Would Sgt. Pepper's be exactly the same without Peter Blake's cover ? At a time when full-length records do not mean much any longer and album covers even less, I found interesting to make a website on sleeve design. Long before videos, record covers were the visual embodiment of music, a way to put images on sound. I remember having spent hours as a teenager detailing the cover of records while listening to them. Later on, I realised that some of them had things in common in their design, revealing either a mere sign of the times or a more deliberate connection. Some records even obviously copied famous sleeves, as a tribute or as a mockery. Here is a collection of record covers I came across, which share some common visual features.
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Nancy Sinatra Country, My Way (1967) |
Emmanuelle Seigner Dingue (2009) |
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Oasis Be Here Now (1997) |
Libido Killing Some Dead Time (1998) |
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The Beatles Past Masters - Volume One (1988) |
The Rutles Archaeology (1996) |
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Madonna Like a Prayer (1989) |
Melissa Etheridge Skin (2001) |
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David Bowie and the Spiders from Mars The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust (1972) |
Pulp Bad Cover Version EP (2002) |
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The Rob Hoeke Rhythm & Blues Group Save Our SOuls (1967) |
Huey Lewis and the News Plan B (2001) |
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Supergrass Is 10: Best of 94-04 (2004) |
Four Tet There is Love in You (2010) |
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The Who Sell Out (1967) |
Petra Haden Sings the Who Sell Out (2005) |
Bad Religion The Gray Race (1996) |
Thirty Seconds to Mars This Is War (2009) |
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Eric Clapton Just One Night (1980) |
Sheryl Crow Detours (2008) |
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The Rolling Stones Black and Blue (1976) |
Dad's Porno Mag DPM (2000) |
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Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Take Them On Your Own (2003) |
Bon Jovi The Circle (2009) |
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Pharoah Sanders Karma (1969) |
Raphael Saadiq Instant Vintage (2002) |
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Mazzy Star She Hangs Brightly (1991) |
M. Ward Duet for Guitars #2 (1999) |
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Milton Nascimento Travessia (1978) |
Femi Kuti Day by Day (2008) |
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Johnny Hallyday La Peur (1982) |
Lou Reed Legendary Hearts (1983) |
Turbonegro Party Animals (2005) |
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Radiohead Hail to the thief (2003) |
Third Day Revelation (2008) |
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The Beatles For Sale (1965) |
The Punkles The Punkles (2003) |
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Sonic Youth Goo (1990) |
The Twilight Sad Killed my Parents and Hit the Road (2008) |
Mugstar / Cosmic Dead Breathing Mirror / Fukahyoocastaluh (Split album) (2014) |
