# Best album cover artwork **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 12, 2006, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149 "2006-10-12T03:28:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/21 "2006-10-12T21:18:29Z")
**Country Life** - Roxy Music or **Candy-O** - The Cars. What can I say, I was about 12 when I first saw them. Not recommended if this a a work computer. ---
**Author:** ![Petey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f1d935/32.png) [@Petey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petey)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/22 "2006-10-12T22:00:58Z")
[QUOTE=H3Knuckles] Well, I’m no expert, as by the time I was born, albums were already on their way out (1983), but I think Led Zeppelin’s [In Through the Out Door](http://www.amazon.com/Through-Out-Door-Led-Zeppelin/dp/B000002JSP) makes a pretty cool image. Particularly since it doesn’t have their name or the album title on it. [/QUOTE] When I saw this I thought, “The brown paper bag?” Cause that’s what I think of as the cover. I also like “The Beatles’ White Album” and “Spinal Tap’s Smell The Glove” covers. ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/23 "2006-10-12T22:57:40Z")
I’ve always had a particular fondness for the Smashing Pumpkins’ [Siamese Dream](http://www.fuka.info.waseda.ac.jp/~yuhki/music/details/smashing_pumpkins/siamese_dream.jpg). Everything about it is just perfect for me, and so it has been my lifelong favorite album cover. Also like Explosions in The Sky’s [The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place](http://www.amazon.com/Earth-Not-Cold-Dead-Place/dp/B0000DJYME/sr=1-1/qid=1160693762/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-5020836-2032851?ie=UTF8&s=music). ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/24 "2006-10-12T23:04:44Z")
All good suggestions. Might I propose some covers to avoid? There’s the **Mom’s Apple Pie** cover which features a vagina in the cut out wedge. [Here you go](http://friends.s5.net/mazzini/plosce/pie.html) **Carnivorous Erection**. ‘Nuff said. (You’ll have to google that one. I don’t want to get in trouble.) I’d also avoid the **Two Virgins** cover featuring John and Yoko in their birthday suits. No need for a link. We’ve all seen it. What? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/25 "2006-10-12T23:30:54Z")
A few came to mind before I opened the thread: **Goodbye Yellow Brick Road** , Elton John. The full three-panel tryptich. Something about the technique–yes, it’s all pastel colors and could perhaps be a little more in focus in spots, but the detail in the work made great use of the large size that LP jackets (especially double ones) afforded. **Crisis? What Crisis?** , Supertramp. The juxtaposition of the sooty, grimy city with the blissfully-ignorant man in the beach chair is still a bit of a shock. **Foxtrot** , Genesis. Again, a multi-panel cover, front and back. A story of a frustrated foxhunt in a picture. Look carefully, and see elements in the background that relate to the song “Supper’s Ready” on the LP, and to the album _Selling England by the Pound_. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/26 "2006-10-12T23:56:24Z")
I thought the original [Appetite for Destruction](http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/guns_n_roses/appetite_for_destruction/) album cover, though morally questionable was also extremely powerful. The ELP Giger album cover is great, but that uses existant art (I think the Giger Image wasn’t made for the Album originally) so I don’t think it can really count. Pet Shop Boys have some great Album covers as well. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/27 "2006-10-13T00:41:22Z")
[QUOTE=Petey] When I saw this I thought, “The brown paper bag?” Cause that’s what I think of as the cover. I also like “The Beatles’ White Album” and “Spinal Tap’s Smell The Glove” covers. [/QUOTE] Us old timers also remember the original Pink Floyd “Wish You Were Here” cover. The album was originally released in blue plastic shrink wrap; you couldn’t see the cover unless you bought it. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/28 "2006-10-13T00:46:43Z")
I could go on and on but here are some of my favorites: [Feast of Wire](http://www.amazon.com/Feast-Wire-Calexico/dp/B000089CPF/sr=1-1/qid=1160699917/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-2854477-5198306?ie=UTF8&s=music) by Calexico. I just love the naughty punk skater girl, and I love that the image is completely incongruous with the kind of music they play. If that girl were real, she would definitely not listen to Calexico. [The Fruit that Ate Itself](http://www.amazon.com/Fruit-That-Ate-Itself/dp/B000003ROT/sr=1-1/qid=1160700071/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-2854477-5198306?ie=UTF8&s=music) by Modest Mouse. Such a mysterious, cryptic album title, and a creepy desolate landscape to go with it. [The Biz](http://www.amazon.com/Biz-Sea-Cake/dp/B000004B2V/sr=1-7/qid=1160700129/ref=sr_1_7/104-2854477-5198306?ie=UTF8&s=music) by The Sea and Cake. They always have great artwork on their albums. [Musipal](http://www.amazon.com/Musipal-Wagon-Christ/dp/B00005A87E/ref=sr_11_1/104-2854477-5198306?ie=UTF8) by Wagon Christ. A little robot guy glances curiously at a heap of weird, obscure machinery, all drawn in a hip R. Crump type LSD-comix style. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/29 "2006-10-13T01:21:49Z")
[Blind Faith](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_Faith) will definitely get you talked about around the office. :eek: Linda Ronstadt’s [Hasten Down The Wind](http://www.amazon.com/Hasten-Down-Wind-Linda-Ronstadt/dp/B000002GY7) also makes a nice desktop. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/30 "2006-10-13T02:32:16Z")
I forgot to mention that I also love the cover art to Depeche Mode’s [A Broken Frame](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B000002KYL). I believe the photo won some awards in its day. ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/31 "2006-10-13T04:36:08Z")
Thanks for all the suggestions. This is not a work computer, so that may help. I have changed my wallpaper, but will not say what I chose until all the suggestions have run out. Also, remember I was looking for _album_ covers. The shrinkwrap doesn’t count. SGT Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/32 "2006-10-13T05:29:25Z")
Yay, I get to be the first to mention REM’s first album! [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:REM\_Murmur\_cover.jpg-](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:REM_Murmur_cover.jpg-) It’s an absolute classic. It’s just as compelling and mysterious as the music on it. The cover art for [Chronic Town](http://tralfaz-archives.com/coverart/R/rem_chronic.html) is great too. Some others: Massive Attack- [Mezzanine](http://www.w-fenec.org/photos/2005/indus/massive_attack_mezzanine.jpg) Faith No More [Angel Dust](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002LRX.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_V1115767784_.jpg) Echo and the Bunnymen- [Crocodiles](http://www.muzieklijstjes.nl/Tips/EchoCrocodiles.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/33 "2006-10-13T07:46:35Z")
[QUOTE=minlokwat] **Carnivorous Erection**. ‘Nuff said. (You’ll have to google that one. I don’t want to get in trouble.) [/QUOTE] Holy Moly! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/34 "2006-10-13T08:22:53Z")
Miles Davis’ “Porgy and Bess”. Cool, Cool, Cool. “Miles In The Sky” is also fantastic. mm ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/35 "2006-10-13T14:55:16Z")
Nazareth [Hair of the Dog](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002GBD.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg) , [Expect no Mercy](http://auddityrecords.com/pictures/0805210.jpg) or [No Mean City](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005UEPL.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg) Or Jethro Tull [Broadsword and the Beast](http://remus.rutgers.edu/JethroTull/Albums/BroadswordandTheBeast.html) All have been my wallpaper at one time or another. ---
**Author:** ![buns3000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c89c15/32.png) [@buns3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buns3000)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149/36 "2006-10-13T14:58:16Z")
[It’s All Around You](http://www.amazon.com/Its-All-Around-You-Tortoise/dp/B0001EMW06/sr=1-5/qid=1160751268/ref=sr_1_5/104-5780222-8645516?ie=UTF8&s=music) by Tortoise. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-artwork/376149.md?page=1)