Iconic Album Covers featuring the band
January 9, 2013 2:40 PM   Subscribe

Looking for well known album covers that feature the members of the band.

A friend asked me to shoot some pictures of his band. He'd like to recreate some famous album covers such as this Crosby, Stills, and Nash album (, Abbey Road, etc. I'm trying to come up with other potential sources that will be well known enough that will be recognized (e.g. Who's Next), but relatively easy to at least partially recreate (i.e. Sgt. Pepper's is out). In addition to the above, I've come up with Meet the Beatles, The Ramones' first album, and U2's Joshua Tree. Other thoughts?
posted by robverb to Media & Arts (51 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Not a cover, but Queen's I Want to Break Free would be a lot of fun, at least.

The first one I thought of was that Blur one.
posted by phunniemee at 2:45 PM on January 9, 2013


The Clash's first album
The Jam's In the City and All Mod Cons (recognizable in the UK, probably not so much in the U.S.)
The Police, Outlandos d'Amour
Blondie, Parallel Lines
posted by scody at 2:48 PM on January 9, 2013


That's phunnie, my first thought was Queen's Sheer Heart Attack.
posted by mattu at 2:48 PM on January 9, 2013


The Commitments (not iconic enough?)
The Ramones
Blondie, Parallel Lines
Oasis, What's the story Morning Glory
Fleetwood Mac, Rumor
posted by humph at 2:51 PM on January 9, 2013


Talking Heads Remain in Light?
posted by JoeZydeco at 2:51 PM on January 9, 2013


The first one that comes to mind is Queen II.

Also:
Parallel Lines (Blondie)
Kiss have a bunch, but especially Rock and Roll Over, although that one's a cartoon

Fleetwood Mac's Rumors is iconic
, but doesn't feature the whole band. Although I remember seeing the inside sleeve photos all over the place at the time. So maybe iconic to old farts like me.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 2:53 PM on January 9, 2013


some more...
AC/DC, Highway to Hell
Queen II
Kraftwerk, The Man-Machine
posted by scody at 2:55 PM on January 9, 2013


whoops, one more: The Doors
posted by scody at 2:57 PM on January 9, 2013


Oh my god, the GO-GO'S!!! Each of their first three were iconic: Beauty and the Beat, Vacation, and Talk Show. Well, maybe not Talk Show so much, but definitely the first two.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 2:58 PM on January 9, 2013


First Weezer album?
Damned Damned Damned?
posted by mintcake! at 2:59 PM on January 9, 2013


Clearly, the best possible option here - and my vote for the best album cover ever - is Satan Is Real by The Louvin Brothers.
posted by Dr. Wu at 3:03 PM on January 9, 2013 [3 favorites]


Who's Next
posted by davebush at 3:07 PM on January 9, 2013 [1 favorite]


The Church Heyday
The Church Starfish
posted by goshling at 3:10 PM on January 9, 2013


Jethro Tull Stand Up
posted by Splunge at 3:14 PM on January 9, 2013


The Beatles' Red and Blue albums.
posted by pompomtom at 3:15 PM on January 9, 2013


I've always dug Steeleye Span's Below the Salt.
posted by BostonTerrier at 3:16 PM on January 9, 2013




For an ironic iconic, I suppose, Grateful Dead - In The Dark.
posted by knile at 3:20 PM on January 9, 2013


In my mind this Grand Funk photo was a cover, but I guess it's an interior.
posted by PHINC at 3:21 PM on January 9, 2013 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Thanks everyone - great ideas. Keep them coming.

And, uhm, thanks PHINC; I love Grand Funk, but I'm just not that close with these guys - lol
posted by robverb at 3:27 PM on January 9, 2013 [1 favorite]


Springsteen's Born to Run has the iconic picture of Bruce and Clarence that has been copied by many others - including Sesame Street.
posted by kbar1 at 3:36 PM on January 9, 2013


Orleans - Waking and Dreaming
posted by themanwho at 3:39 PM on January 9, 2013 [1 favorite]


Spiderland
posted by mr_roboto at 3:56 PM on January 9, 2013


The Band
posted by austinetsu at 4:02 PM on January 9, 2013 [1 favorite]


De La Soul, 3 Feet High and Rising
NWA, Straight Outta Compton
NOFX, White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean.
Quite local, but qui iconic: Beau Dommage, Beau Dommage.
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 4:08 PM on January 9, 2013 [1 favorite]


Every White Stripes album cover. I think Elephant is the most well-known.
I've always really liked the Rolling Stones' Between the Buttons cover but Their Satanic Magesties Request would be more fun to do.
posted by mcmile at 4:11 PM on January 9, 2013


Van Halen!
posted by BitterOldPunk at 4:13 PM on January 9, 2013


U2: Boy, October, The Joshua Tree, Pop, All That You Can't Leave Behind, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

Edit, I missed the U2 reference in the question. Apologies.
posted by 4ster at 4:25 PM on January 9, 2013


Safe as Milk
The Kink Kontroversy
Dig Me Out
most of the Go-Betweens records
posted by lowest east side at 4:31 PM on January 9, 2013




> NWA, Straight Outta Compton

Yeah, this would be pretty awesome.
posted by mosk at 4:51 PM on January 9, 2013


We're Only in It for the Money by The Mothers of Invention.
posted by CrunchyFrog at 4:57 PM on January 9, 2013


Pearl Jam's Ten
posted by mannequito at 5:12 PM on January 9, 2013


Chili Peppers' Mothers Milk
posted by mannequito at 5:15 PM on January 9, 2013


-Lynyrd Skynyrd, Street Survivors

-W.A.S.P., WASP

-Night Ranger, 7 Wishes

-Motorhead, Ace of Spades

-Real McKenzies, 10,000 Shots

-Anthrax, Attack of the Killer B's
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 6:50 PM on January 9, 2013




A few years back my band did something similar with the Clash's Combat Rock. (In retrospect, I looked way too happy - it's hard to emulate the brooding coolness of Paul Simonon!!)
posted by platinum at 7:28 PM on January 9, 2013


All by the Beatles:

A Hard Day's Night (homaged by High Fidelity, among others;

Beatles For Sale;

Help;

Rubber Soul; and

Meet The Beatles, which has been parodied a squillion times.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:57 PM on January 9, 2013


There's The Romantics' eponymous first album.

Please please please do the first Duran Duran album. With hair. And costumes.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers — Greatest Hits

The Traveling Wilburys

Only two, somewhat obscure, and very '80s: The Stabilizers — Tyranny

The Waterboys — Fisherman's Blues
posted by Lexica at 8:50 PM on January 9, 2013




The rear of Trout Mask Replica's sleeve is a thing of... beauty.

Talking Heads - More Songs About Buildings and Food.
posted by Decani at 1:57 AM on January 10, 2013


Pink Floyd, Ummagumma
posted by arzakh at 5:10 AM on January 10, 2013


For Jethro Tull's Stand Up you really want this, which is the gatefold Pop-Up.
posted by Gungho at 6:01 AM on January 10, 2013


The Beatles Red Album and Blue Album - I always liked how one was young and one was old and hairy. And, it's slightly obscure, but there's always the infamous butcher cover.

Also, I think a boyband album would be funny. This cover is iconic in its own way to British kids of my generation - I'm not sure whether there's a US equivalent from your teens, but New Kids, say, or One Direction would be absolutely hilarious and probably not done before.
posted by mippy at 9:54 AM on January 10, 2013


Oh - Blur did Parallel Lines once. Unfortunately my work server deems Tumblr 'sexually explicit', or I'd link to it, but it's a great photo. I think the unshaved legs and the expression on Dave Rowntree's face make it.
posted by mippy at 9:56 AM on January 10, 2013


The Kink Kontroversy mentioned above, which was also recreated by Sleater-Kinney for Dig Me Out.
posted by book 'em dano at 12:10 PM on January 10, 2013


Abba's Greatest Hits; I have seen it used at least once, though.
posted by The corpse in the library at 12:32 PM on January 10, 2013


Led Zeppelin II
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 7:33 PM on January 10, 2013


Do Tegan and Sara count as a band? Sainthood
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 7:35 PM on January 10, 2013


The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds

And not quite as well known but damned classy:

Herb Alpert and the TJB: The Beat of the Brass
posted by Lazlo Nibble at 8:52 PM on January 10, 2013




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