Album covers are a lost art form.
In my previous Top 25 list, I compiled a list of my 25 favourite covers from over the years. There was a good mix of covers from the 1970s, ’80s and now.
Then I realized through compiling a visual list of album covers on Pinterest that there were more to add to my Top 25.
A solution to that would be to create The Next 25 Album Covers. Enjoy.
| 50. |  |
Album: Frogstomp Year: 1995 Musical Artist: Silverchair Cover Artist: Why: Striking green frog on white background. |
|---|---|---|
| 49. |  |
Album: News of the World Year: 1977 Musical Artist: Queen Cover Artist: Frank Kelly Freas Why: Science fiction meets classic rock. |
| 48. |  |
Album: Hope Year: 2016 Musical Artist: The Strumbellas Cover Artist: Joel Hustak Why: Canadians do colour, and bizarre artwork, best. |
| 47. |  |
Album: An End Has A Start Year: 2007 Musical Artist: The Editors Cover Artist: Idris Khan Why: There’s a spectral tingling in the back of my skull when I take a gander at this image. |
| 46. |  |
Album: Future Blues Year: 1970 Musical Artist: Canned Heat Cover Artist: Skip Taylor Why: ‘Murica. |
| 45. |  |
Album: Something/Anything? Year: 1972 Musical Artist: Todd Rundgren Cover Artist: Todd Rundgren (concept) Why: Nothing quite like the pattern of your grandma’s curtains to start you off on a trippy, prog-rock path. |
| 44. |  |
Album: Pieces of Eight Year: 1978 Musical Artist: 10cc Cover Artist: Hipgnosis Why: Easter Island earrings dangle from the ears of middle-aged women. |
| 43. |  |
Album: In Search of the Lost Chord Year: 1968 Musical Artist: The Moody Blues Cover Artist: Philip Travers Why: Death, life and everything in between. |
| 42. |  |
Album: Deceptive Bends Year: 1977 Musical Artist: 10cc Cover Artist: Storm Thorgerson Why: Hero copper-hatted dude. Or is he? Could he be that evil diver ghost from Scooby Doo? |
| 41. |  |
Album: The Roaring Silence Year: 1976 Musical Artist: Manfred Mann’s Earth Band Cover Artist: Shirtsleeve Studio Why: A mouth inside an ear. |
| 40. |  |
Album: Try Anything Once Year: 1993 Musical Artist: Alan Parsons Project Cover Artist: Storm Thorgerson Why: With a name like Storm Thor-ger-son, is it any wonder he’s a rock album cover genius? |
| 39. |  |
Album: Frances the Mute Year: 2005 Musical Artist: Mars Volta Cover Artist: Storm Thorgerson Why: Another one from the man who made album covers an artform. |
| 38. |  |
Album: Canned Wheat Year: 1969 Musical Artist: The Guess Who Cover Artist: ? Why: Given the Guess Who came from Manitoba, it’s kind of fitting that their fifth album would go prairie. |
| 37. |  |
Album: …Twice Shy Year: 1989 Musical Artist: Great White Cover Artist: Doug Hyun (photographer) Why: Striking red and white cover, reminiscent of the hair metal days Great White partook in. |
| 36. |  |
Album: Fool For the City Year: 1975 Musical Artist: Foghat Cover Artist: Tony Loew (photographer) Why: Drummer Roger Earl fishing down a manhole. Different. |
| 35. |  |
Album: Aqualung Year: 1971 Musical Artist: Jethro Tull Cover Artist: Burton Silverman Why: Great artwork that has been subject of a greater dispute. |
| 34. |  |
Album: Against the Wind Year: 1980 Musical Artist: Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band Cover Artist: Jim Warren Why: Big-headed horses. |
| 33. |  |
Album: Catch a Fire Year: 1973 Musical Artist: The Wailers Cover Artist: Rod Dyer and Bob Weiner Why: An album hinged and cut like a zippo lighter. Novel, epic and something that hasn’t been repeated. |
| 32. |  |
Album: Not Fragile Year: 1974 Musical Artist: Bachman-Turner Overdrive Cover Artist: John Brott Why: A bunch of sharp blade edges and gears in a big wooden box. A working class man’s wet dream. |
| 31. |  |
Album: Morrison Hotel Year: 1970 Musical Artist: The Doors Cover Artist: Henry Diltz Why: The since demolished Morrison Hotel in Los Angeles seemed like a fitting spot. |
| 30. |  |
Album: Discovery Year: 1979 Musical Artist: Electric Light Orchestra Cover Artist: Jim Shea (photographer) Why: Has that Arabian Knights meets Rudolph Valentino vibes to it. |
| 29. |  |
Album: Risqué Year: 1979 Musical Artist: Chic Cover Artist: Ken Ambrose (photographer) Why: Film Noir meets funky disco. |
| 28. |  |
Album: Leftoverture Year: 1976 Musical Artist: Kansas Cover Artist: David McMacken Why: Very DaVinci. Very Gallileo. Very Nostradamus. Any way you slice it, it’s a Dark Ages music writer. |
| 27. |  |
Album: Hysteria Year: 1987 Musical Artist: Def Leppard Cover Artist: Andie Airfix Why: Monstrous dual-faced screamer inside extra-terrestrial inspired symbols. |
| 26. |  |
Album: Abbey Road Year: 1969 Musical Artist: the Beatles Cover Artist: Iain Macmillan (photographer) Why: This isn’t a list with a No. 1 spot. By no means do I think this is the most iconic, but it’s certainly worthy because of its impact on pop culture. |