8.28.2007

Devastatin' Album Covers

I recently found a couple lists of the worst album covers of all-time (1, 2). Looking through these lists will no doubt cause you to run a gamut of emotions, from laughs to tears to horror. Most of these wonderful examples were either low budget, made in the 80’s, or both. However, has album art ever caused you to buy an album or not? For example, I was severely letdown when AFI posted the artwork for their most recent album, but I still bought the album. I suppose I just miss the Art of Drowning days. And I recently chose not to buy a Tiger Army CD because it was cheaply packaged in one of those basic cardboard cases with no frills. But I must say that some album covers have always drawn me to them to buy it. I can think of Trivium - Ascendancy or Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon, just off the top of my head. I love the artwork for both, but only purchased the classic Floyd album. More so, I appreciate extra goodies with CDs or unique packaging. For example, I am addicted to buying albums from this website that always offers autographed covers with CDs. Or if there is a DVD with the album, then that is extra incentive. However, some album’s covers are so uniquely presented that it makes you appreciate the album more. Such as, Thrice – The Artist in the Ambulance came with a postcard for each song on the album. Similarly, Prize Fighter Inferno – My Brother’s Blood Machine had cards for each track resembling the different cards in a deck. Also, Zao’s latest had two layers to each page, which overlapped different parts of letters to make a whole when combined. Nine Inch Nail’s Year Zero has thermo-chrome heat-sensitive paint on the disc that causes it to change appearance when heated by the CD player. I applaud such innovative efforts, but rarely do I know of these presentation details before opening the case.
Anyway… I’m curious if any aspects of a CD (beyond the music) made you want an album (or made you decide against it), and if so what was it?

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