Album covers are conspicuous in their expression of the bands' visual side. An album cover says 'I'm a painting with words'. The cover may well be symbolic, a summary of stage performances, propaganda-like, the artwork of a band member or merely created to grab additional sales. Some are so simplistic in nature that two colors can say everything there is to be said. Whatever the message conveyed, album covers ought to artistically parallel the sound of the music.
When music 1st became offered in a household listening format, it was engraved on big wax disks. Stored in compressed paper sleeves, the artwork reflected the classical music well-known at the time. Black and white printing was the only kind accessible. At first, classical works of art were sketched and then printed on the covers. As an example, the Venus de Milo was printed for Korsakov's musical styling. As the technologies of photography developed, several choose albums had photographs of classical art printed on them. People today from that time would have been shocked at how the album cover would evolve.
Throughout the 1940's, some album covers were both photographic and printed in color. Some covers were airbrushed paintings, or pastel drawings. The popularity of these impressionistic photographs speedily waned, as the album cover gave way to color photographs. Many of the new covers depicted the feel-good sounds of the albums, with individuals frolicking on the beaches or in fields. Other covers featured photographs of the artist or band itself, with the person or band performing on stage or just in front of a microphone. A number of albums today use the same concept.
During the 1960's and 1970's, album covers tended toward conceptual protests of prior ideas of very good cover style. Abstract psychedelic patterns were popularly tied in to this new concept. The 'hippie' times had been a period of mind expansion and discovery, characterized by demands for social and political reform. This was expressed by means of the medium of the album cover, with photographs of war contrasting with portrayals of aristocratic wealth. On a lighter note, 'flower children', nature, and Eastern religion had been combined with psychedelic mind-blowing color-infused patterns.
Album covers of the 1980's and 1990's saw a sharp decline in artistic designs, changing gears, leaning towards rebellious youth searching to break away from their parents' pacifist natures. With the introduction of KISS, the heavy metal sound was on the rise. Covers generally depicted harsh, gory scenes. Offensive and shocking designs became the new cover message. Unnerving and disturbing people today was regarded as a revolutionary concept.
Nowadays, album covers are more diverse than ever. Ideas and art work from genres and milieus throughout history are employed. Every thing from the original Venus de Milo to entirely laptop or computer developed graphics may well be found on today's album covers. Virtually each and every style utilised for album covers given that their very first debut has been integrated since 2000. It is difficult to envision what will come next.
Author Resource:
The InterMusic.co.uk site gives information on british music and the all time 100 greatest albums uk .
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")