Best album covers of all time

[PsychFan]

The mention of The Who's My Generation album gave me the idea for this ... I think the British version's cover is one of the best of all time. (I hope that's what they use on the new CD version.) I have the Virgin reissue LP from the early '80s and the sleeve hangs framed on my wall.

What are your favorite album covers? Mine would have to include:

My Generation, The Who (UK version, as mentioned)
The Who Sell Out
With the Beatles
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles (duh)
Abbey Road, The Beatles
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Aja, Steely Dan
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Between the Buttons, The Rolling Stones
Court & Spark, Joni Mitchell
Strange Days, The Doors
Oranges & Lemons, XTC
We're Only in it for the Money, Frank Zappa/The Mothers of Invention
On the Corner, Miles Davis

[SVL]

I always liked Uriah Heep album covers by Roger Dean, and some old Blue Note covers are great too, of course (Blue Train cover on the wall here:)).

As for the corniest/cheesiest album covers, I'd choose almost any Scorpions album (well, some of them are funny), and Black Sabbath's Born Again - that was a ghastly thing, really.

[Doug Hess Jr.]

One of the best is the original cover for "His Satanic Majesty's Request" by the Stones

[JohnnyK]

Originally posted by dough1981
One of the best is the original cover for "His Satanic Majesty's Request" by the Stones

I agree, the original funky 3D cover of "His Satanic Majesty's Request" is really pretty cool.

My other great album covers are:

The Beatles: Revolver
Blind Faith: Original cover w/ young girl & chrome airplane
Harmarket Square: Original "dayglow" pink cover

[Paul L.]

Playing Possum--Carly Simon. Imagine how many extra copies of that record sold because of the cover.

[lennonfan]

absolutely! The 3d Satanic Majesties wins top awards! i also give a happy nod to Led Zeppelin 3, Grand Funk Shinin' On, The Papas and The Mamas by The Mamas and The Papas, Beatles White Album, Hendrix Are You Experienced?, Fleetwood Mac Then Play On, Big Brother Cheap Thrills, Nirvana Nevermind, Yma Sumac Fuego del Ande, John Lennon Walls and Bridges, Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers, Lou Reed transformer (best back cover ever?;) ) Velvet Underground and Nico first issue, Pink Floyd well, all their covers are pretty cool:) Jethro Tull Thick As A Brick and Passion Play, Alice Cooper Killer and Love It To Death, Gong Shamal, Camembert Electrique, Gong Est Mort, Zappa Lumpy Gravy, Ohio Players Fire and Honey, The Fool, Funkadelic Maggot Brain, The Simpsons, The Yellow Album

[Gary]

Klaatu / Sir Army Suit . The blue sky had a very faint and well done outline of Elvis. This was an unmarked limited edition release. The regular release did not have this outline.

By unmarked, I mean that it was NOT advertised or indicated in any way that it was a limited edition. It was mixed in with the normal LPs.

I wonder if the CD remasters will have it?

Ghastly? Black Sabbath was pretty bad but I think Uriah Heep's Abomanog (spellin'?) was worse.

[pigmode]

Bjork--Vespertine and another vote for Revolver (I was just admiring it last night).

Please, please don't anyone choose Loverboy--Get Lucky. :eek:

[reidc]

OK-
I was young once(maybe I feel a LOT older now) wiser????? anyway- I will admit to buying a record based on its cover:

King Crimson "In The Court OF The Krimson King"
Creedence "Cosmos Factory" even though I was a Creedence fan

Herbie Hancock "Headhunters"


C'mon all- confession time!

Chris

[Gary]

Oh, I bought Alan Parsons, Tales of........ because of the store display. It was a dummy, wrapped up in reel to reel tape. Sat on a platform. Ultra Kool display.

Boy was THAT a lucky purchase! :D Been a fan ever since !

Album covers? Two words: Linda Ronstadt. And she could sing, too!

Also Klause Schultz, Timewind. Gorgeous album, music and cover! I've often wondered what the CD version was like..... :confused: Does anyone know?

[Dave B]

There are far too many great covers to decide (even more than great LPs). I'd like to just mention a few gimmick covers.

Bee Gees - Odessa - red 'velvet like' flocking
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Deja Vu - Fake leather
Alice Cooper - School's Out - School Desk
Cheech & Chong - Big Bambu - How giant joints did that launch?
Cream - Wheels Of Fire - Very Shiny
Doors - LA Woman - Yellow window
Jethro Tull - Stand Up - Pop up figures - I'm surprised this gimmick wasn't used more
Led Zepplin - III - inner picture wheel
Velvet Underground - Peel off bananna
Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers - Zipper

I always like the first Quicksilver Messenger Service cover, I finally tracked down an early black rainbow labeled copy with a cover in excellent condition. Usually this one, like WOF, is fairly beat.

And now I must confess, when my Dad brought home a copy of Whipped Cream and Other Delights I suddenly got very interested in instrumental pop. Go Figure

[Claus]

Beatles- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Deep Purple - In Rock
The Doors - L.A. Woman
ELP - Brain Salad Surgery
King Crimson - In The Court Of the Crimson King
Bob Marley - Catch a Fire (with the lighter)
Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell
Rainbow - Rising
Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
Joe Satriani - Surfing With The Alien
Velvet Underground - VU & Nico
Yes - Relayer
ZZ Top - Deguello

[TimM]

Santana - Abraxas

Who - Whos Next

Beatles - Revolver

ELO - El Dorado

[Andrew]

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/CDP7464402.JPG

[Paul Chang]

Originally posted by dough1981
One of the best is the original cover for "His Satanic Majesty's Request" by the Stones

Is it "Their Satanic Majesties Request"?

[SVL]

Originally posted by Gary
Ghastly? Black Sabbath was pretty bad but I think Uriah Heep's Abomanog (spellin'?) was worse.

Abominog was definitely one of the worse Heep covers. The European cover for Very 'eavy, Very 'umble (Mercury opted for some bland ornament instead in the US) was rather disturbing too;).

In fact, if you look at Roger Dean's cover for The Magician's Birthday, and the Black Sabbath/Born Again monstrosity, there is something similar there:). A case of hack imitating art, perhaps.

http://www.saunalahti.fi/%7Ehtapiom/cover/magician.jpg http://www.black-sabbath.de/lyrics/born_ag.jpg Ugh...

[PsychFan]

Originally posted by Paul Chang
Is it "Their Satanic Majesties Request"?

Yes, it is.

Great sleeve.

[Ian]

Hawkwind "Space Ritual" (With the three way fold out cover)
Hawkwind "In Search Of Space" (Die cut front cover)
Amon Duul II "Yeti"
Beatles "Revolver"
Beatles "For Sale"
The Who "Sell Out"
Jefferson Airplane "Long John Silver" (?) (Cigar box cover)
Roxy Music "Country Life"
Stones "Some Girls"

I'm surprised that no one put a vote for The Beatles infamous "Butcher Block" Cover

[Paul Chang]

Originally posted by Dave B
There are far too many great covers to decide (even more than great LPs). I'd like to just mention a few gimmick covers.

Bee Gees - Odessa - red 'velvet like' flocking
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Deja Vu - Fake leather
Alice Cooper - School's Out - School Desk
Cheech & Chong - Big Bambu - How giant joints did that launch?
Cream - Wheels Of Fire - Very Shiny
Doors - LA Woman - Yellow window
Jethro Tull - Stand Up - Pop up figures - I'm surprised this gimmick wasn't used more
Led Zepplin - III - inner picture wheel
Velvet Underground - Peel off bananna
Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers - Zipper


I dig gimmick covers, too. Not to be redundant, here are my other favorites:

Bad Company - Rough Diamonds: jagged edges; die cut diamonds
Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Brain Salad Surgery: swinging doors
Faces - Ooh-La-La: moving jaw
Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti: die cut windows
Small Faces : Ogdens Nut Gone Flake: round tabacco case
Bruce Springsteen - Greetings From Asbury Park NJ: fold over postcard
Styx - Paradise Theatre: laser etched picture on vinyl (gimmick record)
Uriah Heep - Look At Youself: tin foil mirror
Rick Wakeman - No Earthly Connection: warped cover art looks normal reflected on tin foil cylinder
The Who (performed by London Symphony Orchestra) - Tommy: slip case pin ball machine

My favorite classical music cover:
Felix Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Andre Previn/London Symphony Orchestra)

[Dave]

Gee, I guess nobody else's going to pick this one so I will.

Alice Cooper: School's Out (with the lift up desk cover)
Rush: Permanent Waves (great drawing)

Too many others to list, besides alot of the ones I would choose have already been chosen.;)

[TommyTunes]

Hey Ian IMO you hit it right on the money!

Hawkwind and Amon Duul, you may enter the craft.

how about adding;

The first Faust LP with the xray hand
Glastonbury Fayre - 6 way fold out and enough booklets to keep you busy for awhile.

[Andrew]

http://www.dustbury.com/gfx/iabd.jpg

[Andrew]

http://gs.cdnow.com/graphics/COVERART/local/L/04/41/00000441.jpg

[Dave B]

Andrew, I agree. I'd love to see It's A Beautiful Day and Marrying Maiden redone by Steve. I'm also partial to this and other covers by Globe Propaganda. They did another of my favorites, Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails.

[Doug Hess Jr.]

You may be right. I just remember the cover and thought I had the right title...but I think everyone knows what one I mean-- but I will stand corrected of the actual title if I missed it.