Album Cover Artwork History - Forty Several years That Changed Society

Album Cover Artwork Heritage - Forty Many years That Changed Modern society,

In element two of our four-part discussion with Vinyl Report Day Founder and vinyl businessman Gary Freiberg ( & ), we focus our attention on the historical past of album cover artwork.

CDs and computer files fail to give an artist or group a proper canvas in which to display their visual artwork, to help create an image of who the group is. After all, not everyone buys a report strictly for the music.

Album cover artwork historically catered to recognizing some customers will purchase an album just for the cover artwork, said Gary Freiberg. Now this commercial pursuit, perhaps the most creative product packaging there has ever been, has become an American artwork form with significant social importance.

Album cover artwork is a unique depiction of the evolution of our modern society, explained Gary. Since it was first introduced in 1939-40 it has evolved both in format and subject matter. Initially album covers were drawn illustrations; Alex Steinweiss, the creator of the artwork form, has a strong European poster influence. Steinweiss covers are among the few that are signed by the artist; his name is typically along the right side edge on the front of the album cover he designed. In the fifties technology advancements in photography replaced illustrated covers with head shots and scenes depicting typical life at the time, everyone was white, wore a tie or cocktail dress and had perfect children. It was Sgt. Pepper that altered it all graphically, creativity zoomed after that release and compared to what had been, the gloves came off on what was acceptable.

Freiberg continues, However; regardless of the graphic method, album cover artwork has always depicted our social values, racial attitudes, lifestyles, fashion and political views in a way that is only seen in the artwork form. It reflected who we were, who we were supposed to be, and at times, led who we became.

Discussing the roots of album cover artwork Gary Freiberg adds, When Alex Steinweiss was hired by newly formed Columbia Records to be their artwork director, he was the first in the industry to create advertising material to promote a companys musicians. His background was in poster artwork and was heavily influenced by French and German artists. Steinweiss had a logical idea; he suggested discerning different artists and their music by having artwork on the paper packaging in place of the plain brown paper packaging that was customary when individual records were first introduced. The brown wrapped records promoted the report company; there was no promotion for the artist or the music other than the hole in the center that allowed reading what the report was. The idea had merit since there were no report stores, records were sold in the back of appliance stores. Steinweiss argued an artwork cover would make the customer stop, pick up and want to look at the report. Thus a better likelihood they would buy it. One of the first attempts, a report of Beethoven hits had an 800% increase in sales.

Heritage has shown this was pure genius, not just because it revolutionized the marketing of music, but for the accidental visual recording of a modern society that dramatically altered in the forty year tenure of album cover artwork.

Continuing, Freiberg says, Steinweiss may have been the catalyst to change the visual representation in album cover artwork but it was the report companies that brought the social changes into visual form. Several report companies, Specialty Records, who gave Little Richard, Larry Williams and others their break, the Jazz label Bluenote and later Motown, were particularly influential in promoting civil rights when this country was experiencing race relation changes that had been building for years.

Like Specialty, Bluenote was distinctive in that they did not hide their black artists on the album cover. It was common, with some exception, for report companies to hide black artists from public view, said Gary.

Were they racist or just reflecting modern society? Freiberg rhetorically asked. Having a black artist on the cover was very socially controversial at the time. He then quickly adds, But doing so was a reflection of what was happening in modern society at large and was a element of the puzzle that coalesced into legislation changing racial equality.

Asked about the influence of the respected Bluenote label, Freiberg explains what made this company revered among report companies.

They had a very, very unique and cohesive integration; the recording, the pressing and album cover artwork were all combined to present the product. There leadership was not confined to who they put on the album cover. Designer Reed Miles was the primary graphic artist and he wanted to know the mood and the intent of each one of the records that Bluenote produced. His goal was to then integrate the cover artwork so that it would reflect and be consistent with the mood of the music. It was a step forward that other companies emulated but perhaps not until Sgt. Pepper accomplished.

In our next article, we will discuss the Beatles majestic and historic Sgt. Pepper album with Gary and why it is so popular and innovative, as well its role in the historic album covers of all time.

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