99 Best Designed Album Covers
February 12th | Graphic Design
MUSIC….The #1 inspirational device in life. Music is everywhere and there aren’t many people out there that can disagree with me. So what I have for you is 101 Best Designed Album Covers. I have searched high and low for many different types of covers. There are many that are drawn out, close up photos, grungy, simple and clean or just iconic. I have a hard time figuring out which one stands out for me but a few that I like are; Rise Against, Finger Eleven, Cartel, Boys Like Girls. There are just way too many out there. Please feel free to posts any album covers that you think should be on the list at the new inspiredology flickr group.
The album covers are listed in no specific order.
![Gnarls-Barkley---St.Elsewhere-[Front]-[www.FreeCovers.net]](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2350/2258123273_08753065e1_o.jpg)
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February 12th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
cool collection,
and a source for album artworks as well
February 12th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
i think the most of them aren’t designed well…
February 12th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Ah, this is exactly why, years from now, people will still be making and buying vinyl. Because CDs and MP3s are great, but they don’t let you really own and enjoy the fullsized album artwork like records do.I wonder, if popular music had originally begun to be distributed as tapes, CDs, or digitally, would the emphasis on album artwork have ever come to be?
Nice post!
February 12th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Great comment…I totally agree…album artwork is a jem in itself…it just adds so much more to the music package.
February 13th, 2008 at 5:50 am
looks like a collection from the local candy-pop radio station. gym class heroes? kanye west? every linkin park? john mayer? THE OC?! still a great collection of artwork
February 14th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
How is it possible to exclude Roger Dean’s work from this list?
March 1st, 2008 at 12:10 am
March 3rd, 2008 at 8:19 pm
I think there’s too much linkin park… nice collection anyways
March 3rd, 2008 at 8:41 pm
One jazz cover, one hip hop cover… this collection should be called “99 album covers: mostly pop rock”
March 10th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Blind Faith
Houses of the Holy
March 10th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
You are missing Sticky Fingers of the Rolling Stones conceived and photographed by Andy Warhol and designed by Craig Braun, once called the greatest cover of all times. The original cover came with a real zipper!
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000000W5N.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
March 10th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
This looks like a list populated by some 15 year olds favorite picks. Most, if not all of the albums depicted here are of overly known band. I mean, some of the lesser know guys have simply amazing artwork. Like “Cheer Up!” by Reel Big Fish or “Whipped Cream and Other Naughty Delights” from Herb Alperts Tijuana Brass
March 11th, 2008 at 12:33 am
[...] Inspiredology recently compiled an exhaustive list of the 99 Best Designed Album Covers. [...]
March 11th, 2008 at 2:56 am
those are pretty cool, but in my opinion this one’s the best. it’s soo simple, but yet awesome.
http://images.victoryrecords.com/albums/VR351.jpg
March 11th, 2008 at 3:00 am
no Oingo boingo? opps
March 11th, 2008 at 3:06 am
Van Halen 1984!!!
March 11th, 2008 at 3:36 am
3 OC Mix CD’s? You’re kidding me. They aren’t even good covers.
The Toby Keith one is another so-so pick. Too literal I think.
MTV Unplugged, not very designed. Just a picture of a guitar…
Seems to be too contemporary to me. Needs some old Record Album Covers. If you had left off the Dark Side of the Moon cover, there would have been hell to pay.
Cheer Up is seconded.
March 11th, 2008 at 3:41 am
I completely agree with Hissho, these may be some really good, really well known albums, but I was expecting actual good, innovative design. This is not that. At all.
and thank you for the Reel Big Fish/Herb Alpert suggestions. Two of my favorite bands.
March 11th, 2008 at 3:51 am
the elements and principles of art and design are completely absent in about 70% of this list.
March 11th, 2008 at 4:47 am
I stumbled upon this site, and i can’t resist commenting on this list. I disagree with the title here, the author may like these album covers, but the variety is widely lacking, and shows a fundamental lack of research, and lack of scope in musical taste. Moreover, several of the designs are incredibly similar or at the least, very formulaic. I mean come on, there has to be some mention of andy warhol’s work, especially the velvet revolver album which had a peel off banana; or maybe something by menomena, whose album art has including fold-up monsters; or Iron and Wine Shepherd’s dog; or anything by of montreal! I don’t claim to have a definitive knowledge of album art, and it definitely is subjective, but at least do your research before slapping a title like that on there.
March 11th, 2008 at 5:00 am
This list needs more jazz covers. Minimalistic and really, really stylish nonetheless.
March 11th, 2008 at 5:26 am
not a single one of the bands you like has a good album cover.
March 11th, 2008 at 5:48 am
not cool at all. i would like to hear why these are “best designed.” i agree with some, but a lot of em are just probably bands that you like. cmon. “Linkin Park Live”?!?!? WTF!!! my toilet bowl after a night of burritos looks better than that!
March 11th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Just found a great site, that I wish I found before creating this post, this is probably the biggest database of cd covers out there.
http://sleevage.com/
To the comments, yes some of these albums you might not like because of the music (the music is NOT the point of this posts), there is so much music out there, everyone is only exposed to so much so, when I compiled this list, in my opinion these are some of the best designed album covers that I have found, I listen to different music then these album covers. As I said I would love to have more posted from other album cover lovers, so I appreciate all the comments.
March 19th, 2008 at 4:21 am
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March 20th, 2008 at 9:20 am
[...] Inspiredology recently compiled an exhaustive list of the 99 Best Designed Album Covers. [...]
March 20th, 2008 at 11:22 am
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September 29th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Wow.
October 3rd, 2008 at 6:05 pm
What about Joy Division Closer and Unknown Pleasures the two best ever?
October 10th, 2008 at 10:10 am
I would add to this collection Qntal - “Silver Swan” album(and some of other albums of this band). Awesome design.
November 3rd, 2008 at 6:31 pm
sure is mainstream in here
November 5th, 2008 at 9:00 am
[...] a while back, I posted 99 Best Designed album covers, some of you thought that the post was some what misleading. I look back now and I do understand [...]
November 11th, 2008 at 4:04 am
[...] used to love album covers. They made me feel all warm and fuzzy during my several trips back from the record store. And I [...]
November 13th, 2008 at 3:52 am
The design collection is really inspiring, thanks a lot…
November 14th, 2008 at 8:21 am
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November 15th, 2008 at 10:23 am
[...] a while back, I posted 99 Best Designed album covers, some of you thought that the post was some what misleading. I look back now and I do understand [...]
November 18th, 2008 at 11:48 am
[...] item was posted in Inspiration category and has 0 Comments so far. Quite a while back, I posted 99 Best Designed album covers, some of you thought that the post was some what misleading. I look back now and I do understand [...]
November 19th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
why no gorillaz or muse?
have you seen the album art for origins of symmetry?
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:04 am
what the hell. Half of these are crappy ass bands. Not to mention the covers suck. you have no clue what iconic album art is. you don’t even have the most iconic album cover in your list. Joy divisions, unknown pleasures. Look it up and get a clue.
December 6th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
This is a pretty crappy list of the best album artworks. Most of these bands are so lame, and the O.C.? Come on dude. I agree with putting some Joy Division, New Order and Depeche Mode has always had some forward thinking album covers. Looks like you just put together your favorite bands(which are pretty shitty, Nickelback, Serious?) and then you just added some significant album covers from Pink Floyd and other staple bands. Look a little harder man!
December 15th, 2008 at 7:34 am
what about the offspring - americana too?
you’ve chosen the most commercial albums instead
December 17th, 2008 at 1:56 am
Art is purely based on personal opinion.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:55 pm
most of this shit sucks-music and covers combined