When Music Met Art
It is an artist's job to create a world that the musical artist wants you to step into whilst listening to their music, and the cover art is where this journey begins.
By
Lewis Swan
June 10, 2022
The relationship between music and art has no bounds. The current state of music has allowed for endless possibilities for the two different mediums to be frequently intertwined. This may be in the form of a music video, as a way of advertising an artist’s tour dates, as worldwide merchandise, and most importantly, as the cover art of the music itself. When an artist releases anything, the album artwork is part and parcel of the creation, the advertising stage, and the overall joy of the listening experience. The album or single cover art is the first thing you see and may even be a deciding factor on your urge to listen to the music itself. It’s part of the musical experience and more importantly the musician’s artistic experience that they want you to fall deeply in love with, to physically buy, stream and play over and over and over again, but this wasn't always the case.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that cover art cemented itself into the music scene and became a key part of the listening experience, as record labels started using folded-over board format sleeves to protect the vinyl records. This led to a huge increase in sales across the music industry which subsequently opened the door to experimentation, leading to some of the most iconic record covers and all-around pieces of art to be born and shared across the globe. When the 60s came around it was time to break the mould and create vivid works of art that stood out on the shelf, with bold pieces of art that listeners wanted to take home and have on display for anyone and everyone to see.
It is an artist's job to create a world that the musical artist wants you to step into whilst listening to their music, and the cover art is where this journey begins. The artwork might document the musical creation experience itself, invite the audience to step into a completely new world, or even just create something new, hot, fresh and all-around eye-catching to intrigue the viewer into listening to the accompanying music.
Here are some of gowithYamo’s favourite record covers that changed the world of music, that cemented themselves into pop culture, that transported us to new worlds, and most importantly, are continuing to change the way art and music are intertwined.
Nat King Cole’s The King Cole Trio by Capitol Records
Nat King Cole’s ‘The King Cole Trio’ record may have been one of the first album covers that truly changed the way music was sold, advertised, and digested by the general public. Highly experimental for its time, the album’s artwork - designed by Capitol Records - showcases a double bass, guitar, and piano inside a giant gold crown in front of a vibrant pink backdrop. The significance of this artwork cannot be overstated, opening the door for a new market to originate and the chance for artists to express their creativity and create timeless pieces of work. Album artwork had the ability to reach millions and millions of households in a time when television and radio ruled the world, and the creation of an aesthetically unique cover signalled a change in the packaging, advertising and overall experience of music.
The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers by Andy Warhol
Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones may be one of the most important covers in music history. the cover photograph and designed by the late and great Andy Warhol and his art collective within ‘The Factory’ was created in a time when music was changing, and more importantly, the consumption of music was changing. The original cover depicted a black and white photograph of a man in tight jeans, but what made the cover so iconic was the working zipper upon the man’s trousers. This - combined with the shock of seeing the male crotch with a visible outline of a penis within the album’s packaging - created one of the world’s most well-known and iconic album covers, which has withstood the test of time. Although the working zipper was a stroke of genius by Andy Warhol, which allowed the album packaging to become three-dimensional, the zipper frequently ended up causing damage to the vinyl itself and was also rather expensive to produce, which led to the vinyl being reissued featuring just the photograph of the man in tight jeans. Not only was The Rolling Stones' record pivotal in changing the band’s sound, but it was also a breath of fresh air and a clear example of the experimentation stage for the design of the standard cover art and a great example of what can be created when art and music intertwine.
Childish Gambino's Awaken, My Love by Ibra Ake
Jump forward forty-plus years, and artists are still thinking outside of the box and trying to invent new ways of combining art and music through the use of album artwork and album packaging. An example of this is Childish Gambino’s Awaken, my Love. The album artwork created by Ibra Ake showcases model Giannina Oteto wearing a beaded headdress designed by Laura Wass. The cover itself is arresting enough, but what makes the album stand out is where the packaging becomes a piece of art in itself.
Many quickly noticed that Awaken, My Love’s packaging glows in the dark, but also included within the packaging, is a makeshift Virtual Reality headset; This headset allows its viewer to be transported to a Childish Gambino concert which consists of 360° footage shot at his immersive PHAROS festival in 2016. This allows the whole user experience not only to become three-dimensional through the virtual headset, but then fourth-dimensional as they’re exported to another time and place.
David Bowie's Blackstar by Jonathan Barnbrook
The cover of David Bowie’s final album Blackstar, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, is another modern example which challenges the normality of album artwork whilst interweaving art and music to create something much larger. Released just two days before Bowie’s death, Blackstar soon turned into one of the most talked about album packages during the year of its release due to its hidden secrets that are still being found to this day. An example of this is the cut out that sits beneath the vinyl record itself which, when held up to a light source, reveals a hidden picture of a starfield. It took fans several months to discover this hidden effect. Similarly, when light is reflected off of one side of the vinyl at a precise angle you can create a star pattern on a wall or object in front of you. This further showcases the longevity an album cover and its components can have when done well, but also demonstrates the extreme lengths artists have gone to create the perfect cover and packaging for their work.
The relationship between music and art has no bounds. The current state of music has allowed for endless possibilities for the two different mediums to be frequently intertwined. This may be in the form of a music video, as a way of advertising an artist’s tour dates, as worldwide merchandise, and most importantly, as the cover art of the music itself. When an artist releases anything, the album artwork is part and parcel of the creation, the advertising stage, and the overall joy of the listening experience. The album or single cover art is the first thing you see and may even be a deciding factor on your urge to listen to the music itself. It’s part of the musical experience and more importantly the musician’s artistic experience that they want you to fall deeply in love with, to physically buy, stream and play over and over and over again, but this wasn't always the case.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that cover art cemented itself into the music scene and became a key part of the listening experience, as record labels started using folded-over board format sleeves to protect the vinyl records. This led to a huge increase in sales across the music industry which subsequently opened the door to experimentation, leading to some of the most iconic record covers and all-around pieces of art to be born and shared across the globe. When the 60s came around it was time to break the mould and create vivid works of art that stood out on the shelf, with bold pieces of art that listeners wanted to take home and have on display for anyone and everyone to see.
It is an artist's job to create a world that the musical artist wants you to step into whilst listening to their music, and the cover art is where this journey begins. The artwork might document the musical creation experience itself, invite the audience to step into a completely new world, or even just create something new, hot, fresh and all-around eye-catching to intrigue the viewer into listening to the accompanying music.
Here are some of gowithYamo’s favourite record covers that changed the world of music, that cemented themselves into pop culture, that transported us to new worlds, and most importantly, are continuing to change the way art and music are intertwined.
Nat King Cole’s The King Cole Trio by Capitol Records
Nat King Cole’s ‘The King Cole Trio’ record may have been one of the first album covers that truly changed the way music was sold, advertised, and digested by the general public. Highly experimental for its time, the album’s artwork - designed by Capitol Records - showcases a double bass, guitar, and piano inside a giant gold crown in front of a vibrant pink backdrop. The significance of this artwork cannot be overstated, opening the door for a new market to originate and the chance for artists to express their creativity and create timeless pieces of work. Album artwork had the ability to reach millions and millions of households in a time when television and radio ruled the world, and the creation of an aesthetically unique cover signalled a change in the packaging, advertising and overall experience of music.
The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers by Andy Warhol
Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones may be one of the most important covers in music history. the cover photograph and designed by the late and great Andy Warhol and his art collective within ‘The Factory’ was created in a time when music was changing, and more importantly, the consumption of music was changing. The original cover depicted a black and white photograph of a man in tight jeans, but what made the cover so iconic was the working zipper upon the man’s trousers. This - combined with the shock of seeing the male crotch with a visible outline of a penis within the album’s packaging - created one of the world’s most well-known and iconic album covers, which has withstood the test of time. Although the working zipper was a stroke of genius by Andy Warhol, which allowed the album packaging to become three-dimensional, the zipper frequently ended up causing damage to the vinyl itself and was also rather expensive to produce, which led to the vinyl being reissued featuring just the photograph of the man in tight jeans. Not only was The Rolling Stones' record pivotal in changing the band’s sound, but it was also a breath of fresh air and a clear example of the experimentation stage for the design of the standard cover art and a great example of what can be created when art and music intertwine.
Childish Gambino's Awaken, My Love by Ibra Ake
Jump forward forty-plus years, and artists are still thinking outside of the box and trying to invent new ways of combining art and music through the use of album artwork and album packaging. An example of this is Childish Gambino’s Awaken, my Love. The album artwork created by Ibra Ake showcases model Giannina Oteto wearing a beaded headdress designed by Laura Wass. The cover itself is arresting enough, but what makes the album stand out is where the packaging becomes a piece of art in itself.
Many quickly noticed that Awaken, My Love’s packaging glows in the dark, but also included within the packaging, is a makeshift Virtual Reality headset; This headset allows its viewer to be transported to a Childish Gambino concert which consists of 360° footage shot at his immersive PHAROS festival in 2016. This allows the whole user experience not only to become three-dimensional through the virtual headset, but then fourth-dimensional as they’re exported to another time and place.
David Bowie's Blackstar by Jonathan Barnbrook
The cover of David Bowie’s final album Blackstar, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, is another modern example which challenges the normality of album artwork whilst interweaving art and music to create something much larger. Released just two days before Bowie’s death, Blackstar soon turned into one of the most talked about album packages during the year of its release due to its hidden secrets that are still being found to this day. An example of this is the cut out that sits beneath the vinyl record itself which, when held up to a light source, reveals a hidden picture of a starfield. It took fans several months to discover this hidden effect. Similarly, when light is reflected off of one side of the vinyl at a precise angle you can create a star pattern on a wall or object in front of you. This further showcases the longevity an album cover and its components can have when done well, but also demonstrates the extreme lengths artists have gone to create the perfect cover and packaging for their work.
The relationship between music and art has no bounds. The current state of music has allowed for endless possibilities for the two different mediums to be frequently intertwined. This may be in the form of a music video, as a way of advertising an artist’s tour dates, as worldwide merchandise, and most importantly, as the cover art of the music itself. When an artist releases anything, the album artwork is part and parcel of the creation, the advertising stage, and the overall joy of the listening experience. The album or single cover art is the first thing you see and may even be a deciding factor on your urge to listen to the music itself. It’s part of the musical experience and more importantly the musician’s artistic experience that they want you to fall deeply in love with, to physically buy, stream and play over and over and over again, but this wasn't always the case.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that cover art cemented itself into the music scene and became a key part of the listening experience, as record labels started using folded-over board format sleeves to protect the vinyl records. This led to a huge increase in sales across the music industry which subsequently opened the door to experimentation, leading to some of the most iconic record covers and all-around pieces of art to be born and shared across the globe. When the 60s came around it was time to break the mould and create vivid works of art that stood out on the shelf, with bold pieces of art that listeners wanted to take home and have on display for anyone and everyone to see.
It is an artist's job to create a world that the musical artist wants you to step into whilst listening to their music, and the cover art is where this journey begins. The artwork might document the musical creation experience itself, invite the audience to step into a completely new world, or even just create something new, hot, fresh and all-around eye-catching to intrigue the viewer into listening to the accompanying music.
Here are some of gowithYamo’s favourite record covers that changed the world of music, that cemented themselves into pop culture, that transported us to new worlds, and most importantly, are continuing to change the way art and music are intertwined.
Nat King Cole’s The King Cole Trio by Capitol Records
Nat King Cole’s ‘The King Cole Trio’ record may have been one of the first album covers that truly changed the way music was sold, advertised, and digested by the general public. Highly experimental for its time, the album’s artwork - designed by Capitol Records - showcases a double bass, guitar, and piano inside a giant gold crown in front of a vibrant pink backdrop. The significance of this artwork cannot be overstated, opening the door for a new market to originate and the chance for artists to express their creativity and create timeless pieces of work. Album artwork had the ability to reach millions and millions of households in a time when television and radio ruled the world, and the creation of an aesthetically unique cover signalled a change in the packaging, advertising and overall experience of music.
The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers by Andy Warhol
Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones may be one of the most important covers in music history. the cover photograph and designed by the late and great Andy Warhol and his art collective within ‘The Factory’ was created in a time when music was changing, and more importantly, the consumption of music was changing. The original cover depicted a black and white photograph of a man in tight jeans, but what made the cover so iconic was the working zipper upon the man’s trousers. This - combined with the shock of seeing the male crotch with a visible outline of a penis within the album’s packaging - created one of the world’s most well-known and iconic album covers, which has withstood the test of time. Although the working zipper was a stroke of genius by Andy Warhol, which allowed the album packaging to become three-dimensional, the zipper frequently ended up causing damage to the vinyl itself and was also rather expensive to produce, which led to the vinyl being reissued featuring just the photograph of the man in tight jeans. Not only was The Rolling Stones' record pivotal in changing the band’s sound, but it was also a breath of fresh air and a clear example of the experimentation stage for the design of the standard cover art and a great example of what can be created when art and music intertwine.
Childish Gambino's Awaken, My Love by Ibra Ake
Jump forward forty-plus years, and artists are still thinking outside of the box and trying to invent new ways of combining art and music through the use of album artwork and album packaging. An example of this is Childish Gambino’s Awaken, my Love. The album artwork created by Ibra Ake showcases model Giannina Oteto wearing a beaded headdress designed by Laura Wass. The cover itself is arresting enough, but what makes the album stand out is where the packaging becomes a piece of art in itself.
Many quickly noticed that Awaken, My Love’s packaging glows in the dark, but also included within the packaging, is a makeshift Virtual Reality headset; This headset allows its viewer to be transported to a Childish Gambino concert which consists of 360° footage shot at his immersive PHAROS festival in 2016. This allows the whole user experience not only to become three-dimensional through the virtual headset, but then fourth-dimensional as they’re exported to another time and place.
David Bowie's Blackstar by Jonathan Barnbrook
The cover of David Bowie’s final album Blackstar, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, is another modern example which challenges the normality of album artwork whilst interweaving art and music to create something much larger. Released just two days before Bowie’s death, Blackstar soon turned into one of the most talked about album packages during the year of its release due to its hidden secrets that are still being found to this day. An example of this is the cut out that sits beneath the vinyl record itself which, when held up to a light source, reveals a hidden picture of a starfield. It took fans several months to discover this hidden effect. Similarly, when light is reflected off of one side of the vinyl at a precise angle you can create a star pattern on a wall or object in front of you. This further showcases the longevity an album cover and its components can have when done well, but also demonstrates the extreme lengths artists have gone to create the perfect cover and packaging for their work.
The relationship between music and art has no bounds. The current state of music has allowed for endless possibilities for the two different mediums to be frequently intertwined. This may be in the form of a music video, as a way of advertising an artist’s tour dates, as worldwide merchandise, and most importantly, as the cover art of the music itself. When an artist releases anything, the album artwork is part and parcel of the creation, the advertising stage, and the overall joy of the listening experience. The album or single cover art is the first thing you see and may even be a deciding factor on your urge to listen to the music itself. It’s part of the musical experience and more importantly the musician’s artistic experience that they want you to fall deeply in love with, to physically buy, stream and play over and over and over again, but this wasn't always the case.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that cover art cemented itself into the music scene and became a key part of the listening experience, as record labels started using folded-over board format sleeves to protect the vinyl records. This led to a huge increase in sales across the music industry which subsequently opened the door to experimentation, leading to some of the most iconic record covers and all-around pieces of art to be born and shared across the globe. When the 60s came around it was time to break the mould and create vivid works of art that stood out on the shelf, with bold pieces of art that listeners wanted to take home and have on display for anyone and everyone to see.
It is an artist's job to create a world that the musical artist wants you to step into whilst listening to their music, and the cover art is where this journey begins. The artwork might document the musical creation experience itself, invite the audience to step into a completely new world, or even just create something new, hot, fresh and all-around eye-catching to intrigue the viewer into listening to the accompanying music.
Here are some of gowithYamo’s favourite record covers that changed the world of music, that cemented themselves into pop culture, that transported us to new worlds, and most importantly, are continuing to change the way art and music are intertwined.
Nat King Cole’s The King Cole Trio by Capitol Records
Nat King Cole’s ‘The King Cole Trio’ record may have been one of the first album covers that truly changed the way music was sold, advertised, and digested by the general public. Highly experimental for its time, the album’s artwork - designed by Capitol Records - showcases a double bass, guitar, and piano inside a giant gold crown in front of a vibrant pink backdrop. The significance of this artwork cannot be overstated, opening the door for a new market to originate and the chance for artists to express their creativity and create timeless pieces of work. Album artwork had the ability to reach millions and millions of households in a time when television and radio ruled the world, and the creation of an aesthetically unique cover signalled a change in the packaging, advertising and overall experience of music.
The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers by Andy Warhol
Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones may be one of the most important covers in music history. the cover photograph and designed by the late and great Andy Warhol and his art collective within ‘The Factory’ was created in a time when music was changing, and more importantly, the consumption of music was changing. The original cover depicted a black and white photograph of a man in tight jeans, but what made the cover so iconic was the working zipper upon the man’s trousers. This - combined with the shock of seeing the male crotch with a visible outline of a penis within the album’s packaging - created one of the world’s most well-known and iconic album covers, which has withstood the test of time. Although the working zipper was a stroke of genius by Andy Warhol, which allowed the album packaging to become three-dimensional, the zipper frequently ended up causing damage to the vinyl itself and was also rather expensive to produce, which led to the vinyl being reissued featuring just the photograph of the man in tight jeans. Not only was The Rolling Stones' record pivotal in changing the band’s sound, but it was also a breath of fresh air and a clear example of the experimentation stage for the design of the standard cover art and a great example of what can be created when art and music intertwine.
Childish Gambino's Awaken, My Love by Ibra Ake
Jump forward forty-plus years, and artists are still thinking outside of the box and trying to invent new ways of combining art and music through the use of album artwork and album packaging. An example of this is Childish Gambino’s Awaken, my Love. The album artwork created by Ibra Ake showcases model Giannina Oteto wearing a beaded headdress designed by Laura Wass. The cover itself is arresting enough, but what makes the album stand out is where the packaging becomes a piece of art in itself.
Many quickly noticed that Awaken, My Love’s packaging glows in the dark, but also included within the packaging, is a makeshift Virtual Reality headset; This headset allows its viewer to be transported to a Childish Gambino concert which consists of 360° footage shot at his immersive PHAROS festival in 2016. This allows the whole user experience not only to become three-dimensional through the virtual headset, but then fourth-dimensional as they’re exported to another time and place.
David Bowie's Blackstar by Jonathan Barnbrook
The cover of David Bowie’s final album Blackstar, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, is another modern example which challenges the normality of album artwork whilst interweaving art and music to create something much larger. Released just two days before Bowie’s death, Blackstar soon turned into one of the most talked about album packages during the year of its release due to its hidden secrets that are still being found to this day. An example of this is the cut out that sits beneath the vinyl record itself which, when held up to a light source, reveals a hidden picture of a starfield. It took fans several months to discover this hidden effect. Similarly, when light is reflected off of one side of the vinyl at a precise angle you can create a star pattern on a wall or object in front of you. This further showcases the longevity an album cover and its components can have when done well, but also demonstrates the extreme lengths artists have gone to create the perfect cover and packaging for their work.
The relationship between music and art has no bounds. The current state of music has allowed for endless possibilities for the two different mediums to be frequently intertwined. This may be in the form of a music video, as a way of advertising an artist’s tour dates, as worldwide merchandise, and most importantly, as the cover art of the music itself. When an artist releases anything, the album artwork is part and parcel of the creation, the advertising stage, and the overall joy of the listening experience. The album or single cover art is the first thing you see and may even be a deciding factor on your urge to listen to the music itself. It’s part of the musical experience and more importantly the musician’s artistic experience that they want you to fall deeply in love with, to physically buy, stream and play over and over and over again, but this wasn't always the case.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that cover art cemented itself into the music scene and became a key part of the listening experience, as record labels started using folded-over board format sleeves to protect the vinyl records. This led to a huge increase in sales across the music industry which subsequently opened the door to experimentation, leading to some of the most iconic record covers and all-around pieces of art to be born and shared across the globe. When the 60s came around it was time to break the mould and create vivid works of art that stood out on the shelf, with bold pieces of art that listeners wanted to take home and have on display for anyone and everyone to see.
It is an artist's job to create a world that the musical artist wants you to step into whilst listening to their music, and the cover art is where this journey begins. The artwork might document the musical creation experience itself, invite the audience to step into a completely new world, or even just create something new, hot, fresh and all-around eye-catching to intrigue the viewer into listening to the accompanying music.
Here are some of gowithYamo’s favourite record covers that changed the world of music, that cemented themselves into pop culture, that transported us to new worlds, and most importantly, are continuing to change the way art and music are intertwined.
Nat King Cole’s The King Cole Trio by Capitol Records
Nat King Cole’s ‘The King Cole Trio’ record may have been one of the first album covers that truly changed the way music was sold, advertised, and digested by the general public. Highly experimental for its time, the album’s artwork - designed by Capitol Records - showcases a double bass, guitar, and piano inside a giant gold crown in front of a vibrant pink backdrop. The significance of this artwork cannot be overstated, opening the door for a new market to originate and the chance for artists to express their creativity and create timeless pieces of work. Album artwork had the ability to reach millions and millions of households in a time when television and radio ruled the world, and the creation of an aesthetically unique cover signalled a change in the packaging, advertising and overall experience of music.
The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers by Andy Warhol
Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones may be one of the most important covers in music history. the cover photograph and designed by the late and great Andy Warhol and his art collective within ‘The Factory’ was created in a time when music was changing, and more importantly, the consumption of music was changing. The original cover depicted a black and white photograph of a man in tight jeans, but what made the cover so iconic was the working zipper upon the man’s trousers. This - combined with the shock of seeing the male crotch with a visible outline of a penis within the album’s packaging - created one of the world’s most well-known and iconic album covers, which has withstood the test of time. Although the working zipper was a stroke of genius by Andy Warhol, which allowed the album packaging to become three-dimensional, the zipper frequently ended up causing damage to the vinyl itself and was also rather expensive to produce, which led to the vinyl being reissued featuring just the photograph of the man in tight jeans. Not only was The Rolling Stones' record pivotal in changing the band’s sound, but it was also a breath of fresh air and a clear example of the experimentation stage for the design of the standard cover art and a great example of what can be created when art and music intertwine.
Childish Gambino's Awaken, My Love by Ibra Ake
Jump forward forty-plus years, and artists are still thinking outside of the box and trying to invent new ways of combining art and music through the use of album artwork and album packaging. An example of this is Childish Gambino’s Awaken, my Love. The album artwork created by Ibra Ake showcases model Giannina Oteto wearing a beaded headdress designed by Laura Wass. The cover itself is arresting enough, but what makes the album stand out is where the packaging becomes a piece of art in itself.
Many quickly noticed that Awaken, My Love’s packaging glows in the dark, but also included within the packaging, is a makeshift Virtual Reality headset; This headset allows its viewer to be transported to a Childish Gambino concert which consists of 360° footage shot at his immersive PHAROS festival in 2016. This allows the whole user experience not only to become three-dimensional through the virtual headset, but then fourth-dimensional as they’re exported to another time and place.
David Bowie's Blackstar by Jonathan Barnbrook
The cover of David Bowie’s final album Blackstar, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, is another modern example which challenges the normality of album artwork whilst interweaving art and music to create something much larger. Released just two days before Bowie’s death, Blackstar soon turned into one of the most talked about album packages during the year of its release due to its hidden secrets that are still being found to this day. An example of this is the cut out that sits beneath the vinyl record itself which, when held up to a light source, reveals a hidden picture of a starfield. It took fans several months to discover this hidden effect. Similarly, when light is reflected off of one side of the vinyl at a precise angle you can create a star pattern on a wall or object in front of you. This further showcases the longevity an album cover and its components can have when done well, but also demonstrates the extreme lengths artists have gone to create the perfect cover and packaging for their work.
The relationship between music and art has no bounds. The current state of music has allowed for endless possibilities for the two different mediums to be frequently intertwined. This may be in the form of a music video, as a way of advertising an artist’s tour dates, as worldwide merchandise, and most importantly, as the cover art of the music itself. When an artist releases anything, the album artwork is part and parcel of the creation, the advertising stage, and the overall joy of the listening experience. The album or single cover art is the first thing you see and may even be a deciding factor on your urge to listen to the music itself. It’s part of the musical experience and more importantly the musician’s artistic experience that they want you to fall deeply in love with, to physically buy, stream and play over and over and over again, but this wasn't always the case.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that cover art cemented itself into the music scene and became a key part of the listening experience, as record labels started using folded-over board format sleeves to protect the vinyl records. This led to a huge increase in sales across the music industry which subsequently opened the door to experimentation, leading to some of the most iconic record covers and all-around pieces of art to be born and shared across the globe. When the 60s came around it was time to break the mould and create vivid works of art that stood out on the shelf, with bold pieces of art that listeners wanted to take home and have on display for anyone and everyone to see.
It is an artist's job to create a world that the musical artist wants you to step into whilst listening to their music, and the cover art is where this journey begins. The artwork might document the musical creation experience itself, invite the audience to step into a completely new world, or even just create something new, hot, fresh and all-around eye-catching to intrigue the viewer into listening to the accompanying music.
Here are some of gowithYamo’s favourite record covers that changed the world of music, that cemented themselves into pop culture, that transported us to new worlds, and most importantly, are continuing to change the way art and music are intertwined.
Nat King Cole’s The King Cole Trio by Capitol Records
Nat King Cole’s ‘The King Cole Trio’ record may have been one of the first album covers that truly changed the way music was sold, advertised, and digested by the general public. Highly experimental for its time, the album’s artwork - designed by Capitol Records - showcases a double bass, guitar, and piano inside a giant gold crown in front of a vibrant pink backdrop. The significance of this artwork cannot be overstated, opening the door for a new market to originate and the chance for artists to express their creativity and create timeless pieces of work. Album artwork had the ability to reach millions and millions of households in a time when television and radio ruled the world, and the creation of an aesthetically unique cover signalled a change in the packaging, advertising and overall experience of music.
The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers by Andy Warhol
Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones may be one of the most important covers in music history. the cover photograph and designed by the late and great Andy Warhol and his art collective within ‘The Factory’ was created in a time when music was changing, and more importantly, the consumption of music was changing. The original cover depicted a black and white photograph of a man in tight jeans, but what made the cover so iconic was the working zipper upon the man’s trousers. This - combined with the shock of seeing the male crotch with a visible outline of a penis within the album’s packaging - created one of the world’s most well-known and iconic album covers, which has withstood the test of time. Although the working zipper was a stroke of genius by Andy Warhol, which allowed the album packaging to become three-dimensional, the zipper frequently ended up causing damage to the vinyl itself and was also rather expensive to produce, which led to the vinyl being reissued featuring just the photograph of the man in tight jeans. Not only was The Rolling Stones' record pivotal in changing the band’s sound, but it was also a breath of fresh air and a clear example of the experimentation stage for the design of the standard cover art and a great example of what can be created when art and music intertwine.
Childish Gambino's Awaken, My Love by Ibra Ake
Jump forward forty-plus years, and artists are still thinking outside of the box and trying to invent new ways of combining art and music through the use of album artwork and album packaging. An example of this is Childish Gambino’s Awaken, my Love. The album artwork created by Ibra Ake showcases model Giannina Oteto wearing a beaded headdress designed by Laura Wass. The cover itself is arresting enough, but what makes the album stand out is where the packaging becomes a piece of art in itself.
Many quickly noticed that Awaken, My Love’s packaging glows in the dark, but also included within the packaging, is a makeshift Virtual Reality headset; This headset allows its viewer to be transported to a Childish Gambino concert which consists of 360° footage shot at his immersive PHAROS festival in 2016. This allows the whole user experience not only to become three-dimensional through the virtual headset, but then fourth-dimensional as they’re exported to another time and place.
David Bowie's Blackstar by Jonathan Barnbrook
The cover of David Bowie’s final album Blackstar, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, is another modern example which challenges the normality of album artwork whilst interweaving art and music to create something much larger. Released just two days before Bowie’s death, Blackstar soon turned into one of the most talked about album packages during the year of its release due to its hidden secrets that are still being found to this day. An example of this is the cut out that sits beneath the vinyl record itself which, when held up to a light source, reveals a hidden picture of a starfield. It took fans several months to discover this hidden effect. Similarly, when light is reflected off of one side of the vinyl at a precise angle you can create a star pattern on a wall or object in front of you. This further showcases the longevity an album cover and its components can have when done well, but also demonstrates the extreme lengths artists have gone to create the perfect cover and packaging for their work.
The relationship between music and art has no bounds. The current state of music has allowed for endless possibilities for the two different mediums to be frequently intertwined. This may be in the form of a music video, as a way of advertising an artist’s tour dates, as worldwide merchandise, and most importantly, as the cover art of the music itself. When an artist releases anything, the album artwork is part and parcel of the creation, the advertising stage, and the overall joy of the listening experience. The album or single cover art is the first thing you see and may even be a deciding factor on your urge to listen to the music itself. It’s part of the musical experience and more importantly the musician’s artistic experience that they want you to fall deeply in love with, to physically buy, stream and play over and over and over again, but this wasn't always the case.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that cover art cemented itself into the music scene and became a key part of the listening experience, as record labels started using folded-over board format sleeves to protect the vinyl records. This led to a huge increase in sales across the music industry which subsequently opened the door to experimentation, leading to some of the most iconic record covers and all-around pieces of art to be born and shared across the globe. When the 60s came around it was time to break the mould and create vivid works of art that stood out on the shelf, with bold pieces of art that listeners wanted to take home and have on display for anyone and everyone to see.
It is an artist's job to create a world that the musical artist wants you to step into whilst listening to their music, and the cover art is where this journey begins. The artwork might document the musical creation experience itself, invite the audience to step into a completely new world, or even just create something new, hot, fresh and all-around eye-catching to intrigue the viewer into listening to the accompanying music.
Here are some of gowithYamo’s favourite record covers that changed the world of music, that cemented themselves into pop culture, that transported us to new worlds, and most importantly, are continuing to change the way art and music are intertwined.
Nat King Cole’s The King Cole Trio by Capitol Records
Nat King Cole’s ‘The King Cole Trio’ record may have been one of the first album covers that truly changed the way music was sold, advertised, and digested by the general public. Highly experimental for its time, the album’s artwork - designed by Capitol Records - showcases a double bass, guitar, and piano inside a giant gold crown in front of a vibrant pink backdrop. The significance of this artwork cannot be overstated, opening the door for a new market to originate and the chance for artists to express their creativity and create timeless pieces of work. Album artwork had the ability to reach millions and millions of households in a time when television and radio ruled the world, and the creation of an aesthetically unique cover signalled a change in the packaging, advertising and overall experience of music.
The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers by Andy Warhol
Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones may be one of the most important covers in music history. the cover photograph and designed by the late and great Andy Warhol and his art collective within ‘The Factory’ was created in a time when music was changing, and more importantly, the consumption of music was changing. The original cover depicted a black and white photograph of a man in tight jeans, but what made the cover so iconic was the working zipper upon the man’s trousers. This - combined with the shock of seeing the male crotch with a visible outline of a penis within the album’s packaging - created one of the world’s most well-known and iconic album covers, which has withstood the test of time. Although the working zipper was a stroke of genius by Andy Warhol, which allowed the album packaging to become three-dimensional, the zipper frequently ended up causing damage to the vinyl itself and was also rather expensive to produce, which led to the vinyl being reissued featuring just the photograph of the man in tight jeans. Not only was The Rolling Stones' record pivotal in changing the band’s sound, but it was also a breath of fresh air and a clear example of the experimentation stage for the design of the standard cover art and a great example of what can be created when art and music intertwine.
Childish Gambino's Awaken, My Love by Ibra Ake
Jump forward forty-plus years, and artists are still thinking outside of the box and trying to invent new ways of combining art and music through the use of album artwork and album packaging. An example of this is Childish Gambino’s Awaken, my Love. The album artwork created by Ibra Ake showcases model Giannina Oteto wearing a beaded headdress designed by Laura Wass. The cover itself is arresting enough, but what makes the album stand out is where the packaging becomes a piece of art in itself.
Many quickly noticed that Awaken, My Love’s packaging glows in the dark, but also included within the packaging, is a makeshift Virtual Reality headset; This headset allows its viewer to be transported to a Childish Gambino concert which consists of 360° footage shot at his immersive PHAROS festival in 2016. This allows the whole user experience not only to become three-dimensional through the virtual headset, but then fourth-dimensional as they’re exported to another time and place.
David Bowie's Blackstar by Jonathan Barnbrook
The cover of David Bowie’s final album Blackstar, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, is another modern example which challenges the normality of album artwork whilst interweaving art and music to create something much larger. Released just two days before Bowie’s death, Blackstar soon turned into one of the most talked about album packages during the year of its release due to its hidden secrets that are still being found to this day. An example of this is the cut out that sits beneath the vinyl record itself which, when held up to a light source, reveals a hidden picture of a starfield. It took fans several months to discover this hidden effect. Similarly, when light is reflected off of one side of the vinyl at a precise angle you can create a star pattern on a wall or object in front of you. This further showcases the longevity an album cover and its components can have when done well, but also demonstrates the extreme lengths artists have gone to create the perfect cover and packaging for their work.
The relationship between music and art has no bounds. The current state of music has allowed for endless possibilities for the two different mediums to be frequently intertwined. This may be in the form of a music video, as a way of advertising an artist’s tour dates, as worldwide merchandise, and most importantly, as the cover art of the music itself. When an artist releases anything, the album artwork is part and parcel of the creation, the advertising stage, and the overall joy of the listening experience. The album or single cover art is the first thing you see and may even be a deciding factor on your urge to listen to the music itself. It’s part of the musical experience and more importantly the musician’s artistic experience that they want you to fall deeply in love with, to physically buy, stream and play over and over and over again, but this wasn't always the case.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that cover art cemented itself into the music scene and became a key part of the listening experience, as record labels started using folded-over board format sleeves to protect the vinyl records. This led to a huge increase in sales across the music industry which subsequently opened the door to experimentation, leading to some of the most iconic record covers and all-around pieces of art to be born and shared across the globe. When the 60s came around it was time to break the mould and create vivid works of art that stood out on the shelf, with bold pieces of art that listeners wanted to take home and have on display for anyone and everyone to see.
It is an artist's job to create a world that the musical artist wants you to step into whilst listening to their music, and the cover art is where this journey begins. The artwork might document the musical creation experience itself, invite the audience to step into a completely new world, or even just create something new, hot, fresh and all-around eye-catching to intrigue the viewer into listening to the accompanying music.
Here are some of gowithYamo’s favourite record covers that changed the world of music, that cemented themselves into pop culture, that transported us to new worlds, and most importantly, are continuing to change the way art and music are intertwined.
Nat King Cole’s The King Cole Trio by Capitol Records
Nat King Cole’s ‘The King Cole Trio’ record may have been one of the first album covers that truly changed the way music was sold, advertised, and digested by the general public. Highly experimental for its time, the album’s artwork - designed by Capitol Records - showcases a double bass, guitar, and piano inside a giant gold crown in front of a vibrant pink backdrop. The significance of this artwork cannot be overstated, opening the door for a new market to originate and the chance for artists to express their creativity and create timeless pieces of work. Album artwork had the ability to reach millions and millions of households in a time when television and radio ruled the world, and the creation of an aesthetically unique cover signalled a change in the packaging, advertising and overall experience of music.
The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers by Andy Warhol
Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones may be one of the most important covers in music history. the cover photograph and designed by the late and great Andy Warhol and his art collective within ‘The Factory’ was created in a time when music was changing, and more importantly, the consumption of music was changing. The original cover depicted a black and white photograph of a man in tight jeans, but what made the cover so iconic was the working zipper upon the man’s trousers. This - combined with the shock of seeing the male crotch with a visible outline of a penis within the album’s packaging - created one of the world’s most well-known and iconic album covers, which has withstood the test of time. Although the working zipper was a stroke of genius by Andy Warhol, which allowed the album packaging to become three-dimensional, the zipper frequently ended up causing damage to the vinyl itself and was also rather expensive to produce, which led to the vinyl being reissued featuring just the photograph of the man in tight jeans. Not only was The Rolling Stones' record pivotal in changing the band’s sound, but it was also a breath of fresh air and a clear example of the experimentation stage for the design of the standard cover art and a great example of what can be created when art and music intertwine.
Childish Gambino's Awaken, My Love by Ibra Ake
Jump forward forty-plus years, and artists are still thinking outside of the box and trying to invent new ways of combining art and music through the use of album artwork and album packaging. An example of this is Childish Gambino’s Awaken, my Love. The album artwork created by Ibra Ake showcases model Giannina Oteto wearing a beaded headdress designed by Laura Wass. The cover itself is arresting enough, but what makes the album stand out is where the packaging becomes a piece of art in itself.
Many quickly noticed that Awaken, My Love’s packaging glows in the dark, but also included within the packaging, is a makeshift Virtual Reality headset; This headset allows its viewer to be transported to a Childish Gambino concert which consists of 360° footage shot at his immersive PHAROS festival in 2016. This allows the whole user experience not only to become three-dimensional through the virtual headset, but then fourth-dimensional as they’re exported to another time and place.
David Bowie's Blackstar by Jonathan Barnbrook
The cover of David Bowie’s final album Blackstar, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, is another modern example which challenges the normality of album artwork whilst interweaving art and music to create something much larger. Released just two days before Bowie’s death, Blackstar soon turned into one of the most talked about album packages during the year of its release due to its hidden secrets that are still being found to this day. An example of this is the cut out that sits beneath the vinyl record itself which, when held up to a light source, reveals a hidden picture of a starfield. It took fans several months to discover this hidden effect. Similarly, when light is reflected off of one side of the vinyl at a precise angle you can create a star pattern on a wall or object in front of you. This further showcases the longevity an album cover and its components can have when done well, but also demonstrates the extreme lengths artists have gone to create the perfect cover and packaging for their work.
The relationship between music and art has no bounds. The current state of music has allowed for endless possibilities for the two different mediums to be frequently intertwined. This may be in the form of a music video, as a way of advertising an artist’s tour dates, as worldwide merchandise, and most importantly, as the cover art of the music itself. When an artist releases anything, the album artwork is part and parcel of the creation, the advertising stage, and the overall joy of the listening experience. The album or single cover art is the first thing you see and may even be a deciding factor on your urge to listen to the music itself. It’s part of the musical experience and more importantly the musician’s artistic experience that they want you to fall deeply in love with, to physically buy, stream and play over and over and over again, but this wasn't always the case.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that cover art cemented itself into the music scene and became a key part of the listening experience, as record labels started using folded-over board format sleeves to protect the vinyl records. This led to a huge increase in sales across the music industry which subsequently opened the door to experimentation, leading to some of the most iconic record covers and all-around pieces of art to be born and shared across the globe. When the 60s came around it was time to break the mould and create vivid works of art that stood out on the shelf, with bold pieces of art that listeners wanted to take home and have on display for anyone and everyone to see.
It is an artist's job to create a world that the musical artist wants you to step into whilst listening to their music, and the cover art is where this journey begins. The artwork might document the musical creation experience itself, invite the audience to step into a completely new world, or even just create something new, hot, fresh and all-around eye-catching to intrigue the viewer into listening to the accompanying music.
Here are some of gowithYamo’s favourite record covers that changed the world of music, that cemented themselves into pop culture, that transported us to new worlds, and most importantly, are continuing to change the way art and music are intertwined.
Nat King Cole’s The King Cole Trio by Capitol Records
Nat King Cole’s ‘The King Cole Trio’ record may have been one of the first album covers that truly changed the way music was sold, advertised, and digested by the general public. Highly experimental for its time, the album’s artwork - designed by Capitol Records - showcases a double bass, guitar, and piano inside a giant gold crown in front of a vibrant pink backdrop. The significance of this artwork cannot be overstated, opening the door for a new market to originate and the chance for artists to express their creativity and create timeless pieces of work. Album artwork had the ability to reach millions and millions of households in a time when television and radio ruled the world, and the creation of an aesthetically unique cover signalled a change in the packaging, advertising and overall experience of music.
The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers by Andy Warhol
Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones may be one of the most important covers in music history. the cover photograph and designed by the late and great Andy Warhol and his art collective within ‘The Factory’ was created in a time when music was changing, and more importantly, the consumption of music was changing. The original cover depicted a black and white photograph of a man in tight jeans, but what made the cover so iconic was the working zipper upon the man’s trousers. This - combined with the shock of seeing the male crotch with a visible outline of a penis within the album’s packaging - created one of the world’s most well-known and iconic album covers, which has withstood the test of time. Although the working zipper was a stroke of genius by Andy Warhol, which allowed the album packaging to become three-dimensional, the zipper frequently ended up causing damage to the vinyl itself and was also rather expensive to produce, which led to the vinyl being reissued featuring just the photograph of the man in tight jeans. Not only was The Rolling Stones' record pivotal in changing the band’s sound, but it was also a breath of fresh air and a clear example of the experimentation stage for the design of the standard cover art and a great example of what can be created when art and music intertwine.
Childish Gambino's Awaken, My Love by Ibra Ake
Jump forward forty-plus years, and artists are still thinking outside of the box and trying to invent new ways of combining art and music through the use of album artwork and album packaging. An example of this is Childish Gambino’s Awaken, my Love. The album artwork created by Ibra Ake showcases model Giannina Oteto wearing a beaded headdress designed by Laura Wass. The cover itself is arresting enough, but what makes the album stand out is where the packaging becomes a piece of art in itself.
Many quickly noticed that Awaken, My Love’s packaging glows in the dark, but also included within the packaging, is a makeshift Virtual Reality headset; This headset allows its viewer to be transported to a Childish Gambino concert which consists of 360° footage shot at his immersive PHAROS festival in 2016. This allows the whole user experience not only to become three-dimensional through the virtual headset, but then fourth-dimensional as they’re exported to another time and place.
David Bowie's Blackstar by Jonathan Barnbrook
The cover of David Bowie’s final album Blackstar, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, is another modern example which challenges the normality of album artwork whilst interweaving art and music to create something much larger. Released just two days before Bowie’s death, Blackstar soon turned into one of the most talked about album packages during the year of its release due to its hidden secrets that are still being found to this day. An example of this is the cut out that sits beneath the vinyl record itself which, when held up to a light source, reveals a hidden picture of a starfield. It took fans several months to discover this hidden effect. Similarly, when light is reflected off of one side of the vinyl at a precise angle you can create a star pattern on a wall or object in front of you. This further showcases the longevity an album cover and its components can have when done well, but also demonstrates the extreme lengths artists have gone to create the perfect cover and packaging for their work.
The relationship between music and art has no bounds. The current state of music has allowed for endless possibilities for the two different mediums to be frequently intertwined. This may be in the form of a music video, as a way of advertising an artist’s tour dates, as worldwide merchandise, and most importantly, as the cover art of the music itself. When an artist releases anything, the album artwork is part and parcel of the creation, the advertising stage, and the overall joy of the listening experience. The album or single cover art is the first thing you see and may even be a deciding factor on your urge to listen to the music itself. It’s part of the musical experience and more importantly the musician’s artistic experience that they want you to fall deeply in love with, to physically buy, stream and play over and over and over again, but this wasn't always the case.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that cover art cemented itself into the music scene and became a key part of the listening experience, as record labels started using folded-over board format sleeves to protect the vinyl records. This led to a huge increase in sales across the music industry which subsequently opened the door to experimentation, leading to some of the most iconic record covers and all-around pieces of art to be born and shared across the globe. When the 60s came around it was time to break the mould and create vivid works of art that stood out on the shelf, with bold pieces of art that listeners wanted to take home and have on display for anyone and everyone to see.
It is an artist's job to create a world that the musical artist wants you to step into whilst listening to their music, and the cover art is where this journey begins. The artwork might document the musical creation experience itself, invite the audience to step into a completely new world, or even just create something new, hot, fresh and all-around eye-catching to intrigue the viewer into listening to the accompanying music.
Here are some of gowithYamo’s favourite record covers that changed the world of music, that cemented themselves into pop culture, that transported us to new worlds, and most importantly, are continuing to change the way art and music are intertwined.
Nat King Cole’s The King Cole Trio by Capitol Records
Nat King Cole’s ‘The King Cole Trio’ record may have been one of the first album covers that truly changed the way music was sold, advertised, and digested by the general public. Highly experimental for its time, the album’s artwork - designed by Capitol Records - showcases a double bass, guitar, and piano inside a giant gold crown in front of a vibrant pink backdrop. The significance of this artwork cannot be overstated, opening the door for a new market to originate and the chance for artists to express their creativity and create timeless pieces of work. Album artwork had the ability to reach millions and millions of households in a time when television and radio ruled the world, and the creation of an aesthetically unique cover signalled a change in the packaging, advertising and overall experience of music.
The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers by Andy Warhol
Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones may be one of the most important covers in music history. the cover photograph and designed by the late and great Andy Warhol and his art collective within ‘The Factory’ was created in a time when music was changing, and more importantly, the consumption of music was changing. The original cover depicted a black and white photograph of a man in tight jeans, but what made the cover so iconic was the working zipper upon the man’s trousers. This - combined with the shock of seeing the male crotch with a visible outline of a penis within the album’s packaging - created one of the world’s most well-known and iconic album covers, which has withstood the test of time. Although the working zipper was a stroke of genius by Andy Warhol, which allowed the album packaging to become three-dimensional, the zipper frequently ended up causing damage to the vinyl itself and was also rather expensive to produce, which led to the vinyl being reissued featuring just the photograph of the man in tight jeans. Not only was The Rolling Stones' record pivotal in changing the band’s sound, but it was also a breath of fresh air and a clear example of the experimentation stage for the design of the standard cover art and a great example of what can be created when art and music intertwine.
Childish Gambino's Awaken, My Love by Ibra Ake
Jump forward forty-plus years, and artists are still thinking outside of the box and trying to invent new ways of combining art and music through the use of album artwork and album packaging. An example of this is Childish Gambino’s Awaken, my Love. The album artwork created by Ibra Ake showcases model Giannina Oteto wearing a beaded headdress designed by Laura Wass. The cover itself is arresting enough, but what makes the album stand out is where the packaging becomes a piece of art in itself.
Many quickly noticed that Awaken, My Love’s packaging glows in the dark, but also included within the packaging, is a makeshift Virtual Reality headset; This headset allows its viewer to be transported to a Childish Gambino concert which consists of 360° footage shot at his immersive PHAROS festival in 2016. This allows the whole user experience not only to become three-dimensional through the virtual headset, but then fourth-dimensional as they’re exported to another time and place.
David Bowie's Blackstar by Jonathan Barnbrook
The cover of David Bowie’s final album Blackstar, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, is another modern example which challenges the normality of album artwork whilst interweaving art and music to create something much larger. Released just two days before Bowie’s death, Blackstar soon turned into one of the most talked about album packages during the year of its release due to its hidden secrets that are still being found to this day. An example of this is the cut out that sits beneath the vinyl record itself which, when held up to a light source, reveals a hidden picture of a starfield. It took fans several months to discover this hidden effect. Similarly, when light is reflected off of one side of the vinyl at a precise angle you can create a star pattern on a wall or object in front of you. This further showcases the longevity an album cover and its components can have when done well, but also demonstrates the extreme lengths artists have gone to create the perfect cover and packaging for their work.
The relationship between music and art has no bounds. The current state of music has allowed for endless possibilities for the two different mediums to be frequently intertwined. This may be in the form of a music video, as a way of advertising an artist’s tour dates, as worldwide merchandise, and most importantly, as the cover art of the music itself. When an artist releases anything, the album artwork is part and parcel of the creation, the advertising stage, and the overall joy of the listening experience. The album or single cover art is the first thing you see and may even be a deciding factor on your urge to listen to the music itself. It’s part of the musical experience and more importantly the musician’s artistic experience that they want you to fall deeply in love with, to physically buy, stream and play over and over and over again, but this wasn't always the case.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that cover art cemented itself into the music scene and became a key part of the listening experience, as record labels started using folded-over board format sleeves to protect the vinyl records. This led to a huge increase in sales across the music industry which subsequently opened the door to experimentation, leading to some of the most iconic record covers and all-around pieces of art to be born and shared across the globe. When the 60s came around it was time to break the mould and create vivid works of art that stood out on the shelf, with bold pieces of art that listeners wanted to take home and have on display for anyone and everyone to see.
It is an artist's job to create a world that the musical artist wants you to step into whilst listening to their music, and the cover art is where this journey begins. The artwork might document the musical creation experience itself, invite the audience to step into a completely new world, or even just create something new, hot, fresh and all-around eye-catching to intrigue the viewer into listening to the accompanying music.
Here are some of gowithYamo’s favourite record covers that changed the world of music, that cemented themselves into pop culture, that transported us to new worlds, and most importantly, are continuing to change the way art and music are intertwined.
Nat King Cole’s The King Cole Trio by Capitol Records
Nat King Cole’s ‘The King Cole Trio’ record may have been one of the first album covers that truly changed the way music was sold, advertised, and digested by the general public. Highly experimental for its time, the album’s artwork - designed by Capitol Records - showcases a double bass, guitar, and piano inside a giant gold crown in front of a vibrant pink backdrop. The significance of this artwork cannot be overstated, opening the door for a new market to originate and the chance for artists to express their creativity and create timeless pieces of work. Album artwork had the ability to reach millions and millions of households in a time when television and radio ruled the world, and the creation of an aesthetically unique cover signalled a change in the packaging, advertising and overall experience of music.
The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers by Andy Warhol
Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones may be one of the most important covers in music history. the cover photograph and designed by the late and great Andy Warhol and his art collective within ‘The Factory’ was created in a time when music was changing, and more importantly, the consumption of music was changing. The original cover depicted a black and white photograph of a man in tight jeans, but what made the cover so iconic was the working zipper upon the man’s trousers. This - combined with the shock of seeing the male crotch with a visible outline of a penis within the album’s packaging - created one of the world’s most well-known and iconic album covers, which has withstood the test of time. Although the working zipper was a stroke of genius by Andy Warhol, which allowed the album packaging to become three-dimensional, the zipper frequently ended up causing damage to the vinyl itself and was also rather expensive to produce, which led to the vinyl being reissued featuring just the photograph of the man in tight jeans. Not only was The Rolling Stones' record pivotal in changing the band’s sound, but it was also a breath of fresh air and a clear example of the experimentation stage for the design of the standard cover art and a great example of what can be created when art and music intertwine.
Childish Gambino's Awaken, My Love by Ibra Ake
Jump forward forty-plus years, and artists are still thinking outside of the box and trying to invent new ways of combining art and music through the use of album artwork and album packaging. An example of this is Childish Gambino’s Awaken, my Love. The album artwork created by Ibra Ake showcases model Giannina Oteto wearing a beaded headdress designed by Laura Wass. The cover itself is arresting enough, but what makes the album stand out is where the packaging becomes a piece of art in itself.
Many quickly noticed that Awaken, My Love’s packaging glows in the dark, but also included within the packaging, is a makeshift Virtual Reality headset; This headset allows its viewer to be transported to a Childish Gambino concert which consists of 360° footage shot at his immersive PHAROS festival in 2016. This allows the whole user experience not only to become three-dimensional through the virtual headset, but then fourth-dimensional as they’re exported to another time and place.
David Bowie's Blackstar by Jonathan Barnbrook
The cover of David Bowie’s final album Blackstar, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, is another modern example which challenges the normality of album artwork whilst interweaving art and music to create something much larger. Released just two days before Bowie’s death, Blackstar soon turned into one of the most talked about album packages during the year of its release due to its hidden secrets that are still being found to this day. An example of this is the cut out that sits beneath the vinyl record itself which, when held up to a light source, reveals a hidden picture of a starfield. It took fans several months to discover this hidden effect. Similarly, when light is reflected off of one side of the vinyl at a precise angle you can create a star pattern on a wall or object in front of you. This further showcases the longevity an album cover and its components can have when done well, but also demonstrates the extreme lengths artists have gone to create the perfect cover and packaging for their work.
