Happy Birthday LP and The Ten Best Album Covers Of All Time

June 21 marks an auspicious day in popular music history. 62 years ago, June 21, 1948, Columbia Records introduced the world to the twelve-inch, 33 1/3 rpm, long-playing vinyl record, forever changing the way we listen to music.

Thomas Edison pioneered the first technology that could preserve a conversation or musical performance in 1877. His wax cylinder "talking machines" were the first devices that allowed recording and playback. In 1889 Emile Berliner perfected the technology and developed flat-disc recording; instead of a cylinder now the records were flat discs that rotated on a turntable. Unlike the wax cylinders, though, recording was not possible on this medium. The flat disc innovation was adopted by the fledgling recording industry and became the standard. The fact that Berliner had a hand in creating the three largest record companies in the world, EMI, Deutsche Grammophone, and RCA Victor, didn't hurt either.

The discs were known as 78s because they rotated at 78 rpm. They were about ten inches in diameter and somewhat fragile. (right) Sound fidelity was the best that could be achieved at the time. Very quickly 78s and the record players, known as grammophones, graphophones, and other "phones," caught on and there was big money to be made.

78s were extremely popular in the early twentieth century. Most households had a grammophone in the living room. Musicians became stars. Songs became hits. Record companies sprang up everywhere. But 78s were limited by the amount of information that could be recorded on a single side. One side of a 78 could only take about three minutes of music or one song.

Since the 1930s, Columbia Records had been working on technology that would allow more recording time and better fidelity. The rotation speed of 33 1/3 rpm had been decided upon and work progressed on reducing the groove size to allow 22 minutes of space per side. (left) Now instead of one song there could be five or six songs per side. Once this had been perfected, Columbia released the first twelve-inch, long-playing record on June 21, 1948. It was a recording of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor performed by Nathan Milstein and the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of New York.

The new long-playing records were slow to catch on initially. Virtually every household already had a grammophone and a collection of 78s, so the technological shift took some time.

In the 1950s, record companies discovered an untapped market in the teenage baby boomers. RCA Victor had countered Columbia's long-playing record with the development of the 45. It was seven inches in diameter and had a giant hole in the center. (right) It too used microgroove technology, but was a throwback to the days of 78s. 45s, so called because of the rotation speed of 45 rpm, could only hold one song per side. The rotation speed of the 45 was not arrived at scientifically either. RCA simply subtracted the rotation speed of the long-playing record from the rotation speed of the 78. 78 minus 33 equals 45. Simple math that changed music.

LPs were commonly a collection of songs by one artist, or a classical work like an opera or concerto. The big seller was the 45, aimed squarely at the youth market. As a result, record companies used the 45 more as a promotion vehicle than to sell an album. Very often the album would not contain the song released as a 45. The 45 or single, was played on the radio and its primary function was to sell the artist. Plus, most teenagers at the time could only afford the single, the album was somewhat cost prohibitive.

By the mid-1960s, the album had evolved into something more than a collection of songs. Helped by the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (1966) and The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) the idea of a narrative thread or concept that ran through the songs on an album became the norm. Now albums could be a cohesive work. Artists could realize creative concepts beyond the pop music platitudes of girls, cars, high school, and love.

Coupled with the narrative paradigm, the idea of the album cover as art also took over. Kick-started by the Sgt. Pepper album, cover design quickly became as esoteric and artful as some of the music. Famous graphic artists like Andy Warhol and Richard Hamilton would lend their talents to creating some of the most iconic album covers.

So, in honour of the LP's birthday, I present my choice for the ten best album covers of all time.

1. Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon (1971)

From its gatefold design, to the posters and stickers, the graphic design company Hipgnosis took the idea of cover art to a new level. Hipgnosis would design the covers for almost every Pink Floyd album.

2. The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)

The one that started it all. How many hours of teenage life have been wasted staring at this cover? It was also the first album to print the lyrics on the cover. Plus it used the gatefold design, which was innovative at the time, and the album included an insert with cut-out mustache and sergeant stripes.

3. Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers (1971)

Andy Warhol design complete with real zipper.

4. Cream Disraeli Gears (1967)

The album that almost singlehandedly codified the artistic style of the counter-culture.

5. Joni Mitchell Blue (1971)

Its unique photography technique creates a cover that is evocative of the music.

6. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Deja Vu (1970)

The initial release used textured paper to resemble the cover of a hymnal. The printing was gold-leaf and expensive. The Civil War-era photograph was glued on and expensive as well. The whole project was costly from start to finish but worth it. Platinum worth it.

7. Led Zeppelin IV (1971)

The band name does not appear on the cover nor does the title. Simply known as "Led Zeppelin Four" the cover evokes the folksiness and fantasy of the music.


8. Meatloaf Bat Out Of Hell (1977)

The motorcycle explodes out of the grave, like a bat out of hell. Awesome. Perfect mural for a Chevy van too.


9. The Beatles The Beatles (1968)

Richard Hamilton design. Minimalism at its finest. Known as "the white album" because of the cover, included in the album jacket were four individual colour 8" x 10" photographs of the band and a collage poster.The band name was embossed on the jacket and first pressings had a serial number printed in the bottom right corner.

10. Moody Blues Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (1971)

A textured cover and fantastic painting. The title is the mnemonic device used to remember the lines on a musical staff.

This is by no means the definitive list, just my top ten favourites.

Feel free to comment. What's your vote for the top ten album covers of all time?