5 iconic album arts
Iconic album art does not only define the songs of it but it also defines the taste of a generation
The media of listening songs may have changes from vinyl to cassettes to CDs. But what remains revolutionary to inspire the generation after generation into inspiring new genre is album arts along with the songs. Therefore, the visuals of iconic songs remain as revolutionary as the songs are.
Here we have listed five iconic album arts which are revolutionary:
Pink Floyd– Dark side of the moon (1973)
"Dark side of the Moon" by Pink Floyd is not only an iconic album but the visual appeal of its revolutionary album art speaks for itself. Though the idea of the cover art came out of a black and white photograph, the cover created a mystery by not mentioning the name of the artist and the album in the cover. And the portrayal of the triangle prism represents the ambition of the band as said by Thorgerson in one of his interview with Rolling Stone.
Rage against the machine – Rage against the machine (1992)
This particular cover of "Rage Against the Machine" features a photo of the self-immolation of Thích Quảng Đức, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, in Saigon in 1963. This debut studio album by American rock band Rage Against the Machine is one of those few politically influential cover art that drew international attention and U.S. President John F. Kennedy to withdraw support for Ngô Đình Diệm's government.
The Roots– Things Fall Apart (1999)
Social commentary on hip-hop album cover is not something we come across often. "The Roots" made the difference. During the 60s riots two women being chased by police in the Bed-Stuy neighbourhood in Brooklyn is the portrayal of the cover. With such unique imagery "Things Fall Apart" was a step forward towards social activism through music.
Nirvana –never mind (1991)
Around 1990s when it felt like rock music is going to be reparative but grunge brought the vibe back. To bring the grunge in the mainstream Nirvana's second album is to give the credit. What struck most unusual is its cover – a four month old baby boy's underwater image showing his genital who is swimming towards a dollar note in a fish hook. What a punk cover it is!
Michael Jackson – dangerous (1991)
Michael Jackson's album cover "Dangerous" is a one such piece of art that hardly one would think of having in an album cover. Artist Mark Ryden took Jackson's six months to finish the artwork because Jackson was a fan of circus posters. If you give a close look to the cover you would notice much of Jackson's life reflects through it. An ornamental domination, an omnipotent look of Jackson's eyes came in detail to the focus with other significant events of his life.
If you are a Jackson fan and have not looked at the cover yet, trust me, you have not done enough to be a fan of his!
