The Art Of Album Art

When you buy a download from an online music store, it's not very likely that you even wonder where the cover art for the album or single is. And, with streaming on the rise today, it's possible that you never even think about the cover art.

That being said, when we buy or listen to music online, the cover art is always ever present. While we may not consider it as part of the package anymore, we still use the art as an identifier or locator that helps us quickly find just what we are looking for.

But, for recording artists whose music appears in these online stores, the cover is still a very important part of the music's presentation. In fact, most online distributors, those who are responsible for getting artists' music into these online stores, require that every album and single be posted with some form of cover art. So it is that many recording artists will still try to present their recording with a visual that will have just as much impact as their music.

In the 1950s and 60s, a simple photo of the band or artist would suffice. But, when the Beatles arrived on the scene in 1964, things would change and never be the same. Their coming marked the beginning of an era of creative and artistic freedom that lasted throughout the 1970s and into the 80s.

Many mid to late 60s bands and artists would either conceive or commission an artist to design their album covers. This tradition led to some of the most memorable cover art ever made. However, some album covers like the Beatles Yesterday... and Today, or what became know as the, "butcher block," album or Jimi Hendrix's, Electric Ladyland, proved to be controversial and consequently problematic.

So what does a recording artist do when the visual concept for their music is either mis-perceived or even though innocent, is considered to be risque. Of course, we see this all the time today as some recording artists use a visual that they know will get attention, for no other reason then the shock value.

Things like nudity or acts of violence tend to get noticed in a hurry. There's also the concept that's either so simple that it's cuteness turns the listener off. Or, the concept that's so complicated that the potential buyer thinks that the artist is either being pompous or pretentious.

Getting it right is not always an easy thing to do, especially in an era when Madison Avenue has all but sold everyone on the notion that image is everything. But, I have noticed that there some artists who are trying to keep the art of album art alive. To those bands and artists, major, indie, or DIY, I wish you all good luck and much continued success.