Album covers that look ahead of their time

Yes, but an album that look ahead to their time should be one that today could look like 80's or 90's or 00's not 60's as the Banana album is....

 

Both the image and the lettering are similar to numerous post-rock albums released in the late nineties and beyond. Some of the music actually hints at post-rock too, despite being recorded and released in 1981.

 

Before I knew The Velvet Underground, I always saw the banana cover and assumed the album was from the '80s or '90s. For me, I think it's the whiteness that makes it seem like it was from later. Not many covers from the '60s had a lot of white or negative space, they were all very cluttered. The whole "single image surrounded by negative space" thing seems more modern, to me. Like, Unknown Pleasures even is a bit too old for it, in my mind. But what do I know?

 

From 1954 a favourite of mine, the use of the font and the colours are to me a clearly proof of a cover album design ahead of its time:

 

One more that I think is a little less stunning than the Thelonious Monk image I posted back on page 1.

This is from 1966, and aside from the large Atlantic logo and the ||||||||||STEREO||||||||||| banner I think it anticipates the Roger Dean-style prog rock covers of the 1970s. Although the lettering is distinctly late-'60s.


Others have mentioned the daring (for its time) amount of negative space on the first Velvet Underground album cover. Very few John Coltrane records are distinguished by ahead-of-their-time artwork, but here's a similar example from slightly earlier (1966). The rainbow coloring on the title gives its era away, but the stark Helvetica lettering and huge amount of white space create an effect associated with a later era.

Of course, Coltrane's formal attire is also very distinctly of its time (if not a little behind the times). Coltrane was never a fashion icon and hung onto his suits for a long time because his weight tended to fluctuate. I wouldn't be surprised if he bought this suit in the late 50s. The lapels are relatively slim but it's very clearly a drapy fit.

 

Here's a really good one.. can you believe this is from 1960? His look is from ten years later and the main font is something I would more associate with an 80s or 90s release.

 

I agree with you saying the minimalism / white background /negative space of the VU cover is unique for a 6O's cover art and more typical for 80's cover art so to some extent you (and the other arguments) convinced me that it is ahead of its time but what about the image of the banana itself ?- very 60's, very pop art if you ask me and not so typical for the 80's unless they wanted to be retro of course (see #2) ! - it would be more common for 80's minimal cover art to combine white background/negative space with graphic/geometrical design ( similar to 6o' s book cover design - see #1)



#1 Wire 1979




# 2 Sarah Records label design (late 8o's)

 

the Coltrane/Cherry cover definitely doesn't look from 1966 but early 70's - however, it doesn't remind me as much of Roger Dean but of something like this

 

Reminds me of Pearls Before Swine.. With their use of medieval art on stark backgrounds, PBS's albums don't seem particularly late 60s, and could pass for obscure albums by 80s or 90s UK indie bands.

 

similar cover from 1980

the framing and the color scheme of the Coltrane/Cherry cover is also very 70's and reminds me of this

 

Something about this never said '1964' to me - more like a late '70's/early '80's post punk look than anything else. The 'Eye and Ear Control' title puts it in that direction too....

 

Sly and the Family Stone, 'Fresh'


This one looks like a new album to me.

 

Looks like a cover that a black metal band would use.

 

Both of these, like, totally look like modern designs a modern band would use.

 

I think a lot of the examples here fit more into the 'retro' modern category. Most artwork really does look of its time. Being a collector, like many here, I've hardly ever been fooled into believing an album was anything other than the time frame I imagined it to be. Even with 'retro' artwork there is always something that gives away the fact that is not authentic period artwork — usually in the digitally produced typefaces.

 

A late entry.. this cover looks more late 80s/early 90s to me than 1972.

 

Killing Joke - s/t 1980

a lot of modern techno album/singles covers look like this. great cover art.

 

Trentemoller - The Last Resort (2006). Excellent electronic music with similar, though updated, cover art.

 

Speaking of ransom-note lettering:

 

The Bees-"Voices Of Green and Purple"
A 45 from 1966 with the look of 1977

 

Brining this thread back as I just thought of another one!

The retro 70s vibe of this Sparks album seems really out of place for a 1988 hi nrg synthpop album: it looks much more like the cover of a 90s or 00s retro lounge lp or ambient electronica album or somesuch.

 

Wow, that is amazing. A genuine unqualified punk aesthetic in 1966! Wow!

 

Looked at a lot of these, but this is the only one so far that really stood out as being "ahead of their time". If I had seen this in a record store and saw 1966 on the label, I would have guessed it was faked by this 1977 punk band.

 

I think this could also be a more recent release despite the haircut and the goatee - but it is an English blues rock album from 1968