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artists with great album covers, best black music album covers, erykah badu album cover, favorite album covers, great soul music album covers, isaac hayes album cover, jill scott album cover, prince album covers
by vivrant thang on favorite album covers
Yes, I’m still on vacation. There’s not hardly any of this going on:
I actually got it together enough to eke out one post for you while I am gone.
A lot of entertainment and music blogs feature an artist’s album cover ahead of the release date and readers offer their opinions – the good, bad and ugly. Cover art can influence music purchases. Now this probably wouldn’t apply for an artist you stan for. There are some artists I would support even if the cover was blank. I’d just think they were trying to make a statement! However, if you’re a visual person like me and you’re in the store digging in the crates, appealing cover art may catch your eye and make you discover something new.
As you can see by some of the art I have hanging on my walls, I’m drawn to albums covers that are artistic in some way. I have huge coffee table books on the work of artists like Romare Bearden, Jonathan Green, Gordon Parks, and Mark Baptiste.
So I just thought I’d share some of my favorite album covers here.
I love Me’shell Ndegeocello and Seal’s covers because they are works of art. The colors on Me’shell’s album are stunning. Seal’s cover looks like something you would see hanging on a museum wall.
The cover of Rainbow Children was different for Prince, likely because the album itself marked a shift in his sound. Art like this that depicts musicians engaged in their work or people dancing with abandon will always catch my eye. I love all the art associated with the release of New Amerykah, but I enjoyed this album cover for the same reason I like Michael Jackson’s Dangerous. There are so many elements there that are open for interpretation. I could probably spend a whole day studying each of these covers and all the symbols represented. That’s the beauty of real art.
These album covers are the epitome of cool. Nuff said.
I like these covers because they each make strong political statements. In particular, The Roots album depicts a picture taken during the riots in the Civil Rights era. It was included in the book The Greatest Album Covers of All Time, which I need to get my hands on. I see that a couple of the covers I chose are included.
As I mentioned, I’m a big fan of Mark Baptiste and his artistic nude photography. He manages to bring out the beauty in all kinds of shapes and sizes. The Ohio Players were known for featuring nude women on their album covers, but it was never trashy. Like Prince’s Lovesexy cover, it was sensual and suggestive. Simply works of art. I want to get Leon Ware’s cover blown up. Musical Massage…sounds good to me!
Now these are the group of artists whose albums I would buy if the covers were blank. However,these are my favorite covers from each of these artists. When I first saw Jill’s cover for The Real Thing, I was blown away. The sensual, come hither look on her face says it all. Perfect wrapping for the special surprises inside. Erykah’s expression, with that toothpick dangling for her lips somehow also fit the music inside. A lot of people didn’t like Mama’s Gun because it was much darker than her debut. To me, her expression sort of says, “I like this shit. You don’t? Deal with it.” What can I say about Mary ? All of her is there in the flesh. She’s not covering anything up here. No makeup, no flash. Just plain ole Mary. This album followed My Life and we all know what she was going through with that one. If you were like me, you used that album to get you through some things as well. Still do. On this album, she was still baring her soul while on the road to recovery and growth. This cover speaks to that. It’s simply beautiful. Another one I’d like to have blown up.
More works of art. I don’t own any Seal albums but I’d always heard people mention how intriguing his album covers were. I agree. I love the contrast of their darkened forms against the more vibrant backgrounds backgrounds.
I’m sure I’ll return to this subject again as I have many more to share. Share some of your favorite album covers in the comments. Has the cover of an album ever influenced your decision to purchase?
Soul UK said:
Good post!!
Album art is an often overlooked aspect of music! Many times I have been browsing through music (either online or in a shop) and an album cover has drawn me in and made me study its contents closer!
Meshell Ndegeocello’s Plantation Lullabies was one such purchase (Viv we are so on the same wavelength LOL), as was Amp Fiddlers’ Afro Strut.
Other album covers I like are: Angie Stone – Black Diamond, Coultrain – The Adventures of Seymour Liberty, Erik Rico – A Higher Frequency EP, All of Miss Badu’s covers (especially WWU), Floetry – Floetic (reflects the content), Ledisi – Lost & Found (she looks great!), MG – Whats Going On (iconic), The RH Factor – Hard Groove, Sy Smith – The Syberspace Social, Tawiah – In Jodi’s Bedroom EP.
I also like Stephanie McKay’s Tell It Like It Is – anyone else heard the album?? Only discovered her by mistake (I overlooked her appearance on the RH Factor’s Hard Groove – too busy listenin to I’ll Stay ft D’Angelo). What a GREAT album, really funky, great vocals and an appearance from Mr Anthony Hamilton – what more could you ask for?? (BTW – when is AH’s new album dropping? I can’t wait).
Viv – thanks for managing a post while your away, have you checked out Emek’s website (http://www.emek.net/posters/b/badu_covers_2008.html) he is responsible for the album art on New Amerykah, plus alot of other Badu-related art.
Krush said:
I know I’m telling my age but back in the vinyl days, I used to pick up albums solo based on the cover art. When I was a shorty, my dad bought that Bootsy Collins album with the star-shaped glasses. I wore those joints everywhere but to school. Moms wasn’t having it. I don’t think enough people take the time to really think about good concepts for their CD covers. I love your picks. I picked up every version of that Roots cover. Some of my other favorites are Public Enemy’s It Takes A Nation of Millions and Ice Cube’s Kill At Will.
MarvalusOne said:
I still admire the album covers…with my mp3 player, the album cover downloads with the song…if there is a mistake and the album cover doesn’t load properly, I will delete and try again…to me the cover is just as important as the music.
I guess it is just an extension of the art behind the art…I love your choices!
8thlight said:
Black Star’s album cover is one of the best to come out in the last 15 years in my opinion. I love it.
sHaE-sHaE said:
Album covers say a lot about the artists. Some of the artwork can be amazing. Nice post.
don said:
I was trying to figure out whose album cover that was. Turns out it was Seal. I’ve never seen that cover before.
I like that you posted Mary J. Blige’s cover. I think that’s the album where Mary turned the corner, sorta speak. I once read how she wanted the scar to show to signify her life experiences.
Badu and Ohio Players are tight covers as well.
Enjoy, Vivrant Thing.
sdg1844 said:
Cover art is very important to me. It’s the first thing you see and part of the whole package; music & art. The covers you mentioned are beautiful and powerful. I truly loved the cover for the “Mary” album. The music and the visual were gorgeous.
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Eb said:
Great choices, the roots, the nu amerykah, prince, and mj are some of my favs
B. Good said:
Hey girl! I’m so behind on my reading, but I like this spin on your musical writing. Album covers can really make an impact (more so than somw albums, lol). I like the ones you’ve chosen.
Hope the vaycay is going swell!
don said:
Vivrant, I thought you were back? I came to address some of the comments you left on my blog. Maybe I should exchange twitter messages with you. LOL. Forgive me, I’m still new to Twitter. LOL.
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