At Flux, we’re always thinking about the power of design to communicate. From liquor labels to book covers, good design tells stories. Recently, we’ve been fascinated by album cover design. An album is a sonic journey, and the cover has to represent the world the music seeks to create. The translation from sound to image opens up brilliant creative possibilities. Here are some of our favorites.
Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures (1979)
A classic of enigmatic, atmospheric design. Are they sound waves? Mountains? According to the band, the lines are actually the radio waves from a rotating neutron star, discovered by Bernard Summer in an Astronomy magazine.
David Bowie – Aladdin Sane (1973)
Photographed by Brian Duffy, this cover made the image of Bowie with a lightning bolt painted across his face iconic. This otherworldly portrait sparks a million thoughts, highlighting Bowie’s power as a master storyteller.
Grace Jones – Nightclubbing (1981)
This image of Grace Jones is totally unique. Created by her partner Jean Paul Goude, it shows Jones’ cutting stare and stature– angular shoulder pads, flat top hair, perfect cheekbones. The contrast of the suit and her white cigarette are perfect. She’s looking out directly at us, ready to conquer the world.
The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Theatrical and fantastical, this iconic Beatles album cover is timeless. Featuring the band in colorful military attire surrounded by famous contemporaries and historical figures, the original album came with paper cutouts for an unprecedentedly interactive experience.
The Rolling Stones – Sticky Fingers (1971)
This Stones cover was a feat of engineering. The original idea and photograph came from Andy Warhol, but the actual production of the album with a physical zipper on top took weeks to make possible.
Music inspires awesome visuals. Check out the work we did for The Sun Rose, a new live music venue on Sunset Blvd inside the Pendry hotel. Inspired by Hollywood sounds and night club ambiance, we created a unique name and logo that mixes retro and contemporary.
Like the sound of it? >Tell us what you think.