Album covers can define a band or artist almost as much as the music itself. Sure, the sounds are certainly the most essential element, but you can't ignore the role of cover art in making a brilliant album
Originally a protective cover for the fragile goods below, the album sleeve soon evolved into an area of artistic expression in its own right. Strong album covers make a statement, entice the listener, create a first impression but with the rise of digital music, the great art of the record sleeve is under threat.
We want to celebrate the best in album design so you can put this great art on your wall as well as in your record collection. Our collection includes some of the most iconic and memorable covers ever made including a fantastic selection of Storm Thorgerson classics and alternative versions.
Album cover for Mars Volta's 'Frances the Mute' created in Bedfordshire, UK in 2004 by Storm Thorgerson
Alternative version of the cover artwork for Pink Floyd's 1994 album 'Division Bell' designed by Storm Thorgerson
Cover artwork for O.A.R's 2005 album 'Stories of a Stranger' designed by Storm Thorgerson
Alternative version of the album cover for Division Bell, subtly different from the iconic original
Cover artwork for Muse's 'Butterflies and Hurricanes' released in 2004 and designed by Storm Thorgerson
Alternative version of cover artwork for Muse's 2006 album 'Black Holes & Revelations' designed by Storm Thorgerson
Intended album cover for Nigel Kennedy's 'Kreisler' released in 1998 and designed by Storm Thorgerson
Mick Rock cover artwork for the iconic Queen 2 album released in 1974
The cover art for The Cranberries single 'Promises' designed by Storm Thorgerson in 1999.
Album cover for Deepest Blue's 1994 release 'Is it a Sin' designed by Storm Thorgerson
Artwork for Ian Dury's 'Reasons to be Cheerful' designed in 2001 by Storm Thorgerson
Album artwork for Mars Volta's 'De-loused in the Comatorium' from 2003 designed by Storm Thorgerson and set in West London
Cover art for Thornley's 2004 debut album 'Come Again' designed by Storm Thorgerson and shot in Weston Super Mare, UK
Debbie Harry from Blondie captured at photographer Sheila Rock's flat in Holland Park, London in 1977. Her dress matched with the curtains.
Alternative version cover art for Pink Floyd's fifth studio album Atom Heart Mother (known as Wire Cow - or Why A Cow?)
Inner sleeve artwork for Pink Floyd's album Wish You Were Here by Storm Thorgerson
'I thought of improvisation as a large ball of string (a melody as yet unravelled)'. Cover art for Phish's 1997 album Slip Stitch and Pass
'Identical shapes, one mirror, one picture, one window. How would you know which was which? 'Cover art for Catherine Wheel's album Wishville
Cover art for Catherine Wheel's 2000 single Gasoline created using 300 8x6" colour prints temporarily attached to silver birch trees.
'I took the notion of an idea, that of a light bulb above a head'. Cover artwork for Alan Parson's second album On Air
Cover artwork for Alan Parson's 1993 album Try Anything Once - 'I imagined the great bungee jumpers of the sky dropping in '.
Cover art for the live single of Wish You Were Here. 'What you see is what you get - two lost souls, swimming in a fish bowl'
Cover artwork for Yumi Matsutoya's 2003 single Setsugekka. 'A girl sinking under the weight of her memories'
Cover artwork photograph taken by Mick Rock for Raw Power, Iggy Pop's iconic third studio album that was released in February 1973
Photographed as a homage to the Pink Floyd album sleeve 'Animals' for the BBC series 'Britain In Pictures'.
Aladdin Sane is the one image that has defined David Bowie and is nicknamed the 'Mona Lisa of Pop' - Shot by Duffy in his London studio.
Kurt Cobain, from Nirvana, photographed in October 1990 outside the Dalmacia Hotel, Shepherd's Bush, London
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young making their London debut at the Royal Albert Hall in 1970
Van Morrison performing at the Rainbow Theatre, London in July 1973.
David Bowie captured by Mick Rock whilst applying make-up in Scotland in 1973
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. they have dubbed their music simply "rock and roll".
Oasis were an English rock music band formed in Manchester in 1991, to date the band have sold over 70 million records worldwide.
Joy Division (originally named Warsaw), an English rock band formed in 1976 were one of the pioneers of the post-punk movement.
The Specials are an English 2 Tone and ska revival band, their music combines a ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude.
A fantastic curated collection of museum quality fine art prints by leading music photographer Barry Schultz
Welcome to our Jazz & Blues Print Collection - over 50 years of iconic images of the world's greatest Jazz & Blues musicians
Here are the very latest prints we have added to our collection. We hope you love them as much as we do.
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