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Does cover art of an album or recording influences your purchase?

For me, album or recording cover art definitely influences physical media purchases, where the physical object is part of the experience.

Cover art may never be as powerful as the music itself, but it carries its own quiet weight. It represents love, life, death, and the essence of a particular time in a musician’s journey. It captures what the music feels, without needing a single note.

Many are works of art and have become as famous as the music they stand for—Andy Warhol's covers, for example, including the banana he designed for The Velvet Underground. And there are many more! 

On flip side, If you’re buying based purely on artist or recommendation, cover art may not matter. But for exploration, vinyl hunting, or curating a vibe, it remains quite influential.

I’d love to hear what album covers have etched themselves into your memory or even convinced you to listen before you knew the artist. 

Thank you! 

lalitk
stuartk
3,433 posts
 

This is how I initially got into Jazz. . . I liked the Blue Note label covers. I think Wayne Shorter's "JuJu" was the first. 

But that was long ago and short-lived.

Since then, I always listen first before buying, so art has no impact on my decision to buy. 

 

immatthewj
3,300 posts
 

It may have when I was a lot younger and frequently under the influence of drugs when I was at the record store.  But that was a long long time ago.  Now a days I am strictly digital, and seldom under the influence when buying music, and  CD art doesn't quite exude the personality that LP art did.

tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,636 posts
 

I am drawn to albums that have cool (to my tastes) cover art.  I hope that the cover may be an indication of how the music sounds.  I don't buy that way because disappointments outnumber great finds.  Streaming has allowed me to try many albums with cool cover art and find the few that I like musically.

ghdprentice
7,985 posts
 

I will admit cover art strongly  influence my listening. While I only stream. I review the new releases on Qobuz every day or two and what I choose to play is largely based on the cover art. If it turns out to be a great album, then I’ll read the cover notes and go to the artist and play other albums of theirs. 

slaw's avatar
slaw
23,400 posts
 

Maybe subliminally? While I love cover art, I've never made a music purchase based on that.

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