What 10 Great Album Covers Can Teach Us About Branding

Arctic Monkeys, Jack Johnson, Ben Kweller and more

Have you ever thought about what your favorite brand and favorite band have in common? I have. In fact I’ve over-thought it. Most bands start out by creating music they’re passionate and excited about. Just as most brands start out building products or services they’re passionate about. But somewhere along the way, pressure sets in for both; meeting sales targets of stakeholder/labels, appealing to your loyal base of customers/fans, speed to market. And as the pressures rise, decision making becomes harder. Do we stay in our lane? What do we do to stay fresh? Is it time to reinvent ourselves? 

But the greatest bands with the most loyal fanbases always overcome these challenges by keeping things simple. They make music they love, for people they identify with—and they do it their way. That mindset often comes to life in their album art; wearing their heart on their sleeve (or jacket).

I selected 10 great albums that can remind marketers and creatives the value of remembering why you do what you do, and who you do it for. 

Rage Against The Machine

The Battle of Los Angeles (1999)

Is there a band whose music is more synonymous with their name? “Rage” is all about defiance. They and their music stand for something. And without ever hearing a song, The Battle of Los Angeles cover choice of graffiti art and raised fist puts their values front and center. It’s a masterclass in being true to your purpose and leaning into your values. 

Carole King

Tapestry (1971)

Everything about Tapestry is pure, honest, open and heartfelt. The album cover tells you before you ever even hear a song. Authentically in a home setting, lounging with cats, shoeless, she’s demonstrating a rawness, openness and unabashed confident vulnerability. It’s an attitude as timeless as the voice and music on the album, merging art and message into a clear persona. 

Yes

Close to the Edge (1972)

This album has only three tracks but a total run-time of 37:51. It’s a spiritual journey, opening with the natural sounds of water flowing and birds before getting into extremely complex and world-altering arrangements. The album art didn’t over-complicate or pretend to be something it wasn’t—an invitation to “come on a trip with us” and explore the edges of the mind, body and soul.

Arctic Monkeys

Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2006)

This cover features one of the band’s friends after a long night out in Liverpool—glaringly obvious as you look right into that hazy stare. Combining the drunken stupor with the softly held cigarette and white button-down, the album immediately attracts an audience who needs to blow off steam, and transports them into a world of we-don’t-give-a-F indie rock.

Incubus

Morning View (2001)

The band’s fourth studio album and most dramatic transformation from nu metal psychedelic rock into a more thoughtful mainstream hybrid. To loyal fans and new audiences, Morning View invites people in and signals, “welcome to our softer side” with more emotionally-driven storytelling. It’s a clear choice from the band to open themselves up to new audiences and a world of easier-listening. 

Jack Johnson

On and On (2003)

Listening to Jack feels like sitting around a campfire with your friends reminiscing, celebrating, being comfortably present and free of life’s trials and tribulations. The no-frills album art, intentionally lo-fi, brings you right where you need to be to enjoy his music—on a beach with him, surrounded by the transcendental optimism of island life.

Rooney

Rooney (2003)

The band’s debut album made no mistakes in signaling to audiences what they were all about. The album features an arty recreation of the California state flag, just as their music was an adaptation of SoCal rock engineered for the region’s vibe and post-’90s indie scene. The illustration and worn-out treatment put the album squarely in its aesthetic sweet spot. And if you were walking around a record store in Los Angeles in 2003, chances are you picked this one up. 

Ryan Adams

Gold (2001)

Adams’ second studio album earned him Grammy nominations for “New York, New York.” He set out to draw on nostalgia and produce a “modern classic” with an optimistic, energized rock ‘n roll sound. One can’t help noticing the similarities to Springsteen’s Born In the USA cover, but Adams flips the flag upside down to incite curiosity and usher in a new era. A bold attempt at appealing to new and old audiences alike, while delivering a message and sound meant for everyone. 

Ben Kweller

Sha Sha (2002)

Sha Sha featured one of my favorite songs of all time, “In Other Words.” The cover art, unabashedly indie, makes no attempt to sell a message or signal values. It’s branding the artist. The kind who wants you to know they have more to say than what meets the eye. 

Rihanna

Anti (2016)

The eighth studio album from the global sensation, and a launch I actually had the privilege to work on. Designed by Roy Nachum, the cover is deep in concept and mystery. It features a childhood photo of the artist with the black balloon, gold crown and a bloody ink blot. But with a deeper study, the braille is a poem written by Chloe Mitchell about being misunderstood. And from Rihanna’s own telling, the art is meant to convey that “sometimes those with sight are the blindest.” A bold and artistic message, proving the risks you can take and the power of your words when you already have a deeply loyal fan base, and the whole world is watching.