The Album Art Expose:

Ninety (1989)



ZTT Records

is this going chronologically*? seems to be so i'll continue with an extremely obvious choice...

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1966)



cannot deny that this is one of the most recognisible pieces of art of the 20th century with endless amounts of parodies just showing how influential the cover is let alone the album (although very very very overrated).

edit: *whoops i meant alphabetically. i guess not then.

Personally (and since earliest childhood) I've always been strangely fascinated with

Atom Heart Mother (1970)



Of course it's simple, but each time I come across a copy I have to stop and stare at it.

this might be an obvious one, but cocteau twins have some great album covers. i especially love:

Head Over Heels



Victorialand and Treasure are beautiful as well.

Pet Shop Boys - Very (1993)



The original plastic case (which I don't have because I bought Very Relentless instead, which is packed in some rubbery stuff that to this day still stinks (and attacks the plastic of other cd boxes)).

When it comes to albums packaged in something other than hard plastic or paper/cardboard, one of my all-time favourites is Runter Mit Den Spendierhosen, Unsichtbarer (2000)

It comes in this:


and that's not showing it very well at all (I think it's the back even), it's a cuddlesome blue (slight hint of turquoise) bag that looks like it's taken off the back of a Cookie Monster suit. This is in reference to the album's title, I guess; in German, someone is wearing the 'Spendierhosen' if he's feeling very generous, I doubt there's an English equivalent to that saying, but the title might be roughly translated as "Pull Down The Feeling-Generous-Trousers, Invisible Man". Er, yes. The music itself is high school-ish punk pop/country/goth rock/reggae-funk made by funny-looking forty-year-olds (note, this is not always a bad thing, and generally great for karaoke sessions), but the bag is great to put CDs in that you're lending to friends and don't want to get scratched along the way.

heres is another thread like this, to save me postin stuff twice.
and to save me bothering ever again: fav covers.

Burial (2006)



One of my favorite albums of this year also has one of my favorite covers; perfectly captures the vibe of the record.

That Soulwax cover hurts my eyes.

Here's my addition:

Varese said:
or there's always the Scientist albums:
dub landing (how many albums he put out in 81?)

Woops - connection problem