Music has always been more than sound. From the sacred icons accompanying medieval chants to the posters of 1960s psychedelia, it has consistently sought a visual counterpart. In the modern era, the relationship between contemporary art and popular music became inseparable—creating identities, shaping movements, and turning records into cultural icons.
Lou Reed, Andy Warhol, and the Velvet Underground
Andy Warhol’s banana design for The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) remains one of the most recognizable covers in rock history. He also transformed live performances into multimedia happenings with the Exploding Plastic Inevitable.
The iconic banana cover designed by Andy Warhol for The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967).
The iconic banana cover designed by Andy Warhol for The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967).
Warhol and The Rolling Stones
Warhol designed the infamous Sticky Fingers (1971) cover, featuring jeans with a real zipper — an unforgettable Pop Art statement that fused provocation with mass appeal.
The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers (1971), with Andy Warhol’s provocative zipper design.
The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers (1971), with Andy Warhol’s provocative zipper design.
Pink Floyd and Hipgnosis
Storm Thorgerson’s surrealist vision defined Pink Floyd’s imagery. The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) prism became one of the most reproduced designs in music history, while Wish You Were Here (1975) shocked audiences with its burning businessman.
The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Hipgnosis’ minimalist prism design.
The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Hipgnosis’ minimalist prism design.
Wish You Were Here (1975), featuring two businessmen shaking hands — one of them on fire.
Wish You Were Here
Joy Division, New Order, and Peter Saville
Peter Saville turned data and paintings into cult imagery. Unknown Pleasures (1979) used radio pulsar waves, creating a minimalist symbol of post-punk alienation. With New Order’s Power, Corruption & Lies (1983), he used a 19th-century floral painting, contrasting beauty with darkness.
Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures (1979), with Saville’s pulsar waves.
Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures
New Order’s Power, Corruption & Lies (1983), mixing flowers with politics.
New Order’s Power, Corruption & Lies
Hip-Hop and Street Art
Hip-hop’s rise in the 1980s was inseparable from visual culture. Keith Haring’s bold graffiti-like figures became synonymous with club flyers and street art, while Jean-Michel Basquiat’s raw neo-expressionism resonated with the rebellious energy of rap.
A Keith Haring mural, blending music, street, and art culture.
A Keith Haring mural
David Bowie and Masayoshi Sukita
Masayoshi Sukita’s photography defined David Bowie’s Berlin era. The cover of Heroes (1977) captured Bowie in a pose inspired by German Expressionism, embodying both vulnerability and strength.
David Bowie’s Heroes (1977), shot by Sukita, reflects his Berlin years.
David Bowie’s Heroes
Björk and Me Company
Björk’s collaborations with design studio Me Company produced futuristic, dreamlike covers that mirrored her experimental sound. Post (1995), with its vibrant surrealism, set her apart as a visual as well as a musical innovator.
Björk’s Post (1995), designed with Me Company, an explosion of surreal futurism.
Björk’s Post
Kanye West and Takashi Murakami
Takashi Murakami’s anime-inspired artwork for Graduation (2007) merged hip-hop and Japanese pop art. The collaboration extended to animated videos, cementing Kanye’s image as a boundary-breaking artist.
Kanye West’s Graduation (2007), with Murakami’s playful yet bold visuals.
Kanye West’s Graduation (2007), with Murakami’s playful yet bold visuals.
Conclusion
From Warhol’s banana to Saville’s pulsar waves, Thorgerson’s surrealism, Sukita’s Bowie, Björk’s futuristic worlds, and Murakami’s manga-rap fusion — these collaborations prove that music is something we both hear and see. The greatest musical movements are defined as much by imagery as by sound, reminding us that music at its best is a total artwork.
📖 Articles
- “Cover Story: A History Of Album Artwork” (uDiscover Music)
A chronological overview of how album covers evolved from plain sleeves to iconic works of art. Mentions pioneers like Alex Steinweiss and the rise of LP design.
👉 udiscovermusic.com - “Album Cover Artwork: The Relationship of Art and Music in the Age of Digital” (Business & Arts Network)
Explores how covers serve as visual entry points to music and how the digital shift has transformed them. Examples include Patti Smith’s Horses and Springsteen’s Born in the USA.
👉 businessandarts.net - “The History of Album Art” (Matthew Ström-Awn)
A long-form essay on the origins of album sleeves and their transformation into visual branding and artistic statements.
👉 matthewstrom.com - “The Stories Behind the Photos on 6 Iconic Album Covers” (Pitchfork)
Behind-the-scenes look at some legendary covers: Miles Davis, Patti Smith, The Rolling Stones, Grace Jones, Prince, and Talking Heads.
👉 pitchfork.com - “Storm Thorgerson and the End of Album Art” (The New Yorker)
Reflects on the legacy of Pink Floyd’s visual mastermind and the decline of physical album art in the streaming age.
👉 newyorker.com - “Maps on Vinyl: An Atlas of Album Cover Maps” (The Guardian)
Showcases a book that explores album covers featuring cartographic or abstract “map” designs, touching on Peter Saville and Roger Dean.
👉 theguardian.com
🎥 YouTube Videos
- The Art of Album Covers: A Journey through Music History (HD)
A visual journey through some of the most iconic covers in rock, pop, and jazz. - Art Historian Reveals the Artists Behind Your Favorite Album Covers
Explores collaborations between fine artists and musicians: Warhol (Velvet Underground), Jeff Koons (Artpop), Damien Hirst, and more. - The Album Cover Art of Hipgnosis – Part 1 (with Martin Popoff)
Deep dive into Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell’s legendary design studio behind Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Genesis.
- The Untold Story of Art, Beats
Documentary on the intersection of hip-hop culture and contemporary art.