Pop and rock stars like Prince, The Beatles and Pink Floyd are not only famous for their music, but also for their album covers. A Berlin exhibition is showing the most iconic record art.
Image: Paiseley Park
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Five album covers that have become iconic
Long before downloads and streaming, music was released on records. The art of their covers became just as legendary as the music they contained. Here are five iconic album covers that have made music history.
Image: Paiseley Park
Prince - Lovesexy
Prince's 1988 album took on God and spirituality, bringing with it three hits: "Alphabet St.," "Glam Slam," and "I Wish You Heaven." The cover photo by Jean Baptiste Mondino was retouched so much that it looks like a painting. Some music shops refused to stock the album because of the nudity on the cover. Prince commented that those who see the picture as sick are sick themselves.
Image: Paiseley Park
The Beatles - Abbey Road
It's hard to say how many times this iconic photo by Iain MacMillan has been copied. From tourists on Abby Road to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, countless people have had their photo snapped on the famous crosswalk. The photo shot rock and pop photographer MacMillan to international fame - along with the VW Bug in the background. It's now in the Volkswagen Museum in Wolfsburg.
Image: Apple Records
Grace Jones - Island Life
Grace Jones was photographer Jean-Paul Goude's muse. But she wasn't quite as flexible as she appears in this picture. To achieve the perfect photo, Goude created a collage of multiple images. The LP from 1985 includes the hits "La Vie En Rose," "Pull up to the Bumper," "I've Seen That Face Before," and the pop tune "Slave to the Rhythm."
Image: Island Records
John Coltrane - Blue Train
No jazz collection is complete without this classic. The photo of the legendary saxophonist was taken by the head of the label Blue Note himself: Francis Wolff. The artwork on the famous cover was created by Blue Note's designer Reid Miles. He washed Wolff's photo in blue and added bright block letters. "Blue Train" was released in 1957.
Image: Blue Note Records
Kraftwerk - Kraftwerk
The beautiful thing about old album covers is that their multiple sides offer plenty of canvas for creative minds. The photographer couple Bernd and Hilla Becher knew the electronic band Kraftwerk in Dusseldorf. In 1970, they released their first unofficial album, "Kraftwerk," which included a prototype of the song "Ruckzuck." The Bechers contributed their talents and got a switchyard involved.
Image: Philips
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Prince: Naked on a throne of flowers. Rage Against the Machine: a monk in flames on the street. Nirvana: a baby swimming toward a dollar bill. The Beatles: four men walking across the street. Sex Pistols: a bright yellow cover with a pink banner. Pink Floyd: a prism and a black background.
Every pop and rock fan who collects records will have at least one of these albums on their shelf. You just need to glance at the cover to hear the music in your head. These album covers have imprinted themselves both optically and acoustically in our collective memories.
Andy Warhol designed the album "The Velvet Underground & Nico" from 1967Image: Polydor (Universal)US
Celebrity collaborations
Album covers have always served to visualize a musician's identity. Stars have teamed up with famous artists and photographers to achieve dramatic and - most importantly - memorable results: Robert Frank and The Rolling Stones, Bernd and Hilla Becher and Kraftwerk, Herb Ritts and Madonna, Annie Leibovitz and Cindy Lauper, Nobuyoshi Araki and Björk, Jeff Wall and Iggy Pop, Anton Corbijn and U2, Weegee and George Michael, to name a few.
Even artists like Andy Warhol (pictured) and Robert Rauschenberg left their mark on pop music.
Room for creativity
Measuring 31.5 by 31.5 centimeters, a record cover gave creative minds plenty of possibilities - even more if the album cover had a flap. In addition to the music, there was a lot that bands could offer their fans, from song texts to photo collages.
When the tiny CD overtook the record, the design space diminished. And now music downloads just get a thumbnail photo - if anything. The art of designing album covers has been lost over the years.
The exhibition "Total Records - Vinyl & Fotografie" at C/O Berlin brings back the iconic albums from the past decades. From December 9 through April 23, 2017, 500 album covers from the 1950s to the 2000s, representing both big stars and lesser known artists, are on display.
Click through the gallery above for five iconic album covers from the exhibition in C/O Berlin. Below, you'll find five album covers you may not have known were 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.
