5 Psychedelic Rock Albums with Incredible Artwork
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In this blog post, we will be exploring 5 different psychedelic rock albums with some of the most incredible artwork out there.
The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by English rock band the Beatles, released on 26 May 1967 on EMI’s Parlophone label and produced by George Martin. It won four Grammy Awards in 1968, including Album of the Year, the first rock LP to receive this honor.
Its Famous Cover:
An iconic image that has become one of the most recognizable pieces of pop art in history, The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover features the Fab Four posing with a host of celebrity cardboard cut-outs and life-size waxwork figures. Designed by Peter Blake and Jann Haworth, with photography by Michael Cooper, the cover was revolutionary in its day and set new standards for album packaging.
Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon
For many, The Dark Side of the Moon is not just one of the greatest rock albums of all time, but also one of the most iconic pieces of album art ever created. The now-famous image of a prism refracting a beam of light into a rainbow was designed by Hipgnosis, a London-based design team that worked with some of the biggest names in rock music in the 1970s.
The Doors – Strange Days
Paint it, black. Join The Doors as they explore the darker side of the Psychedelic era on their 1967 album, ‘Strange Days’. Featuring the iconic artwork of Doors drummer, John Densmore, on the front cover; and a live photo of the band shot by Joel Brodsky on the back; ‘Strange Days’ is a perfect example of how Psychedelic Rock and Art go hand-in-hand.
Jimi Hendrix – Electric Ladyland
Few artists capture the raw sexuality, chaotic energy, and boundless creativity of the late ‘60s quite like Jimi Hendrix. His third and final studio album, Electric Ladyland, is a sprawling double album that finds Hendrix at the height of his powers. The artwork, designed by Karl Ferris, is a perfect reflection of the album’s trippy, dreamlike quality. Featuring a nude woman surrounded by snakes, flowers, and stars, it’s one of the most iconic pieces of psychedelic artwork ever created.
Led Zeppelin – Houses of the Holy
Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy was released in 1973 on Atlantic Records. The album artwork was created by the late American artist and photographer Jerry Uelsmann. His work often features distorted images that are pieced together using multiple negatives. The artwork for Houses of the Holy is a composite of nine separate images, each one representing a different song on the album. The central figure is a young girl walking towards a glowing city in the distance.
The artwork for Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy was created by American artist and photographer Jerry Uelsmann. His work often features distorted images that are pieced together using multiple negatives. The artwork for Houses of the Holy is a composite of nine separate images, each one representing a different song on the album. The central figure is a young girl walking towards a glowing city in the distance.
