Top 10 Favorite Album Covers

Number 10:  The All-American Rejects - The All-American Rejects

The All-American Rejects

I've only driven go-karts a couple of times but this album cover has always kind of held a special place with me.  Why?  Well, something about the lush green grass and the general atmosphere of the cover remind me of summer.  Essentially, this cover brings back good memories which is why I had to put it on the list.





Number 9:  The Clash - London Calling 

London Calling

Paul Siminon, one of my favorite bass players, smashing up his bass in classic rock and roll style.  How could I not like this?  I have a poster of this on my wall so I can see it every morning when I wake up.







Number 8:  My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge

Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge

I think what a lot of people don't know about this album cover is that it is drawn by the lead singer of the group, Gerard Way.  I always liked the colors used in this cover.  Everything about this represents the album well:  love, pain, and bloodshed all mixed together.








Number 7:  Pink Floyd - Wish You were Here 

Wish You were Here

I heard somewhere once that the guy in this picture is actually on fire.  I can't say for sure if that's true or not.  In fact, it probably isn't.  But, I like to think he's actually on fire anyways.









Number 6:  Green Day - Dookie

Dookie

Have you ever looked at this album in detail?  The album is filled with all sorts or little jokes.  Like the fly that is asking the dog if he is going to just throw that shit away.  Or, the farmer with a pumpkin for a head chasing Elvis with a pitchfork.  Basically, I love this cover.  I always will.  It's silly and disgusting and makes me laugh even now.







Number 5:  She Wants Revenge - She Wants Revenge/This is Forever 

She Wants Revenge

I was trying to decide which She Wants Revenge album that I wanted to include in this list but I decided to include both since the album covers are so similar.  These album covers go well with the content and the band name.  Note that in each of the covers she has her right hand behind her back.  That is because she has a knife and a black rose on the back side of the corresponding album covers.  Particularly, there is a glowing light behind her on the This is Forever cover.  What I find interesting about this is that her hair appears to be white as if she is a witch or something of the sort.  This is especially evident on the backside of                                                             the This is Forever album.  

This is Forever

Though the album art is simplistic, I think the art really captures the meaning and emotions of the band.








Number 4:  The Unemployed Misfortune - Fuck Work

Fuck Work

I saw this album in the store last Sunday at a Disc Replay.  They're an underground band from Chicago.  I had never heard of them.  However, when I saw this album cover, I was basically sold.  The only reason that I didn't buy it was because it was twelve bucks.  But, I can honestly say that I had never been persuaded so much by an album cover in my whole life.  You try looking at that employee's psychotic face without chuckling.  Try it.





Number 3:  Pencey Prep - Hearbreak in Stereo 

Heartbreak in Stereo

I suppose I am very biased about this one just because I like this album so much.  However, I feel this album cover really captures how I felt about myself in high school.  You have a small and goofy looking kid.  He appears to be shy.  He has no arms which makes him look evermore timid.  Most notably, his heart is splitting down the middle.  However, it is not completely split in half.  






Number 2:  Paramore - Riot 

Riot!

Another simple album cover.  I love the chaos though.  Amongst the craziness, you can spot Paramore in the bottom right hand corner.  Also, each word is written in a different style.  Some are scratched in for thickness and others are block lettering.








Number 1:  Jimmy Eat World - Futures

Futures

This has been my favorite album cover since 2005.  I've been using it as my login picture for every computer that my family or I have owned since my dad got a new computer around 2006.  Why would I have such an obsession over an album cover?  Well, it's simple.  It's because it does everything right that I feel an album cover should do.  One thing that drives me crazy about album covers is how often it is irrelevant to any of the music contained on that album.  Sure it could be a cool picture but if it's irrelevant to the context it's portrayed in, then it's pointless.  Like, imagine if someone painted the Mona Lisa at the fifty yard line in Soldier Field.  Sure, the Mona Lisa is a classic and is a great painting.  But, what the fuck is it doing on a football field!?

This album captures all of the emotion and meanings of Futures perfectly.  Futures is a concept album (in a loose sense).  The theme of the album is the idea of moving on.  No matter how bad or good times in the past are, the past is the past and you must always have at least one eye looking ahead.

This album cover I always found interesting in that everything around this phone booth is pitch black.  The guy looking at the phone booth is clearly down on his luck and has nowhere to go but this phone booth.  Also, if you look closely, the words "out of order" are written in the grime or dust or whatever it is on the windows of the phone booth.

I think there are a couple of ways you can interpret this cover.  This man is down on his luck and has nowhere to turn but this phone booth (technology from the past).  He's just standing there because he doesn't know who to call or where to go.  It's certainly a turning point in his life.  A turning point between his past and a brand new future.

I also have interpreted this album as maybe perhaps the man wants to go back to the past which is why he is at a piece of technology from the past.  To him, the past is much more comfortable (hence the light) but the future seems frightening and uncertain (hence the darkness).  The darkness on this cover also overwhelms the light of the phone booth because his fear of the future is overwhelming.

But, also note the faint city lights in the background.  With that, the cover is saying that the immediate future may be tough but if you make it through the darkness, eventually you will make it to the light again and that there are many other good times to be had.

Sorry about my long analysis.  But this cover has a lot of meaning put into it and truly reflects the meanings and themes of the album.  Therefore, there is no doubt that this album is my number 1 favorite album cover of all time.

















The All-American Rejects Image:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a6/AAR-AAR.JPG/220px-AAR-AAR.JPG

London Calling Image:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/00/TheClashLondonCallingalbumcover.jpg/220px-TheClashLondonCallingalbumcover.jpg

Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge Image:
http://i690.photobucket.com/albums/vv262/Matt_Tuck_69/my-chemical-romance-01.jpg

Wish You were Here Image:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FKs%2BhIylL._SY300_.jpg

Dookie Image:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4b/Green_Day_-_Dookie_cover.jpg/220px-Green_Day_-_Dookie_cover.jpg

She Wants Revenge Image:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/59/SheWantsRevenge.st.jpg/220px-SheWantsRevenge.st.jpg

This is Forever Image:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/SheWantsRevenge-ThisIsForever.jpg/220px-SheWantsRevenge-ThisIsForever.jpg

Fuck Work Image:
http://f0.bcbits.com/z/50/37/503738945-1.gif

Heartbreak in Stereo Image:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/93/Pencey_Prep_-_Heartbreak_in_Stereo.jpg
Riot! Image:
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lo3wlpI4Op1qgfw69.jpg


Futures Image:
http://cdn2.pitchfork.com/albums/13388/homepage_large.ab16d013.jpg