Nostalgic. That’s how I feel when I see album covers. How many times have each of us come across an album cover (favorite or not) and easily recognized the artist? They instantly bring back memories or take us back to a certain time in our lives. Album art is branding a musician’s work. Connecting with their fans. There is a long history of album art and its evolution. Some covers are obvious – a photograph of the artist – while others seem to have hidden meaning and tell a story about the band.
I’ve showcased a few images of album covers that are either a favorite or have simply marked a time in my life that strikes a chord in me (no pun intended). These covers, and many more, are easily recognizable when I come across them.
Artist: Pink Floyd
Album: Dark Side of the Moon
I did a bit of digging on the web and found the meaning to the art of this infamous cover...
"The Floyd developed something sophisticated in terms of trying to create an atmosphere with interesting lights to match what they were already creating with their sound," Thorgerson says. "The prism was a way to talk about the fact that this band, preeminently among all bands, would do light. Light and sound." The lavish package also included two posters -- one comprising shots of the band in concert, the other featuring the Egyptian pyramids, photographed by Thorgerson under a full moon. The band, incidentally, took a cut in its royalty rate so that the posters could be included without raising the cost of the record. "This was in the days when packaging really meant something," says Thorgerson. "It was a present to the fans."
Artist: Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
Album: Against the Wind.
It quickly reminds me of taking road trips with my family when I was young. Riding in our silver Gran Torino from Rochester, MN to Boulder, CO, my sister and I would be in the backseat singing the words to every song.
Artist: Motley Crue
Album: Dr. Feelgood
The big, bad 80s. My best friend and I played air guitar and drums while cruising the main streets of Rochester. Certainly not great art on this cover in my opinion, but brings back memories of good times.
There are far too many covers to list, count or remember and as it’s been said before, art is in the eye of the beholder...