Brands are everywhere in our lives, from the labels on our clothes to the foods we buy at the grocery store. Even our favorite musicians create their own brands to distinguish themselves and their music from others in their field.
Album covers are a direct reflection of artists’ brands and how they express themselves visually. Just as design trends affect how organizations represent their brand, they can influence album artwork, too. Here are a few of our favorite album artwork design trends at the moment, chosen by our creative team.
Jordan's Picks
Artist: Kevin Morby
Album: “Harlem River"
(2017)
Artist: Max Pope
Album: “6am”
(2019)
Artist: STRFKR
Album: “Fantasy”
(2019)
Scott's Picks
Artfully made modern collages in black and white were inspired by the Cubism movement. With fractured forms and deconstructed subject matter, these album artworks resonated with their artists' desire to piece together dissimilar components and create something personal and unique.
Artist: Beach House
Album: “7”
(2018)
Artist: Sleater-Kinney
Album: “The Center Won't Hold”
(2019)
Artist: Vanishing Twin
Album: “Age of Immunology”
(2019)
Lissa's Picks
Film photography is making a comeback! The characteristic grain, light leaks, and muted color palettes reflect many artists' desires to take a break from the digital hum of everyday life and return to a more serendipitous way of creating art.
Artist: Mount Kimbie
Album: “Love What Survives”
(2017)
Artist: Solange
Album: “When I Get Home”
(2019)
Artist: King Krule
Album: “ The Ooz”
(2017)
Mike's Picks
The 80s are reemerging! Inspired by films like Tron, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Max Headroom, this genre can be characterized by retro futuristic landscapes rooted in outer space and digital technology. Scenes often depict an alternate reality, geometric shapes and vivid colors that represent a desire to connect to the future as well as the past.
Artist: Das Kope
Album: “Good Time”
(2018)
Artist: Tame Impala
Album: “Currents”
(2015)
Artist: Moon Duo
Album: “Occult Architecture”
(2017)