Purple Rain and 2014 Forest Hills Drive are two albums that have some of the best album art of all time. In this article, I will share examples of album covers that caused controversy and discuss how the first ever album cover art was created.
1. The World’s First Album Cover Art
A 23-year-old newly appointed art director created the very first album cover art. In 1933, Alex Steinweiss was able to convince the owner of the Imperial Theatre to change the marquee to Smash Song Hits by Rodgers & Hart, and the rest is history.
2. The Most Controversial Album Cover Art
Controversial album cover art like My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy or Nirvana’s Nevermind can create a lot of buzz and get people talking. I will start my list of controversial album cover art with The Beatles.
The Beatles: Yesterday and Today (1966)
Yesterday and Today, also known as the butcher’s cover, sparked outrage due to its gory and graphic nature of raw meat and dismembered baby dolls. A more subdued image of the four sitting on a packing trunk was used instead.
Nirvana: Nevermind (1991)
Some would consider the Nevermind album cover to be child pornography—as would Spencer Elden, who would later sue Kurt Cobain’s estate and former bandmates, claiming they profited off his naked image.
Pusha T: Daytona (2018)
Whitney Houston’s drug paraphernalia-filled bathroom was used for the controversial album cover art of Pusha T’s Daytona. Pusha T’s use of the image rubbed some fans the wrong way.
Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
Kanye took to Twitter to exclaim, “Yoooo they banned my album cover!!!!! Banned in the USA!!! They don’t want me chilling on the couch with my Phoenix.” Because of the controversy, the album cover art was replaced.
Zayn Malik: Mind of Mine (2016)
To round out our list of controversial album art, we have Zayn Malik’s Mind of Mine. Malik was accused of plagiarizing Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter IV album because of the child photo with photoshopped tattoos. This begs the question: is imitation really the sincerest form of flattery?
3. The Best Album Art of All Time
Have you seen a “best album art of all time” list? I’ve compiled a list of noteworthy, best album art that you should admire.
Photography/Photo Manipulation
The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
The album cover art for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band includes 40+ famous individuals. The cover also includes two wax dummies. Can you spot them?
Taylor Swift: 1989 (2014)
Swift’s 1989 Polaroid cover captured the nostalgia of childhood. Her signature red lipstick, sepia filter, and faded colors capture a more raw and personal side to the singer than the typical glamour shot. The handwritten album title and initials help to create an intimate moment with the audience.
Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)
Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly album cover features a group of people in front of the White House. Lamar established the scene’s mood by presenting it as a black and white photograph.
Beyoncé: Lemonade (2016)
Lemonade features Beyoncé herself, clothed in a fur coat, with her head down and her face shielded by her arm. The head and arm placement speak to the sense of introspection and vulnerability that was beautifully captured.
Rihanna: Anti (2016)
The use of photo manipulation and overlay techniques on Rihanna’s Anti album cover seems to generate movement, as if the image is vibrating. A young Rihanna holding a balloon has her eyes covered by a crown with braille text. This album cover was created in collaboration with Israeli-born artist Roy Nachum. The braille on the cover is a poem written by Chloë Mitchell, and an excerpt reads, “I sometimes fear that I am misunderstood. It is simply because what I want to say, what I need to say, won’t be heard.”
Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster (2009)
“Unconventional” is one word that I would use to describe The Fame Monster album cover. Lady Gaga’s record label tried to deter her from using it because “It’s not pop.” The pop star was eventually able to convince her record label to allow the photo shoot to happen. On the album cover, Lady Gaga donned a platinum blond wig, wrapped in a shiny leather jacket that perfectly frames her eyes and adds to the dramatic contrast of the image.
Abstract/Minimalist
Jay-Z: 4:44 (2017)
Jay-Z used his album cover as a branding element, instead of the usual artist headshot. He wanted the colors black and peach to be associated with his album cover.
Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Black background, triangle, and a color streak. If you guessed correctly, the album cover art is The Dark Side of the Moon. Pink Floyd used these elements on their 1973 album cover instead of the abstract, trippy style they’re known for.
Jamie xx: In Colour (2015)
Jamie xx designed the cover art for his In Colour album. It’s unusual for an artist to design their own album cover. In Colour is a nice change to the moody, dark album covers we have become accustomed to. Jamie xx described the use of color as: “We do dress in black, but we’re also quite positive people.”
Illustration
Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
Elton John’s album cover features the singer stepping through a wall poster wearing red platform heels. In collaboration with illustrator Ian Beck, John reimagined a scene from the popular film Wizard of Oz.
Marvin Gaye: I Want You (1976)
A painting titled The Sugar Shack by Ernie Barnes was used for Gaye’s I Want You album cover and set the tone for soulful music and a good time. Did you know that there are two versions of the painting that exist?
Kanye West: Graduation (2007)
Graduation could be considered the best album art of all time. The cover displays Kanye’s signature dropout bear being launched from an abstract college setting. It represents creating your own path and rejecting societal norms.
Typography
Drake: If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late (2015)
If you remember Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late album cover in 2015, then you probably remember the memes that came from it. The cover creates a casual but personal feel, as if Drake had written it himself. The design draws your attention and makes you focus on the words themselves.
Paramore: Riot! (2007)
“Misery Business” stands out as one of my favorite songs from Paramore’s album Riot! The album cover features the word “Riot!” handwritten repeatedly in a distressed, grunge style.
John Mayer: Born and Raised (2012)
John Mayer and David A. Smith collaborated to create the Born and Raised cover, which features coins, watches, flowers, and hand-drawn type. You can appreciate the amount of time and effort put into the cover just by looking at it.
Conclusion
We have seen some notable examples of album cover art and gone through a list of controversial album art. We’ve covered everything from the first album cover created by Alex Steinweiss to the contentious use of a photo featuring the drug-filled bathroom of Whitney Houston on Pusha T’s Daytona album and Lady Gaga’s redefinition of what a pop album cover should look like. So next time you buy a new album, make sure you admire the cover art and appreciate the time it took to create it.