Album covers not only give a first impression, they become an icon of the music they accompany. Some famous covers were designed by established artists. Do you know who created this Beatles artwork?
Image: Capitol Records
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5 album covers designed by famous artists
Album covers not only give a first impression, they become an icon of the music they accompany. Some famous covers were designed by established artists. Do you know who designed this Beatles artwork?
Image: Warner Bros. Records
The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Among the 70 personalities on this cover, the Beatles appear twice: The real members are standing in front, wearing colorful uniforms, and cut-out versions of them feature their classic mop-top haircuts. Many fans interpreted this as them renouncing their old style. The cover cost 3,000 British pounds - an extravagant sum at the time. Artist Peter Blake obtained a Grammy Award for the artwork.
Image: Capitol Records
Cat Stevens - Teaser and the Firecat
It is not only the title of a Cat Stevens album, but also of a children's book he wrote and illustrated. In it, Teaser is a young boy and Firecat is his pet. They try to put the moon back into its place after it falls from the sky. The book was only published in a limited edition, but the album was a hit.
Image: A&M Records
Emerson Lake & Palmer - Brain Salad Surgery
Films fans will probably quickly recognize the artist responsible for this cover. Such bio-mechanical forms and a similar dark atmosphere also made up one of the most famous science-fiction thrillers ever: "Alien." The now deceased artist H.R. Giger painted this cover and was also a special effects designer on the film, for which he obtained an Oscar.
Image: Manticore Records
Elton John - Blue Moves
Before this image was used for an album cover, the painting was already part of Elton John's private collection. The singer is a passionate art collector. The artwork "The Guardian Readers," by Irish painter Patrick Procktor, pleased him so much that he picked it to cover his 11th album.
Image: Rocket Records
Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You
The British artist Damien Hirst had a drugstore phase in the 1990s, during which he experimented with artistic depictions of pills and medicine and even opened a restaurant called Pharmacy. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, known for not having any reluctance towards narcotics, picked the artist to do the artwork for their 10th studio album.
Image: Warner Bros. Records
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It is among the most famous album covers ever made: "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band" from 1967. It shows the four Beatles in colorful made-up uniforms, surrounded by 70 prominent personalities, from Karl Marx to Marilyn Monroe, from Edgar Ellen Poe to Albert Einstein. All these famous people are said to have influenced the band and their music.
Blake's ensemble
The creator of this artwork is the British artist Peter Blake, along with his wife Jann Haworth, the gallery owner Robert Fraser and the photographer Michael Cooper. Blake prepared life-size cardboard cut-outs and grouped the figures around the real Beatles in the uniforms. The setup was then photographed by Michael Cooper.
The Beatles selected the celebrities themselves. They asked those who were still living if they agreed to be included on the cover, and not all of them did. The record label rejected John Lennon's wish to include Adolf Hitler and Jesus on the cover, considering it too controversial. The band did not include Elvis Presley either, claiming he was "too important and far above the rest to even mention," McCartney once said.
Fake moustaches and stand-up cut-outs
The album's inner sleeve was also designed by Peter Blake. As a bonus gift, it included a postcard portrait of Sgt. Pepper, a fake moustache, two sets of sergeant stripes and a stand-up cut-out of the Beatles in their uniforms to allow everyone to become a member of the Lonely Hearts' Club Band.
The cult cover's numerous details and cultural references still provide material for speculation and interpretation. Click through the picture galleries above and below to discover more album covers designed by famous artists.
5 album covers you probably didn't know were designed by famous artists
Album covers not only give a first impression, they become an icon of the music they accompany. These five bands made sure the artwork of their records would stand out - by getting it done by famous artists.
Image: EMI/Helmut Newton
Scorpions - Love at First Sting
In 1984, the Scorpions released their album "Love at First Sting," which cemented their international popularity. Its erotic cover photo was shot by the legendary Helmut Newton. It was their most successful record in the US and reached sixth spot in the Billboard charts - but with another cover. After a complaint by Wal-Mart, it was replaced with a less controversial photo of the band members.
Babyshambles - Sequel to the Prequel
Despite his well publicized drug addictions, Pete Doherty, the frontman of Babyshambles, is also an exceptionally talented musician. The cover of the band's third album was designed by none other than the British artist and Turner Prize winner Damien Hirst. The artwork builds on a photo shot by rock photographer Pennie Smith.
The Beatles - The White Album
Minimalist design, huge success: Although the original name of this album is "The Beatles," it became known as "The White Album" because of its special cover - a plain white image. Famous Pop Art artist Richard Hamilton met The Beatles in the 60s and was commissioned to design the artwork for this milestone in music history. He allegedly got paid $316 for the job.
Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols
Everyone who once used to be a little punk knows this cover by The Sex Pistols. The title "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols" perfectly shows the band's attitude - pure provocation. While their outfit was designed by Vivienne Westwood, the cover for their only studio album was done by an artist with a similar anarchistic attitude, Jamie Reid.
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
This record from 1988 was Sonic Youth's breakthrough - and its iconic artwork may have contributed to its success. "Kerze" is a photo-realistic painting of a candle by the famous contemporary artist Gerhard Richter. The members of the influential rock band are said to be big fans of the German painter.
