100 Best Album Covers

by Storm Thorgerson

From the psychedelia of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's to the quirky social commentary of Nirvana's Nevermind, some of the most memorable, groundbreaking images of the last five decades have graced the covers of rock albums. DK's 100 Best Album Covers presents the cream of the cover crop, chosen by legendary designer Storm Thorgerson (the creator of celebrated sleeves for Pink Floyd, among other artists) and presented in DK's brilliant lexicographic style. No other album cover compilation comes close to 100 Best Album Covers in showing -- and telling -- the "stories behind the sleeves." The ideal gift for music lovers of all ages.

Genres: Music, Art, Nonfiction, Coffee Table Books

160 pages, Paperback

First published September 23, 1999

Reviews

[Daniel A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best-of lists, much less books containing them, are inherently subjective in their analyses. More often beginning arguments than ending them, such documents illustrate both the compilers' individual tastes and the ultimate judgment calls used to make these decisions. Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell—the legendary graphic designers who founded Hipgnosis, the graphic-design firm that created dozens of the most memorable album covers of the rock-and-roll era—admit as much in their introduction to 100 Best Album Covers: The Stories Behind the Sleeves. But where this book differs is that while Thorgerson and Powell do choose a few of their own album covers (and, given Hipgnosis' track record, this makes perfect sense when all is said and done), they also make a compelling case in their introduction for their expertise on the subject. And in reading 100 Best Album Covers, Thorgerson and Powell's case is compelling indeed.

100 Best Album Covers would be nowhere the excellent book it is if it merely catalogued the authors' choices. Instead, Thorgerson and Powell extensively annotate each album cover, often in two-page spreads, frequently with the significant input of the designers, photographers, and illustrators themselves. Even as Thorgerson and Powell choose a handful of their own designs, they include the "greatest hits" of other legends in the industry, from Barney Bubbles (Do It Yourself by Ian Dury & The Blockheads) to Roger Dean (Tales From Topographic Oceans by Yes), and from the great Blue Note album covers by Francis Wolff and Reid Miles to classics from the Munich-based ECM label. (That Thorgerson and Powell specifically chose Tales From Topographic Oceans is especially impressive to me, as I once met Dean at a sci-fi convention where he was the artist Guest of Honor, and they had a wall-sized print of the entire gatefold album cover available for sale.) And as they annotate these album covers, both with design choices and with anecdotes from the creations thereof, Thorgerson and Powell are unafraid to recognize even frankly terrible albums with great cover design. (For example, Bob Dylan's Self Portrait , John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins (link NSFW, BTW), and ABC's How To Be A . . . Zillionaire! . (Nor are they shy about showing several of the most acclaimed albums in history, even with their (in)famous "gimmick" covers, such as The Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers and Their Satanic Majesties Request and The Velvet Underground & Nico's self-titled album.)

If Thorgerson and Powell weren't themselves among the most acclaimed commercial graphic designers of the second half of the 20th century, 100 Best Album Covers would be an exercise in any number of negative character traits, who-the-hell-are-they arrogance among them. But given their real cred as graphic designers, in which they reveal several divergent aspects of their subtle expertise (through both annotations and several longer essays about the art, craft, and, yes, business of album design, both of vinyl LPs and CDs), Thorgerson and Powell make an excellent case for album cover art as Art, capitalized. Thorgerson and Powell display a real love for their craft, and it shines throughout the pages of the volume. For both art lovers and music lovers, 100 Best Album Covers is a truly essential addition to one's library.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting, if overpriced. It presents and describes 100 of what the authors consider the best 100 music album covers up to the time this book went to print. They seem to have a background in art design, and they explore/explain the covers from that perspective (art design, as opposed to social/cultural significance, later imitations, etc.). It's a good casual read, something to keep on the coffee table or to flip through on boring, rainy weekends.

[Peacegal · Rating 2 out of 5]

As with any “best of” list, this is basically a list of the authors’ favorites. Readers may not always agree. Music fans will find many familiar sights from rock’s golden age—from Sgt. Pepper’s to the Velvet Underground. The more modern choices, however, skew heavily toward UK pop and techno music—such as BEF’s ugly, cheap-looking computer-generated artwork. (And, if one ignores the provocation and the controversy, is Two Virgins really a “good” album cover?)

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are basically the favorites, as opposed to the best, as picked by the guys behind Hipgnosis. There's some odd inclusions but their commentary is very informative. They're pretty cheeky about including their own designs. There's some shameful omissions but aren't lists like these supposed to incite argument?

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lists are difficult and near impossible to compile, I feel. Especially when it comes to music-related topics. Therefore, it was extremely interesting to learn about all of the various covers featured in the book, no matter what my own personal wishes for the 100 would be.

[María Castejón · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of the most stunning album covers with a lot of information of how they were made, what inspired the artists and the bands.

If you love music and its imagery, this book really is really worthy.

[Meri · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's just something cool to look at!

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

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