Memorable Album Covers of 2019
The memorable album covers of 2019 consist of fierce, uncompromising self-portraits. On "Cuz I Love You," Lizzo presents her nude self as a fully realized woman exuding power and grace. "Cuz I Love You" is an important statement of body positivity, and one that Lizzo made often throughout 2019. On the other hand, the striking close-up of Jenny Lewis’s torso on the cover of "On the Line" invites curiosity by what it reveals and does not reveal – her bare arms and cleavage complementing a glitzy dress that evokes vintage Las Vegas (in fact, the dress is an homage to one that her mother wore when she performed in 1970s Las Vegas). Both Lizzo and Jenny Lewis capture images of artists in control of their own bodies, sharing what they want on her own terms. For more memorable album covers from 2019, check out my presentation.
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Memorable Album Covers of 2019
- 1. Memorable Album Covers of 2019 David J. Deal http://superhypeblog.com January 2020
- 2. Billie Eilish, When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
- 3. Lizzo, ‘Cuz I Love You
- 4. Tyler, the Creator, IGOR
- 5. Nina Nesbitt, The Sun Will Come Up, the Seasons Will Change & the Flowers Will Fall
- 6. Solange, When I Get Home
- 7. Stormzy, Heavy Is the Head
- 8. Megan Thee Stallion, Fever
- 9. Faye Webster, Atlanta Millionaire’s Club
- 11. Beyoncé, Homecoming: The Live Album
- 12. Angel Olsen, Live Mirrors
- 13. Offset, Father of 4
- 14. Rapsody, Eve
- 15. Jenny Lewis, On the Line
- 16. IDK, Is He Real?
- 17. ile, Almadura
- 18. Vagabon, Vagabon
Editor's Notes
- Record albums refuse to die even though sales are no longer what they used to be. Musicians continue to rely on long-form collections of songs to tell personal stories, and the album cover art remains a crucial aspect of the storytelling. In 2018, as I’ve done for many years, I explored music released during the year to identify the most memorable album cover art. Memorable album covers in 2018 did what effective album cover art has always done: Capture your attention. Express the essence of the artist. Say something about the musical content of the album itself. This year, I was struck by the number of album covers that expressed what it means for an artist to be the Other, especially to be LGBTQ. The year witnessed a bumper crop of works created by LGBTQ musicians, perhaps most notably by Janelle Monáe, whose Grammy-nominated Dirty Computer created a public forum for Monáe to announce her pansexuality. The album cover art of LGBTQ artists was as intensely personal as their music. This SlideShare contains some notable examples.
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- What are your favorite album covers of the year, and why? Drop me a line at davidjdeal@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you.