Where to Find Best Album Covers to Use for Art

The perfect album cover doesn't happen overnight.

Blood, sweat, tears, cash, and sleepless nights went into making every album encompass on this list.

Our team is here to help break downward what makes a great album cover and requite you lot some tips on how to brand 1 using Vectornator.

What Should Be on an Album Cover?

Information technology's all about the artwork for album cover designs. Amazing cover art tin be one of the most significant factors that volition determine how well-received an album is.

Whether you go with graphic design, photography, illustration, or a mix of the 3, you'll need to make sure it is the correct fit for the band and the album'south content.

You can actually brand your anthology design really stand out with your font pick and placement of your championship. And skipping a championship on the comprehend altogether tin can also be an iconic move. Whatever you decide to exercise, it needs to fit well with your cover art'southward theme and colour scheme.

Some other major consideration is whether or not to feature and photograph the ring for the cover or to use artwork and graphic design instead.

Some bands fifty-fifty decide to feature only i or two members of their entire band on the comprehend. And hey, if you desire to showtime a fight that could intermission up the band you're designing for, by all ways, become right ahead.

A adept marketing and creative team volition work together to observe solutions that fit the ring'due south epitome and the creative meaning behind the album.

Now, let'south talk about why comprehend fine art matters.

Why are Album Covers Important?

Iconic album covers tin can exist the matter that propels an album to the top of the charts, merely information technology'south not an exact science. Cultural relevancy and stupor factor tin can brand a huge difference in how an album cover is received.

Sometimes these covers are created before the ring themselves even know how much they will thing. Bands like Nirvana (among many others) created their album art with no idea of the impending fame they would experience once it was released.

And some of the bands, models, and designers of these albums accept later said they regretted the choices they fabricated in creating them. But, nonetheless, they have gone downward in history as iconic.

Now, that doesn't necessarily mean they were perfect or without flaws; some were just controversial enough to peak people's interest and garner attention for the album.

In the end, nosotros think yous'll agree that anthology covers can brand a deviation in an album release'south performance.

At present, this listing isn't necessarily in order of importance (please don't send us hate mail); information technology's meant to demonstrate how album covers can make history and leave a lasting impact on pop culture.

And then, here'south our listing of the best album covers of all time.

1. The Beatles, Abbey Road (1969)

The number i album comprehend on our listing shouldn't surprise yous. It's a classic for a reason. Not only is it one of the nigh archetype albums musically, but the artwork itself is likewise a classic.

Photographer Iain Macmillan captured this image of the Beatles casually walking across London's Abbey Road, which has since gone downward in history.

The Beatles are widely regarded as the biggest ring in history; they truly started the entire craze around boy bands. Bands like One Management and the Backstreet Boys have them to thank for the notoriety that male child bands take today.

Y'all have to read this kooky theory almost the meaning behind the album that claims Paul McCartney died before the anthology was released.

two. The Velvet Cloak-and-dagger and Nico, The Velvet Underground and Nico (1967)

This archetype design past Andy Warhol is ane of the most unforgettable covers on this listing. Warhol, a famous creative person and movie director, served equally the band's managing director, every bit well as the designer of this album encompass artwork.

Some might say this album cover has become more than famous than the album itself. When released, the anthology didn't exactly fly up the charts. In fact, it largely flopped, leading to the band breaking upwards and firing Warhol as their manager.

Today, it goes down in history every bit one of the about well-known albums (and covers) of all time.

peel slowly and run into

When the banana was peeled back, a flesh-colored banana was pictured beneath—very phallic, very unique, very Velvet Underground.

three. Pink Floyd, Nighttime Side Of The Moon (1973)

Some other iconic album, with an iconic championship. This cover featured a stark contrast between the dark as night background and the white low-cal passing through a prism which created the bright colors reflected on the other side.

The creative team backside the embrace, Tempest Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell (who too created Led Zeppelin's House of the Holy artwork), came up with the concept, and George Hardie carried out their vision.

This cover was the brainchild of ane of their many brainstorming sessions that often stretched into the early on mornings.

This visual has become an icon of Pinkish Floyd and is often seen on T-shirts and posters. The album was an overwhelming success despite the mysterious band'south purposeful lack of promotional work.

four. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin (1969)

Led Zeppelin's debut album embrace was cypher curt of shocking when it came out.

The ink drawing created by George Hardie of the Hindenburg airship (adapted from a photo taken by Sam Shere in 1937) with Led Zeppelin in bold red letters launched this now-famous band into popularity.

The fact that the send in question was a zeppelin certainly wasn't an accident.

Featuring an image from the Hinderburg disaster was a bold move. But we have to wonder, would something this controversial be received well today? Information technology'south hard to say for sure.

George Hardie (who was paid $76 to create this now-famous drawing) has since come out and said he wished that he would have put more thought into using an image of this tragic event.

5. The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Alone Hearts Lodge Band (1967)

This famous album cover is packed with bright, psychedelic colors and prominent figures. 58 celebrities, to exist exact. How many practice you recognize?

Figures like Marilyn Monroe, Shirley Temple, and Albert Einstein were included in this chaotic collage prototype.

Pop artists Peter Black and Jan Haworth (who were married at the time) staged this image, which is said to have been thought of by none other than Paul McCartney himself.

The album cover price around $3,000 to make. That amount might non audio like much, but that would be nearly $50,000 today. At that time, no anthology artwork had ever cost that much to create.

half dozen. The Notorious B.I.G., Gear up To Die (1994)

This album embrace for Christopher Wallace (all-time known equally The Notorious B.I.G.) was the start of a remarkable career for the and so 22-twelvemonth-onetime.

His lyrical prowess is evident in this anthology, which has had a strong cultural impact. With this album, Biggie is said to have revitalized the East Coast hip-hop scene.

The stark blank canvas with a small child wearing only a diaper on the encompass made a statement about innocence, new life, and vulnerability. All leading dorsum to the concept backside the album: the life cycle of an artist.

Fun fact: that child on the cover turned 28 this year.

7. Nirvana, Nevermind (1991)

Nevermind is one of Nirvana's most pop titles, and the cover for this 1 is, you guessed it, iconic.

Much like The Notorious B.I.G. album, the baby on the cover featured on the encompass represents innocence. The fact that he is reaching for money represents the superficial values we pass on to children in our society, just the kind of statement that Nirvana makes with their music.

Kurt Cobain, the band's frontman, was the one to come up up with the concept, which he allegedly thought of while watching a program nigh water births.

The child in question, Spencer Elden, has mixed feelings near having appeared naked on such a momentous album comprehend.

Nevermind was not expected to exist the major hit that it was. But in the end, this album comprehend fits Nirvana'south energy perfectly.

8. Fleetwood Mac, Rumors (1977)

Fleetwood Mac'south acknowledged album has a cover with only 2 members of the band? It seems strange, nosotros know.

Fleetwood Mac is infamous for their group dynamic. They dated, fought, broke upwardly, and Rumors is known to exist based on much of that drama.

Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood are featured prominently on this cover, while the rest of the band is left out. Nicks is dancing and holding a crystal ball while Fleetwood stands stoic with a pair of balls hanging between his legs.

Almost every member of the band was going through a tumultuous breakup or divorce at the time (many with each other), and that drama and intrigue play out throughout the anthology and comprehend art.

nine. Blink 182, Enema Of The Country (1999)

Evocative and instantly iconic, this prototype personifies the 90s pop scene. The provocative cover photo of a nurse snapping her rubber gloves into identify is difficult to forget.

Enema of the State (a play on "enemy of the country") was a major success for the band and helped alter the future of their genre.

Fun Fact: the anthology was almost called "Plough Your Caput and Cough," hence the nurse costume.

David Goldman took this image, and the scantily clad nurse in the picture is adult motion picture actress Janine Lindermulde. Lindermulde also was featured in the music video for "Homo Overboard" and "What'due south My Age Again."

ten. Elvis Presley, Elvis Presley (1956)

This album introduced Elvis to the globe. Equally the oldest album on this list, this i has some serious prestige. Elvis is an iconic household proper name and has been for decades.

This epitome was snapped in 1955 while Elvis was performing at the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory in Florida. The black and white activeness shot mixed with the colorful pop of large text is eye-catching and original.

The pink and light-green letters and unusual font were an interesting pick by this album cover'due south creative squad that seems to take paid off.

The Clash later copied this mode for their album London Calling, farther cementing the style as one to retrieve.

This is one of those classic albums that volition go down in history because of the anthology's content and the anthology cover itself.

xi. The Disharmonism, London Calling (1979)

The Clash created this album as a direct simulated of Elvis Presley'south debut album cover fine art, with a similar black and white activeness shot of them playing, coupled with identical font colour and way.

The band'south bassist, Paul Simonon, is featured on the front smashing his guitar. This image is now displayed in the Cleveland Rock and Rock Hall of Fame.

The rebellious nature of this epitome and the guitar smashing on the cover embodies stone and roll and are a perfect representation of the stone and roll scene of the belatedly 70s and early 80s.

12. David Bowie, Aladdin Sane (1973)

Bowie'southward sixth studio anthology was the outset he released after gaining major notoriety in the mainstream media.

Bowie falls under the niche category of "glam rock" and is known for his outlandish manner style and stage presence. With red pilus and a lightning commodities drawn on his face, this look leaves a distinctive impression.

Shot by Brian Duffy, this photograph was the virtually expensive encompass album shot at the time. To gain notoriety, a genuine endeavour was made to brand the cost of the album record-breaking.

Fun Fact: though Bowie is iconic for the lightning bolt, this was the merely time he was pictured with information technology drawn on his face.

xiii. Prince, Regal Rain (1984)

Another outstanding cover that has cemented itself in pop culture. Who could forget this image of Prince in a imperial adapt, posed on a motorcycle?

In the summertime of 1984, Prince flew to the elevation of the charts with his album Imperial Rain. The album, encompass art cover, and music video were an instant hit.

The title rails, Purple Rain, is eight minutes long (this was cutting downward from a whopping 11 minutes).

This encompass image was photographed at the Warner Bros studio in California, and the background was purposefully made to look like a New York City tenement. It's a perfect sneak peek into what the at present-famous music video would look like.

fourteen. Joy Segmentation, Unknown Pleasures (1979)

The iconic pulsar radio waves in this cover image were an incredible choice by Joy Partitioning and the designer, Peter Seville.

This is an excellent case of how a minimalistic yet meaningful pattern tin create an enormous touch on. Iconic album covers don't always need to be bold, half-nude photos to capture attention. This album has left a lasting impression on the earth of music.

Disney fifty-fifty created a parody of this album artwork featuring none other than Mickey Mouse.

fifteen. Bruce Springsteen, Born In The U.s.A. (1984)

This all-American cover image was the perfect artful choice for Springsteen. The paradigm perfectly represented him and his music and made him a cultural icon.

Ballcap tucked into his jeans, huge American flag in the background, and the simplicity of blue jeans and a white shirt. It's the perfect representation of country music at the time.

The album title says information technology all, Springsteen is the quintessential American boy.

When this album was released, Springsteen had been well-known for almost a decade, but this provocative and simple epitome created an awareness of his music that far exceeded his current popularity.

16. The Smiths, Meat Is Murder (1985)

This iconic cover fine art is some other meant to provoke and create controversy, something the Smiths were very familiar with. This being just their second studio album, The Smiths made a big splash when it was released.

The atomic number 82 vocalizer of the band, Morrissey, said that the anthology cover'south design was intended to encourage activists to take a militant arroyo to their protests. Specifically, the animal rights movement.

A few of the ring members were vegetarian, and Morrissey himself has always been an outspoken abet of reducing meat consumption.

Surprisingly, this was The Smith's only anthology to reach the elusive number one spot on Uk's height billboard charts.

17. Neutral Milk Hotel, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998)

Neutral Milk Hotel might be one of the less well-known bands on this list of mega-stars, but they are an indie favorite.

The cover for this album was created by Chris Bilheimer and featured an illustration of 2 people wading in water, one with a drum over their face. Jeff Mangum, the bandleader, wanted the album artwork to be reminiscent of 20th-century penny arcades artwork, and he asked Bilheimer to create something unique.

This indie rock/psychedelic folk band is known for having intentionally poor audio quality and surrealist lyrics.

In the Aeroplane Over the Bounding main was their 2d and nigh well-known album, and information technology gained them a cult following that somewhen led to Mangum purposefully fading out of the public eye.

18. The Rolling Stones, Gluey Fingers (1971)

This bright cover expressed the Rolling Stones music and persona perfectly. This was the commencement album released on their own tape label, Rolling Stones Records.

The artwork for this album was thought upward by Andy Warhol (who besides created the Velvet Underground's album cover that captured the #two spot on this listing). Photography was done by Billy Name and the pattern was created past Craig Braun.

The original cover design for this anthology included a working zipper that opened to reveal a pair of white boxer briefs. This feature is very reminiscent of the Velvet Underground's album that Warhol also designed.

Notably, this was the commencement album that featured the iconic tongue and lips logo that later on became the fundamental icon for the band.

19. Pinkish Floyd, Wish You Were Here (1975)

Pink Floyd was known for their album art and worked with the design studio Hipgnosis to create both of the album covers that made our tiptop 20 list.

The image was photographed past Aubrey "Po" Powell, and the handshake featured on the cover was meant to symbolize empty gestures.

In the photo, i man is on burn down, while the other, dressed in a business organization adjust, casually shakes his manus. There are many interpretations, simply many call back it symbolizes the idea that this gesture typically is made in a half-hearted empty way and that people tend to hide their real emotions for others.

xx. Rage Confronting The Auto, Rage Against The Machine (1992)

This debut album past the presently-to-be controversial Rage Against the Auto evokes an emotional response immediately, even if you don't recognize the famous prototype it features.

The 1963 image of the Buddhist monk, Thích Quảng Đức, who fix himself on burn down in protest of the oppression of Buddhists in Vietnam, is a historically famous image that holds significant meaning. Associated Press correspondent Malcolm Browne took the paradigm.

The photo taken of this activist gained such considerable attention that it persuaded then-president John F. Kennedy to withdraw support from Vietnam.

Use Vectornator For Your Album Cover Designs

If you're feeling inspired by all of these great covers and want to make your own, we're hither to help!

Just download Vectornator to get started. It's gratis! And we've got all the tools and templates you'll demand to create anthology cover artwork that will blow everyone'south mind.

Album covers should be sized to 1600 x 1600 pixels minimum, but nosotros recommend sizing your album to 3000 x 3000 pixels.

And, of course, we've got templates for that! You tin can apply Vectornator tools to create shapes, text, or draw objects. Our Pen Tool tin help you create Bézier curves (or paths) in order to draw unique shapes.

We're confident you lot have the skills to create the album cover of your dreams using our tools and tips.

Now, outset designing! We're so excited to see the album cover art you come upwards with. Don't forget to post information technology on social media and tag u.s.! If we like it, nosotros might reshare information technology!

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