Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band-The Beatles (duh)

blur-13
madonna-ray of light
radiohead-ok computer

New Order: Power, Corruption and Lies

ryan adams’ easy tiger on vinyl

Led Zep III
Are you experience – Jimi
Get yer Ya Ya’s out – Stones
Brown Dirt cowboy- Elton
Dirt – Alice in Chains.

Honorable mention- Buckingham Nicks! So goofy it rocks!

The Clash- London Calling

“Lateralus” — Tool
“Sign ‘o’ the Times” — Prince
“Mirrored” — Battles
“Leviathan” — Mastodon
“Reign in Blood” — Slayer
“Funhouse” — The Stooges
“1984″– Van Halen
“Synchronicity” — The Police

Bringing It All Back Home (Duh)
Music From Big Pink (Double Duh)
Abby Road (Triple Duh)

-Pretty much the cover of every album George Clinton has made in the 70ties, especially The Mothership Connection, Motor-Booty Affair, Maggot Brain and Free your mind…
-One hot minute- Red Hot Chili Peppers
-Axis:Bold as love-Jimi Hendrix
-Velvet Underground& Nico-Vu & Nico
-I like the cover of the latest Kanye West Cd
-Same goes for Life in cartoon motion- Mika

Mike Oldfield – The Songs of Distant Earth
Led Zeppelin – House of the Holy
Black Sabbath – Mob Rules
ELP – Tarkus
Kiss – Rock And Roll Over

Mike Oldfield – The Songs of Distant Earth
Led Zeppelin – House of the Holy
Black Sabbath – Mob Rules
ELP – Tarkus
Kiss – Rock And Roll Over

Tomb of the Mutilated and Butchered at Birth- Cannibal Corpse
Powerslave- Iron Maiden
Vulgar Display of Power- Pantera
Amorica- The Black Crowes
Bloody Kisses- Type O Negative

and the first Britney Spears album.

dookie. sgt. Peppers. the who by numbers. ziggy stardust. Sticky fingers.

Scorpions – Blackout: The most cliche free metal album cover ever.
The Clash – London Calling: The essence of punk

Scorpions – Blackout: The most cliche free metal album cover ever.
The Clash – London Calling: The essence of punk

Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream
Blur – S/T
Radiohead – OK Computer and everything after
Built to Spill – Perfect From Now On

Queens of the Stone Age – Queens of the Stone Age (Vinyl version is even better)

All of the albums the RS editors cite, by the way, are readily available on vinyl, new and used, in record stores across this great country of ours!

Do yourselves a favor–buy records! Your eyes will no longer strain to see the cover art you love, and your ears will thank you in the morning.

American Stars n Bars — Neil Young

muse – black holes and revelations
ac/dc- back in black
queens of the stone age- era vulgaris
beastie boys- license to ill
rolling stones- sticky fingers
tenacious d- tenacious d
bad religion-the empire strikes first
metallica- metal up your ass

Radiohead – Hail To The Thief
XTC – Drums and Wires
R.E.M. – Reckoning

and yeah, London Calling too

Californication- RHCP
Houses of hte Holy- Zep
One of these Nights- Eagles
Disreali Gears – cream
Electric- the Cult

THE SCORPIONS- Virgin Killers (the original w/ the nude chick )

Being from Ohio I’d have to say Rubber Factory by the Black Keys. Akron – the rubber capitol of the world.

Being from Ohio I’d have to say Rubber Factory by the Black Keys. Akron – the rubber capitol of the world.

nothing from Iron Maiden? Eddie rules!

Beastie Boys – Licenced to Ill.

The Beastie Boys ‘Paul’s Boutique’ (the vinyl version with the fold-out cover.)

Alice Cooper- Greatest Hits
Sonic Youth- Daydream Nation
Tom Waits- Swordfishtrombone
The Walkmen- Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone

Alice Cooper- Greatest Hits
Sonic Youth- Daydream Nation
Tom Waits- Swordfishtrombone
The Walkmen- Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone

I’m never going to remember them all, but here are a couple off the top of my head:

Country Life – Roxy Music
London Calling – The Clash
Candy-O – The Cars
Sticky Fingers – Rolling Stones
The Velvet Underground and Nico

And pretty much anything by Talking Heads, but I guess if I have to pick 2, I’ll go with “More Songs About Buildings and Food” and “Remain in Light”

I’m sure I’ve made several egregious oversights…

Motley Crue- Dr. Feelgood

London Calling–The Clash
Pavement–Terror Twilight
King Crimson–The Court of the Crimson King
The Beatles–Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Dookie- Green Day

One Hot Minute- Red Hot Chili Peppers

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band- The Beatles

Nevermind- Nirvana

Rage Against the Machine- Rage Against the Machine (The cover with the monk on fire)

Where You Want To Be- Taking Back Sunday

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness- Smashing Pumpkins

OK, seriously, I’m from Minneapolis, I listen to lots of different styles of music. I LIKE some R&B. But I can’t understand, for the life of me, what the big deal is with Prince! Seriously! I have “Sign ‘O’ the Times” and “Purple Rain”, and neither are impressive or interesting. The music is DULL and pointless. And he’s such a pretentious prick about it all! This isn’t even a complaint about the list of album covers, it just brings up the question of why so many rock critics think that because music is older it’s somehow better than anything today. It reminds me of the Best Albums list: “Nevermind” is the only album of the past 25 years in the top 25! And f***ing PRINCE?! Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

Tom Waits – Rain Dogs

Abbey Road/The Beatles-better even than Sgt. Pepper
Fear of Music/Talking Heads- minimalism at its best
Band On The Run/McCartney and Wings
There and Back/Jeff Beck
Bare Trees/Fleetwood Mac
Relayer/Yes
Dark Side of the Moon/Pink Floyd
Recorded Live/Ten Years After
Oranges and Lemons/XTC
Skylarking/XTC
Yest erdays/Yes

Tool – 10,000 Days

Rage Against the Machine – Self titled album

Sgt. Peppers

OK Computer

NIN – The Downward Spiral

Wow, mostly a really bad selection of album covers.

Esp. Nirvana’s Nevermind – nothing special about that cover, it’s just famous.

__________________

Each of these artists should have at least some kind of token mention for their album covers:

Roxy Music, ‘Never Mind the Bollocks’, the work of Designers Republic, New Order, JoyDivision,
Section 25 – ‘Always Now’, Lilly Allen – ‘Alright, Still’, Cannibal Corpse, NIN

Stooges’ FUNHOUSE is me fave.

Also love the penis doodle on Prince’s 1999.

Born in the U.S.A.-Springsteen
Sticky Fingers-Stones
News of the World-Queen
1984-Van Halen
The Big Prize-Honeymoon Suite

In no particular order-
London Calling-The Clash
Pump-Aerosmith
Rumours -Fleetwood Mac
Swingshift-Cold Chisel
Physical Graffiti-Led Zeppelin
Stoneage Romeos-Hoodoo Gurus
Ramones-The Ramones
Raw Power-The Stooges
Who’s Next-The Who
Exile On Main Street-The Rolling Stones
Sign O’ The Times-Prince
If You Want Blood,You’ve Got It-AC/DC
Country Life-Roxy Music
Band On The Run-Paul McCartney &
Wings
Appetite For Destruction-Guns N’
Roses(the way nature originally
intended)
New Boots And Panties-Ian Dury
Let It Be-The Replacements
New York Dolls-New York Dolls
Head Injuries-Midnight Oil
and finally(for now)-
EVERY Iron Maiden album cover is a
work of art!

Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run
The Band – Music at Big Pink or The Band
The Rolling Stones – Beggars Banquet
Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited
Neil Young – Zuma
Led Zeppelin – Houses of the Holy
The White Stripes – Elephant

Allman Brothers Band – Live at the Fillmore.
By chance does anybody know the history behind this album cover?? I do!!

Smell the glove. Spinal Tap

spice girls
britney

Aladdin Sane -Bowie
Brain Salad Surgery -Emerson Lake & Palmer
Tales from Topographic Ocens – Yes
Zep – In Through The Out Door
Some Girls -Stones
Steal Your Face -Dead
“heroes” -bowie again

Green Day- Dookie
The Beatles- Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
The Clash- London Calling
Bullet for my Valentine- The Poison

The Who-Face Dances

crosby stills nash & young- so far (joni mitchell, anybody?)
the who- tommy
rolling stones- sticky fingers
bob dylan- blonde on blonde
the beatles- yesterday & today (the butcher cover)

spinal tap- smell the glove

Wilco – Being There
Peter Gabriel – Us
Velvet Underground – Loaded
GBV – Isolation Drills
Beatles – Sgt. Pepper
White Stripes – Elephant
Ramones – Brain Drain
R.E.M. – Up
N.E.R.D. – whatever that album was called

ween – chocolate and cheese

Achtung Baby – U2
Mute Math – Mute Math

Sonic Youth – Bad Moon Rising
Clash – London Calling

My ten favorite album covers:
The Clash – London Calling
The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
The Beatles – Abbey Road
The Ramones – Ramones
Kraftwerk – Trans-Europe Express
Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation
Weezer – The Blue Album
Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures
Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Black Flag – Damaged

i like the back cover of nyc ghosts and flowers by sonic youth more than goo. but i guess the back doesnt count as an album cover

The Offspring, “Americana”
AFI, “Sing The Sorrow”
The Clash, “London Calling”
Nirvana, “Nevermind”
Bruce Springsteen, “Born In The USA”
The Beatles, “Abbey Road”
Johnny Cash, “American IV: The Man Comes Around”
Green Day, “Dookie”
Nine Inch Nails, “The Downward Spiral”
Minstry, “Psalm 69″

-Axis: Bold as Love – Jimi Hendrix Experince
-Houses of the Holy – Led Zep
-Exile on Main St. – Rolling Stones
-Revolver – The Beatles
-Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath
-One of These Nights – Eagles
-Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John
-The Number of the Beast – Iron Maiden
-Reign in Blood – Slayer
-In Utero – Nirvana
-Steppenwolf the Second – Steppenwolf
-Toys in the Attic – Aeromsith
-Velvet Underground & Nico

The Libertines self-titled. End of discussion.

the fall – live at the witch trials
gbv – mag earwig!
modest mouse – baron von bullshit rides again
peter gabriel – “melt” cover
wings – band on the run
beck – odelay (it took me awhile to figure out what i was looking at. then again i’m dumb).

Abbey Road
Sgt. Pepper’s
Revolver
With The Beatles
Blonde On Blonde
The Velvet Underground And Nico
Disraeli Gears
Let It Bleed
Beggar’s Banquet
Band On The Run
Otis Blue
Is This It (European Version)
Demon Days

Radiohead-”In Rainbows”

Pet Sounds- The Beach Boys
Quadrophenia- The who
Abraxas-Santana

Tragic Kingdom by No Doubt
Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd
Goo by Sonic Youth
Death by Sexy by Eagles of Death Metal
Easter by Patti Smith
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips
Electric Warrior- The Cult

covers I’ve always liked…
Ramones- The Ramones
Arcade Fire- Funeral
Replacements- Let It Be
New Order- Power, Corruption, and Lies
The Clash- Give ‘Em Enough Rope
The Beatles- Revolver
Beck- The Information (my version) and Odelay
R.E.M.- Up
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers- Hard Promises (not sure why though…)
Talking Heads- More Songs About Buildings and Food

I don’t really like any of RS’s suggestions this week, they all seem to be based on the music contained on the albums rather than the covers themselves (same thing goes for OK Computer, in my opinion…)

Alladin Sane
revolver
sticky fingers
abbey road
electric warrior (t. rex)
houses of the holy
zeppelin 1
get behind me satan
aha shake heartbreak
forever changes
born to run
peace love and death metal

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heats Club Band – The Beatles

Odelay – Beck

OK Computer – Radiohead

The Church: Heydey
Replacements: Let it be
Duke Pearson: Honey Bee
Janes Addiction: Ritual
Kiss: Destroyer
Iron Maiden: Number of the Beast
Iron Maiden: Killers

Bright Eyes–Cassadaga (With the decoder disk, it’s brilliant)
The Decemberists–The Crane Wife
John Mayer–Continuum
Pink Floyd–Drak Side of the Moon
The Mars Volta–Frances the Mute
Jethro Tull–Aqualung
Keane–Under the Iron Sea
Modest Mouse–Good News for People Who Love Bad News, and We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Muse–Black Holes and Revelations
Nirvana –Nev ermin d
Queens of the Stone Age–Era Vulgaris
Wilco–A Ghost Is Born

Highway 61 Revisited- Bob Dylan
Blonde On Blonde- Bob Dylan
A Hard Day’s Night- The Beatles
Rubber Soul- The Beatles
Revolver- The Beatles
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band- The Beatles
Abbey Road- The Beatles
The Clash- The Clash
London Calling- The Clash
Born To Run- Bruce Springsteen
Tommy- The Who
Who’s Next- The Who
Quadrophenia- The Who
The Who By Numbers- The Who
Led Zeppelin I- Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin II- Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin III- Led Zeppelin
Led Zepplin IV- Led Zeppelin
Physical Graffiti- Led Zeppelin
Are You Experienced?- The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Axis: Bold As Love- The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Forever Changes- Love
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn- Pink Floyd
Dark Side Of The Moon- Pink Floyd
Wish You Were Here-Pink Floyd
Aftermath- The Rolling Stones
Between The Buttons- The Rolling Stones
Beggar’s Banquet- The Rolling Stones
Let It Bleed- The Rolling Stones
Sticky Fingers- The Rolling Stones
Exile On Main St.- The Rolling Stones
The Velvet Underground & Nico- The Velvet Underground
Loaded- The Velvet Underground
Face To Face- The Kinks
The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society- The Kinks
Astral Weeks- Van Morrison
Horses- Patti Smith
Music From Big Pink- The Band
Ogdens’Nut Gone Flake- The Small Faces
Odessey & Oracle- The Zombies
All Things Must Pass- George Harrison
Pink Moon- Nick Drake
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness- Smashing Pumpkins
Disraeli Gears- Cream

The Clash- London Calling

i love it when cover art perfectly matches the music contained.

off the top of my head:

nico – chelsea girl
pj harvey -white chalk
peggy lee – sugar & spice
marianne faithfull – broken english

Jerry Lee Lewis- Last Man Standing
The White Stripes- Elephant
Johnny Cash- American IV

tom waits:
blue valentine
nighthawks at the diner
bone machine
orphans
someone alreay mentioned raindogs

Tool – Aenema
The Angels of Light – New Mother
Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures

Not a rock album, but I have to check in with Tom Scott and the L.A. Express

Wish you were here – Pink Floyd
Abbey Road – Beatles
Lateralus – Tool (Alex Grey rocks)

The Cure, “Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me”
Joni Mitchell, “Blue”
Yo La Tengo, “I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One”
Miles Davis, “Kind of Blue” (original cover)
Minutemen, “Double Nickles on the Dime”
Moby, “Hotel” (terrible album though)
No Doubt, “Rock Steady” ties with Rancid, “And out Come the Wolves …” for great use of black and white with red
Sarah McLachlan, “Surfacing” (knock the music if you like, but that image nails the spirit of the record)
Wilco, “Being There”
Pixies, “Surfer Rosa”
Frank Zappa, “Hot Rats” (the creepiest)
Weezer, “Pinkerton” (oh, for the mystery of it)
Also, I agree with everybody about London Calling, though I’ve never cared much for the type and the colors. They should have just stuck with the image of Paul Simonon and ditched the horizontal/vertical type.

ACHTUNG BABY—U2

chillipeppers-bloodsugarsexmag ik
beatles-abbey rd
pearl jam-vitalogy
green day-dookie
metallica-master of puppets
nin-with teeth
floyd-dark side
ratm-evil empire

How Can you miss SGT PEPPERS or Abbyey Road?

Other :

Coldplay’s “A Rush of Blood to the Head”

and Radiohead’s “Hail to the Thief”

Beatles – White Album

That’s you need.

“Late For the Sky” by Jackson Browne

scorpions with the guy with the forks in his eyes (forget album name)

Jefferson Starship “Spitfire” lady smoking and the smoke turns into a dragon….

The Beatles “Revolver” trip art before we were tripping…

Molly Hatchet any album

Live at Leeds-The Who
White Album-The Beatles

That would be BLACKOUT!!!!! SCORPS RULE (Devils horns hand sign)

U2 – Achtung Baby

Madonna – True Blue

Elton John – Captain Fantastic

The Beatles – Abbey Road

Green Day – American Idiot

Marilyn Manson – Mechanical Animals

Gwen Stefani – LoveAngelMusicBaby

Beatles – ‘Abbey Road’ and ‘White Album’
Pink Floyd – ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ and ‘Animals’
Jimi Hendrix Experience – ‘Are You Experienced’

TALKING HEAD – REMAIN IN LIGHT
KANYE WEST – THE GRADUATION
JOY DIVISION – UNKNOWN PLEASURES
PATTI SMITH – HORSES
BECK – SEA CHANGES
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND – THE VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO
ROXY MUSIC – COUNTRY LIFE
JUSTICE – (CROSS)
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE – ERA VULGARIS
ROLLING STONES – STICKY FINGERS
FLAMING LIPS – AT WAR WITH THE MYSTICS
THE DECEMBERISTS – THE CRANE WIFE
WEEZER – PINKERTON
THE STOOGES – RAW POWER
DAVID BOWIE – ALADDIN SANE
THE WHITE STRIPES – WHITE BLOOD CELLS
THE STREETS – ORIGINAL PIRATE MATERIAL

no code

pearl jam

Beatles – Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper’s, Revolver, Rubber Soul, With the Beatles

Radiohead – OK Computer, Kid A

Neil Young – Self-titled, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Tonight’s the Night

Van Morrison – Astral Weeks, Huis Band & the Street Choir, Veedon Fleece

Miles Davis – Bitches Brew, In a Silent Way, a Tribute to Jack Johnson

Springsteen – Born to Run

Coltrane – A Love Supreme, Ascension

Alice in Chains – Dirt, Alice in Chains

Fun House – Stooges

P-Funk – Maggot Brain, Cosmic Slop, Standing on the Verge of Getting it On, Let’s Take it to the Stage, One Nation Under a Groove, Mothership Connection, Funkentelecy vs. the Placebo Syndrome, Motor-Booty Affair

All Yes album covers painted by Roger Dean: Fragile, Realyer, Classic Yes, etc.

The fist three Asia covers(Roger Dean too):
Asia: Asia
Asia: Alpha
Asia:Astra

Physical Graffitti
Led Zeppelin 1,2,3,4, Presence

London Calling: The Clash
Kiss Dynasty, Kiss Destroyer, Alive 1, Double Platinum
Sgt. Pepper’s, Meet The Beatles, Rubber Soul

Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, Selling England By The Pound

The Who: Who’s Next

The Alice Cooper Show (sick stuff)
Welcome To My Nightmare (bizarre)

Number of the Beast (gave me chills and Nightmares. great stuff)

Tool – 10,000 Days

Rage Against The Machine – Self titled album

Deftones – Adrenaline

Metallica – Ride The Lightening

Slayer – South of Heaven

Soundgarden – Superunknown

Nirvana – Nevermind

Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon

Led Zeppelin – IV (self titled)

Iron Maiden 1, Killers, and Number Of the Beast all creeped me out.

good category RRD, Cudos.

Lost In Space-Aimee Mann

so far so good – bryan adams

wow.

its kind of funny the amount of people who actually think of alex grey as a great artist.

or h. r. giger.

fuck it. sgt peppers.

throbbing gristle- 20 jazz funk favorites

sonic youth-daydream nation. gerhard richter. thats a fucking painting. or not. thats the point.

Heatmiser – Mic City Sons

Syd Matters – Someday We Will Foresee Obstacles

InMe – Overgrown Eden

Fightstar – Grand Unification

Alice In Chains – Jars Of Flies

Future Sound Of London – Dead Cities

Sigur Ros – Ágætis Byrjun

highway to hell
led zeppelin 1,2,4

“Shark Sandwich” by Spinal Tap

I agree, No Doubt – Tragic Kingdom

I also like Beastieboys – Hello Nasty

Hole – Live Through This

Not one vote for Appetite For Destruction? Okay, one vote for Appetite For Destruction

Also Ride The Lightning is a cool cover.

pinkerton/weezer
no code/pearl jam
yield/pearl jam
pearl jam/pearl jam
brighten the corners/pavement
wowee zowee/pavement
the downward spiral/nin

yea i guess for me abby road by the beatles, good-bye yellowbrick road,captain fantastic,and dont shoot me by elton john, season of glass by yoko ono to name a few

Zappa/Mothers: Weasels Ripped My Flesh, We’re Only In It For the Money
Big Brother and the Holding Company: Cheap Thrills
Grateful Dead: Aoxomoxoa, American Beauty
Stooges: Fun House
Elton John: Captain Fantastic
Stones: Sticky Fingers
Clash: London Calling, Goo
Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation
Miles Davis: Bitches Brew, Live Evil
Joni Mitchell: Court and Spark
Jefferson Airplane: Crown of Creation, Bless Its Pointed Little Head
Dylan: Times They Are A Changin’
Patti Smith: Horses
Velvet Underground: White Light/White Heat
Lou Reed: Transformer, Blue Mask, Growing Up in Public
Hendrix: Axis Bold As Love
Allman Brothers: Eat a Peach

A few more:
Rage Against The Machine (1st album)
Zappa: Hot Rats
Neil Young: American Stars n’ Bars
Springsteen: Nebraska

led zeppelin 3
abbey road
gn’r lies
tattoo you
blood sugar sex magik

and Appetite for Destruction, duh.

the inside of ramones albums are the best.

and funhouse – the stooges

Come on…give it up for two 80’s hardcore punk album cover icons: Winston Smith (Dead Kennedys) and Raymond Pettibone (Black Flag, SST label…not Damaged, though. That’s a Glen Friedman photo).

Having said that:

Black Flag: “My War”

Dead Kennedys: “In God We Trust, Inc.”

Ramones: “Ramones”

Sex Pistols: “Never Mind The Bullocks…”

Aphex Twin: “Come To Daddy”

…I could think of more but I have to get back to work…

steely dan: aja

Radiohead: Ok Computer and Kid A
Interpol: Turn On the Bright Lights
The Cure: Disintegration
Life Without Buildings: Live At The Annandale Hotel

john denver-rocky mountain high (i love that cover and record)

. . . i’d give you more but I have to go back to my full time job of being a menace to society. NOT!

every pearl jam cover ever made. Nah, nah. i’m just fuckin’ around.

PS anyone who’s a fan of david duchovny should be tortured with a pair of pliers and blow torch.

Beatles Revolver
Beck Odelay
Shins Oh, Inverted World
Wilco Kicking Television or Sky Blue Sky or A Ghost… Hell all of them
Led Zeppelin IV
Elvis Costello Imeperial Bedroom
Kanye West Graduation
Eminem The Eminem Show
Cream Disraeli Gears
Sonic Youth Daydream Nation
Pink Floyd Dark Side Of The Moon
Bob Dylan Blood On The Tracks
U2 Achtung Baby
There’s more but I’m tired

Do you think Apple has purposely introduced Cover Flow as a way of keeping the album cover art form going?

what the hell are you asking me for?

i don’t get the whole nevermind thing. it’s just some fuckin’ kid in a pool with his dick sticking out!

The Beatles “Meet The Beatles” v. “Sgt Peppers Lonelyhearts Club Band”

both. But Sgt. Peppers should be #1 on any Top Album Covers list. Iconic.

Talking Heads “Remain In Light”
Rolling Stones “Sticky Fingers” v. “Tattoo You” — again. Both

The Clash “London Calling” If anyone asked me “what does rock and roll look like” I’ll just show ‘em that.

Led Zeppelin IV. Yes, cover art is a dying form, but what about that gatefold art. That was awesome.

Nirvana “Nevermind”

The Ramones “The Ramones”. This is also what rock and roll looks like.

R.E.M. “Murmur”

The Band “Music From Big Pink”

The Who “Sell Out”

Chinese Democracy

Their Satanic Majesty’s Request

The Stones

Physical Graffitti

Who’s Next (they all piss on that cement wall that’s part of some ancient temple)

Van Halen 1984 (an angel smoking a butt, pretty cool)

the beatles-revolver,abbey road, sgt.pepper and yesterday and today{the butcher cover}
pink floyd-the wall and dark side of moon

help,a hard days night-the beatles
its so cool

Synchronicity by the Police has a great album cover.

how many more morons are going to vote for crappy nirvana covers?

Hotel California, baby.

(A PSYCHO’S MELTDOWN MIX)

Some Girls– The Stones

Wow, I really think I popped a vessel in my brain remebering this one, “Lace And Whiskey” By Alice Cooper.

ted nugent – weekend warriors

ted nugent – weekend warriors

Beatles – Revolver
Radiohead – Ok Computer
Radiohead – Hail To The Thief
Prince – Sign ‘o’ The Times
The Rolling Stones – Sticky Fingers
Joy Division – Closer
U2 – Achtung Baby
David Bowie – Low

the greatest cover of all time spans both sides….overnight sensation, frank zappa!

the greatest album cover of all time spans both sides of the fold….overnight sensation, frank zappa

Rush – Moving Pictures

Sparks-Kimono My House
Sparks-Propaganda
Sparks -Indiscreet
Beatles-White Album
Beatles-Abbey Road
Zappa-Hot Rats
Zappa-Weasles Ripped My Flesh
Blue Oyster Cult-On Your Feet…

Metallica – Load
Jane’s Addiction – Nothing’s Shocking

The Scorpions-Virgin Killers(uncensored cvr)

Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures
Nirvana – Nevermind
The Strokes – Is this it
The Smiths – Meat is murder
Gorilaz – Demon days
Rage against the machine – R.A.T.M

Here we go (not in order)
Abbey Road – Beatles
Satanic (3D shot) – The Stones
Sticky Fingers (U.S. & Spain) – Stones
London Calling – Clash
OOh La La – Faces

King Crimson:Court of the Crimson King

Iron Maiden: Piece of Mind

Led Zeppelin: Fourth album

The Beatles: Revolver/Rubber Soul

Black Sabbath: Live Evil

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass: I don’t know the name, but it’s the fold out one with the hot girl from the 60’s covered in whipped cream. Definitely had an impact on my youth.

Potential big-time overlook!!! The Norman Rockwell painted cover of Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield. I have that one hanging on my wall. Beautiful and ironic.

The Sgt.Peppers, The Velvet Underground & Nico (Andy Warhol), Abbey Road, Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd)

prodigy – jilted generation

replacements Tim

Do most of you REALIZE “London Calling” is a replica of Elvis Presley’s first album cover?

Doors- L.A. Woman (original see through with woman crucified on a telephone pole)

(and what about those Phil Collins album covers? stooooopid!)

Synchronicity had 32 variations.

Neon Park did unique work for a cool ol’ band called Little Feat..check out “Duck Lips” from Down on the Farm.

More Songs About Buildings and Food deserves a mention, too.

Herb Alpert- “Whipped Cream and Other Delights”..
I have found and collected 5 tribute covers to this including Soul Asylum
“Clam Dip and Other Delights”

r. tickle -

the only thing related to elvis on the cover of london calling is the lettering.

Stones – Sticky Fingers (with actual zipper) and Satanic Majesty’s (with 3D cover; didja know the Beatles are in there?).
Jethro Tull – Thick as a Brick (original, full fold-open newspaper)
King Crimson – Court of the Crimson King (open album completely to best appreciate).
Strawbs – Grave New World
Pink Floyd – Ummagumma
Emerson Lake & Palmer – Brain Salad Surgery
The Who – The Who By Numbers (Entwistle’s creation)
Yes – Close to the Edge
Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager (looks like a long ago time and place but something up in the sky is definitely out of context)
Roxy Music – nothing says “great album cover” like babes.
Captain Beefhart – Trout Mask Replica
Lennon/Ono – Two Virgins (probably musically a rip-off, couldn’t tell ya, but definitely a landmark cover).
Cheech & Chong – Big Bamboo (we wished there really was rolling papers that big!)
gotta go, but finally…
Alice Cooper – School’s Out (the album designed like an old-fashioned lift-up school desk and inside was the vinyl disk wrapped in pink panties).

Jimi Hendrix-Axis: Bold As Love

GENESIS-TRESPASS,FOXTROT AND SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND.PHIL COLLING AND PETER GABRIEL SOLO ALBUMS SINCE THEY BOTH USE THEIR FACES ON EACH ALBUM I.E P.C. FACE VALUE OR P.G ALBUM 1

My favorite album covers are:( in no particular order)
1. Beatles-SGT.Peppers
2. Led Zep’s lll album
3. Flaming Lips-At war with the mystics
4. Yardbirds-Little games
5. Each member’s of KISS 1978 solo albums
6. Kiss-Love gun (8-track tape cover; the decal on the tape itself)
7. A Perfect Circle-Thirteenth step
8. Beatles-Revolver
9. Men at Work’s self titled album
10. Beatles-Magical Mystery Tour
11. Rush-Grace under pressure
12. Van Halen-1984
13. Yes-Fragile
14. Beatles-Yellow submarine
15. Weird Al Yankovic-Off the deep end
16. Led Zep’s 1st album
17. Rolling Stones-Flowers
When I buy an album regardless on what format, I usually care more about how good the tracks are than the art on the covers. Just like the old adage: ” You can’t judge an album ( in this case) by its cover!!

Let It Bleed- The Rolling Stones
The Times They Are A Changin- Bob Dylan
White Blood Cells- The White Stripes
After The Gold Rush- Neil Young
OK Computer- Radiohead
War- U2
Odelay- Beck
Daydream Nation -Sonic Youth
Revolver- The Beatles
Led Zeppelin- Led Zeppelin

“Heroes” – David Bowie
In The Court of the Crimson King – King Crimson
Ok Computer, Kid A – Radiohead
Fragile – Yes
Brain Salad Surgery – ELP
Tonight’s the Night – Neil Young
Blood Mountain, Leviathan – Mastodon

“Wish You Were Here” Pink Floyd
“Siamese Dream” Smashing Pumpkins
“Pet Sounds” The Beach Boys
“Pyromania” Def Leppard

1. Nirvana – Nevermind
2. Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon
3. Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin IV

paul mccartney-mccartney
its so cute

in no particular order….
-zeppelin II
-Zeppelin IV
-Physical graphitti
-in utero
-Sgt. peppers lonely hearts club band
-The wall (simplcity kicks ass)
-dark side of the moon
-wish you were here

Abbey road of course…well actually any beatles album that trips you the fuck out when you look at it…so all of them i guess…the beatles were messed man…in a good way though

Miles Davis – In A Silent Way
The Beatles – Abbey Road
Kanye West – Late Registration
The VU – The VU & Nico

nevermind

for its intuitive concept

How about some recent album covers? I

Smashing Pumpkins Zeitgeist – A really striking cover

Beck- Sea Change

White Stripes- Get Behind Me Satam

Pearl Jam – Self- Titled

rollingstone you’re really running out of ideas….you’ve asked this before…

electriclarryland–> butthole surfers

king crimson in the court of the crimson king
beatles – sergeant pepper’s
joni mitchell – hejira
miles davis – bitces brew
neil young – on the beach
rolling stones – sticky fingers
velvet underground

from the blue note jazz label:
donald byrd – the catwalk
http://www.bluenote.com/Imag es/jpeg_165/74226_165.jpg

d exter gordon – dexter calling
http://www.bluenote.c om/images/jpeg_165/92420.jpg

herbie hancock – inventions and dimensions
http://www.bluenot e.com/images/jpeg_165/63798.jp g

sonny rollins – volume 2
http://www.bluenote.com/ima ges/jpeg_165/2434978092.jpg

more covers I like:
No Doubt- Return of Saturn
Weezer- Pinkerton
Joy Division- Unknown Pleasures

it’s unfortunate that the Cure don’t have any really awesome album covers (I kind of like the cover of the Head on the Door, but, not enough though), none of their covers are really bad, just bland…

My apologies the links didn’t carry over & the spelling errors due to a sticky keyboard.

I hate spelling errors.

Anyway, you can check out the album art at
http://www.bluenote.com

Metallica – …And Justice for All

Deftones – Deftones

Peeping Tom – Peeping Tom

Fear Factory – Demanufactured

George Michael – Listen Without Prejudice

Ol Dirty Bastard – Return to the 36 Chambers

I’ll think of more later…

Joy Division – Closer
The Strokes – Is This It, UK edition
Pink Floyd – Animals
Led Zeppelin – the original Physical Graffiti
Beck – The Information

Elvis Presley- Elvis Presley
The Black Crowes- Amorica
The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers
Van Halen- 1984
Led Zeppelin-I
Derek & The Dominos- Layla & Other Assorted Songs
Bruce Springsteen-Born In The USA
The Byrds-Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

ANY Iron Maiden cover – especially Piece of Mind and Killers

Nirvana- Nevermind
Madonna- True Blue
George Michael- Listen Without Prejudice
U2- War
Maxwell- Urban Hang Suite
James Blunt- All The Lost Souls

guns and roses: apetite for destruction (original cover)

Bob Marley – Catch A Fire
Miles Davis – Bitches Brew
Allman Brothers – At Fillmore East
Beatles – Abbey Road
Cream – Disraeli Gears
Jimi Hendrix – Axis: Bold As Love
Rolling Stones – Sticky Fingers
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain
The Band – Music From Big Pink
The Who – The Who Sell Out
The Mothers of Invention – We’re Only In It For the Money
And hell…
Peaches – Fatherfucker
Slayer – Reign In Blood
Pantera – Vulgar Display of Power

yeah, the original gn’r robot rape cover is better.

The Frank Frazetta Molly Hatchet albums.

Yes: Close To the Edge (the most subtle Roger Dean is in my opinion his best work).

Beach Boys: Surf’s Up

Steely Dan: Aja

Blue Oyster Cult: Agents of Fortune

Cove Road: Psychodelephant

Hey Joe-
and the color of the lettering and a black & white photograph..
sheesh…we went from a face shot to a man smashing his guitar
..OTHERWISE..
an obvious homage.
- There were 4 colors of panties in School’s Out.
Pink
Blue
Green
(or)
Yellow

One of the best album covers ever is Tina Turner’s “Private Dancer” from 1984. Not the CD cover which they changed but the original vinyl album. Talk about a comeback…….and those legendary legs are displayed perfectly.

Opeth’s album covers tend to be eerie and mournful, just like the music. The visuals and music give off the same vibe, which I like.

Also, I thought the cover of The Mars Volta’s Frances the Mute was really cool. It’s probably my favourite in years.

London Calling and Sgt. Peppers are the two that pop out for me historically.

On a personal level, I like these covers:

Sea Change by Beck
The Smoke of Hell-Supersuckers
Clutch-Self Titled
Queens of the Stone Age-self titled
Talking Heads-Remain in Light
Jane’s Addiction-Ritual De Lo Habitual(Original Cover)
Snoop Dogg-Doggystyle
Dead Kennedys-Frankenchrist
Stroke s-Is This It(Original UK)
NWA-Straight Outta Compton
Rage Against the Machine-self titled
Fatboy Slim-You’ve come a long way baby(freaking hilarious)
System of a Down-Steal this Album

VAN HALEN – 1984

Rammstein, “Rosenrot”. Not their best work, but the cover represents very well the overall sound and mood of the album. QOTSA’s “Songs for the deaf” has a pretty good cover too.

Late for the Sky- Jackson Browne
Pretty good album, SWEET cover

Sgt. Peppers
Neon Bible
orriginal Electric Ladyland

London Calling

Beatles: Sg Pepper, Revolver and Abbey road.
U2: War
Pink Floyd: dark side of the moon

Beatles-Sgt. Pepper’s

Patti Smith-Horses

Green Day-Dookie (who didn’t have a blast staring at that cover in fifth grade?)

Simon and Garfunkel-Bookends

My Bloody Valentine-Loveless (hazy, can’t understand it, vibrant-just like the album)

Notorious B.I.G.-Ready to Die

Explosions in the Sky-All of the Sudden I Miss Everyone

Smashing Pumpkins-Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

Marvin Gaye-What’s Going On (eyes to the sky like he’s dreaming of a better day)

Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong-Ella and Louis (it’s just the two of them sitting in chairs!)

Joni Mitchell-Blue

MEATLOAF-BAT OUT OF HELL!!! That’s such a great cover!

I’ll put Fleetwood Mac “Rumors” up there for good measure, along with Bob Dylan looking super nice on the cover of “Nashville Skyline”…

…throw in any Molly Hatchet album cover (scary), Pink Floyd-The Wall, ands that Cars album with the naked lady on it. Yeah!

London Calling-The Clash
Sticky Fingers-Rolling Stones
Trout Mask Replica-Captain Beefheart

Ten favorite album covers of all time.

1. Leapday Night – David Behrman
2. 0898 – The Beautiful South
3. Lenox Avenue Breakdown – Arthur Blythe
4. Loss – Mull Historical Society
5. Is Terrified – The Dismemberment Plan
6. Eli and the 13th Confession – Laura Nyro
7. Spleen and Ideal – Dead Can Dance
8. Cultasaurus Erectus – Blue Oyster Cult
9. Laughing Stock – Talk Talk
10.To Mega Therion – Celtic Frost

-London Calling-The Clash
-Nevermind The Bollocks-The Sex Pistols
-Dark Side of The Moon=Pink Floyd

Santana. Santana
(first album)

Abraxas. Santana

WAR. U2

Rock & Roll. John Lennon
…standing in a doorway, watching the world go by…the splash of neon “works” here

Let It Bleed. Rolling Stones
(front & back cover)

1984. Van Halen

IV. Led Zeppelin

Houses Of The Holy. Led Zeppelin

“From The Choirgirl Hotel”, Tori Amos.
“Mechanical Animals”, Marilyn Manson.
“Aerial”, Kate Bush.
“Rid Of Me”, PJ Harvey.
“Homogenic”, Björk.
“Portishead”, Portishead.
“Takk…”, Sigur Ros (even though I hate that album).

And I cant’ remember another one.

Any Beatle Cover was Genius

Moody Blue’s “Days of Future Passed”

Pink Floyd- “Wish you were here”/Dark Side

Elvis Costello- Armed Forces/Imperial Bedroom

Rolling Stones-Satanic Majesties

The Zombies- Odyssey and Oracle

Elton John- Captain Fantastic (even the back side had awesome cover art)

Who-Who’s Next

They Might Be Giants-The Pink Album

Love-Forever Changes

Pavement-Slanted and Enchanted

Best Album with worst cover goes to the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds. Cover is horrible because only Brian Wilson was the one writing and playing instruments, the rest of the band did shit except harmonize. Fuck Mike Love.

Sports-

huey
lewis

very simple

Sebadoh – Bakesale
or
U2 – Boy
or
anything Storm Thurgerson created

Spinal Tap – Smell The Glove
Talking Heads – 77
Beatles – White Album

- I like simplicity ….

Either those or the First 3 Peter Gabriel Albums, sort of like magazines for you’re turntable

Synchronicity-The Police
Dark Side of the Moon-Pink Floyd
It’s Hard-The Who
TNT-AC/DC
A Night at the Opera-Queen

some good ones:
- no code by pearl jam
- remain in the light by talking heads
- the argument by fugazi
- daydream nation by sonic youth
- ok computer by radiohead

the best one though is london calling. if there was ever a album cover that captures the essence of an album, the image of paul breaking his guitar says it all. simply put, a perfect cover for a perfect album!

Prince-Sign ‘O The Times & 1999
Roxy Music-Country Life
Funkadelic-Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow & Maggot Brain
Madonna-Madonna
Spiritua lized-Ladies And Gentlemen…We’re Floating In Space
Beatles-Sgt. Pepper’s L.H.C.B. & Abbey Road
Miles Davis-Big Fun
Joy Divison-Closer
Suede-Suede
Hus ker Du-Warehouse: Songs And Stories
Iggy & The Stooges-Raw Power
Jimi Hendrix-Electric Ladyland (Original cover with JHE surrounded by nude women of various skin tones)
New York Dolls-New York Dolls

To Audio Suede:
The big deal about Prince is that he is a musical genius due to his grasp/use of various styles. From 1980 to 1988, no Prince album sounds like its predecessor. He’s a one man band in the studio. During his “peak”, not only was he doing all the music for his own releases, but all of the music for his many side projects. From your statement that you like some R&B, it’s pretty obvious that you only think of him as an R&B artist. Also, he’s one of the best live performers EVER! The only people that were surprised about his wonderful performance during the halftime of Super Bowl XLI were the cluelessss folk, like yourself, who just don’t want to or can’t understand the seriousness of his musicianship. Some white folks simply can’t except the fact that one of best rock musicians on the planet is a 5′2″ black man in heels.

Prince-Sign ‘O The Times & 1999
Funkadelic-Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow, Maggot Brain & America Eats Its Young
Roxy Music-Country Life
The Beatles- Sgt. Peppers, Revolver & Abbey Road
Iggy & The Stooges-Raw Power
Joy Division-Closer
Spiritualized- Ladies & Gentlemen…We Are Floating In Space
NWA-Straight Outta Compton
RUN DMC-King Of Rock
The Smiths-The Smiths, The Queen Is Dead & Louder Than Bombs
T.Rex-Electric Warrior & Slider
Husker Du-Warehouse: Songs And Stories
New York Dolls-New York Dolls
Grace Jones-Island Life
Miles Davis-Big Fun
Jimi Hendrix-Electric Ladyland (Original Cover)
Madonna-Madonna
Mother’ s Of Invention-We’re In It Only For The Money

Prince-Sign ‘O The Times & 1999
Roxy Music-Country Life
Funkadelic-Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow, Maggot Brain & America Eats Its Young
Madonna-Madonna
Spiritua lized-Ladies And Gentlemen…We’re Floating In Space
Beatles-Sgt. Pepper’s L.H.C.B., Revolver & Abbey Road
Miles Davis-Big Fun
Joy Divison-Closer
Suede-Suede
Hus ker Du-Warehouse: Songs And Stories
Iggy & The Stooges-Raw Power
Jimi Hendrix-Electric Ladyland (Original cover with JHE surrounded by nude women of various skin tones)
New York Dolls-New York Dolls
The Smiths-The Smiths, The Queen Is Dead & Louder Than Bombs
Grace Jones-Island Life
Mothers Of Invention-We’re In It Only For The Money

To Audio Suede:
The big deal about Prince is that he is a musical genius due to his grasp/use of various styles. From 1980 to 1988, no Prince album sounds like its predecessor. He’s a one man band in the studio. During his “peak”, not only was he doing all the music for his own releases, but all of the music for his many side projects. From your statement that you like some R&B, it’s pretty obvious that you only think of him as an R&B artist. Also, he’s one of the best live performers EVER! The only people that were surprised about his wonderful performance during the halftime of Super Bowl XLI were the cluelessss folk, like yourself, who just don’t want to or can’t understand the seriousness of his musicianship. Some white folks simply can’t except the fact that one of best rock musicians on the planet is a 5′2″ black man in heels.

St.peppers….
so many stories behing the cover.

I remember being a young boy of 14 and rubbing one out to the cover of Blink 182’s Enema of the State. Ahh, memories…

THE BEST EVER:-
WISH YOU WERE HERE-pink floyd
sgt peppers,abbey road,revolver-beatles
dookie- green day
sticky finger-rolling stones

from the choirgirl hotel – Tori Amos

from the choirgirl hotel – Tori Amos

bjork
:post
:homogenic
:ver spertine
:volta

alice in chains:
:dirt
:jar of flies

beck
:midnite vultures
(funky packaging)

the tragically hip
:fully completely

radiohead
:kid a
:hail to the thief

rhcp
:blood sugar sex magik

menomena
:friend and foe

jane’s addiction:
:kettle whistle

U2-War
Rolling Stones-Sticky Fingers
The Clash-London Calling
The Ramones-Rocket to Russia
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN-BORN TO RUN
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also,
Dont’ forget THE BAND’s Music From
Big Pink Cover Art, done by Bob Dylan!

“Green Mind”-Dinosaur Jr.
“Reign In Blood”-Slayer
“Reckoning”-R.E .M.
“Moving Pictures”-Rush
“In Utero”-Nirvana
“Yield”-Pearl Jam
“Daydream Nation”-Sonic Youth
“Figure 8″-Elliott Smith
“Dig Me Out”-Sleater Kinney
“Rid of Me”-PJ Harvey
“Abbey Road”-The Beatles
“Beggars Banquet”-The Rolling Stones
“Is This It”-The Strokes
“Antics”-Interpol
“F ever to Tell”-Yeah Yeah Yeahs
“Chutes too Narrow”-The Shins
“Dirt”-Alice In Chains
“Undertow”-Tool
&
“B lood Sugar Sex Magik”-RHCP

the stooges – fun house

beck – odelay

lou reed – transformer

ween – freedom of 76

the beatles – abbey road

bjork
:post
:homogenic
:ver spertine
:volta

alice in chains
:dirt
:jar of flies

beck
:midnite vultures
(funky packaging)

the tragically hip
:fully completely

radiohead
:kid a
:hail to the thief

rhcp
:blood sugar sex magik

menomena
:friend and foe

jane’s addiction
:kettle whistle

madonna – true blue

Santana-Santana, Abraxas, & Santana III
Sly & The Family Stone-There’s A Riot Goin’ On
The Who-The Who Sells Out, Who’s Next & Who By Numbers
Big Brother & The Holding Company-Cheap Thrills
The Rolling Stones-Her Satanic Majesty’s Request, Hot Rocks & Some Girls
X-Los Angeles
Outkast-Aquemini
Isaac Hayes-Hot Buttered Soul
Marvin Gaye-What’s Going On, I Want You & Here, My Dear
Joni Mitchell-Blue
Jane’s Addiction-Nothing’s Shocking & Ritual De Lo Habitual
Earth, Wind & Fire- All ‘N’ All
Bob Marley & The Wailers-Catch A Fire
Peter Tosh-Legalize It
Velvet Underground-V.U. & Nico
Talking Heads- More Songs About Buildings And Food
New Order-Power, Corruption & LIes
Jimi Hendrix-Are You Experienced?, Axis: Bold As Love & Band Of Gypsys
Common-Like Water For Chocolate
Ohio Players-Fire & Honey
My Bloddy Valentine-Loveless
The Verve-A Storm In Heaven
Led Zeppelin-Led Zeppelin I & Houses Of The Holy

“So Damn Happy” Loudon Wainwright III

Live after Death – Iron Maiden

Really you can pick out just about any cover from these guys, they’re all great.

Synchronicity-The Police
Zenyatta Mondatta-The Police

King Crimson – In the Court of the Crimson King

The Clash – London Calling

Miles Davis -Bitches Brew

Big Brother and Holding Company -Cheap Thrills

..and pretty much any album by any heavy metal band that ever existed -and here’s a general rule of thumb to go by: the cheesier the band, the cooler the album cover will be. Do we all agree?
-(okay, I can’t explain Iron Maiden, they both rock AND have cool album artwork.)

Sgt. Peppers – probably the most important, groundbreaking in its time
White Album – opposite of the above
Born to Run
Evil Empire
War

Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt- John Frusciante

Smile From The Streets You Hold-John Frusciante

Sly and the Family Stone- Fresh

War-U2

The Madcap Laughs- Syd Barrett

Cut- The Slits

S/T- The Clash (UK OR US versions)

Raw Power- The Stooges

Strange Days- The Doors

Abbey Road- The Beatles

Two Virgins -John and Yoko

The Smiths- Meat is Murder
THE clash – London Calling
Arctic Monkeys’s first album

regatta de blanc-The Police

spinal tap – the black album

the wall-pink floyd

Just because everyone keeps making the same mistake, the cover of London Calling is a picture of Paul Simonon at a 1979 concert in New York where he smashed his Fender Bass, not guitar.
—Tom

Radiohead- Kid A
Deerhunter- Cryptograms
My Bloody valentine- Loveless
Ride- Nowhere
Massive Attack- Mezzanine
Neutral Milk Hotel- In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

Powerslave- Iron Maiden
Quadrophenia- The Who
Demons & Wizards- Uriah Heep
Disraeli Gears- Cream
Operation Mindcrime- Queensryche

Pink Floyd – Meddle. When I realized the cover was a closeup of an ear it drew a nice parallel–the music is so intense you have to step back to absorb it.

Soundgarden – Badmotorfinger

King Crimson – Larks’ Tongues in Aspic; also Lizard

The Who – Who’s Next

Thom Yorke – The Eraser

Stone Temple Pilots – Thank You

A Perfect Circle – Mer de Noms

Queens of the Stone Age – Songs for the Deaf

The Doors – Waiting for the Sun

my top 10:

10. korn’s issues
9. guns n’ roses’ appetite for destruction original banned cover
8. jane’s addiction’s nothing’s shocking
7. the who sells out
6. velvet undergound and nico
5. supertramp’s breakfast in america
4. santana’s abraxas
3. the rolling stone’s exile on main street
2. cream’s disraeli gears
1. the beatles’ sgt. pepper…

btw beach boys’ pet sounds is a perfect album but very bad album cover

Pink Floyd – Dark Side Of The Moon
Bob Dylan- Blonde on Blonde
Tom Waits – Raindogs
Nirvana – Nevermind
The White Stripes – Elephant
The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s…
Neil Young – On The Beach
Chili Peppers – Californication

I know you guys are on a Prince high right now, for some unexplicable reason, but that cover of Purple Rain at the top of this page represents everything wrong with the 80s. It is bombast, over produced, and too ‘posed’, just like the music contained on the album. It will no doubt be included on the list, as it seems you have already made up your minds about it, but honestly, it makes my skin crawl.

I’LL SKIP THE OBVIOUS ONES…

I’M A BIG FAN OF ILUSTRATED COVERS. BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY. HERE ARE SOME MORE MODERN ONES I HAVEN’T SEEN MENTIONED MUCH:
1.)ASOBI SEKSU – CITRUS
2.)BECK – SEA CHANCE the cover is one of the main reasons i checked it out. matches the mood perfectly.
3.) BETA BAND – HEROES TO ZEROES
4.) BJORK – VOLTA she’s had a lotta good ones but i think i like this the best it’s hilarious.
5.)COLDPLAY – RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD. surprised nobody’s mentioned this
6.)DEFTONES – AROUND THE FUR. nice cleavage shot haha
7.)DISSOCIATIVES – DISSOCIATIVES
8.)DO AS INFINITY – TRUE SONG a japanese group of which i bought the album in japan simply because of the cover. turned out to be real good.
9.) ELUVIUM – COPIA a great recent one.
10.)GORILLAZ – DEMON DAYS i’m really surprised i’ve not seen this one mentioned. brilliant illustration.
11.)POWEDERFING ER – ODYESSEY NUMBER 5
12.)RADIOHEAD – COMLAG EP of all theirs, i like this one best
13.)SHINS – CHUTES TOO NARROW
14.)SIGUR ROS – AGAETIS BYRUN
15.)SILVERCHAIR – NEON BALLROOM
16.)SMASHING PUMPKINS – MELON COLLIE AND INFINITE SADNESS
17.) TAHITI 80 – PUZZLE

gnarls barkley st elsewhere

fraud:

Pet Sounds The Beach Boys

Sonic Youth- Daydream Nation

U2- War

The Cars- The Cars

Bruce Springsteen- Born to Run

James Taylor- Sweet Baby James

And covers that show that album artwork is not dead…

Arctic Monkeys- Whatever People Say
I Am, I’m Not

Almost any Belle and Sebastian cover

The Long Blondes – Someone to Drive You Home

The White Stripes- Icky Thump most recently, or any other cover by them

Radiohead- OK Computer, or really any other album by them

Frank Zappa – Weasels Ripped My Flesh

Beatles – Sgt. Peppers
Beatles – Revolver
Beatles – Abbey Road
Rolling Stones – Tattoo You
Grateful Dead – Dead Set
Metallica – Master of Puppets
Metallica – And Justice for all
Motley Crue – Theater of pain
Ozzy – Blizzard of Oz
U2 – Joshua Tree
The Clash – London Calling
Green Day – American Idiot
Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet (original)

Led Zeppelin Physical Graffitti
The Yes Album
Dark Side Of the Moon

If Nevermind hits the top spot, it will be absolute ballot box bullshit (mmm hmmm)!!!

RE: o’r'th’hills | 10/21/2007, 4:10 am EST

You’ve been very busy this weekend, I see. Hmmm . . . Why don’t you just vote for every single album created since the beginning of time, while you’re at it!!!

velvet underground- the velvet underground and nico

i DO love the Velvets and Nico cover, even though it’s been mentioned around 50 times. ok, i’m not going to give a list, but one really cool album cover is Bowie’s Diamond Dogs. very cool and creepy, and just awesome. yeah, i LOVE Bowie (as you can tell from the username!)!

Jimi Hendrix – Electric Ladyland

Jimi Hendrix – Electric Ladyland

Sonic Youth- Daydream Nation

COLDPLAY – RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD.
The Shins – Their newest thing.
Green Day – Dookie.

The Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream.

BUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRPPP!!!!!! !

“Abbey Road” is simple, beautiful, and as iconic as any other cover shot.

Honorable mention goes to Randy Newman’s “Little Criminals.” It’s a picture of a lumpy, frowning Randy, with ill-fitting sunglasses, standing on a hilariously ugly L.A. freeway overpass. It’s the anti-”Abbey Road” cover.

Sticky fingers was awesome because it had the zipper that went down.

Gn’R – Appetite For Destruction (the original artwork of the robot rape scene by Robert Wiliams)

Nirvana – Incesticide (if this is what Kurt saw every time he closed his eyes, I can almost understand why he would want to die. Exquisitely horrific.)

Prince – Sign O’ The Times

R.E.M. – Murmur

Black Flag – Damaged

The Clash – London Calling (way too obvious, but it’s just perfect.)

Beck – Mellow Gold (Everybody seems to forget, but Beck used to be morbid and funnier than shit – now he’s just morbid and consummately professional. Really, which do you prefer?)

Pulp – This Is Hardcore

The Stooges – Funhouse

Scarface – Mr. Scarface is Back (I don’t have this album, but I just saw the cover recently and I’m wondering how they were ever able to display this in stores. Kick ass.)

Slayer – South of Heaven (Skulls always look awesome on album covers, but nothing beats this picture. Like the Scarface and Nirvana covers, it’s actually, genuinely frightening.)

Butthole Surfers – Hairway to Steven (It’s really hard to come up with a photo that can actually crack you up. This group has pulled it off a few times.)

all those ohio players lps with the large breasts

My favs:
the clash- london calling
the beatles- white album
the libertines- s/t
arctic monkeys- whatever people…
green day- american idiot
rancid- life won’t wait
the clash- sandinista!
beck- sea change
dead kennedys- fresh fruit for rotting vegetables
the cure- pornography
joy division- unknown pleasures

David Bowie- Aladdinsane
The Doors- Strange Days
Beck- Odelay

“We’re Only In It For The Money” by Frank Zappa/The Mothers of Invention.

Pink Floyd- Wish You Were Here
The Clash- London Calling
The Beatles- Revolver
Neutral Milk Hotel- In The Aeroplane Over the Sea
Elliott Smith- From A Basement on The Hill
Menonmena- Friend And Foe (CD version)

1. sgt peppers, they were the masters at making clever album covers
2. vekvet underground and nico- i love the story behind it, they wanted to poke fun at the stupid fad of smoking bananna peels to get high..
3. abbey road- simple and perfect
4. nirvana nevermind- made me look twice when i first saw it

You look familiar. Didn’t you say that befo . . . oh, whatever, nevermind.

Fragile Yes

Band Of Gypsies Live
(Very Psychedelic)

Jackson 5-Joyful Jukebox Music
(Michael was cute as a human being)

Def Leppard On Through The Night
(when they rocked!)

Frank Zappa Joe’s Garage

Ride The Lightning
Master Of Puppets

(then Cliff died and so did the band and their album covers)

Oasis- Be Here Now (blur sucks)

Who Who’s Next
Quadrophenia
Garage Days Re Re Visited (simple madness Only good thing with Newstead)

Deepest Purple The Very Best Of Deep Purple (very purple!)

1st Pat Benetar album
1st Blondie Album

everybody’s into graphics a lot of times band pictures are better.

I like Purple Rain (was on VH1 last night. i forgot how cool prince was in the 80s before he started cutting the seats out his pants!)

ok computer, melon collie

Linda Ronstadt Livin’ In The USA

and The Very Best Of Linda Ronstadt

Without question the most beautiful woman on the planet at one point

Apollo 18 by They Might Be Giants
Leviathan by Mastodon
IM The Supervisor by Infected Mushroom
The Mouse And The Mask by Dangerdoom

Paul Williams Someday Man

People should know about this amazing little (big) man!!!

Hendrix – Are You Experienced?

Electric Ladyland

Beatles – Sgt Peppers
White Album
Abbey Road
Rubber Soul
Yellow Submarine
Stones – 12 by 5

The Doors: The Doors.

Simple, DARK. The Greatest cover, ever. If you don’t believe me, look at it again!

Too Good To Be True: Pinebender
(includes grid paper and a pencil inside the jewel case to design your own cd cover)

The Information: Beck
(create the cd cover yourself with the random stickers enclosed)

Wow, not one Doors: Doors. Shocking.

BTW, they ALWAYS had great covers, but DOORS I is their best and is THE BEST!

Phantom of The Paradise Soundtrack.

1984 Van Halen

Well,I like GN’R’s LIES and of course Appetite for destruction’s first and second cover.But I also like their Use Your Illusion I and II covers – I think they’re very original and interesting.They shows the art in the albums.
I also prefer Yngwie Malmsteen’s Trilogy cover – it’s cool!
But Rainbow’s Straight between the eyes is just…ass kicking! &)

Porno for Pyros- Good God’s Urge.
Fear Factory- Demanufacture

Beatles VI- No Reply

Waiting For The Sun
Strange Days
Morrison Hotel

In no particular order
Robert Wyatt- Ruth is Stranger Than Richard
Brian Eno- Another Green World
The Residents- Duck Stab
Ween- The Mollusk (Also love the 12 Golden Country Greats cover)

Oh.. and come to think of it:

Thom Yorke – The Eraser,

it’s the best cover for an album, regardless of what you think of the music. Well, to my tastes that is.

And while I’m at it, I could mention:

Under Byen – “Samme Stof Som Stof”

R.E.M. – Automatic for the People

Beastie Boys – License to Ill

King Crisom – In The Court With ..

The The – Dusk

.. And the album cover that is most coherent with its content is:

Madonna – Like A Virgin

The Who – Tommy
The Beatles – Revolver
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magic
The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground (cover by Andy Wharrol)
the Jimi Hendrix Experience – Electrical Ladyland
David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust
The Stooges – funhouse

Santana – Lotus
Beatles Sgt. Pepper & Abbey Road
Rolling Stones – Their Satanic Majesties Request (original 3D)
King Crimson – In the Court of the Crimson King
Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
Led Zeppelin – Presence
Wishbone Ash – Argus
Jethro Tull – Thick as a Brick
Greenslade – Greenslade

Tool-Lateralus
GZA-Liquid Swords
Mastodon-Leviathan
Pink Floyd-The Dark Side of the Moon
The Mars Volta-De-Loused in the Comatorium
Metallica-Master of Puppets
Led Zeppelin-Houses of the Holy
The Beatles-Revolver

YOU’RE ALL A BUNCH OF FUCKIN’ SLAVES!!!!

Get a life, really!!!

How about Fleetwood Mac’s “Mirage” cover? Weird little love triangle.

The entire gatefold album (front, back, inside) of Cheap Trick’s Dream Police.

This Desert Life: Counting Crows
Bakesale: Sebadoh
Rage Againt the Machine: Rage Against the Machine
The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein:Parliament

the Beatles’ often cited, but deservedly so best quadrilogy of Abbey Road-Sgt Pepper’s-With the Beatles-Rubber Soul are all fantastic as is the minimalistic “White Album”.

I second the Ryan Adams’ “Easy Tiger” reference, that’s a great album cover. The White Stripes’ Elephant is also an awesome album cover.

It’s funny that modern albums would even bother with great album covers in the digital age (even CD age was a bit funny), this year has seen a few cool covers. PJ Harvey’s White Chalk is an awesome album cover, as is Spoon’s Ga ga ga ga ga.

My favorite cover this year is Suzanne Vega’s Beauty and Crime. I haven’t heard the record, but the cover is very cool, so cool in fact that I expect I’ll buy the record soon.

Just wanted to add that I think the Beatles’ Revolver is a god-awful album cover. I know it’s won a few awards (or was nominated in its day) but I really think that’s the worst of the Beatles’ album covers, even if on many days Revolver features their best music…….

You’re kidding me. You’re actually lamenting the death of the album cover while being one of the biggest proponents of music downloading?! Hey, ever step foot into an independent record store and feel REALLY guilty for the fact that you’re pretty much putting the little guy, who has knowledge out his ass and has exposed you to so much, out of business? What about the people, like me, that work for them? Whatever. I’m not some traditionalist luddite or anything, but I really do think that, in all this technological revolution, the baby is being thrown out with the bathwater.

Metallica: Master of Puppets
Black Sabbath: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Megadeth: Peace Sells
KoRn: KoRn (that one is just creepy and is a great cover that truly fits the music)
Pantera: Vulgar Display of Power (the dude on the cover is really getting punched, ultra realism)
Tool: Aenima or Lateralous

Yenrac, The White Album is not a cool minimalist cover. It is actually a cover-up. As many people know, The Beatles’ original cover starred them in butcher outfits with bloody baby body parts around them. Amidst much controversy, the white cover was placed over many albums. Some of the originals are still floating around out there.

Yenrac, The White Album is not a cool minimalist cover. It is actually a cover-up. As many people know, The Beatles’ original cover starred them in butcher outfits with bloody baby body parts around them. Amidst much controversy, the white cover was placed over many albums. Some of the originals are still floating around out there.

And as for my picks: Jane’s Addiction’s “Nothing’s Shocking” and “Ritual de lo Habitual” before it got its brown cover-up. The original album art featured a sculpture of a man with breasts (one of Perry Farrell’s fantasies) flanked on either side by two women.

Hawkwind – Space Ritual

Hawkwind – Space Ritual

“Get Nervous” Pat Benatar

Rachel,

The Bloody cover “Butcher Album” was for Yesterday and Today, it was replaced with the Beatles sitting on (and for Paul) in a trunk. When you flip the album on it’s side, the trunk supposedly looks close to a coffin and is another one of the many “Paul is Dead” sites.

The “White Album” was originally intended to be called A Doll’s House, featuring a more psychedellic drawing kind of an updated Revolver cover (A little better IMHO than Revolver, but not a great cover).

The Bealtes changed it to just the white album based on a suggestion by the artist that Paul and the group totally got into. The group was so enamoured with the minimalistic idea that htey wanted the album to have indefinately the version number sold on each individual copy. I believe the press limited this to the first 100,000 copies.

Always loved Jackson Browne’s “Late for the Sky” album cover. It evokes something nostaligc in me…

The Low Spark of High-heeled Boys-Traffic
Sticky Fingers-The Stones
Kill Em’ All-Metallica
Black Sabbath-Black Sabbath
Sad Wings Of Destiny-Judas Priest
Wish You Were Here-Pink Floyd
Avalon-Roxy Music
Lovedrive/Animal Magnetism-The Scorpions
Who’s Next-The Who
Superunkown-Sound Garden
News Of The World-Queen
Weekend Warriors-Ted Nugent
Rumors-Fleetwood Mac
Jailbreak-Thin Lizzy

Smashing Pumpkins: Mellon collie…
Radiohead: OK Computer
Bjork: Homogenic
Alanis Morissette: Jagged Little Pill

pink floyd’s “wish you were here”

depends what this list is trying to acccomplish. if we are talking all time greatest album covers hardly any will be new (for the simple reason that artwork could have so much detail, plus the whole gatefold thing.) Consequently, nearly all the best ones have been mentioned:

nearly all Beatles, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Doors, Cream, Rolling Stones. These have all been mentioned…but some others:

Love- Forever Changes
Elton John- Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy

If we are only looking at the FRONT covers then we may have a few newer albums included:

Flaming Lips- “Yoshimi battles the pink robots” and “at war with the mystics”; kudos to Wayne Coyne for his fanastic paintings

Radiohead- all albums. I forget the name of the artists they work with…but if Nigel Goodrich is the lost member of Radiohead, then this guy is #2.

Aracde fire- Funeral; great craft…the thing is a beautiful thing to hold…I have some 7 inches from those sessions
(wkae-up specifically) that I still haven’t opened because the thing looks too damn good to listen to.

REALLY looking forward to the artwork in the discbox for “In Rainbows” Could be something really special.

vs.

pearl jam

THE STROKES-IS THIS IT (UK version)

Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers
The Beatles: Sgt. Peppers
The Clash: London Calling
Nirvana: Nevermind
Nirvana: In Utero
Any Rage Against the Machine Cover
Modest Mouse: Good News…
Modest Mouse: The Moon & Antarctica
Thom Yorke: The Eraser
David Bowie: Ziggy Stardust
Prince: Sign O’ the Times

Chicago X

J. Geils Band – Nightmares (and Other Tales From the Vinyl Jungle)

New Peter Wolf disc coming in January boys and girls.

Tool- Anema
Soundgarden- Superunknown
RHCP- Californication
Pearl Jam- Yield, Binaural, and Avacado

Van Halen: “1984″
Candlebox: “Lucy”
Goo Goo Dolls: “Superstar Carwash”

Led Zepplin II
Deep Purple-BURN

In addition to Appetitie, I liked the Use Your Illusion cover(s).

Any of the Iron Maiden covers

Scorpions “Blackout”

April Wine “Nature of the Beast”

Def Leppard – both Hysteria and Pyromania

Journey “Escape”

Pink Floyd “Wish You Were Here”

Black Sabbath – Heaven & Hell

Boston – Debut

Zep – Physical Graffiti

Stones – Sticky Fingers (only if it has the real zipper)

The Who – Who’s Next

Just a few, but long lists are boring

Van Halen: Fair Warning. The album cover is actually a small sample of Canadian artist William Kurelek’s painting “The Maze”. Check it out!

Yenrac,

I stand corrected.

Also, I forgot to mention the artwork on Neko Case’s “Fox Confessor Brings the Flood.”

Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti
Period – Exclamation Point

Joy Division-Unkown Pleasures
Lou Reed-Transformer
Wire-Chairs Missing
Sonic Youth-Daydream Nation
Leonard Cohen- Songs of Love&Hate
Jesus and Mary Chain-Darklands
The Cramps-Bad Music for Bad People
Eno-Another Green World
Isis-Oceanic