I believe cover art for both Wheels of Fire and Disraeli Gears was done by Martin Sharp.
Rick Griffin's album covers here:
Does cover art of an album or recording influences your purchase?
For me, album or recording cover art definitely influences physical media purchases, where the physical object is part of the experience.
Cover art may never be as powerful as the music itself, but it carries its own quiet weight. It represents love, life, death, and the essence of a particular time in a musician’s journey. It captures what the music feels, without needing a single note.
Many are works of art and have become as famous as the music they stand for—Andy Warhol's covers, for example, including the banana he designed for The Velvet Underground. And there are many more!
On flip side, If you’re buying based purely on artist or recommendation, cover art may not matter. But for exploration, vinyl hunting, or curating a vibe, it remains quite influential.
I’d love to hear what album covers have etched themselves into your memory or even convinced you to listen before you knew the artist.
Thank you!
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One of my all time favorites, Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A…. that iconic image of denim, a ball cap, and the flag. At first glance, it looks patriotic. But paired with the music, it reveals something deeper: working-class struggle, pride, pain, and the complexity of American identity. The art doesn’t explain the songs but it certainly amplified them here. This album still holds the same meaning it did 40 years ago, maybe even more. The cover and the songs are locked in time, yet speak clearly to the present. |
@stuartk : I stand corrected! Thanks! |
- 55 posts total