# What was the first album with psychedelic cover art? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** arts-crafts\ **Created:** [October 28, 2021, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421 "2021-10-28T23:10:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2021, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/21 "2021-10-29T22:48:28Z")
Gotta be Floyd! ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2021, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/22 "2021-10-29T22:55:08Z")
😂 Of course Floyd often comes up in a thread like this, but I can state with certainty: Pink Floyd neither did the first psychedelic record nor the first psychedelic cover! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/23 "2021-10-30T02:38:35Z")
Donovan’s Sunshine Superman came out in 1966: > **[Sunshine Superman (album)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_Superman_%28album%29?wprov=sfla1)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > > Sunshine Superman is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in the United States on August 26, 1966, but was not released in the UK because of a contractual dispute. In June 1967, a compilation of tracks from this album and the follow-up Mellow Yellow was released as Sunshine Superman in the UK. Both versions were named after Donovan's hit single released in the US in July 1966. The album was Donovan's most... ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/24 "2025-11-12T18:28:20Z")
The OP cites the third Byrds album, but their first album cover, from 1965, is arguably kind of psychedelic; it’s a group shot of the band, but just slightly distorted in a way that I hear may resemble the visual illusions produced by LSD. > **[Mr. Tambourine Man (album)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Tambourine_Man_(album))** > > Mr. Tambourine Man is the debut studio album by the American rock band the Byrds, released on June 21, 1965, by Columbia Records. The album is characterized by the Byrds' signature sound of Jim McGuinn's\[nb 2\] 12-string Rickenbacker guitar and the band's complex harmony singing. The material on the album consists of cover versions of folk songs, primarily composed by Bob Dylan, and originals written or co-written by singer Gene Clark. Along with the Dylan-penned single of the same name, The al... Rubber Soul is a lot trippier and came out right about the same time, though, so I think that’s probably the best answer. I’m not aware of any other album covers from 1965 or earlier that are comparably “psychedelic”, however we define that. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/25 "2025-11-12T18:30:20Z")
(Realizes what he’s done) Also, The Zombies had some trippy album covers, probably. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/26 "2025-11-12T18:34:28Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > Not a direct answer to your question, but Vox links the psychedelic esthetic to Art Nouveau I came here to say that. I think TV tropes would call that [Older Than Television](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OlderThanTelevision). I was going to peg it as Older Than Radio, but it turns out radio and Art Nouveau were both invented in 1890. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/27 "2025-11-12T18:35:45Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > The OP cites the third Byrds album, but their first album cover, from 1965, is arguably kind of psychedelic; it’s a group shot of the band, but just slightly distorted in a way that I hear may resemble the visual illusions produced by LSD. I see your point, it’s kinda trippy, OTOH it’s just a portrait of the band shot with a fish eye lens, which wasn’t new in 1965. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/28 "2025-11-12T18:50:58Z")
My dad had all the Beatles’ albums, and he had one called, “Revolver”. I checked, and it came out in 1966. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/29 "2025-11-12T18:57:15Z")
Yeah, the artwork for “Revolver” was designed by Klaus Voormann, one of the several “fifth Beatles”. They had met him in their Hamburg days, and he later became the bass player for the Plastic Ono Band. I never liked that cover much, it looks kinda amateurish, although Voormann was a studied graphic designer. Fun fact: Klaus Voormann also was the producer for the band Trio, of “Da Da Da” fame. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/30 "2025-11-12T19:36:59Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Looks very Peter Max-ish to me. With a little Terry Gilliam thrown in. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/31 "2025-11-12T20:56:32Z")
1950’s pop culture homage to 1920s avant garde [![](https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Salvador-Dal%C3%AD-Lonesome-Echo-1955-di-Jackie-Gleason.jpg) ](https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Salvador-Dal%C3%AD-Lonesome-Echo-1955-di-Jackie-Gleason.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/32 "2025-11-12T21:45:32Z")
1. [It’s even got psychedelic in the title](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychedelic_Lollipop) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/33 "2025-11-12T21:52:45Z")
The Jackie Gleason album art actually was by Dali, but as far as I can find, this one from 1949 is not at all a genuine Yves Tanguy [![](https://i0.wp.com/www.printmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2a34d8_6a9b06b8d2ca4effbe023398da0e2848mv2.jpg?resize=450%2C450&quality=89&ssl=1) ](https://i0.wp.com/www.printmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2a34d8_6a9b06b8d2ca4effbe023398da0e2848mv2.jpg?resize=450%2C450&quality=89&ssl=1) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/34 "2025-11-12T22:04:22Z")
^^ Wow, while this doesn’t look especially like 60s psychedelia, it easily could be a 70s prog rock album cover. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/35 "2025-11-12T22:09:22Z")
Like the Rush one with the naked guy pointing at the Rene Magritte guy? ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/36 "2025-11-12T22:11:33Z")
I had to look that up, I’m not very much into Rush, the album was “Hemispheres” and yeah, it has a similar aesthetic. [![](https://bilder.buecher.de/produkte/20/20071/20071397z.jpg) ](https://bilder.buecher.de/produkte/20/20071/20071397z.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/37 "2025-11-12T22:48:46Z")
The Beatles Yesterday and Today album originally had the Butcher cover. It had to be covered with a photo of the band. I still can’t imagine why the band posed for the Butcher photo. Released in June 1966 [![](https://www.rarerecords.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/butcher_promotional_poster_large.jpg) ](https://www.rarerecords.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/butcher_promotional_poster_large.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/38 "2025-11-12T23:18:25Z")
Undoubtedly because they knew it would be replaced, making the original album extremely valuable. 🙂 Apparently first state covers (without the pasted-over photo) are selling for over $30,000. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/39 "2025-11-12T23:49:02Z")
They were getting a little too cute moptop, so they had to do something a little edgy. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421/40 "2025-11-13T01:40:28Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > The cover of Rubber Soul pioneered the psychedelic typeface used throughout the rest of the 60’s Worth noting that a lot of the psychedelic style was influenced by [Art Nouveau](https://www.vox.com/videos/2019/11/14/20965321/psychedelic-rock-posters) styles and fonts from the 1890’s. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-album-with-psychedelic-cover-art/953421.md?page=3)