99 Best Designed Album Covers
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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I really thakfull to Mr Smruti Ranjan Patri To Help Me in All Things Like Animation And webdesigning as well Sa in Graphic So He Is the Best In Multimedia
Thank you Sir .
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Ich nehme auch einen Blick。gut
This post should be called, “How to post the first 99 album covers that appear on a Google image search.”
sehr gut
Okay. Now I get it. They are both made by the same artist.
“David Ho has also done album artwork for some bands as exampled in Infected Mushroom’s Vicious Delicious, Seether’s Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces, Cradle of Filth’s Godspeed on the Devil’s Thunder and Soulfly’s Omen (album).”
thanks WIKI.
I just noticed. Why is it that Seether and Infected Mushroom have similar album covers? haha
Seether – http://static.musictoday.com/store/bands/93/product_medium/S1CD05.JPG
Infected Mushroom –
http://albumelossless.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/a.jpg?w=640&h=640
I think Bruce Dickinson’s “Accident of Birth” should be in this list.
very inspiring to create the art more
oxFMpx http://fnYwlOpd2n9t4Vx6A3lbk.com
I think most of these are great covers. Of course hes goona miss a few. There are thousands of album so a list of 100 isnt going to cover much of the best at all. And who cares about how crappy the music is, this is a list of the best artwork.
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ROTARY CONNECTION (1968) Front looks like a church stained-glass window. Back is inside of Gregorian Chant book, at bottom of pages, see “Beatles” and “Stones”…Cheap Thrills (Janis Joplin/Big Brother) art by R.Crumb….The Tubes (first album) life-sized hand ripping the album jacket itself…..MC-5 (group shot of live audience, becaue I can be easily picked out even though photo done in 1968)…..”School’s Out” (Alice Cooper) album jacket folds into a school desk….4 Sides of Melanie (album jacket folds into mobile box……Hey! Why not do an article about the vinyl records???? Pictuer discs, colored vinyl. Think about Dave Mason “Alone Together” multi-colored vinyl…I have “Best of Deep Purple” on purple vinyl…”Baby I’m Burning” 12″ single by Dolly Parton pressed on “titty-pink” vinyl….An article showing the beautiful picture discs…I have star-shaped records, heart shaped records, 2 records shaped like a Christmas tree…I could go on but the phone is ringing….-gregg in Sarasota, FL
Regatta de blanc is the best police cover with it’s classic black and white with a slight tint of color.Soul cages ship is simple,yet the driving image throughh the songs says it all.Julian you are right ,sting face does’nt have to grace the cover to sell it.
bands that have absolutely no place on a best of list of any type, even if it doesn’t really pertain to the music but the cover art:
nickelsack
limp bizkit
linkin park
the oc
this list is shite, pure and utter shite. there’s a few creative covers in this entire list of 99, and the rest are just whatever the idiot masses were rocking for a week or so back in the day. also, just because some of these bands were good, doesn’t by default mean their album covers are creative or well designed.
Unimpressive would be an understatement… these are just based on which album was more popular musically … I don’t see any nifty ground breaking design here.
LOWEST IQ LIST EVER! LMFAO AT OC 2!! LMMFFFFFFFAAAAAOOOOO
Born stupid in the south, raised stupid in the south
I agree with Hissho also. Looks like some 15 year old put this together. I shook my head at most of these. The OC??
No offense, but who made you the expert??
Tool 10,000 days artwork is awesome, Adam Jones (lead guitar) does most or all of the artwork for their albums.
Amazing website! Your style is so contemporary in comparison with many other writers. Thank you for writing when you have the opportunity to, I will be sure to save your website!
Again the world of metal is largely ignored…some amazing covers and I often think metal orientated music seems to but in the most effort with packaging etc. Problem is there is a lot of cheesy stuff that makes the quality hard to find, but it really is there. And the occasional cheese factor isnt so bad. Some good ones on this list though!!
Thank you!Such a fantastic collection of albums! Some of them I do not agree with, but one you should have included was a muse cover album.
One of the best album covers I own is Bloodrock USA. Most of the albums shown were boring. Overall I think Metal bands like Iron Maiden had the most creative artwork. I buy old albums sometimes that I don’t even like because the album itself was so cool. Rod Stewart blows but he has a an album that was die cut to look like a glass with whisky and coke. Cds suck and never come close to old school albums.
Nice collection …. bravo!
2 words. Rainbow – Rising. Best album cover ever. This is a kind of crappy list, they might as well just call it 99 most known album covers.
Interesting group of covers. Like some of the comments I feel some are average or usual – not really outstanding design. You obviously like what you like which is cool. I would agree with some comments about leaving out any of Roger Dean’s work or Robert Freeman. Some suggestions of other covers that are perhaps worthy – Group 87 (first album), Children of the Future – Steve Miller Band, many of Windham Hills covers, Original Soundtrack – 10cc, Animal Logic II, With the Beatles, Hard Days’ Night, Child is Father to the Man – BS&T, Circle Slide – The Choir, Disraeli Gears or Wheels of Fire – Cream, Motor Cycle – Daniel Amos, Ambient 1 – Music for Airports – Eno, Smash Your Head Against the Wall – John Entwistle, Volunteers – Jefferson Airplane, Old Angel – Lost Dogs, Wanted – Mason Proffit (Grammy for album cover), Court & Spark – Joni Mitchell, The Ballad of Todd Rundgren, Bookends – Simon & Garfunkel, The Family That Plays Together – Spirit, The Who Sell Out, Tommy & Quadrophenia – The Who amongst many others.
Some great stuff on here like The Dark Side of the Moon, Blood Sugar Sex Magik and Kid A. So what’s with the garbage like Linkin Park, Paramore and Gym Class Heroes? So many brillian album covers ignored in favour of garbage like that. A very hit and miss list in my opinion, the good picks are excellent but the bad picks are terrible.
how are you defining “best designed”? usually that might be outstanding aesthetic qualities, having a significant effect upon popular culture, being a zeitgeist for a particular era, being particularly famous or even being the cover to critically acclaimed (or “classic”) albums themselves?
admittedly, some of the covers you have picked do indeed fulfill a few of these criteria, but not all of them tick all the boxes, let alone a single one.
i will concede however that i am not a designer in any status, so i could be wrong.
although hopefully less wrong than you.
really superb idea to use this this way !!! its looks really rock !!
Got to look at the cover art of Brandon Jarod’s “The Crush” super slick.
how about bassnectar’s “timestrech”? or notorious BIG’s “Ready to die” ??
Where is Bring Me The Horizon’s-
Suicide Season
There is a Hell Believe me I’ve Seen It,There is a Heaven Let’s Keep it a Secret
and This is What the Edge of Your Seat Was Made For?
how’about a pile of steaming shit on fresh mountain snow, that is an album cover to rival all (of these picks)
Great collection. Thank’s for that inspiration of modern culture masterpieces.
tr.
Mayhem – Dawn of the Black Hearts ….where is it ???
This is possibly the worst collection of “best ….” ever. Its just a list of album covers you douch. Heaven only knows how the hell you make a living from design if you think that the OC greatest hits deserves to be in the 99 best album covers of ALL time. Jesus. Go and play in traffic.
Thanks for the list…saw some great graphics I’d never see..
For all those critics: isn’t this kind of stuff supposed to be FUN?
My top 5 from your list:
5. Green Day – American Idiot
4. Nirvana – Nevermind
3. Keane – Under the Iron Sea
2. Mae – Singularity
1. Clash – London Calling
My personal top 10:
10. Janis Joplin – Cheap Thrills
9. Yes – Fragile / Close to the Edge / Relayer / Tales (Roger Dean)
8. Pixies – Doolittle
7. Who – Who’s Next
6 Sonic Youth – Dirty
5. Little Feat – Feats Don’t Fail Me Now
4. Led Zep – Physical Graffiti
3. Traffic – Low spark of high heeled boys
2. Zappa & Mothers – Weasels Ripped My Flesh
1. Neil Young – On the Beach (filled with visual allegory & wit, check it out!)
& Honorable mention for using the physical aspect of the format:
(impossible stuff without album’s 3-D reality…)
5. For Everyman (J. Brown) Courtyard graphic w/ JB…pull-out & he’s gone
4. The Velvet Underground & Nico – peel the yellow banana & under is flesh color
3. Stand Up (J-Tull) Woodcut art on front w/ Pop-Up of band inside when opened
2. Sticky fingers (Stones) Original had real ZIPPER !!!
1. Physical Graffiti (Zep) Windows have graphics; front is day & back is night
…yeah, I’m an old dude…
Thanks for the visual ride…keep looking up!
Surprisingly, I actually like quite a few of the bands here. Of the ones I saw, I recognised Thousand Foot Krutch (my all-time favourite band), Skillet, Linkin Park, Three Days Grace, among a few others. However, the list is poor. I fail to see most of the symbology on this list, the relates in any way to the album title. (even in Skillet’s “Comatose”, which I actually like). Not many are pleasing to the eye. It just seems like someone posted this to show off their favourite bands.
At which point, I’ll just add that I do love Thousand Foot Krutch’s “The Flame In All Of Us”
Simple, symbolic. The circle representing the unity of humanity; the flame obviously being the flame in the album title.
TFK fanboyism over
Excelent, Greetings
At. Shuberth Chi Balam
Wow, I just found this site and as soon as I get a laugh in about the “Best” movie posters, I’ll never visit it again. The list is horrible and looks like it’s been selected by a freshman community college art major in his first semester. Nice try.
And for the love of god, ANDY WARHOL DID THE PEELING BANANA ART FOR THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, NOT VELVET REVOLVER. I think I crawled out of my own skin when I read that.
why my comment didn’t appear?
i like some of them but a few are just totally creepy.
Some of the others are too plain
COOL
awesome covers.=)
Are you fucking kidding me?
Fantastic collection of album art, some very inspirational covers in there. Thanks for sharing them with us.
Yeah, you absolutely need to include joy division on this list…it’s like the most iconic album cover of all time, and made by a really great graphic designer
This is a lazy collection.
================================
She – Orion
http://i53.tinypic.com/2w6yltx.jpg
That’t a really nice cover!!
i would like to get in contact with you to make my cd cover please send me your phone number or call me at 305-895-2015
Great list of albums. Think Chili Peppers is one of the best.
The OC covers are the biggest jokes ever.
You lost all credibility.
Delete them immediately and replace them with KORN – Follow the Leader & one of about 4 Faith No More covers.
From a graphic design standpoint, these are some of the most beautiful covers I’ve seen on any magazine. I kind of want to just save some of these on my computer for future inspiration for my freelance work.
Awesome list! I wouldn’t say no to having any of these hanging in my living room.
Didn’t it feel like they sort of forgot MIKA’s Music In Motion and The Boy Who Knew Too Much?
WOW!! these all are awesome.. Great collection!.Think you could add,the the infected,queen news of the world and never mind the bollocks.
Wow, two full years of hate comments. Pretty crazy. Though the list is pretty weak; the utter lack of Pink Floyd art beyond The Wall and DSotM (both of which can easily be replaced by much better Floyd covers) is just the tip of the iceberg regarding what’s wrong with this list. Personally I think there shouldn’t be a single repeat of a band on the list, and compilations shouldn’t be on it either.
In short the list sucks and seems to primarily focus on 90s and 2000s mainstream. Try again.
There is a very good cover. But the list does not agree.
This is a boring joke.Green day’s albums are all so beautiful and soooooo cute.and please,tell me,what the hell is abbey road-Beatles in the last ones?this is really shit.I am the Green day number one faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!
Obviously, you didn’t do a whole lot of research here. It looks like you just picked your favorite albums out of your itunes. Some of these covers are really plain.
You have Pink Floyd, but no Muse?
Same artist.
What the hell? Please throw in Weezer’s Pinkerton and Oasis’ Dig Out Your Soul.
This a ridiculously weak list. As I designer who has done many album layouts this is most so uninspiring right off the start. The Used shouldn’t have been an album cover, it just looks like an angry 14 year old sketched it. The Academy Is… is a very weak copy of great designers such as ISO50. The Clash’s London Calling is iconic and has a great photograph but it features some of the weakest typography I have ever seen. The list goes on and on.
It looks like a list of random album covers. As a designer, I will not come back to this blog as this list is clear that people putting it together have absolutely no sense of what a good / inspiring design is.
I’d use some of these as examples of outright bad pieces of design.
Great list of albums. Think Chili Peppers is one of the best.
i feel from a long time that this this topic is quite tuff for me and i cant understand but after reading this i fell happy and understand all material very well now i am happy and want to say you thankss….
This list is definitely missing Green Day’s “insomniac” album art, created by Winston Smith and entitled ‘God Told Me to Skin You Alive”.
Other artists that should have had album art included are Muse, Korn, Sum 41, AFI, Anti-Flag, Bad Religion, Blur, Foo Fighters, Goldfinger, Nine Inch Nails, NoFX, aaaand I could go on.
thats bulls shit cream disraeli gears has to be on there it is one of the best album covers ever…… and savoy brown street corner talking
some are so rubish
Yeah like people said, you need to go back to design school, mostly of these albums suck!
plus they show how a bad taste in music you have
Ael is a fag and stupid, no one cares about his preference about songs
I have to say, as much as I love this site, but this article is a huge disappointment.
It features not only some of the ugliest cover art, but also some of the worst music ever, with two or three exceptions. It really sucks.
Brilliant list , I can see you were going for a simple, edgy look? I suppose it’s governed by your music taste, but you have missed some Brilliant ones off there!
Thom Yorke- The Eraser
Coldplay-Parachtes
Muse-Origin of symmetry
Jack Johnson-Inbetween Dreams
Coldplay-Viva la vida
Kings of Leon- Only By the Night
Franz Ferdinand- You could have it so much Better
Fray- How to save a life
Modest Mouse- Good news for people who love bad news
Maccabes- Colour it in
Vampire Weekend- Contra
and of course, The Hours- Narcissus road. The artwork for that was done by Damien Hirst!!!
These are mostly just bands you like, and happen to think they have “well designed album covers”
While art is art, most of them are pretty uninspiring.
I mean, Murmur and Automatic For The People could’ve been chosen instead of the R.E.M. Greatest Hits cover.
I do not agree with many of these…I mean you’re taking your opinion of your music and not of the albums in mind…Because the albums by Yes and Asia are probably some of the best albums…There’s a few by Rainbow that are awesome…Mercyful Fate has badass covers…So does Megadeth, Led Zeppelin, more Pink Floyd albums, also need more Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix are good, Thin Lizzy…Overall a very, very collection of albums (regardless of music disposition) I mean this has to be a joke
this is hilarious. this list has absolutely no idea what it’s trying to be. what a joke.
it’s almost hard to believe that there’s a person with such humorously bad opinions. i’m not even sure this is real.
some really nice covers there. Chili Peppers cover is iconic
definitely muse- the resistance
Lame…
Firstly, I’d like to thank the guy who managed to mix up the Velvet Underground, which is debatably the most influential band of all time, with a second generation band formed by a junkie-cum-lung cancer sufferer guitarist which, I have to say, is extremely boring. It gave me a bit of a laugh.
Secondly, I agree that this looks far more like some list a 13 year old boy put together via his favourite album collection, with a few of the covers he thought seemed cool from his fathers record collection. If it wasn’t for the latter, the list should’ve been called A List of Highly Commercial Pop Albums From The 90′s and 00′s.
Seriously. A good list should’ve included, at the very least:
Electric Ladyland: The Jimi Hendrix Experience, depicting a bevy of naked females surrounding the man himself.
Black Sabbath: Paranoid
The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground and Nico, designed by a pop-art genius with peelable pink banana
Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here, for the simple feeling of alienation and absence it conveys
Never mind the bollocks, here comes the Sex Pistols: Title says it all
Led Zeppelin: Houses of the Holy
The Smiths: Meat is Murder, for the wartime vegetarian helmet.
Joy Division: Unknown pleasures, the cover which most electronica covers copied
The Stone Roses: For the Collage
Grateful Dead: American Beauty
The Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers: For the Zipper
Jane’s Addiction: Nothing Shocking: For the Irony
Metallica: The Black Album: For the Simplicity
Spinal Tap: The Black Album: Because even I like a good joke
Yes: Close to the Edge: Ideal for cigarette roll ups
Herb Albert: Whipped Cream and other Delights
Roxy Music: Country Life
Purple Rain: Prince and the Revolution
Earth, Wind and Fire: That’s The Way Of The World
Elvis Presley: Because it is one of the most copied album covers ever.
And a few others
As one final note, I’d like to point out that compilations are never used in best album lists, and as such should not be included in this one either. Which means that the Beatles 1 is not qualified for this list, and neither is Love.
Not a very varied list. All albums are rock or indy there is no representation of other genres
Such a fantastic collection of albums! Some of them I do not agree with, but one you should have included was a muse cover album. I am sure you could make a “part 2″ of the past 2 years of albums.
I want to punch all of you in the dick
I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what they are talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important.
Any minute now, soulwax.
Hermes is the famous fashion brand of French.Hermes Birkin has been known around the world more and more diversified.
Bad Religion = Suffer
OC mix 6, come on what Joke.
way to much linkin park, good list otherwise. could use more tool though
Oh my god, you have a great site but this list it’s horrible!
This should be titled “99 Best Designed Album Covers – 1970′s to present” There are some killer album covers that came out prior to any of these. One instance: Herb Alpert’s Whipped Cream album http://homepage2.nifty.com/isabelle/Album_Art/Whipped_cream_Herb_alpert.jpg
There are many more examples.
OMFG, what about this for the 100th?
http://www.caratulas.com/caratulas/R/Rush/Rush-Roll_The_Bones-Frontal.jpg
You have no clue. The OC? Really? Here’s one.
Michael Jackson’s Dangerous. I’m not even a Jackson fan but I’m objective enough to find the art on that cover better than all of those on your list.
Give me an empty classroom with a blank black board and it’ll still beat fuckin Toby Keith. Christ, the humanity.
If you want to compile a list of great album art at the very, very least Google Iron Maiden ffs.
Why isn’t the Beatle’s White Album on the list. That has a shitty album cover.
GN’Rs Appetite For Destruction should in the list in my opinion
I think that “Homesick” by A Day to Remember has the coolest artwork that I have seen in a long time.
Outstanding, some have great inspirations, some gave me some great ideas for clients works
thanks, a page to bookmark
Very naive and limited list of modern US-rock covers. Has it even been ‘selected’ – looks like a random selection. Here’s my own list! http://akickupthearts.wordpress.com/2010/08/13/ten-great-artists-album-covers/
Some obvious classics are included, but overall I have to state the sad fact that most of the included albums are weak over-produced commercial potato mash. Too much emo.
I can’t believe Norma Jean’s “Meridional” isn’t on here, that’s a freakin awsome looking cover!!
You have awful music taste
James says, “I think this is based on your taste in music rather than design. You have no taste in music.”
ROFL!!! Ok I didn’t really roll on the floor but I did laugh! Thanks James. I am with Eric V and anyone else that I missed on the Maiden thing. Have you just never seen an Iron Maiden album cover or are you familiar with them and just think they are sheet?
The only album that caught interest to my eye was the “Dookie” album by Green Day
I think this is based on your taste in music rather than design. You have no taste in music.
totally bunk. Not a single Roger Dean work…
i cant believe that you havent got Genesis – Nursery Cryme!
http://www.landofgenesis.fr/genesis/albums/03nursery.jpg
Congratulations on finding your way here.
I think that Steal This Album and Best of Atreyu should be there.
Chad: You’re a brave young man, opening yourself up to endless criticism from people who disagree with your concept of what constitutes “great album cover art.” The good news is that you, a young designer, considers this a valuable part of your ongoing design education. Keep up the good work, and start working on a newer, revised list. But first, spend an hour or two or three combing through the vinyl at your local second-hand store. You shall then begin to appreciate the suggestions made by some of the older visiters to your site. And believe you me, you will be glad you made the field trip. Prepare yourself for some major “Oh, wow!” action. Best wishes, Simon.
hahaha
this is such a muddled list.
and there are so many weak mediocre designs in here
I think that Steal This Album and Best of Atreyu should be there.
i like the simple ones the carton ones are kinda annoying to me, lol.
i dont like the fact that boring album covers like st anger and back in black apared in this
Wow, the author of this list is a total faggot. Every single one of these is some mainstream bullshit. All you did was take various album covers from the most mainstream pop/rock bands out there. Name the list correctly if you are going to name it. Because basically what you said is that there is not a single good album cover from any artist outside the pop/rock genre. Way to go dickhead.
very good
What about Michael Jackson’s Dangerous? That is one of the most amazing album covers EVER. You Should definitely include it.- Also Blood on the Dancefloor is a great one.
Nice, classic O.C designs.
What about THE TUBES (first album) lifesize scale of hand ripping album jacket? Rolling Stones Beggars’ Banquet (3D photo of band)? Uriah Heep (Look At Yourself) with mirror? There are so many classic album covers from the 70′s that this compilaiton missed. There is a coffee table sized book of best album jacket art. Not complaining….it’s a free country. We are all entitled to our own opinions. Thanx!
Well, some of them are pretty good, but what about Michael Jackson’s Dangerous and Invincible album covers?! Don’ t miss them out! Especially Dangerous….it is amazing!!!
this list seems like it was put together by a 14 year old
You sure do like Linkin Park, huh?
Don’t listen to ‘em! These are great picks. However, since everyone has an opinion, especially me, I would include Pink Floyd’s “Animals” cover, as well.
What about Chicago’s covers? they wer always great
Chad, jem is short for jemima, I think you meant gem but I digress. My main point in posting here, and I don’t post anywhere, is that you’re an idiot. I cannot believe you haven’t taken this POS list down yet. Do you realize if you type “best album covers” into google this site comes up first? Get real, remove the best of covers, the BS OC “albums” (do you really think 3 albums inspired by making more money off the OC make the top 99 best designed album covers ever, really?), the totally uninspired nickelback and linkin park covers and all the rest of the non-scottish crap or else delete this abomination completely. You’re making yourself look bad. Not just bad, totally incompetent. I’ll refrain from using the r word. Peace
Пост, который не подвластен времени…
A lot of good stuff, however there’s definitely a bias toward newer stuff…a lot of good 60′s-70′s covers aren’t here…and that’s arguably the high point of album cover design (at least they were “full sized”). An I must agree with those who say there’s some overkill on the number of linkin park covers. I like they Lauryn Hill cover, but does it not owe something to Alice Cooper’s School’s Out?
what about the beatles white album, or revolver? and wtf, oc? really?
good. but where is rolling stones ‘sticky fingers’, frank zappa ‘ship arrives too late to save the drowning witch’, john lennon ‘rock n roll’, santana ‘moon flower’, floyd ‘momentary lapse of reason’
no iron maiden? most of the ones here aren’t that great. sure art may look cool, but most have very little meaning, or significance and none are eye catching. lame list
Great collection. Thank’s for that inspiration of modern culture masterpieces.
dude, this is really weak. i know everyone else has already said it, but you need to know how many people think this list is a joke…
Metallica and Linkin Park covers aren’t in the same league as Iron Maiden’s sorry. Every heavy metal album cover designed since Maiden’s first wants to be as powerful. They aren’t……
This has some good ones on the list. No Iron Maiden is a serious omision though- Theirs own all over the metal covers on this list.
Poor Selection
Really nice List. Some of the Covers are not as good as some, wich are missing here, but pretty cool think. I send a trackback as well!
no puedo ponerla en DailyBooth.com
Judging by your choise of cd covers, you are christian. What a bad list. I love the beatles but #1 Album cover isn’t special at all, and Linkin Park – Minutes to midnight? C’mon…
Whats so great about Linkin Park`s album art????
http://www.amiright.com/album-cover-themes/fine-art/
a much better list.
You good sir, have forever tarnished the, formerly, sterling reputation of those poor, now dejected, souls who have dedicated their life to the art of giving face to a collection of music, or in terms you might understand, album artists.
I cannot express deeply enough how wrong you are.
I don’t want to be an internet dick,
psyche,
I totally do, you are a tool, give up listening to music, I’m sure just by it reaching your ears, is in some way irreparably damaged.
p.s. you are a tool
Anyways.
Please explain to me the thought process, deluded as it may have been, that lead you to this heinous conclusion that this sorry mess of album art abortions are in any way even near the title of being best of anything, ever, ever, ever.
I noticed at one point that you had not two, not three, no, not even four, but five. FIVE Linkin Park albums in a row.
The fuuuuuck.
BITCHES BE CRAZY.
I can’t imagine what you were thinking.
One of them was a live album, that simply had a picture of a hand on it.
Are you high all the time or just when you made this list?
For now I will simply assume you are a dysfunctional alcoholic that, only by virtue of your admirable level of incoherence, does not know what he is saying or listening to.
Because only under those circumstances, following common logic, can I come to the conclusion that you would find these albums to be the 99 best designed, or at all aesthetically pleasing album covers.
You sir make a mockery of what it is to discuss music in a public forum, and may I just close by saying.
I would, literally, rather eat paint, and subsequently sit on ten light bulbs, in succession, than read this list again.
You have, without question made all those who have happened to stumble upon this unholy miscarriage of evaluating album covers, so, so much stupider.
You should issue a public apology immediately, and cease and desist from running this website, as well as using the internet in general, if you keep this up, you just might ruin the whole thing.
Good day
Psyche, fuck you
I’m a massive Linkin Park fan and even I think what you’ve done is overkill. To be honest Meteora is the only particularly good artwork.
FUCK THEM WHITE BITCHES :L
i unnno they all have a best design, but Nickel Back Silverside up is the best (Y)
99 Best Designed Album Covers / http://inspiredology.com/99-best-designed-album-covers/
Loved the one-x cover
i loved almost all of them
Nice one – bit subjective maybe and a few designs that would be an acquired taste, but certainly ticked all the major boxes for me. I missed JJ Cale’s ’5′ and Weather Report’s ‘Heavy Weather’. Oh, and Hot Rats and Solid Air and Late for the Sky. OK I’ll stop.
This looks like a random playlist to me. There are some very pretty designs amongst them, but that’s to be expected when there’s a hundred of ‘em. I worked at a private CD-store in Holland for almost 5 years. They used to sell literally everything. From Japanese to US and Chinese import. I’ve seen many, many better ones than the ones you’ve selected. It really seems like laziness to me putting this list together. I assume it isn’t a lack of taste.
Older post but worth a revisit – 99 Best Designed Album Covers – http://inspiredology.com/99-best-designed-album-covers/
Wow. I comment list full of haters. I love the way the majority flexed their timid little fingers to tell you how much they don’t like your choices (in both music and art). They put down your list, but I see so few willing to actually post their elevated tastes. And they comment with such class…
Your critics are lame, Chad.
90% of this list has crappy design, artistic and musical esthetics. Nickleback and Linkin Park, really?
What about the staples like War and Unknown pleasures. And perhaps a list that dowsnt focus on mainstream emo and jock rock.
no mothers of invention?
99 Best Designed Album Covers: http://inspiredology.com/99-best-designed-album-covers/
http://inspiredology.com/99-best-designed-album-covers/
For the music lovers RT @Flipbooks Super Cool! 99 Best Designed Album Covers http://short.to/q5go
RT @Flipbooks: Super Cool! 99 Best Designed Album Covers http://short.to/q5go
RT: @Flipbooks: Super Cool! 99 Best Designed Album Covers http://short.to/q5go
RT @Flipbooks: Super Cool! 99 Best Designed Album Covers http://short.to/q5go
Super Cool! 99 Best Designed Album Covers http://short.to/q5go
99 Best Designed CD Album Covers http://icio.us/5gemnv
What about “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen
Until I scrolled through this list, I never realized how widespread the influence of Ralph Steadman has been on album art. But, I am not surprised.
Some album cover is neverdie.
This list sucks. It’s just a mix of the garbage you listen to, and then it looks like you looked up “great albums covers” on google, and threw a couple of those that your thought were neat in here. To quote someone else’s comment … “this was just your playlist and had nothing to do with good design.”
I always thought the cover of Paulina Rubio’s “Pau-Latina” was creatively psychedelic.
Great collection!.Think you could add,the the infected,queen news of the world and never mind the bollocks.
Steaming pile of dung…
Awesome…. excellent work. Thanks for sharing this nice collection.
Ha! and he says… “I have searched high and low for many different types of covers” Ha ha ha..
Wow, not a single Jazz CD.. too bad this is mostly mainstream artist.. (including some of the best album covers of all time)… but really… like all Linkin Park albums made it to your ’99 “BEST” ‘ Album covers..?
You need to go back to design school.
Never forget this.
Very nice
Great collection!
While we are at it, here’s my visual interpretation on some singles: http://www.lidorwyssocky.com/recover.html
Lidor
Hey, this is so much better than Rolling Stone’s list of 100 greatest covers. Yours is SO much better!!!
Congrats
I think that dance gavin dance should be on there if you don’t know them look em up
Oh wow… this “Chad” dude as no taste in art and music, and imagination, every cover art is is from the mainstream music culture. LAME!
THis isn’t a list of the best music ever. its the best artwork ever. Metallica st.anger is epic! i think these are good covers, but the music isnt particularly good. too much linkin park though. still good.
More than half of these are just absolute trash design.
That – of course – should have read “I cant believe this isn’t on here
Some great covers there, but I cant believe this is on here.
http://www.oxygenius.info/data/media/1/Oxygene.jpg
Seems like you really liked these bands, but didn’t really consider anything that you weren’t a fan of. I mean, I like most of these too. It’s easy to see you’re into the emo/screamo scene stuff, especially with the Christian touch, and so am I. When I saw that The Used were listed twice and both toward the top, I realized this was just your playlist and had nothing to do with good design.
ultra cool. thanks for the posting. Peace and Respect frm India
Utter shite.
I had to ask myself whether some of these were posted as satire. Also, as stated before: a huge and evident lack of diversity within the choices, most of which were popular bands. There’s a plethora of Jazz, Funk and Soul covers that are magnificent pieces of artwork. (Slave, for instance, have produced some stunning covers, which, even alone, have forced me to buy their albums)
poor collection of design. best design? never. about as well thought out as the ‘best movie posters’ collection where the indiana jones and the crystal skull is another example of ‘best’. this website is about collecting bits and pieces with webmasters authority to imply knowledge of design.
Well, the title should be, “My 101 favorite album covers” because obviously, these are bands you like and not exactly what the title suggests.
Are you serious?
Great covers:
Korn-almost any album
Metallica -Master of puppets,DeathMagnetic
Deftones -Deftones
Wow. A few decent albums and their covers amongst a bunch of barely-ever-heard-of-quickly-forgotten hipster doofus bands-of-the-month.
And where is the Beatles – Revolver?
Well, its nice as a resource/collection for inspiration, cause there are SOME good ones here, but there is really a lot of **** too (“the very best of MTV unplugged”?? WTF? It looks like a stock picture straight out of iStockphoto or Dreamstime, with 5 minutes spent to slop on some text – the “designer” should have been given ten lashes in public for doing something like that), and some left out that it is incredible to forget.
I think a huge majority of these are god awful design wise and just a result of what’s popular with the general public commercially. Not at all design savvy. Quite the turnoff.
i think this thing you have going here is awesome. pretty cool to have all those album covers tbh.
keep it up!
there are more to come!
best album designs? are you kidding? most of these are crappy and seem like they were just thrown together from a limited collection.
The OC Mix 2? LOL
most of this shit sucks-music and covers combined
Art is purely based on personal opinion.
what about the offspring – americana too?
you’ve chosen the most commercial albums instead
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!
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.
why no gorillaz or muse?
have you seen the album art for origins of symmetry?
The design collection is really inspiring, thanks a lot…
sure is mainstream in here
I would add to this collection Qntal – “Silver Swan” album(and some of other albums of this band). Awesome design.
What about Joy Division Closer and Unknown Pleasures the two best ever?
Wow.
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.
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!
not a single one of the bands you like has a good album cover.
This list needs more jazz covers. Minimalistic and really, really stylish nonetheless.
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.
the elements and principles of art and design are completely absent in about 70% of this list.
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.
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.
Van Halen 1984!!!
no Oingo boingo? opps
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
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
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
Blind Faith
Houses of the Holy
One jazz cover, one hip hop cover… this collection should be called “99 album covers: mostly pop rock”
I think there’s too much linkin park… nice collection anyways
How is it possible to exclude Roger Dean’s work from this list?
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
Great comment…I totally agree…album artwork is a jem in itself…it just adds so much more to the music package.
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!
i think the most of them aren’t designed well…
cool collection,
and a source for album artworks as well