Iconic album covers?

Question

You know... the ones that almost everyone knows....

like:
Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon
The Beatles's Abbey Road
Led Zeppelin's Houses of the Holy

What are some other examples? Your favorite?

How Soon Is Now: London Calling, very good exapmle, I think we've all seen Paul Simonon smash his bass a million times.

Chunga's Revenge: That was a bit creepy.... Everything that comes out of Hipgnosis seems to be wonderful, doesn't it?

Answer 1

I'm not sure if anyone's mentioned it already, but I'd have to say that one of the most iconic, if not the most iconic, is The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. Pretty much any Dylan album cover is iconic really, but especially this one and Highway 61...oh and Blonde on Blonde.

Answer 2

The Beatles - Abbey Road, Sgt. Peppers
The Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollucks.....
The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Uderground & Nico
Jane's Addiction - Nothings Shocking
Nirvana - Nevermind
Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed
AC/DC - Back In Black
Metallica - Master of Puppets
U2 - The Joshua Tree
Hendrix - Axis Bold as Love
Patti Smith - Horses
GnR - Appetite For Destruction
Rage Against The Machine - Self Titled
Sonic Youth - Goo
The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
RHCP - Blood Sugar Sex Magick

Answer 3

The Beatles: Revolver
Pink Floyd: A Saucerful of Secrets
Pink Floyd: Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Pink Floyd: Animals
Pink Floyd: The Wall
Pink Floyd: The Division Bell
Paul McCartney & Wings: Band on the Run
The Fratellis: Costello Music
Imagine: John Lennon
Ziggy Stardust: David Bowie
RAM: Paul & Linda McCartney

I hoped that helped, but out of them all it's a really tough decision to decide which one to choose.

Answer 4

Only really

Dark Side of the Moon, every Beatles album Revolver through Abbey Road, and American Idiot by Green Day, although not at all in the same way, that's just famous because it's on t-shirts.

I have never seen Houses of the Holy outside of the actual album artwork, so I don't know what you're talking about.

Answer 5

Disraeli Gears by Cream.
Crosby, Stills & Nash.
Deep Purples Machine Head.
The Doors Morrison Hotel.
Not necessarily known, but I think that it's awesome that Grand Funk Railroads E Pluribus Funk comes in a sleeve the shape of a coin.
MC5s Kick Out The Jams
Queens Queen II.
The Rolling Stones Tattoo You.
Van Halen's 1984

Answer 6

Pink Floyd - The Wall
The Beatles - Sgt Peppers
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Led Zepplin - Houses of the Holy
Spinal Tap - Smell the Glove
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmos Factory

Answer 7

I'd start with "Weasels Ripped My Flesh" by The Mothers of Invention(Frank Zappa for the uninitiated- It was Cal Schenkel, I think).Not a famous album, but probably the most striking cover I've seen. "Back in the USA" by MC5 is just as iconic as "Kick Out The Jams" for me- THE classic post-gig photo(how many people have ripped that off?). A few others:
"Outside Inside"-Blue Cheer, "May Blitz"- May Blitz, "Forever Changes"-Love,"The Psychedelic Sounds of the ..."13th Floor Elevators, "Live at Leeds"- The Who(minimalism at it's best), "Free Your Mind and Your A** Will Follow"- Funkadelic, "Trout Mask Replica"- Captain Beefheart. I could go on, but I'm sure you're all bored already....
Edit: Well, I'm afraid that I'm going to have carry on anyway..."Split"- The Groundhogs, "Ogden's Nut Gone Flake"- The Small Faces, "Superfuzz Bigmuff"- Mudhoney, "S.F Sorrow"- The Pretty Things, "Fun House" and "Raw Power"- The Stooges, and let's not forget the original "Beggar's Banquet" cover( a filthy toilet), which was banned in the US, I think....

Answer 8

- Who's Next - The Who
- Fragile - Yes
- Audioslave - Audioslave
- Revelations - Audioslave (favorite)
- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles (probably the most famous)
- Superunknown - Soundgarden
- Nevermind - Nirvana
- Animals - Pink Floyd
- In The Court Of The Crimson King - King Crimson
- OK Computer - Radiohead
- Blind Faith - Blind Faith (controversic cover featuring a pubescent girl naked)
- Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs - Derek & The Dominos
- Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness - Smashing Pumpkins
- Master Of Puppets - Metallica
- London Calling - The Clash
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
- Velvet Underground & Nico - Velvet Underground
- Boston - Boston
- Alice In Chains - Alice In Chains
- Allman Brothers Band - Eat A Peach
- Jethro Tull - Aqualung
- Are You Experienced? (US version) - Jimi Hendrix
- Joshua Tree - U2
- Bat Out Of Hell - Meat Loaf
- A Rush Of Blood To The Head - Coldplay

to name a few.

Answer 9

Just based on what's in my collection :~

Dark Side of the Moon ~ Pink Floyd
Animals ~ Pink Floyd {I don't have this one, but it's infamous!}
Rumours ~ Fleetwood Mac
Tubular Bells ~ Mike Oldfield
Bat Out of Hell ~ Meat Loaf
Revolver ~ The Beatles
Sgt. Pepper ~ The Beatles
Abbey Road ~ The Beatles
Stormwatch ~ Jethro Tull
Thick As A Brick ~ Jethro Tull
Brothers in Arms ~ Dire Straits
Led Zeppelin IV {Zozo} ~ Led Zeppelin
Physical Graffiti ~ Led Zeppelin
Roisin Dubh {Black Rose} ~ Thin Lizzy {Axl Rose has a tattoo of this cover}
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ~ Elton John
Appetite for Destruction ~ Guns N' Roses
Bella Donna ~ Stevie Nicks {her white dress on the cover is an exact copy of the black one she wore on Rumours}

Answer 10

Good question
along with the aforementioned album covers ...

Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Uplift Mofo Party Plan
Yes - Tales from Topographic Oceans
Jethro Tull - Aqualung
Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet
Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet
Ministry - Psalm 69: (The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs)
Loverboy - Get Lucky
Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast
AC.DC - For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

Answer 11

So many great albums listed here, but no one has said anything about Carly Simon's "No Secrets". A classic album cover coveted by guys for one reason. I know I'm being sexixst here but...Her obvious excitement.
Here is a link: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5b/Csns.jpg

Chunga, your musical knowledge never ceases to amaze me!!!


11/2/07 I just thought of another: Van Halen - Diver Down - Millions of midwestern kids had never seen that symbol at all before that album came out> Now everyone knows what the red background and white slash means.