sometimes you can judge a book or a
musical album by its cover
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
iconic classic rock album covers
for this list we’re choosing album
covers in rock and its various related
genres based on how iconic cool well
recognized or unforgettable they are
number ten war you too
like it go
fighting war as the theme of the early
80s and keen to distort their rep for
being a safe and fairly uncontroversial
band u2 settled on war as the title of
their 1983 release
equally keen to show that war can also
have mental and emotional elements the
band opted to use a child’s portrait for
the cover instead of violent imagery
a child Bono’s 8 year old neighbor Peter
Rowan had previously appeared on the
cover of their 3 EP and debut
full-length boy and several other
YouTube releases so he fit the part
perfectly
number nine
sticky fingers The Rolling Stones
while also notable for the debut of the
band’s famous tongue and lips logo the
original LP cover of sticky fingers is
perhaps best known for its functional
zipper
though the artwork was thought up by
Andy Warhol its design was executed by
Craig Braun who hit a snag when many
records were damaged during shipments
the zipper damage made the track sister
morphine unplayable on many coffees but
the gaff was later remedied by shipping
the record with the zipper at half-mast
number eight Queen to Queens
following a somewhat lackluster response
to their debut album Queen opted to step
up the visuals on their follow-up
they hired photographer Mick Rock who
had impressed the band with his work
with David Bowie Iggy Pop and Lou Reed
as such they were confident he could
give them the bit of glam they were
looking for
although Brian May John Deakin and Roger
Taylor initially found the Marlena
Dietrich inspired cover pretentious
Freddie Mercury loved it
and an image was born
the band would even reuse the imagery in
their music videos for Bohemian Rhapsody
and one vision
number seven Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin
you
baby I’m gonna leave you guitarist and
producer Jimmy Page didn’t have to go
too far when deciding uncover art for
the band’s debut album ah can hear the
calling me back it was inspired by
earlier discussions about forming a band
and how the idea would probably go over
like a lead Zeppelin
designed by George Hardy around a photo
of the Hindenburg disaster the front
sleeve created quite the stir especially
in Denmark
they’re members of the Zeppelin family
who were behind the early 20th century
airship development complained about the
image and the band’s name
this resulted in Led Zep touring the
region as the knobs
number six are you experienced the Jimi
Hendrix Experience
first released with a relatively
uninteresting photo that could be
described to those of the Sears Portrait
Studio variety
the Jimi Hendrix experience’s debut
album cover for the UK failed to impress
anyone including Hendrix himself
feeling the image didn’t match the
band’s psychedelic sound
the guitarist requested a do-over with
Carl Ferris
the photographer and graphic designer
didn’t only shoot a low-angle infrared
and fisheye lens enhanced shot but also
helped pick out the band’s wardrobe and
hairstyles you don’t get that at Sears
tomorrow or just the end of time
number five rumours Fleetwood Mac
the band was set to release the album
under the title yesterday’s gone but
given the famously tense work
environment under which they recorded
their eleventh effort bassist John McVie
suggested the much more fitting rumors
simple yet suggestive the cover features
drummer and founder Mick Fleetwood and
singer Stevie Nicks in their standard
stage where
but it’s also notable for its balls all
three of them on close inspection the
crystal ball Fleetwood holds has a
flipped image of himself and McVie while
the balls hanging from his waist were
originally part of a club’s toilet in
the band’s early days which he wore as a
lucky charm
you
number four Hotel California Eagles
taken by David Alexander and John Koch
while sitting on a cherry picker over
Sunset Boulevard during rush hour this
darkly haunting shot of the Beverly
Hills Hotel perfectly fulfilled Don
Henley’s request for a typical
California hotel with a menacing vibe
the artwork including the band photo at
the Lido hotel well as cautious title
graphic reportedly cost are then
astonishing $60,000 but perfectly
matched Henley’s vision of the successes
losses and general weirdness of
California stabbed it with this demon
ass but just can’t kill the P following
the album success the Beverly Hills
Hotel considered suing but drop the idea
when bookings for their rooms triple
number three born in the USA Bruce
Springsteen
photographed by Annie Leibovitz this
patriotic close-up of the bosses but is
perhaps one of the most famous images of
the 80s even without seeing his face his
confident stance rootsy small-town jeans
and t-shirt say all anyone needs to know
about Bruce Springsteen
while viewed by some as a sexual
statement
and by others as suggestive heated
political commentary
Bruce has explained that this picture
bested any taken of his face during the
photo shoot although some may beg to
differ
number two Abbey Road
the Beatles
shot the morning of August 8 1969
outside EMI studios on the road that
gave the record its name this simple but
iconic photo is among the most famous
and most parodied in the world
local police allotted photographer in
McMillan just 10 minutes to get what
would ultimately grace the Beatles 11th
effort in all six photos were taken Oh
but it was only the fifth frame that
caught the fat for walking in sync
McCartney’s barefooted Ness helped fuel
the infamous and endearing Paul is dead
conspiracy adding to the covers mystique
before we unveil our top pick here are a
few honorable mentions
two things
my friend is a blowin in the wind
blowing in the wind
the changing
the other
while here in the meal
a bomb
number one the Dark Side of the Moon
pink floyd–
instructed by the band to create
something that was clever and elegant
designers Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey
Powell delivered the now iconic prism
with artwork by George Hardy the image
represented the thought and ambition of
Pink Floyd’s music but was also
suggestive of the Bands live light show
the final image was so strong that
neither the album’s title or the band’s
name was included on the album sleep do
you agree with our list what’s your
favorite classic rock album cover
for more iconic top 10s published every
day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com
you
musical album by its cover
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
iconic classic rock album covers
for this list we’re choosing album
covers in rock and its various related
genres based on how iconic cool well
recognized or unforgettable they are
number ten war you too
like it go
fighting war as the theme of the early
80s and keen to distort their rep for
being a safe and fairly uncontroversial
band u2 settled on war as the title of
their 1983 release
equally keen to show that war can also
have mental and emotional elements the
band opted to use a child’s portrait for
the cover instead of violent imagery
a child Bono’s 8 year old neighbor Peter
Rowan had previously appeared on the
cover of their 3 EP and debut
full-length boy and several other
YouTube releases so he fit the part
perfectly
number nine
sticky fingers The Rolling Stones
while also notable for the debut of the
band’s famous tongue and lips logo the
original LP cover of sticky fingers is
perhaps best known for its functional
zipper
though the artwork was thought up by
Andy Warhol its design was executed by
Craig Braun who hit a snag when many
records were damaged during shipments
the zipper damage made the track sister
morphine unplayable on many coffees but
the gaff was later remedied by shipping
the record with the zipper at half-mast
number eight Queen to Queens
following a somewhat lackluster response
to their debut album Queen opted to step
up the visuals on their follow-up
they hired photographer Mick Rock who
had impressed the band with his work
with David Bowie Iggy Pop and Lou Reed
as such they were confident he could
give them the bit of glam they were
looking for
although Brian May John Deakin and Roger
Taylor initially found the Marlena
Dietrich inspired cover pretentious
Freddie Mercury loved it
and an image was born
the band would even reuse the imagery in
their music videos for Bohemian Rhapsody
and one vision
number seven Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin
you
baby I’m gonna leave you guitarist and
producer Jimmy Page didn’t have to go
too far when deciding uncover art for
the band’s debut album ah can hear the
calling me back it was inspired by
earlier discussions about forming a band
and how the idea would probably go over
like a lead Zeppelin
designed by George Hardy around a photo
of the Hindenburg disaster the front
sleeve created quite the stir especially
in Denmark
they’re members of the Zeppelin family
who were behind the early 20th century
airship development complained about the
image and the band’s name
this resulted in Led Zep touring the
region as the knobs
number six are you experienced the Jimi
Hendrix Experience
first released with a relatively
uninteresting photo that could be
described to those of the Sears Portrait
Studio variety
the Jimi Hendrix experience’s debut
album cover for the UK failed to impress
anyone including Hendrix himself
feeling the image didn’t match the
band’s psychedelic sound
the guitarist requested a do-over with
Carl Ferris
the photographer and graphic designer
didn’t only shoot a low-angle infrared
and fisheye lens enhanced shot but also
helped pick out the band’s wardrobe and
hairstyles you don’t get that at Sears
tomorrow or just the end of time
number five rumours Fleetwood Mac
the band was set to release the album
under the title yesterday’s gone but
given the famously tense work
environment under which they recorded
their eleventh effort bassist John McVie
suggested the much more fitting rumors
simple yet suggestive the cover features
drummer and founder Mick Fleetwood and
singer Stevie Nicks in their standard
stage where
but it’s also notable for its balls all
three of them on close inspection the
crystal ball Fleetwood holds has a
flipped image of himself and McVie while
the balls hanging from his waist were
originally part of a club’s toilet in
the band’s early days which he wore as a
lucky charm
you
number four Hotel California Eagles
taken by David Alexander and John Koch
while sitting on a cherry picker over
Sunset Boulevard during rush hour this
darkly haunting shot of the Beverly
Hills Hotel perfectly fulfilled Don
Henley’s request for a typical
California hotel with a menacing vibe
the artwork including the band photo at
the Lido hotel well as cautious title
graphic reportedly cost are then
astonishing $60,000 but perfectly
matched Henley’s vision of the successes
losses and general weirdness of
California stabbed it with this demon
ass but just can’t kill the P following
the album success the Beverly Hills
Hotel considered suing but drop the idea
when bookings for their rooms triple
number three born in the USA Bruce
Springsteen
photographed by Annie Leibovitz this
patriotic close-up of the bosses but is
perhaps one of the most famous images of
the 80s even without seeing his face his
confident stance rootsy small-town jeans
and t-shirt say all anyone needs to know
about Bruce Springsteen
while viewed by some as a sexual
statement
and by others as suggestive heated
political commentary
Bruce has explained that this picture
bested any taken of his face during the
photo shoot although some may beg to
differ
number two Abbey Road
the Beatles
shot the morning of August 8 1969
outside EMI studios on the road that
gave the record its name this simple but
iconic photo is among the most famous
and most parodied in the world
local police allotted photographer in
McMillan just 10 minutes to get what
would ultimately grace the Beatles 11th
effort in all six photos were taken Oh
but it was only the fifth frame that
caught the fat for walking in sync
McCartney’s barefooted Ness helped fuel
the infamous and endearing Paul is dead
conspiracy adding to the covers mystique
before we unveil our top pick here are a
few honorable mentions
two things
my friend is a blowin in the wind
blowing in the wind
the changing
the other
while here in the meal
a bomb
number one the Dark Side of the Moon
pink floyd–
instructed by the band to create
something that was clever and elegant
designers Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey
Powell delivered the now iconic prism
with artwork by George Hardy the image
represented the thought and ambition of
Pink Floyd’s music but was also
suggestive of the Bands live light show
the final image was so strong that
neither the album’s title or the band’s
name was included on the album sleep do
you agree with our list what’s your
favorite classic rock album cover
for more iconic top 10s published every
day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com
you
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