10 Things You Didn't Know About Famous Music Album Covers
Never judge an album by its cover...
Creating an album cover that properly conveys what kind of audible experience is waiting inside a record sleeve, is not a straightforward business. Historically speaking, a good album cover was a means to lure in young music fans who were hesitant to part ways with their cash. Musicians wanted to stand out without being too offensive, but of course, sparking some kind of conversation never hurt; it's just basic marketing.
Over the years, there has been a number of ways to subvert the conventions of this art from. Musicians have tried an array of techniques. From the artsy glamour shot, to the evocative image from history; you could even go the Spinal Tap route, and go full on misogynist...
There has been countless iconic album covers over the decades, all of which are ingrained into our collective psyche, conjuring up images of a particular time in music history. Needless to say the conception and creation of these covers are not without their stories...
10. ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not’ - Arctic Monkeys (2006)
The Arctic Monkeys debut album has become just as well known for its cover, as it has for the music that resides inside. It's an image synonymous with the British indie scene during the mid 2000s.
Convention would usually dictate, that when a band introduces themselves to the world, they might include a photo to help put a face to a name. The Ramones did a fine job with their debut record, presenting themselves as a bunch of leather clad miscreants. Prince was able to capture his enigmatic and mysterious character on his first record, perfectly. But the Monkeys took a different approach entirely.
The guy on the cover is lead singer, Chris McClure, from Sheffield band, The Violet May. Confusing right. McClure (a friend of the band) was given £70 by Alex Turner and the boys, to paint the town red. Sometime in the early hours, after a somewhat raucous evening, they snapped several photos of him to capture the effects of his boozy escapades.
The cover caused some controversy for fear it was promoting smoking, but the band's manger shrewdly dispelled these accusations by stating, "You can see from the image smoking is not doing him the world of good." Classic.