Where do I start? Alice Cooper - School's Out. The damn thing folds out to a schoolroom desk. Jefferson Starship - Long John Silver. The damn thing folds out to a cigar box complete with marijuana photo hidden in bottom. Cheech and Chong - Big Bamboo. Album contains 12"x4" actual rolling paper. Frank Zappa - Hot Rats Black Sabbath - 1st LP ELO - Face the Music I could go on and on. Just some of my favorites...
Great choices! I would add Physical Graffiti, Tubular Bells and Electric Ladyland. Nice to hear the shout out for Wimbledon, where I've lived since the mid 90's.
"Street Legal" is a great choice. The iconic "Freewheelin Bob Dylan" is one of my all-time favorite covers. Good point about "Saved" capturing what that album is about.
With some 4 gazilliion rock albums to choose from, yours is no easy task. I have always found the cover to Strawbs Hero and Heroine to say so much, in its simplicity, you just have to know the album first.
Child is father to man by Blood Sweat & Tears with mini versions of themselves sitting on their adult version laps is unique and I’m a big Al Kooper fan and he headed the band and was gone after this album and it features “ I can’t quit her” which is easily one of the top 100 songs of the 60’s. Great choices and great wide spectrum of choices to boot.
King Crimson-In the Court of the Crimson King,Groundhogs-Split,Uriah Heep-Very Heavy Very Humble,Yes-Yessongs,Wishbone Ash-Argus,ELP-Brain Salad Surgery,Zep-Physical Graffiti,The Damned-S/T,Dire Stairs-S/T,Elvis Costello-My AIM,Joni Mitchell-Heirja,Ramones-s/t,Rush-A Farewell To Kings,Thin Lizzy-Live and Dangerous,Hendrix-Cry of Love,Black Sabbath-s/t,Jethro Tull-Stand Up.As you can tell my list leans a little to the heavier side but appreciate all types of music.Probably my all time faves are simple photo covers of two blues albums,Willie Dixon-I am the Blues,Freddie King-Gettin Ready
So many to choose from, so your picks are rather subjective, fair enough. Nice to see Badfinger get a mention (I LOVE Badfinger!) A few, for me, I'd like to cite: Ziggy Stardust, the first Ramones album, Slayed?, London Calling, and, I'm sorry, but an egregious omission: Ogden's Nut Gone Flake (Small Faces forever!)
My top 5 album covers 5 what wd did on our holidays fairport convention ,4 fleet foxes fleet foxes ,3 freewheelin bob dylan bob dylan ,2 strange days the doors ,1 rubber soul the beatles , yeah , yeah , yeah , yeah.
Yep. You'd think someone who was 'big' on records would have noticed this. It's great someone else noticed this. I actually love this cover. Their best cover was Face The Music. Headphones on the electric chair. Very clever.
My favourite is "Decade" Neil Young.....Dark side is Iconic too.Mind you on a train heading to London Waterloo station, i always think of Animals (Floyd) cover. So many more.....
The traffic album cover rules, I never saw it before! The Rutles, never heard of them, so cool! Supertramp rules, The early MTV days ruled! There is a band where I live that does cover songs from '78-82 and that's it! I had the Wish you were here album and the music book, I also had all the Floyd on Vinyl and many music books. Had all the ACDC on vinyl also...takes me back!
What you sold your vinyl albums or they just got lost? I guess you regret losing them either way :- ) Did the Rutles film not get shown in the US? I recommend it highly.
Nice subject and some real beauties in there. Personally, I feel that Abbey road should take first place but understand your choice. A bit sad that Sticky fingers came behind Let it Bleed. Thanks for the video, enjoyed it.
Queen "Made in Heaven", Bee Gees "Life in a Tin Can", ABBA "The Album", Eagles "One of These Nights", Redbone "Potlatch", Redbone "Message from a Drum", Redbone "Already Here", Redbone "Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes".
You can probably guess what my favourite is by my profile picture. Other favourites of mine are Exile on Main Street, Led Zeppelin III, Back in Black, Stained Class, Nebraska, Born in the USA, The Legend of Johnny Cash, Yes' debut, A Night at the Opera, and "Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones!" I quite like Led Zeppelin I (especially the photo negative that they have as the back cover in the new deluxe edition) but I cant help but feel it's in bad taste. Not to seem politically correct or virtue signaling, but a lot of people died in the Hindenburg disaster. Tragic and disturbing covers are great when used in a certain context (such as the cover on The Concert for Bangladesh), but having a picture of a historic disaster on a great, fun rock album seems a little grim.
Album art like any art is of course subjective. I agree that Dark side is probably one the most iconic album covers ever. I think the White album is a stroke of genius. Most surprised at the admission of a David Bowie album cover. I can think of at least four classics Low, Heroes, Ziggy and Aladdin Sane.
"One man's opinion of moonlight".... "Court Of The Crimson King" and "Dark Side Of The Moon" are THE most recognisable and iconic covers (and albums) of the 60s/70s ...….. but John may not have those albums...…….. ;-)
Surprised no one ever made a film on Badfinger with the highs and shocking lows due to management if the group and the sad suicides. Great group that was just getting their due fame wise if not financial.
In my opinion, the most creative and clever album design EVER is Grand Funk's "E Pluribus Funk," because it's round, silver, and looks like a coin. I'll also place Abbey Road, Meet The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper, and Band On The Run in there, and I'd add George Harrison's All Things Must Pass. I also like Grand Funk's "All The Girls In The World Beware," where the band's heads are superimposed on the bodies of muscleman Arnold Schwarzenegger and others. I also like Chicago's debut album cover, because I'm a big Chicago fan.
I'm rather fond of the cover of ELO's Discovery. Isn't it a teenage boy though? My favourite cover of all time is The Wall. Enjoyed seeing your countdown.
Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy, How Dare You, Breakfast In America, Band On The Run, Back To The Egg, Arrival, Even In The Quietest Moments, Deceptive Bends, Abbey Road, Presence. Hypgnosis designed many of these album covers.
One of the most interesting LP covers is Sabbath Bloody Sabbath by Black Sabbath. The artist is Drew Struzan. Check out his later career you'll be smarter for it.
I know it's whatever's in your collection... (agree about Supertramp and Elton John's Captain Fantastic & YBR) but Genesis "Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" (brilliant) Genesis "Selling England By The Pound" (wish the whole cover featured the painting... would have been better) King Crimson "In The Court Of The Crimson King" (probably the greatest of all time) Mike Oldfield "Tubular Bells" Kate Bush "The Dreaming" Peter Gabriel (2nd, ripping the cover... and 3rd, melting) were amazing XTC "Drums and Wires" (Iconic graphics) Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill (with the crashed plane) David Bowie "Aladdin Sane" Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass - Whipped Cream And Other Delights It's A Beautiful Day The Clash - London Calling (great take off of the Elvis cover...with an iconic photo) Emerson, Lake & Palmer "Brain Salad Surgery" Beach Boys "Surf's Up" Captain Beefhart "Trout Mask Replica" The Dukes of Stratosphear "25 O'Clock" Menomena "Friend and Foe" The Beatles "With The Beatles," "Revolver," or "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" The Who "Quadraphenia" The Who "Tommy" Funkadelic "Maggot Brain" Traffic "The Low Spark Of The High Heeled Boys" Patti Smith "Horses" ...and, of course, all those amazing Blue Note jazz covers...
john ok i will not stop the comments-i have to reduce them-you showed some classic great lps like let it bleed of stones ,wish you were p.floyd and many others very nice lps -i will stay to badfinger a very nice British band 2 members from swansea wales 2 from liverpool-i have the lp you showed and another called no dice 1970 for sure great album too,i think and magic christian music .the former name of the band i think was the iveys ,makis
John is such a product of his time. But so are we all. A bit too young for me. Covers that blew my mind: Court of …..King Crimson,, Wiesel’s Rig My Flesh, Sgt Pepper….. no AC/Dc, ABbA, ELO…..
john i want to tell you something about the roxy music band covers-where esp.the 4 First lps of them are pictures of sexy girls always-the interesting is the second album of them-for your pleasure 1973- where the front cover pose a nice model woman called amanda lear-later 1977-1979 she was famous disco singer-eurodisco-horrible bad .have you heard something about this? i hope you find interesting if you dont know.yours makis
My favourite would probably be Trout Mask Replica by Captain Beefheart. Disraeli Gears by Cream and Their Satanic Majesties Request by the Rolling Stones are also very good.
John - not sure if you-re familiar with the band Shriekback who formed in the mid-eighties from members of Gang of Four and XTC (and they're still going strong) but they recorded a great little tribute to the Abbey Road sleeve on their Sacred City album from 1992. Link here: ruclips.net/video/OQOZx8eoyjE/видео.html
Pink Floyd Ummagumma is pretty classic too. Trippy.
Great choices John, I always enjoy your videos.
Where do I start?
Alice Cooper - School's Out. The damn thing folds out to a schoolroom desk.
Jefferson Starship - Long John Silver. The damn thing folds out to a cigar box complete with marijuana photo hidden in bottom.
Cheech and Chong - Big Bamboo. Album contains 12"x4" actual rolling paper.
Frank Zappa - Hot Rats
Black Sabbath - 1st LP
ELO - Face the Music
I could go on and on.
Just some of my favorites...
IMHO Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon with the prism is the best and most iconic album cover of all time.
Cant argue with that but my personal Floyd favourite is The Division Bell as I can almost see my house from there.
It's probably tied with Abbey Road. They're both covers that, even if people have never heard the actual albums themselves, they know what they are.
@@stephenbrown4211 i guy from my school designed that cover lol
Fact's
Great choices! I would add Physical Graffiti, Tubular Bells and Electric Ladyland. Nice to hear the shout out for Wimbledon, where I've lived since the mid 90's.
I can hear Paul’s voice in my head “let’s just walk across the street” haha. Classic Paul.
"Street Legal" is a great choice. The iconic "Freewheelin Bob Dylan" is one of my all-time favorite covers. Good point about "Saved" capturing what that album is about.
Nice choices.. and I particularly liked seeing your #1 choice. Very effective.
Thanks Joe.
Always liked the Aja cover by Steely Dan.
a great one indeed!
Thank you, putting the Wombles in there, fantastic.
Roxy Music's debut is a great cover. The pose, expression of the reclining expresses the romantic alienation perfectly
Abbey Road is number 1# on my list. The only people still living from the Sgt. Pepper cover is Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and Dion DiMucci.
Bob Dylan(?)
great video! thank you sir!
Thank you Arch. Let me know if you have anything you'd like me to review.
So many great album covers.
You seem to pick the same bands for every category that you review
Hence why he put “from my collection” in the title
He literally said it at the beginning
The thing about the Abbey Road cover is that you could never imagine John anywhere other than leading from the front.
Fact's
With some 4 gazilliion rock albums to choose from, yours is no easy task. I have always found the cover to Strawbs Hero and Heroine to say so much, in its simplicity, you just have to know the album first.
Great top 5 - and Backless is my favourite Clapton album!
Child is father to man by
Blood Sweat & Tears with mini versions of themselves sitting on their adult version laps is unique and I’m a big Al Kooper fan and he headed the band and was gone after this album and it features “ I can’t quit her” which is easily one of the top 100 songs of the 60’s.
Great choices and great wide spectrum of choices to boot.
Demonz and Wizards nice cover!
King Crimson-In the Court of the Crimson King,Groundhogs-Split,Uriah Heep-Very Heavy Very Humble,Yes-Yessongs,Wishbone Ash-Argus,ELP-Brain Salad Surgery,Zep-Physical Graffiti,The Damned-S/T,Dire Stairs-S/T,Elvis Costello-My AIM,Joni Mitchell-Heirja,Ramones-s/t,Rush-A Farewell To Kings,Thin Lizzy-Live and Dangerous,Hendrix-Cry of Love,Black Sabbath-s/t,Jethro Tull-Stand Up.As you can tell my list leans a little to the heavier side but appreciate all types of music.Probably my all time faves are simple photo covers of two blues albums,Willie Dixon-I am the Blues,Freddie King-Gettin Ready
Goooooöd!
So many to choose from, so your picks are rather subjective, fair enough. Nice to see Badfinger get a mention (I LOVE Badfinger!) A few, for me, I'd like to cite: Ziggy Stardust, the first Ramones album, Slayed?, London Calling, and, I'm sorry, but an egregious omission: Ogden's Nut Gone Flake (Small Faces forever!)
Best album cover ever is the album by The Beatles, "The Beatles"
My top 5 album covers 5 what wd did on our holidays fairport convention ,4 fleet foxes fleet foxes ,3 freewheelin bob dylan bob dylan ,2 strange days the doors ,1 rubber soul the beatles , yeah , yeah , yeah , yeah.
The ELO Discovery cover isn’t a woman. It’s a man, Aladdin discovering the Magic Lamp.
Yep. You'd think someone who was 'big' on records would have noticed this. It's great someone else noticed this. I actually love this cover. Their best cover was Face The Music. Headphones on the electric chair. Very clever.
Yeah, that was kind of strange to hear him say "woman" . I'm glad someone else noticed this too.
ELO - Face the Music
Kansas - Leftoverture
Kansas - Point Of Know Return
Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell
My favourite is "Decade" Neil Young.....Dark side is Iconic too.Mind you on a train heading to London Waterloo station, i always think of Animals (Floyd) cover. So many more.....
i was waiting for jethro tull...thick as a brick....but you may not like it, or like you said, have it
I dig the gatefold of Goats Head Soup. Simple yet unique -- but I don't think Keith knows where he is. LOL
One of my favorites are Deep Purple in rock
Great album
The traffic album cover rules, I never saw it before! The Rutles, never heard of them, so cool! Supertramp rules, The early MTV days ruled! There is a band where I live that does cover songs from '78-82 and that's it! I had the Wish you were here album and the music book, I also had all the Floyd on Vinyl and many music books. Had all the ACDC on vinyl also...takes me back!
What you sold your vinyl albums or they just got lost? I guess you regret losing them either way :- ) Did the Rutles film not get shown in the US? I recommend it highly.
on the supertramp album reverse it, the "u" and P" look like 9 and 11 over the trade center.
Nice subject and some real beauties in there. Personally, I feel that Abbey road should take first place but understand your choice. A bit sad that Sticky fingers came behind Let it Bleed. Thanks for the video, enjoyed it.
My favorites: Nazareth Hair of the Dog & Queen News of the World
Gran disco de unos de mis grupos apreciados. I love Pete and Tom
Pink floyd atom heart mother. Great cover.+ black Sabbath 1st. And Vol 4 classic
I don't know why but I always liked the Beatles Let it be cover.
Queen "Made in Heaven", Bee Gees "Life in a Tin Can", ABBA "The Album", Eagles "One of These Nights", Redbone "Potlatch", Redbone "Message from a Drum", Redbone "Already Here", Redbone "Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes".
You can probably guess what my favourite is by my profile picture. Other favourites of mine are Exile on Main Street, Led Zeppelin III, Back in Black, Stained Class, Nebraska, Born in the USA, The Legend of Johnny Cash, Yes' debut, A Night at the Opera, and "Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones!" I quite like Led Zeppelin I (especially the photo negative that they have as the back cover in the new deluxe edition) but I cant help but feel it's in bad taste. Not to seem politically correct or virtue signaling, but a lot of people died in the Hindenburg disaster. Tragic and disturbing covers are great when used in a certain context (such as the cover on The Concert for Bangladesh), but having a picture of a historic disaster on a great, fun rock album seems a little grim.
Album art like any art is of course subjective. I agree that Dark side is probably one the most iconic album covers ever. I think the White album is a stroke of genius.
Most surprised at the admission of a David Bowie album cover. I can think of at least four classics Low, Heroes, Ziggy and Aladdin Sane.
Not one Roger Dean cover? Seriously?
"Here Come the Sex Pistols?" Never heard it called that before.
My favorite album covers are, The Beatles Abbey Road & The Beach boy's Pet Sounds & Also Michael Jackson's Thriller
My fav cover is "Every good boy deserves favour" (Moody Blues).
Great AC/DC choice. Highway To Hell is a great album cover as well.
The person on front of elo is 'robert' from "everybody loves Raymond" TV American comedy series.
I always liked the cover to T. Rex Electric Warrior from that era of music
best album cover is king crisom court of crismom king work of art john
"One man's opinion of moonlight".... "Court Of The Crimson King" and "Dark Side Of The Moon" are THE most recognisable and iconic covers (and albums) of the 60s/70s ...….. but John may not have those albums...…….. ;-)
Good taste but missing my favorites the complition backward principle, how dare you, paralel lines , the nightfly and difficult to cure
Hawkwind’s Space Ritual has by far the best Album Cover I’ve seen. Like the album it’s epic.
Surprised no one ever made a film on Badfinger with the highs and shocking lows due to management if the group and the sad suicides. Great group that was just getting their due fame wise if not financial.
In my opinion, the most creative and clever album design EVER is Grand Funk's "E Pluribus Funk," because it's round, silver, and looks like a coin.
I'll also place Abbey Road, Meet The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper, and Band On The Run in there, and I'd add George Harrison's All Things Must Pass.
I also like Grand Funk's "All The Girls In The World Beware," where the band's heads are superimposed on the bodies of muscleman Arnold Schwarzenegger and others.
I also like Chicago's debut album cover, because I'm a big Chicago fan.
Whitesnake - Lovehunter is my favorite, a bluesy not far from Deep Purple album
It’s great other people can give AC/DC the credit they deserve
Check out a book called The Album Cover Album. I'm pretty sure it's available somewhere.
ub40 had beautiful album covers.
What about YES covers?
Rodrigo Serrano no
Surprised you didn’t pick Cold Chisel’s “ East “ Skyhooks “ Living in the 70s “ or Australian Crawl’s “ The Boys Light Up “ great covers all.
Very subjective, but I'd always include many Hipgnosis works in my favourites. 10CC, How Dare You! for example.
I'm rather fond of the cover of ELO's Discovery. Isn't it a teenage boy though? My favourite cover of all time is The Wall. Enjoyed seeing your countdown.
James Griffiths you're probably right re discovery ...it's not terrible just not my favourite of theirs which would be A New World Record
I rather like the cover of Secret Messages. I think their worst ever cover was Balance of Power.
James Griffiths agree on the worst...secret messages is an ok cover if a tad pretentious :- )
Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy, How Dare You, Breakfast In America, Band On The Run, Back To The Egg, Arrival, Even In The Quietest Moments, Deceptive Bends, Abbey Road, Presence. Hypgnosis designed many of these album covers.
Horslips - Happy to meet, sorry to part.
No “Dark Side Of The Moon”?
Badfinger.s STRAIGHT UP is my favorite album (musically) ever!
I always worried that Macca might have got a stone in his foot on Abbey Road. Or, at the very least, a dog's egg.
Wtf
One of the most interesting LP covers is Sabbath Bloody Sabbath by Black Sabbath. The artist is Drew Struzan. Check out his later career you'll be smarter for it.
Argus is iconic.
Pretty good sample. I'd add Styx's Grand Illusion.
I know it's whatever's in your collection... (agree about Supertramp and Elton John's Captain Fantastic & YBR) but
Genesis "Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" (brilliant)
Genesis "Selling England By The Pound" (wish the whole cover featured the painting... would have been better)
King Crimson "In The Court Of The Crimson King" (probably the greatest of all time)
Mike Oldfield "Tubular Bells"
Kate Bush "The Dreaming"
Peter Gabriel (2nd, ripping the cover... and 3rd, melting) were amazing
XTC "Drums and Wires" (Iconic graphics)
Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill (with the crashed plane)
David Bowie "Aladdin Sane"
Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass - Whipped Cream And Other Delights
It's A Beautiful Day
The Clash - London Calling (great take off of the Elvis cover...with an iconic photo)
Emerson, Lake & Palmer "Brain Salad Surgery"
Beach Boys "Surf's Up"
Captain Beefhart "Trout Mask Replica"
The Dukes of Stratosphear "25 O'Clock"
Menomena "Friend and Foe"
The Beatles "With The Beatles," "Revolver," or "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
The Who "Quadraphenia"
The Who "Tommy"
Funkadelic "Maggot Brain"
Traffic "The Low Spark Of The High Heeled Boys"
Patti Smith "Horses"
...and, of course, all those amazing Blue Note jazz covers...
I won’t thumbs down this vid, but... thumbs down on the inane choices.
Yes, whatever happened to the iconic "Helen Shapiro's Greatest Hits"?? 😞
@@shelleylyme6402 Not to mention Lawrence Welk's polka album. :-)
Al Stewart, Time Passages, for pure 'Seventies-ness.
Delia Smith made the cake on the cover of Let It Bleed.
Puzzled! No Yes, but loads of Supertramp, no In the Court of the Crimson King, but ABBA, no Jethro Tull to boot. That’s down to taste then.
I love you John but how can there be no Moody Blues albums represented?
Highway 61 Revisited. The Dylan look with the Dylan sound. 1965. /End of.
john ok i will not stop the comments-i have to reduce them-you showed some classic great lps like let it bleed of stones ,wish you were p.floyd and many others very nice lps -i will stay to badfinger a very nice British band 2 members from swansea wales 2 from liverpool-i have the lp you showed and another called no dice 1970 for sure great album too,i think and magic christian music .the former name of the band i think was the iveys ,makis
Makis eythimopoulos thanks Makis!
St. Peppers the most iconic album and album cover of all time gets short shrift?🙄
Bullfrog (1976 cover is epic, so is Osibisa 1969 cover.
Gotta be Edgar Broughton Band, Inside Out, for me.
John is such a product of his time. But so are we all. A bit too young for me. Covers that blew my mind: Court of …..King Crimson,, Wiesel’s Rig My Flesh, Sgt Pepper….. no AC/Dc, ABbA, ELO…..
Some shockers here, and bloody Supertramp again! No Elektra and the first two Doors covers.
bob burroughs It really seems more of a list of albums he likes/owns that happen to have decent covers. Not a definitive list.
Why no Iron Maiden album covers?
john i want to tell you something about the roxy music band covers-where esp.the 4 First lps of them are pictures of sexy girls always-the interesting is the second album of them-for your pleasure 1973- where the front cover pose a nice model woman called amanda lear-later 1977-1979 she was famous disco singer-eurodisco-horrible bad .have you heard something about this? i hope you find interesting if you dont know.yours makis
Killer,, Alice Cooper & Billion Dollar Babies
Mine are all classical
Houses of the holy !!??
On The Beach ... Neil Young
Reign in blood Slayer !
My favourite would probably be Trout Mask Replica by Captain Beefheart. Disraeli Gears by Cream and Their Satanic Majesties Request by the Rolling Stones are also very good.
Morrison Hotel.
'Next' Alex Harvey
Isn't that a guy on ELO's discovery?
Alice Cooper "Muscle of Love"
Two words: Roger Dean
John - not sure if you-re familiar with the band Shriekback who formed in the mid-eighties from members of Gang of Four and XTC (and they're still going strong) but they recorded a great little tribute to the Abbey Road sleeve on their Sacred City album from 1992. Link here: ruclips.net/video/OQOZx8eoyjE/видео.html
Ghost in the machine
Duran Duran RIO cover is one of my favourites.
What is it with this fixation for the bleedin’ Beatles?
Gatefold FUNHOUSE by The stooges