Classic Album Covers of the 60s

by Storm Thorgerson

This newly reformatted edition of Classic Album Covers of the 60s features more than 200 of the very best—and, in some cases, entertainingly worst—covers that graced LPs throughout that groundbreaking decade. It takes readers on a lively journey from the wholesome joviality of the Very Merry Macs and Muscle Beach Party , through stylish and sophisticated jazz covers, to the coolest, wildest psychedelic designs of the late 60s—including the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper and the Incredible String Band’s The 5000 Spirits . The evolving styles illustrated here provide a fascinating reflection of changing cultural trends during an era when artists sought to smash the prevailing rules—and, in so doing, laid the foundations for cover design today.

Genres: Music, Art, Reference, Design, Nonfiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Gerry]

An illustrator's selection which h will be controversial to followers of particular bands

[David Lai]

Some great album covers here, as well as lots of really bad ones. Thorgerson's prose is pompous and clunky, but doesn't take up much of the book.

[Gary Lang]

Who cares what games we choose
Little to win, but nothing to lose

[Gaz]

Nice sampling of covers from the 60's. Not great quality reproduction though, colour balance is wrong on many and not particularly sharp focus on most. Short essays for each section, giving a generally personal take on the era.

[wildct2003]

Decent sampling of covers from the era. Not much text.

[Markku]

Good introductory texts and good reproductions. But as psychedelics are as they are, there is a bit repetition and frankly I don't always agree with the author on matters of aesthetic value.