The designers and artists behind the most iconic album covers

Before the era of digital music and streaming, album covers served as a distinctive canvas, offering a visual representation of the music. While the essence of a record lies in its sound, cover art plays a pivotal role, adding visual intrigue and constructing a world around the album and its creators. Here is a look at the work of 10 influential visual artists and graphic designers who have left an indelible mark on the record industry.

Hipgnosis: Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, T.Rex…

British art studio Hipgnosis left its mark on the music industry with iconic album cover designs for legends such as Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney, Genesis, and Led Zeppelin. Hipgnosis’ journey began in 1968, when Aubrey Powell and Storm Thorgerson were tasked with crafting an album cover for their friends, who were none other than the members of Pink Floyd.

Initially propelled by their network and competitive rates, Powell and Thorgerson’s struck gold in 1973 when they were asked to design the artwork for Led Zeppelin’s album House of the Holy. The same year, the graphic designers created what would become their magnum opus: the legendary cover for Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon. Powell was inspired to make the legendary triangular prism and rainbow after seeing a photograph of the sun shining through a glass paperweight. This album artwork has become such an important piece of pop culture that now appears in many forms, including the limited-edition hi-fi turntable from Austrian brand Pro-Ject!

Peter Saville: Joy Division et New Order

Peter Saville, a native of Manchester and a co-founder of Factory Records, emerged as a pivotal figure in album cover design in the 1980s. While his early portfolio featured work for various bands, it is his collaborations with New Order and Joy Division that are most celebrated.

One of Saville’s most iconic creations is the sleeve for Joy Division’s 1979 album, Unknown Pleasures. Reflecting on his design, Saville stated, “The wave pattern was so appropriate. It was from CP 1919, the first pulsar, so it’s likely that the graph emanated from Jodrell Bank, which is local to Manchester and Joy Division. And it’s both technical and sensual. It’s tight, like Stephen Morris’ drumming, but it’s also fluid: lots of people think it’s a heart beat.”

In his broader body of work, Saville masterfully juxtaposed antique images with postmodern designs, and drew inspiration from German artist Jan Tschichold, thereby shaping a distinctive visual language.

David Stone Martin: the jazz aesthetic

Born in Chicago, David Stone Martin was a prolific American illustrator who crafted over 400 distinctive album covers. He studied at the Art Institute of his city before ascending to prominence as a revered album cover designer and artist, a path catalyzed by his friendship with pianist Mary Lou Williams.

Characterized by bold black ink lines and vibrantly colored backgrounds that captured the essence of the musicians, Martin’s style became synonymous with the jazz album aesthetic. His portfolio included portraits and covers for an array of artists, including Stan Getz, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, Art Tatum, John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dizzy Gillespie. During the 1940s and 1950s, he contributed extensively to the visual identity of labels such as Asch Records, Clef Records and Jazz at the Philharmonic.

Peter Blake: The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Arguably the most famous album cover of all time, the artwork for The Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band album was created by English pop artist Peter Blake and his wife Jann Haworth. Blake’s artistic journey began unexpectedly. Originally destined for a career as an electrician, he discovered his talent for art after deciding to take a drawing exam, which he passed with flying colors.

For Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Blake transformed a rough sketch drawn by Paul McCartney into a vibrant set in his studio, featuring flowerbeds, statues, and photos of various celebrities that were pasted onto cardboard. Despite the international acclaim garnered by this project, Blake received a modest payment of £200 for his efforts, without any copyright or royalties for the final artwork. Nonetheless, he would go on to work with other notable bands such as Oasis and The Who.

Andy Warhol: The Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones…

Pop art pioneer Andy Warhol needs no introduction. In the late 50s while he was still an emerging artist looking for work, Warhol was hired by RCA Records to design various album covers. 

Although Warhol later expanded his artistic repertoire, he maintained ties to album cover design, notably creating art for the Rolling Stones. The rock band paid Andy Warhol £15,000 for the cover of their 1971 album Sticky Fingers. A considerable amount of money at the time, it turned out to be a worthwhile investment, as Sticky Fingers consistently ranks among the greatest album covers of all time. 

Another notable entry in Warhol’s album cover portfolio is his work for album The Velvet Underground & Nico, released in 1967. Instantly recognizable for its vivid yellow banana, early copies of the album featured an interactive element, inviting music lovers to “Peel slowly and see.” Beneath the peel lay a flesh-toned banana, a concept that required a specialized manufacturing process, causing delays in the album’s release. Nonetheless, MGM footed the bill for these production expenses, recognizing the potential boost in sales thanks to Warhol’s involvement.

Ed Thrasher: Jimi Hendrix, Prince, The Grateful Dead…

Born in 1932, Ed Thrasher was an accomplished American artist, photographer, and visionary art director. With an eye for detail, he had a talent for curating the perfect teams of photographers, typographers, and illustrators to craft album sleeves that would become as memorable as the music itself.

Following his service in the US Navy during the Korean War, Thrasher pursued his passion for art and illustration at the Trade Tech College of Los Angeles. He then worked for Capitol Records, starting as an assistant in the art department before ascending to the role of art director and honing his skills as a photographer. In 1964, he moved to Warner Brothers, assuming the position of head art director in the music division. There, he collaborated with a diverse array of esteemed musicians, contributing his photographic expertise to legendary albums such as Are You Experienced? by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Song to a Seagull by Joni Mitchell, Anthem of the Sun by the Grateful Dead, and My Way by Frank Sinatra.

Throughout his career, Ed Thrasher garnered a remarkable twelve Grammy nominations for his work as an art director between 1962 and 1974. In 1979, he established an advertising company that created art for films, including Prince’s Purple Rain.

Mick Rock: Lou Reed, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Queen…

Known as “The Man Who Shot The Seventies”, Mick Rock is a British photographer celebrated for his contributions to numerous iconic album covers for groundbreaking artists such as David Bowie, Iggy Pop, the Ramones, Queen, and Lou Reed.

Rock’s journey into photography began while studying at Cambridge. Experimenting with a friend’s camera, he began documenting the local rock scene, forging valuable friendships and connections, including Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett. Throughout his illustrious career, Rock’s lens captured a plethora of musicians, spanning genres and generations, from The Misfits to Snoop Dogg, Daft Punk to Lady Gaga, and beyond. His creative output extended to music videos for David Bowie and his role as chief photographer on the set of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Jean-Paul Goude: Grace Jones

Jean-Paul Goude, a multifaceted French artist, boasts a diverse portfolio encompassing graphic design, illustration, photography, and filmmaking. He worked as art director at Esquire magazine in New York City during the 1970s, and choreographed the 1989 Bicentennial Parade in Paris to mark the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution. Additionally, he has lent his creative talents to numerous brand campaigns.

During the 1980s, Jean-Paul Goude found inspiration in model-turned-pop-singer Grace Jones, becoming her collaborator in shaping her distinctive image. Goude played a pivotal role in choreographing her live stage performances, directing her music videos, and crafting some of her most iconic album covers.

For her album Island Life, he employed an innovative approach, photographing Jones’ body in various poses before meticulously tearing up and reassembling the images to achieve the gravity-defying pose that became emblematic of the record’s visual identity. Goude’s artistic vision also celebrated Jones’ androgynous allure: “I wanted to focus on her masculinity – to use what other people thought an embarrassment, and turn it to her advantage.” An aesthetic that was a perfect match for Grace Jones’ avant-garde sound.

• Read: Legendary album covers recreated with Lego

Mati Klarwein: Miles Davis, Santana…

Mati Klarwein, a French painter with German heritage, rose to prominence for his evocative album cover designs during the 1960s and 1970s. His work draws inspiration from surrealism, pop culture, deities and symbolism.

Born in Hamburg, Germany, Klarwein relocated with his family to Palestine in 1934. Following further migrations, they settled in Paris in 1948, where he pursued artistic studies at the École des Beaux-Arts and apprenticed under Fernand Léger, while also crossing paths with Ernst Fuchs. Throughout the 1950s, Klarwein embarked on extensive travels before establishing himself in New York City during the 1960s, where he met Jimi Hendrix, who commissioned him to create album sleeves.

Klarwein’s reputation as an album cover artist soared during the early 1970s, marked by the creation of several iconic images. Some of these artworks originated in the 1960s and were repurposed as album covers, while others were bespoke commissions tailored specifically for the records. Notably, his collaboration with Miles Davis on the cover for Bitches Brew epitomizes his fusion of African and Eastern motifs to create a surreal, dreamlike image.

Jamie Reid: the Sex Pistols

Visual artist Jamie Reid was behind some of the most striking graphic design created during the punk era. Inspired by the posters and graffiti he saw during a trip to Paris in the aftermath of the 1968 student protests, Reid’s work often featured slogans created using letters cut from newspapers in the style of a ransom note, as well as modified photos and collage. These energetic and anarchy-inspired visuals are the perfect fit for punk band the Sex Pistols. Reid created their logo, the album cover for the 1977 album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols, as well as the iconic cover for the single “God Save the Queen”.

Album art: a way to support artists

While original album covers were once a way to catch music lovers’ attention while they were digging through crates looking for a new record, they’re now a way for artists to stand out and sell more physical media.

• Read: Vinyl outsells CD

Because many streaming services often pay music creators poorly, one of the best way for fans to support them is to buy their music on vinyl or CD. That way, you can support your favorite singers and musicians, while enjoying a beautiful piece of artwork that you can display in your home.