“Almost as interesting as the music is the album cover. I remember when growing up,
every time we got a new album, we would pore over every detail of the cover, back cover and inside flap while listening to a record. It’s just as much an extension of the musician as the music itself… especially when he or she taps a favorite artist to concoct something unexpected. Here, some of my favorites, past and present, like Janelle Monáe’s The ArchAndroid, 2010, and The Electric Lady, 2013, a mix of witty visuals and great sounds.” — Tory

BabyshamblesSequel to the Prequel, 2013, by Damien Hirst (whose artwork is on the cover of our own book, Tory Burch: In Color).

Janelle Monáe’s The ArchAndroid, 2010, and The Electric Lady, 2013 — mixed witty visuals and great sounds.

Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, 2010, for which he asked George Condo to create five different covers, including this one.

Sonic Youth’s 1983 Daydream Nation cover was done by Gerhard Richter, one of my favorite artists.

Talking Heads’ Speaking in Tongues, 1983, by Robert Rauschenberg

Patti Smith’s 1975 Horses was photographed by Robert Mapplethorpe. Iconic and standard-setting.

Neil Young’s Harvest, 1972, is one of my favorite albums. Just seeing the cover reminds me of endless summers growing up.

Read more features from our Music Issues, past and present.

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