In 1939, Alex Steinweiss was employed at Columbia Records as the first artwork director for the company and decided to spruce up and repackage vinyl records. All of us know the outcome, album cover art has become an important part of music and pop culture. (Prior to Steinweiss's creative influences, records were generally stored in plain, undecorated packaging).
For collectors, album cover art can sometimes be as valuable as the vinyl record it holds. For instance, among the most famous album covers of all time, the Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" cover was one of the most inventive at the time and included cut out inserts and lyrics. The price one would pay for a copy of the album is influenced by whether or not it has the original contents and they are intact. There are many album covers that integrated posters with the band as well and other "perks" for the purchaser and all these elements factor into the resale price and collectiblity.
There have been many dynamic and world-famous album covers. Think about the Beatles' album "Yesterday...and Today" (1966), also known as the "butcher block album" because the Beatles were pictured on the front cover dressed in white butcher coats surrounded by bloody meat and cut up dolls. The album was quickly pulled by Capitol Records after the company received numerous complaints from reviewers and DJ's. The company recalled the issue and ordered a brand new cover but didn't wish to waste the several hundred thousand that had already been printed. Capitol then hired part-time helpers to get rid of that picture from the cover and paste on the new photo for the cover. But, it seems that there were many lazy employees and to save time, they simply pasted the new cover on top of the old cover and the one that was supposed to become removed. The outcome is three different variations of that specific album and a collector's dream, the various versions of the album are really worth several thousand bucks (prices vary-check a record cost guide to ascertain exactly what album you may have to get the exact price).
Album cover artwork has also spawned numerous web sites in which to view famous covers and designs, readers' favorites and top ten lists. One such website, www.superseventies.com offers a comprehensive look at some of the most well-known covers from your 1970's including the Sex Pistols "Never Mind The Bollocks," the Eagles "Hotel California," Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of the Moon" and also the Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers" among others. Additionally, www.superseventies.com provides their reader's favorite seventies album covers (more than 300) with comprehensive descriptions and critiques of every specific release. This is a great way to spend a rainy day, as you discover some of the greatest album cover art of the 70's.
Album cover style is an art form and permits the musicians greater control over the content material and another important avenue in which to express themselves. In my humble opinion (and I share this viewpoint with numerous others), with the advent of the CD, the music buying public lost a national treasure, album cover art. It is part of pop culture and recorded music generally. Sure, Cd's offer you a "stripped down" edition of the first cover art, but it certainly pales comparedto the actual thing. I am certain Mr. Steinweiss would completely agree with me.
For collectors, album cover art can sometimes be as valuable as the vinyl record it holds. For instance, among the most famous album covers of all time, the Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" cover was one of the most inventive at the time and included cut out inserts and lyrics. The price one would pay for a copy of the album is influenced by whether or not it has the original contents and they are intact. There are many album covers that integrated posters with the band as well and other "perks" for the purchaser and all these elements factor into the resale price and collectiblity.
There have been many dynamic and world-famous album covers. Think about the Beatles' album "Yesterday...and Today" (1966), also known as the "butcher block album" because the Beatles were pictured on the front cover dressed in white butcher coats surrounded by bloody meat and cut up dolls. The album was quickly pulled by Capitol Records after the company received numerous complaints from reviewers and DJ's. The company recalled the issue and ordered a brand new cover but didn't wish to waste the several hundred thousand that had already been printed. Capitol then hired part-time helpers to get rid of that picture from the cover and paste on the new photo for the cover. But, it seems that there were many lazy employees and to save time, they simply pasted the new cover on top of the old cover and the one that was supposed to become removed. The outcome is three different variations of that specific album and a collector's dream, the various versions of the album are really worth several thousand bucks (prices vary-check a record cost guide to ascertain exactly what album you may have to get the exact price).
Album cover artwork has also spawned numerous web sites in which to view famous covers and designs, readers' favorites and top ten lists. One such website, www.superseventies.com offers a comprehensive look at some of the most well-known covers from your 1970's including the Sex Pistols "Never Mind The Bollocks," the Eagles "Hotel California," Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of the Moon" and also the Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers" among others. Additionally, www.superseventies.com provides their reader's favorite seventies album covers (more than 300) with comprehensive descriptions and critiques of every specific release. This is a great way to spend a rainy day, as you discover some of the greatest album cover art of the 70's.
Album cover style is an art form and permits the musicians greater control over the content material and another important avenue in which to express themselves. In my humble opinion (and I share this viewpoint with numerous others), with the advent of the CD, the music buying public lost a national treasure, album cover art. It is part of pop culture and recorded music generally. Sure, Cd's offer you a "stripped down" edition of the first cover art, but it certainly pales comparedto the actual thing. I am certain Mr. Steinweiss would completely agree with me.
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