In praise of art work on album covers

One of the biggest reason vinyl is selling again is that great albums, more often than not, are in part at least, defined by their artwork. The record cover is a blank canvas on which the artist can enhance, explain, or perhaps even throw a red herring, about the musical themes within.

The latest release by Taschen, Art Record Covers, explores this relationship in depth. In Francesco Spampinato’s anthology of artists’ record covers, 500 covers from the 1950s through to today are examined by artists.

They explore how modernism, pop art, conceptual art and postmodernism all supported the mass circulation of music with significant imagery. It was this thrilling combination of sound and visuals that helped define music as a cultural force. No wonder we are rediscovering our love affair with the physical medium. 

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Art Record Covers by Francesco Spampinato and Julius Wiedemann, is out on March 1, 2017. Available to order from taschen.com