Album covers by artists
Published February 02, 2021
One might say that the album cover has become a lost visual art form. It's something like what people say about the look, feel, and scent of an actual book. Some of you may miss the sensation and feel of a vinyl record sleeve or even CD art. It was an experience all its own. One would stare and take in the sight of the record's cover and sleeve design or the CD's cover and inlay art, mesmerized by its weirdness, captured by its beauty, or ROFL at its hilarity and then figuring out their connection to the music. Having a CD collection and even moreso a record collection was like having an art collection.
Sometimes, even the vinyl insert had a design or a superfluous function. Anyone remember the rolling paper of Cheech and Chong's Big Bambu?
Visual artists and musician have always been drawn to each other. Radical minds think alike perhaps. Cut from same cloth or of a common community or what have you, the works of musicians and visual artists have inspired one another. And acclaimed masters of the visual arts have had their hand into designing album covers or have had their famous artworks used in their design, adding to the legendary or cult status of that album.
Here's are some samples.
Sonic Youth's Evol, Richard Kern Sonic Youth's Sonic Nurse, Richard Prince Velvet Underground and Nico, Andy Warhol Glenn Branca’s The Ascension, Robert Longo Aerosmith's Draw the Line, Al HirschFeld Courtney Love's America's Sweetheart, Olivia de Bernardinis Phish's Joy, Fred Tomaselli Sonic Youth's Dirty, Mike Kelley Talking Head's Little Creatures, Howard Finster Patty Smith's Horses, Robert Mapplethorpe PJ Harvey's To Bring My Love, Valerie Phillips Quincy Jones' The Dude, Fanizani Akuda Sonic Youth's Goo, Raymond Pettibon The Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street, Robert Frank Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation, Gerhard Richter The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Peter Blake The Cars' Candy-O, Alberto Vargas New Order's Power, Corruption, and Lies, Peter Savile and Henri Fantin-Latour
Cover Photo: Salvador Dali and Jackie Gleason