13 Great Album Covers That Elevate the Music Within

Thievery Corporation, Fleetwood Mac, Fiona Apple and more

Some of the most iconic album covers don’t just complement the music—they elevate it, becoming as timeless as the songs themselves. I have always been obsessed with covers. If I didn’t like an album sleeve, I would redesign it, print it out and overlay the new version in the jewel case. Music has always been a driving force of my creativity. It’s constantly playing when I work, setting the mood and providing inspiration. Given that my parents were hippies, this list is heavy on classic rock. But it also highlights albums with standout design that have stuck with me through the years.

Pink Floyd

The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

Minimal, elegant and completely timeless. The prism and spectrum concept is so simple yet deeply ethereal, just like their music. It feels like it could exist in any era and universe. For its 50th anniversary, Pentagram created a box set that didn’t feel like a redesign but an homage, adding intricate textures and rare photos while respecting the brilliance of the original.

The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)

Andy Warhol’s banana artwork is one of the most recognizable pop-art pieces. But what made the album cover so provocative was the peel-off element, revealing an overtly suggestive pink banana underneath. It was a bold and subversive choice that matched the band’s cool, unsettling sound and the raw energy of the ’60s New York scene.

Tool

Fear Inoculum (2019)

This pick might be controversial. But it’s their most recent album and, in my opinion, their most refined and mature, both musically and visually. The typography is stunning—art nouveau-inspired lettering with depth and dimension that feels almost hypnotic. And there’s the eerie yet beautiful coiled snake-like form, glowing in rich blue hues. It’s intricate, unnerving and mesmerizing—all the things I love about Tool’s aesthetic.

Alice in Chains

Dirt (1992)

This cover could be easily recreated today with AI and overlays. But back then, it was an actual shoot featuring a partially buried nude model, creating a haunting yet serene visual. At first glance, it looks like a desert landscape. But then you see the figure—mirroring the band’s balance of heaviness and vulnerability. I also love the extended, wide typography on “DIRT”—such a great simple design choice.

Fiona Apple

The Idler Wheel (2012)

Fiona Apple’s music is raw and deeply emotional, and so is this album cover. The hand-drawn, distorted face—bulbous, scratchy and almost uncomfortable—feels like a self-portrait of how she sees herself. It packs surreal, chaotic energy, beautifully imperfect in a way that mirrors her sound.

Santana

Amigos (1976)

I grew up with Santana records in my house, and I loved their vibrant, intricate cover art, full of Latin heritage references. One of my favorite details was the stylized “S.” My last name also starts with “S,” and I always wanted to draw the letter like that.

Smashing Pumpkins

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)

This wasn’t just an album, it was an art piece. The double-disc set felt like opening a magical, mystical book, with a celestial sense of grandeur. The custom typography matches its Renaissance-inspired aesthetic. The sun and moon faces, the intricate illustrations—it’s a visual extension of the sound. I saw them live when this album came out, and this piece was like my own little treasure chest of pumpkins.

Metallica

The Black Album (1991)

I love metal and couldn’t create this list without one of the Big Four. Metal albums are iconic for their custom typography and macabre visuals, all of which my little adolescent gothic self loved. No, I didn’t go with Maiden’s Eddie the Head. I went for something a little more obvious. While The Black Album isn’t my favorite Metallica record musically, the cover is just so freaking cool. Their logo, the all-black aesthetic and the subtle snake detail make for such a powerful, minimalist statement.

A Tribe Called Quest

We Got It from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service (2016)

As a big fan of Basquiat, I was thrilled to see this cover. The illustration is a striking choice, embodying the raw energy of ’90s hip-hop while capturing the urgency and consciousness that define the genre. It feels less like an album cover and more like a bold, unfiltered sign-off for the group.

Grateful Dead

American Beauty (1970)

Again, child of hippies—love the psychedelic typography of ’60s album covers. American Beauty is a perfect example of that trippy, intricate lettering style that almost feels like graffiti before graffiti was cool.

Fleetwood Mac

Rumours (1977)

This cover is burned into my memory, partly because my mom had a physical mirror with the album artwork engraved on it. The composition is so theatrical and mysterious. As a kid, I thought the people on the cover were magicians. I also loved the custom typography for “Fleetwood Mac.” The elegant, slightly whimsical letterforms inspired me. I would practice drawing hand-lettering like that all the time.

Thievery Corporation

The Cosmic Game (2005)

The swirling graphic circles create a sense of movement and dimension that feel both modern and psychedelic. In the early 2000s, I wanted to add those kinds of swirly textures to everything I designed. It’s a perfect representation of the band’s trippy, globally-influenced sound.

Disturbed

10,000 Fists (2005)

The illustration on this cover is incredible. It has that graphic-novel intensity, packed with energy and aggression, perfectly fitting for their tracks.