The back cover of Captain Beefheart’sTrout Mask Replica (scroll down) … it just encapsulates the kind of absurd, mellow, backyard, humorous, druggy yet intelligent scene that was (some of) California in 1969. I love the guy peering up from under the deck.
I always fascinated by Zeppelin’sIn Through The Out Door. Not only are there lots of details to ponder, but there are actually four (the linked entry says six, but I could swear it was four. Whatever) different covers with the same picture taken from the perspective of a different person in the photo. That’s some great marketing, in my opinion.
I think six In Through the Out Door cover variations is correct. The Wiki article is mixed up, though, on one point–it was the main cover (inside the brown bag) that had the variations, and the inner sleeve that was impregnated with the invisible paint.
Correctamundo, Biffy! I was hoping to find a site that shows all of covers side by side, but don’t have the time at the moment to search.
Biffy mentioned King Crimson’s Lark’s Tongue in Aspic.
I’d have to go for another Crimson title, “In the Court of the Crimson King”.
Album Cover Hall Of Fame:
Ramones, Ramones
- Absolutely classic. It looks like it sounds: raw, immediate, tough and cool in a shoestring budget kind of way.
Celtic Frost, Into The Pandemonium
- Almost cheating, since it’s a detail of a painting by Hieronymous Bosch, but they still get kudos for picking the right part of the right one. Most. Unique. Metal. Band. Ever.
The Clash, London Calling
- For all the reasons already mentioned, and the unrelated but undeniable fact that the greatest record of all time lurks within. IMNSHO.
Testament, Low
- Beautiful and sinister all at once. I wish I could get it as a poster.
Can I get an Amen to Republic, by New Order? I’ve said it before in this type of thread but I never get a second.
Not only is it my favorite cover, it’s almost my favorite piece of visual art ever. The cover (and the photos inside,) not only go perfectly with the music but also tell a story that’s completely in line with the music: i.e., most people live unavoidably solitary and lonely lives, especially in the wide-open, new space that is America, but there is a spirit nonetheless that gives hope against the forces of isolation.
While Jethro Tull is the undisputed king of novelty album themes, Alice Cooper has had many novelty-packaged album covers and tri-fold covers…my favorite…
Muscle of Love was a folded corrugated cardboard box that included a set of logoed panties.
My favourite album covers include Joy Division’s *Unknown Pleasures * and *Closer *, *Mask * and Swing The Heartache by Bauhaus, The Damned’s *Phantasmagoria *, and The Cure’s Staring At The Sea/Standing on the Beach
And every Smiths cover.
And most 23 Envelope/V23 covers for 4AD.
My taste seems to differ somewhat from most people here…
I have always loved the artwork on all of KMFDM’s albums, the artwork is by Brute!
Love the simplicty of the cover for The Misfits’ Bullet
I love the strange mix of Union soldiers on Elephants imagery on Clutch’s Elephant Riders
I also love the Joy Division covers mentioned earlier.
Was just coming in to say that. 
That and Tales From Topographic Oceans.
I had just read Göddel/Escher/Bach when I saw this for the first time, so I was really tuned for all things selfreferential.
I liked XTC’s music rather more then than now, but I still think the Go 2 front/backcover is damn clever.
Quote:
“At least we’re telling you directly instead of seducing you with
a beautiful or haunting visual that may never tell you. We’re
letting you know that you ought to buy this record because in
essence it’s a PRODUCT and PRODUCTS are to be consumed and you
are a consumer and this is a good PRODUCT.”
The best concept album of the sixties had radio-jingles and spoof adverts between the songs and was sold in this great cover.
The 2 that I always loved are
Queen’s News of the World, especially the inside picture.
And Ram Jam always reminded me of the Twilight Zone
I was wondering whether to post my favorite album cover, which is Roxy Music’s Avalon, and then, just as I had decided not to, “More Than This” came on the radio. I’ll take that as a sign that I made the wrong initial decision.
Putting away for now the creepy-but-fun feeling I’m experiencing, I think it’s a simple but wonderfully evocative piece of art.
Tools cover on Ænima the whole shifting image thing with all those pics was cool as hell
but I think for my favorite ever it has to be Ultra Lounge http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000002U5V/103-6925998-1739028?v=glance&n=5174
the cover is friggin leopard print Velvet…as in fabric not cardboard.
Oh man, I think I need to get that. I’ll put it on the shelf next to my embroidered purple silk Remember Shakti box set (with the brocade ribbon to pull out the discs).
This first one is from 1968 and I like the humor of it - Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart had a hit with the song I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight
Carly Simon, shy and demure as always, on the cover of Playing Possum
A group released this album in 1969 and the cover was pretty racy for its time. That album cover (and for no other reason whatsoever) is the only way I ever even heard of The Carolyn Hester Coalition
Most of my favourites have already been mentioned, but a couple more are Never for Ever by Kate Bush and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis.
The actual cover of Man’s "Be Good To Yourself at Least Twice a Day" isn’t anything special, but it opens up to reveal the wonderful Man’s Map of Wales.
Was that the one where the model got stuck to the floor, and it took a coupla hours to get her loose? :smack: