Alex Steinweiss invented the concept of album cover art in 1938, replacing the plain brown wrappers previously used. As the first art director of Columbia Records, he designed approximately 2,500 covers to make the albums more attractive and help market the music. His early covers focused on illustrations with simple typography, but over time the designs evolved to feature brighter colors and more creative typography. Steinweiss revolutionized the music industry by establishing album covers as both an artistic form and a vital marketing tool.

2. Alex Steinweiss was a graphic designer known for inventing the
concept of album covers/ cover art in 1938, replacing the plain
brown wrappers used previously.
He was the first art director of Columbia Records and believed the
album covers needed a change. “They were so drab, so
unattractive. I convinced the executives to let me design a few.”
He has approximately designed 2500 covers.
The concept revolutionized the music business as it became a vital
part of the music industry as a marketing tool over time as well as
creating a new field of illustrations.

3. Below are series of early album art covers designed by Steinweiss.
The focus of the album covers were the illustrations when he started
his work which left the typography of the album covers looking plain
and simple, a recurring style of font in most of his early works.

4. Through the decades and change of era, SteinWeiss's work
gradually displayed simpler illustrations in contrast to
previous designs with a change of typography as it became
more vivid and creative with uses of bright colours to appeal
and attract more attention.

5. XTC: Go 2
The album ‘Go 2’ released in 1978 is none like
any other album covers as it is in a form of an
essay discussing how album covers are used
to attract customers, explaining the tactic
used in the music industry to sell their
products.
This unique promotional strategy of selling the
album stands out from the rest of the other
album covers as it is something fresh and
original to which would attract the audience
and intrigue them.

6. The ‘Chicago XIV’ album by
Chicago was released in
1980 with an interesting
thumb print typography
which interrelates with the
detailed lining, form and
shape of the fingerprint.
The technique and
influence of connecting the
typography with the
illustration and creating a
shape with the font is still
carried to this modern
period as portrayed by the
album cover for ‘Brand
new eyes’ by Paramore.