invitation on the US replacement, and you’ve got the yin and the yang of The Rolling Stones at the time. Listen here: 98: The Rolling Stones: Beggars Banquet (design by Barry Feinstein)īeggars Banquet is a rare case where an album’s two famous covers really complement each other. The red velvet cover, with gold embossed lettering, served notice that Odessa was going to be unique and beautiful, which it was. If The Beatles could do a double “ White Album,” the Bee Gees could do a fuzzy red one.
On their 1969 debut, the cavorting characters were there to remind you how much fun rock’n’roll was supposed to be.
Bandleader Cyril Jordan’s terrific comic art has turned up on numerous The Flamin’ Groovies covers and posters over the decades.
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