In 1939, Alex Steinweiss was employed at Columbia Records as the first artwork director for the company and decided to spruce up and repackage vinyl records. We all know the outcome, album cover art is now an important part of music and pop culture. (Prior to Steinweiss's creative influences, records had been generally stored in plain, undecorated packaging).
For collectors, album cover artwork can occasionally be as valuable as the vinyl record it holds. For example, one of the most famous album covers of all time, the Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" cover was among the most inventive at the time and integrated cut out inserts and lyrics. The price one would pay for a copy of this album is influenced by whether or not or not it has the original contents plus they are intact. There are many album covers that included posters of the band as well and other "perks" for the buyer and every one of these elements factor in to the resale cost and collectiblity.
There have been numerous dynamic and world-famous album covers. Think about the Beatles' album "Yesterday...and Today" (1966), also known as the "butcher block album" since the Beatles were pictured on the front cover dressed in white butcher coats surrounded by bloody meat and cut up dolls. The album was rapidly pulled by Capitol Records after the company received numerous complaints from reviewers and DJ's. The company recalled the issue and ordered a brand new cover but didn't wish to waste the several hundred thousand that had already been printed. Capitol then hired part-time helpers to remove that picture from the cover and paste on the new picture for the cover. But, it seems that there were many sluggish employees and to conserve time, they simply pasted the new cover on top of the old cover and the one that was meant to be removed. The outcome is three different versions of that particular album and a collector's dream, the different versions of the album are really worth several thousand bucks (costs vary-check a record cost guide to determine just what album you may have to get the exact cost).
Album cover art has also spawned several web sites in which to see famous covers and designs, readers' favorites and top 10 lists. One such website, www.superseventies.com provides a comprehensive look at some of the most well-known covers from your 1970's including the Sex Pistols "Never Mind The Bollocks," the Eagles "Hotel California," Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of the Moon" and also the Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers" among others. In addition, www.superseventies.com offers their reader's favorite seventies album covers (more than 300) with comprehensive descriptions and reviews of every specific release. This can be a great way to spend a rainy day, as you discover some of the greatest album cover art of the 70's.
Album cover style is an art form and permits the musicians greater control over the content material and another important avenue through which to express themselves. In my humble opinion (and I share this opinion with numerous other people), with the advent of the CD, the music buying public lost a national treasure, album cover art. It is part of pop culture and recorded music generally. Sure, Cd's offer you a "stripped down" edition of the original cover art, however it definitely pales in comparison to the actual thing. I am certain Mr. Steinweiss would totally agree with me.
For collectors, album cover artwork can occasionally be as valuable as the vinyl record it holds. For example, one of the most famous album covers of all time, the Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" cover was among the most inventive at the time and integrated cut out inserts and lyrics. The price one would pay for a copy of this album is influenced by whether or not or not it has the original contents plus they are intact. There are many album covers that included posters of the band as well and other "perks" for the buyer and every one of these elements factor in to the resale cost and collectiblity.
There have been numerous dynamic and world-famous album covers. Think about the Beatles' album "Yesterday...and Today" (1966), also known as the "butcher block album" since the Beatles were pictured on the front cover dressed in white butcher coats surrounded by bloody meat and cut up dolls. The album was rapidly pulled by Capitol Records after the company received numerous complaints from reviewers and DJ's. The company recalled the issue and ordered a brand new cover but didn't wish to waste the several hundred thousand that had already been printed. Capitol then hired part-time helpers to remove that picture from the cover and paste on the new picture for the cover. But, it seems that there were many sluggish employees and to conserve time, they simply pasted the new cover on top of the old cover and the one that was meant to be removed. The outcome is three different versions of that particular album and a collector's dream, the different versions of the album are really worth several thousand bucks (costs vary-check a record cost guide to determine just what album you may have to get the exact cost).
Album cover art has also spawned several web sites in which to see famous covers and designs, readers' favorites and top 10 lists. One such website, www.superseventies.com provides a comprehensive look at some of the most well-known covers from your 1970's including the Sex Pistols "Never Mind The Bollocks," the Eagles "Hotel California," Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of the Moon" and also the Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers" among others. In addition, www.superseventies.com offers their reader's favorite seventies album covers (more than 300) with comprehensive descriptions and reviews of every specific release. This can be a great way to spend a rainy day, as you discover some of the greatest album cover art of the 70's.
Album cover style is an art form and permits the musicians greater control over the content material and another important avenue through which to express themselves. In my humble opinion (and I share this opinion with numerous other people), with the advent of the CD, the music buying public lost a national treasure, album cover art. It is part of pop culture and recorded music generally. Sure, Cd's offer you a "stripped down" edition of the original cover art, however it definitely pales in comparison to the actual thing. I am certain Mr. Steinweiss would totally agree with me.
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