# Which bands had the best art on their album covers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2019, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257 "2019-10-04T13:36:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/1 "2019-10-04T13:36:39Z")
Which bands do you think featured the best album cover art? We’re not talking about a one-off great album cover, but rather, demonstrated a pattern of having good art with some consistency. This means the band in question would need to have released multiple albums to qualify here. ---
**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 4, 2019, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/2 "2019-10-04T13:42:33Z")
Pink Floyd, because they used Hipgnosis, one of the best cover designers of the era. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/3 "2019-10-04T13:43:34Z")
Yes ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/4 "2019-10-04T13:45:52Z")
Tony Fitzpatrick has been doing some interesting Steve Earle cover art for the last, oh 15-20 or so years. [https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=1009&ei=5UyXXam1DYvAsAX8pqeABQ&q=tony+fitzpatrick+steve+earle+art&oq=tony+fitzpatrick+steve+earle+art&gs\_l=img.3...3834.14838..15003...0.0..0.100.2030.31j1......0....1..gws-wiz-img.....0..0j0i30j0i24.s3E4pZMa4nk&ved=0ahUKEwjpu9LI3oLlAhULIKwKHXzTCVAQ4dUDCAU&uact=5](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=1009&ei=5UyXXam1DYvAsAX8pqeABQ&q=tony+fitzpatrick+steve+earle+art&oq=tony+fitzpatrick+steve+earle+art&gs_l=img.3...3834.14838..15003...0.0..0.100.2030.31j1......0....1..gws-wiz-img.....0..0j0i30j0i24.s3E4pZMa4nk&ved=0ahUKEwjpu9LI3oLlAhULIKwKHXzTCVAQ4dUDCAU&uact=5) ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/5 "2019-10-04T13:48:36Z")
Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/6 "2019-10-04T13:52:55Z")
I’m partial to the Yes album covers featuring fantastical landscapes. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/7 "2019-10-04T13:58:38Z")
I don’t know about “best” but all of Iron Maiden’s first 8 studio albums (and a couple of live albums) through the 80s and 90s were illustrated by Derek Riggs, giving them all a remarkably consistent look and style. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/8 "2019-10-04T14:00:54Z")
Hmmmm. Gonna have to think on this a bit. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/9 "2019-10-04T14:01:57Z")
\*\*Yes \*\*had the best, \*\*Floyd \*\*was right behind them. **The Dead** had some very notable ones. Sgt. Pepper’s alone puts the \*\*Beatles \*\*in the discussion and Abbey Road sure helps. **Led Zeppelin** had some impressive ones. \*\*ELP \*\*of course had great cover art. \*\*ELO \*\*for that matter had some notable ones. \*\*Asia \*\*went with the same style as Yes also often using Roger Dean. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/10 "2019-10-04T14:02:07Z")
> [@Cardigan](#): > > I’m partial to the Yes album covers featuring fantastical landscapes. I think Uriah Heep used the same artist for “Demons and Wizards” and “The Magician’s Birthday”. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/11 "2019-10-04T14:07:57Z")
Mothers of Invention / Frank Zappa. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/12 "2019-10-04T14:17:13Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > I think Uriah Heep used the same artist for “Demons and Wizards” and “The Magician’s Birthday”. Yes, they did – and said artist is [Roger Dean](https://www.rogerdean.com). ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/13 "2019-10-04T14:35:06Z")
I make stuff out of old album covers, so I’ve researched this. And long ago decided that the Venn diagram of “Good Album Art” and “Good Album” has a very small intersection\*. Bands that were good with good art: Beatles, Floyd, Hendrix, Santana, Bowie, Eagles, Zeppelin, Talking Heads… these bands put some real thought into their covers, and back in the day of 12.25x12.25" albums, they really had an impact. \*But think about it. SO many LPs had [a huge photo of a guy’s face](https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-d2mg3p6/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/3348/4014/IMG_0470__59115.1537889219.JPG?c=2?imbypass=on) or [a scruffy band](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2c/BigHitsUS.jpg) just [staring blandly at the camera](https://img.discogs.com/wwqD9MPe6icGFyJynVBnNWikJBg=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-1313171-1453242525-7682.jpeg.jpg). Even the greats, like Elvis, early Stones and Dylan, it just seems like it was “Ok, somebody point a camera at the artist, click, okay, album cover.” ---
**Author:** ![2Bits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e95f7d/32.png) [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/14 "2019-10-04T14:36:10Z")
The Moody Blues, of course! ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/15 "2019-10-04T14:42:06Z")
I once stayed in a hostel in the Peruvian Andes that was run by a coked up surfer. All the rooms had a wall painting that looked like Yes album covers. It was a really interesting couple of days. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/16 "2019-10-04T14:44:14Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I make stuff out of old album covers, so I’ve researched this. And long ago decided that the Venn diagram of “Good Album Art” and “Good Album” has a very small intersection\*. > > Bands that were good with good art: Beatles, Floyd, Hendrix, Santana, Bowie, Eagles, Zeppelin, Talking Heads… these bands put some real thought into their covers, and back in the day of 12.25x12.25" albums, they really had an impact. > > \*But think about it. SO many LPs had [a huge photo of a guy’s face](https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-d2mg3p6/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/3348/4014/IMG_0470__59115.1537889219.JPG?c=2?imbypass=on) or [a scruffy band](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2c/BigHitsUS.jpg) just [staring blandly at the camera](https://img.discogs.com/wwqD9MPe6icGFyJynVBnNWikJBg=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-1313171-1453242525-7682.jpeg.jpg). Even the greats, like Elvis, early Stones and Dylan, it just seems like it was “Ok, somebody point a camera at the artist, click, okay, album cover.” Okay. I wanna know what you do with Album covers. I make things from cassette tapes. I’ve seen Art made from old CDs. I’m not quite ready to get rid of my CDs yet. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/17 "2019-10-04T14:47:18Z")
[Chicago’s covers](https://www.google.com/search?q=chicago+albums+band&client=firefox-b-d&sxsrf=ACYBGNTIpEgyIn5taL82C8Wy1o68f0_iWQ:1570200118958&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjK_cOi64LlAhVFSxUIHX9hArkQ_AUIEigC&biw=1076&bih=633) certainly showed consistency! And instantly recognisable, which might make them ‘great art’ in marketing terms. ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/18 "2019-10-04T14:54:52Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Pink Floyd, because they used Hipgnosis, one of the best cover designers of the era. Genesis used Hipgnosis too and there’s were wonderful also. ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/19 "2019-10-04T15:00:12Z")
Just adding the make-up era KISS album covers because they were always like looking at a comic book. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257/20 "2019-10-04T15:02:40Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Sgt. Pepper’s alone puts the \*\*Beatles \*\*in the discussion and Abbey Road sure helps. Album covers can be divided into two categories: those that picture the artist/band, and those that don’t. The Beatles are the absolute masters of the first type. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-had-the-best-art-on-their-album-covers/841257.md?page=2)