Music is one of those things that is nearly universally beloved. Cultures across the globe all have their own rich cultural musical histories. Part of the culture in western music that developed in the 20th century is the idea that songs should be grouped together in a meaningful way, and presented in a particular way. This is what we call an album.
An important part of an album is its cover. Cover art is a great way for an artist to catch a potential listener’s attention, and is also a great way to convey what the album will be about. At Bonjongles, we greatly appreciate album covers and all of the great art that adorns them, and we wanted to take some time today to highlight some of the greatest album covers of all time.
Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd
Being one of the most popular albums of all time, most people are familiar with Pink Floyd’s 1973 album, Dark Side of the Moon. The music on the album speaks for itself, and is beloved by both fans of progressive rock, as well as those who aren’t even that big of rock fans. One of the reasons, besides the music, the album has become so iconic is the album art which features a prism with a beam of light shining through it, causing a rainbow to form.
Hipgnosis, True Legends
The art for Dark Side of the Moon was designed by Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell, both who worked for the design group, Hipgnosis. Hipgnosis has a bit of a legendary status amongst fans of classic and progressive rock, as in addition to designing several album covers for Pink Floyd, they also designed covers for 10cc, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Argent, Bad Company, Genesis, the Electric Light Orchestra, and many other classic groups.
The Velvet Underground & Nico
This self-titled, Andy Warhol produced, album is one that is easily recognizable. The album’s design may seem simple at first, it’s just a banana on a white background, but in this simplicity, the greatness of Warhol is revealed. The art of the album is instantly recognizable even from far away. Original copies of the album had a peel away sticker that would remove the banana peel, revealing a very phallic looking banana beneath. Copies of the album still containing the sticker unpeeled can go for quite the hefty sum nowadays.
Come Find an Album Today
At Bonjongles, we have a very wide selection of artists from all genres. If you’re looking for an album, there’s a decent chance we have it in stock. Alternatively, stopping by our record room, you’re sure to find some album covers that catch your eye. One of the best ways to discover
new music is to find album covers you like. The old saying says you can’t judge a book by its cover, but sometimes you can judge an album by its cover. We have a record player in our room where you can test out anything you would like. If you’re looking to find something new to spin, stop by and see us at Bonjongles. We’re located in downtown Westminster, MD in the Winchester Exchange Building.
