My Favorite Album Covers (from an Artistic Perspective)

Today, I want to chat about an art form that often goes overlooked: album covers. Although many music lovers take album art for granted, it is often the subject of deep consideration for the musician and their creative team.

From an artistic perspective, album covers are often a work of art in and of themselves, utilizing complex visual language and compositional techniques. Sometimes, they even sample from other pieces of art, adding new layers of meaning to preexisting pieces.

So, today I thought I’d do something fun and show you my favorite album covers from an artistic perspective (by which I mean the album covers that I find most visually interesting).

Wish You Were Here
Source: Esquire

1. Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd - I’m not the biggest fan of Pink Floyd (I have to be in a certain mood to listen to their music), but no one can deny that their album art is always stunning. To me, the cover for Wish You Were Here looks like something Salvador Dali would produce if he was commissioned to create album art. The symbolism of the burning man on the cover alludes me, but it is undeniable that it is visually arresting and conveys the deep sense of loneliness summoned by the album title.

Fire of Unknown Origin
Source: Amazon

2. Fire of Unknown Origin by Blue Oyster Cult - In my opinion, Blue Oyster Cult is the best band that you never knew you loved (if that makes sense). Fire of Unknown Origin is obviously (obvious to me anyway) the best both musically and artistically. The album art channels folk art traditions while also capturing the visual styles of the time.

Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs
Source: Amazon

3. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek and the Dominos - It’s undeniable that the cover of the Layla album could hang in any gallery in the world. It is a modern art masterpiece; in fact, it was created by Franco-Danish painter Théodore Émile Frandsen de Schomberg, who was famous for his eclectic work, particularly that which celebrated women. The piece depicts a woman with a heart-shaped face who is holding a bunch of flowers; it is perfectly emblematic of the album’s themes, touching on the allure of the Layla figure and the power of love and heartbreak.

Eagles
Source: Ultimate Classic Rock

4. Eagles by the Eagles - To me, there’s something deeply appealing about the cover of the Eagles’ eponymous debut album. The cover depicts the outline of an eagle with cactus plants on a blue background. Taken together, these elements suggest a desert scene, though it conveys a sense of overall peace and serenity. Although the cover is rather minimalistic, it manages to convey a great deal in its simplicity. 

Disraeli Gears
Source: Museum of Modern Art

5. Disraeli Gears by Cream - There’s no denying that the cover of Disraeli Gears is a psychedelic masterpiece. It is a collage of different images—including altered photographs of the band members—all awash in a see of warm pinks, reds, and yellows. The album artwork perfectly encapsulates the “vibe” of the day and the music on the album. In fact, Martin Sharp, the artist who created the album cover, noted that he tried to match the art to the band’s music, which he called a "warm fluorescent sound."