Before the days of listening to an album in the record store or online, music shopping was more of a gamble. And, believe it or not, a lot of bets were placed solely on album art. I remember trading a Tiffany cassette for Poison’s Look What The Cat Dragged In because I thought the girls on the cover had better hair and makeup. Thus began the seminal hair metal phase of my adolescence (Do not judge me).
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For consumers, the advantages of the digital music revolution are many: increased accessibility, portability and lessened expenses just to name a few. But forgotten amongst these undeniable advantages is the loss of album artwork, and the social experience that a tangible visual can provide.
Axis: Bold As Love
Despite the age old adage not to judge a book by its cover, album cover art really can speak volumes as to the quality of musical innovation concealed inside. If your album cover boasts the generic image of the secondary band members standing out of focus in the back with lead man up front, or of just a musician with their instrument, then the general assumption might as well be that your music is bland and unoriginal. Yet in today’s world of declining physical music sales and inclining digital music sales, album cover art has more or less become an afterthought.
Sticky Fingers
Believe it or not, there was a time when the art displayed on an album sleeve stood for something. The past 50 years are loaded with culturally relevant album art that just so happened to perfectly represent a band’s or artist’s personality. Jimi Hendrix exploited the psychedelic fad of the 1960’s with his Axis: Bold as Love cover in 1967. The Rolling Stones exhibited the quintessential 70’s rockstar arrogance with Sticky Fingers, expelling their sexual prowess through the historic skinny jeans crotch photograph. The album even came with a built in zipper fly, just so you could feel like you were unzipping a Rolling Stone member’s pants.
Appetite For Destruction
While 80’s pop culture is largely remembered for spandex and keytars, Guns ‘N’ Roses 1987 Appetite For Destruction cover was in stark contrast to the prevailing 80’s pop music tradition of bright colors and artist portraits. Originally designed as a tattoo, the crucified skulls represent Axl, Slash, Duff, Izzy and Adler in their quest for rock ‘n’ roll mayhem. And to think that this cover was the less controversial of the two options! The first displayed a “metal avenger” monster on the verge of mutilating a robotic rapist.
Nevermind
The 90’s witnessed bipolarity in popular music. Not surprisingly, the grunge scene remained incognito from pop culture until the rise of unsuccessfully elusive rockers Nirvana. When their smash hit Nevermind was released, the indelible photo of a naked baby- Spencer Elden- swimming after money became a sign of the time; innocence chasing greed. Unfortunately, it seems like uninspired artwork among popular music has become the norm ever since.
Think about it. Why put effort into album artwork when it’s only going to be seen as a digital thumbnail on your computer screen or iPod? Plus, the idea of friends gathering to listen to music while exploring CD covers almost seems ridiculous. Still, there are some artists out there putting time and effort into cover artwork even though others have labeled the practice extinct. After all, it doesn’t hurt to put out the most complete musical package possible. Below is a collage of 6 intriguing album covers all created by OurStage’s very own!
So have you ever seen a picture of an artist or an album cover and thought, “I wonder what was going through their head in that picture.” Well now you can find out! Here are what some of our top artists may have been thinking during these pictures! Oh, and don’t forget to click on their picture to check out their awesome music!
 Another Cynthia “Why are we sitting in these chairs? They look like they should be in an airport… did you steal these from the airport? Is that illegal? If not what else can we steal from there?” (Guy in center) |
 Brian Vadimsky “Yes, I know I’m the man.
Yes, I can hurt you. Now can you help me get this thing off my head?” |
 Drew “That’s some nice fur. I have no idea why that fur is on my coat
but … it’s nice. It looks like my girlfriend’s cat’s tail. Maybe that’s what she meant when she said I was doing weird things in my sleep. . . “ |
 Eye Witness “Hmm. Fancy that, we match”
(girl on left) “Hoo.. hoo.. I can’t keep my hands to myself much longer!!” |
 Jerry Cherry “I wanted to be in home alone but here I am… At least I get some ice-cream and cherries. Yum. WAIT! YOU NEVER TOLD ME I DIDN’T GET TO EAT IT! MOM!!!”
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 Mana Poly All-Stars “Don’t look at me.” (guy on far left) “This table looks like a great place for a nap.” (guy third from left) “Oh heeey. To all my fans out there, thank you. Oh no really, really, all that clapping isn’t necessary. That’s for the Grammy all. Peace” |
 Reead “Pink cola. Every rock-star’s dream.”
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 Rick Huckaby “Gabriella is gorgeous and foreign…
but Katie has tickets to U2….” |
 Rockets to London “Yeah man, lets change up this sound… OWWW Crap… head… meet keyboard. I hope the audience didn’t see that. Yeah… my head’s fine all… I just.. have an itch!”
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 The Minor Kings “Dude, there’s a fine chica walking around over thereeee!” (guy on left)
“Ohhhh when you said standing in water… I thought you meant like walking on water. This is just- my pants are wet…” (guy in center) “Oh hey! Look what I can do with my toes!” (guy on right) |
 Voodoo Economics “Hey mannnn what’s up?! Oh man, you have a nice lookin girlfriend!” (guy on left)
“Mmmm look at the sky. OH, I think I see a cloud shaped like a bunny!” (girl) “I wish both of you would stop touching me. Who is she anyway…” |
