Best rock album covers (not meant to pick on RazorDingo)

[sparkchaser]

In the breakfast thread, RazorDingo said this:

(Incidentally, this album also has one of the best covers in the history of rock..)

I respectfully disagree. Despite Rolling Stone ranking it #33, I think it's a horrid cover.

But anyhoo, what are some of your favorite "rock" album covers?

 

[Brodirt]

That's a hard question. There are some albums that are actual art (Roger Dean or Stanley Donwood for example), some that convey the "rock" ethos (like London Calling) and some that are clever, intelligent and "artistic."

My favorite is

 

[johnniegold]

The always popular "Butcher" cover.

 

[Barbarian]

For me it has to be this. I bought it the first day it came out and spent hours looking at every detail on the wrap around cover. It had tons of details and a 'Blade Runner' theme.

Sorry bout the white square

 

[professorchaos]

Two for your consideration:

The Clash's London Calling

The Allman Brothers at the Fillmore East

 

[julianrosenberg]

Any of Linda Ronstadt's from the '70s

 

[RazorDingo]

In the breakfast thread, RazorDingo said

No problems, mate.

Actually, I personally was unaware of the Rolling Stone ratings, and feel more than a little vindicated by Breakfast In America rating as high as it did.

My top album covers would be, in order:

1. Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
2. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
3. Beatles - Sgt. Pepper
4. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
5. U2 - War
6. Eagles - Hotel California
7. The Cars - Candy -O

What makes a great album cover? Again, very subjective. But I think a) it needs to be on an album of otherwise great or significant music b) it needs to relate to or otherwise capture the essence of what the album is all about and c) It needs to challenge the way you think about the music and its place in the world.

 

[DGS]

 

[Brodirt]

The Cars - Candy -O

Vargas! I should have included him with Dean and Donwood, his is far more pleasing to the eyes.

 

[professorchaos]

Do I correctly recognize King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King?

 

[Tom C]

While the cover is pretty cool in an understated kind of way...

...it's the inside that's mind-boggling -

 

[DGS]

Do I correctly recognize King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King?

You do indeed!

 

[DGS]

While the cover is pretty cool in an understated kind of way...

...it's the inside that's mind-boggling -

Was this one more from the Fillmore East concert that never made it onto the original album?

 

[Shane]

 

[GoldenMonkey]

Two for your consideration:

The Clash's London Calling

The Allman Brothers at the Fillmore East

Hell yeah...two of my all time favorites. Especially London Calling. Capturing that particular moment in time is just...amazing.

I also really like Sigue Sigue Sputnik's first album, Flaunt It, lol.:

It was "cyberpunk" before the term existed...

 

[Prince]

For me, this is a lost art. Since covers are now the standard CD case size, the space available to decorate is tiny compared to the record album size.

Over the past 20+ years, I've noticed a dramatic change in the amount of detail, along with the thought and quality of the "album" cover.

That being said, this is my vote:

 

[GoldenMonkey]

For me, this is a lost art. Since covers are now the standard CD case size, the space available to decorate is tiny compared to the record album size.

Over the past 20+ years, I've noticed a dramatic change in the amount of detail, along with the thought and quality of the "album" cover.

That being said, this is my vote:

Yeah, I wondered how long it would take that one to make the list. The lovely Dolores Erickson is wearing shaving cream instead of actual whipped cream...

 

[BEAR DEN]

1. Sticky Fingers-Rolling Stones
2.American Beauty Grateful Dead
3. All other Grateful Dead albums.

 

[Prince]

Yeah, I wondered how long it would take that one to make the list. The lovely Dolores Erickson is wearing shaving cream instead of actual whipped cream...

I know, but it's still a classic.

 

[Brodirt]

For me, this is a lost art. Since covers are now the standard CD case size, the space available to decorate is tiny compared to the record album size.

Over the past 20+ years, I've noticed a dramatic change in the amount of detail, along with the thought and quality of the "album" cover.

That being said, this is my vote:

While that is a classic album cover, and I have a copy of it, are you suggesting that covering a hot chick in whipped cream required any thought, much less more thought than, or has greater "quality" than, almost any other album cover in the CD era? A few great ones, and I will limit it to CD era artists, that come to mind, aside from the Nirvana that is my favorite above, are:

Radiohead, OK Computer:

or Hail to the Thief:

or

Jane's Addiction, Nothing Shocking:

Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Blood Sugar Sex Magic:

Beastie Boys, the mix up:
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