50 Images That Are So Unique, You Could Make Music Album Covers Out Of Them
Just like book covers, album covers have quite a job to do. They have to instantaneously capture the audience’s attention and intrigue them enough for the person to take some sort of action, whether it’s picking it off the shelf or listening to a song or two.
Album covers also need to reflect what kind of music is in the album, which can be quite a tough task. After all, music is a completely auditory experience and coming up with a visual representation of a sound that also tells a story is complicated to say the least.
That is why the images that end up on album covers are usually so intriguing. And, when you spot one in the wild, you recognize their unique quality right away.
The following list is comprised of such gems found on the Images That Could Be Album Covers subreddit. Scroll down to see them and let us know what band or genre it would suit best.
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A Lie
Like many other images here, this should be an art print - I'd totally buy a copy.
Where did the picture originate from ? I have seen it many times and have always wondered why/what it was created for.
I never get tired to see this one. And absolutely would buy that album.
Expected this one from a mile over. This has appeared on BP for about seven times since I can remember, but it’s nice XD
The few similar images on his website appear to be AI generated with post digital work. Not saying that’s a bad thing. I like most of them.
This is definitely AI. Another person posted to the link and they are a "digital artist"
Load More Replies...Yes...all the things that will happen if you work hard and do everything right.
When you think about an album cover, there are a few that might come to mind. One of the most iconic ones out there, though, has to be Abbey Road by The Beatles. The image of the band crossing the street is widely recognizable and has been parodied by everyone, from Sesame Street to Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was taken by Iain Macmillan, a photographer who was introduced to the band by Yoko Ono.
After Paul McCartney did some initial sketching for what the image should look like, they did the shoot on August 8th at 11:35AM, believing it was just publicity shots. Macmillan stood on a 10ft ladder in the middle of the street and took 6 pictures. Later on, because of the time crunch, the art director and album cover designer John Kosh decided to just go with the best of six and ended up with a cover that went down in pop culture history.
Kids Posing For A Photo In Chicago 1941
Look at all that class! The outfits are awesome and they all have so much character.
Definitely belongs on a jazz band album or urban/hip-hop one (especially old school hip-hop).
Would I really like to know the background of this picture? Who are these children and who dressed them like that? They really look like they're posing for a fashion magazine.
likely just a regular sunday and they're either on the way to church or coming from church. black folk dress to the nines for church and always have, so this is normal for the time period.
Load More Replies...Sun During A Solar Eclipse Behind Some Clouds
What’s interesting about this cover is that it doesn’t have the name of the band or the album written on it. This brilliant decision that was suggested by Kosh was controversial at the time. The people at the record company EMI were very displeased by this idea as they thought they won’t be able to sell any records because of it.
However, the band approved it, and they still went ahead with Kosh’s vision. “It’s one of the biggest bands in the world, you don’t need to actually say who they are—everyone knows who they are, Kosh mentioned when recalling the situation years later. “But it was a major fire. I got threatening phone calls,” he laughed.
The March
I don't know anything about birds, but I'm almost sure that this is a mocking bird.
This Butterfly In A Skull Formed An Eye Pattern
I love so much this one!!!!! Is between obscure and tender at the same time.
Probably staged. Butterflies rarely land on any of my human skulls. Maybe they put some bait / something sweet in the eye socket. I need to try that with mine. /J
What happen to YOUR eyes? Don't you have eyes in your skull?
Load More Replies...Distracted Thoughts
I can't explain why, but this disturbs me on a visceral level. Great image, for sure, but still...
What I instantly thought of was that all those "grey" people ("extras", if you will) around us on the bus/train each have an entire universe around them too, just like us, (in their minds (depicted here ^) and in terms of friends, family), we just never get to see it.
That looks more like Photoshop to me. Even if there was a highway built right next to a railway somewhere in the world, I don't think it would really be possible to take such a photo. Or I must be very mistaken. Those cars are too close to be realistic (in my humble opinion). I have been taking the train almost every day for almost 20 years and have also regularly taken photos from a train for years, so I have some experience in that area.
I've just had a serious family-guy-binge-watching-problem...
Load More Replies...My brain is like that. So many thoughts, but when someone asks me a question they all disappear.
Nirvana’s Nevermind is another album cover that is widely recognizable everywhere. A baby swimming underwater and reaching for a dollar bill is quite a concept that instantly appealed to the photographer Kirk Weddle. At the time, he was marketing himself as an underwater photographer and wanted to give it a shot.
Mt. Rainier
Mine too! I never get tired of how beautiful it is!
Load More Replies...Hey! If that apartment building fell down I would be able to see Mount Rainier right now. Damned apartment building.
Had a similar vision decades ago. A space shuttle launch at dawn and the shuttle smoke plume created a similar shadow that went right over my head. I just stood there in awe
Skybow
More complex version of the other entry, but just as spectacularly gorgeous!
Why did you put this picture here among the others? This is a photoshopped image, a.collage of tens of photos! Should not be on this page
Don't care how they made the image. It's freaking beautiful and I'm glad to have seen it.
Load More Replies...So weren't these supposed to be actual photos? Not photoshopped? Because this is so fake it's so bad.
Title is: "pics could be album cover images"
Load More Replies...my problem with photoshop is that you often forget details, like two moons?
This looks like it’d be by one of those Japanese singers whose music is kinda pop, kinda soft rock, kinda folk. I’d probably at least look up the singles on YouTube.
Childhood
Reminds me of the opening sequence for "Terminator 2"
Load More Replies...I'm thinking at this temperature it would be a PopKorn cover. (Sorry, I'm going.)
Load More Replies...Has anyone read the webtoon Stagtown? This picture is the plot summarized.
Coincidentally, his friends had just had a baby, so he paid them 200 dollars for a shoot in a pool. According to him, it was all very low budget because the band wasn’t well-known at the time and he orchestrated it all by himself. The set-up took an hour and the shoot—5 minutes. He walked away with 25 snaps, confident that he had the winning shot. When looking at the shots later, though, he realized how exposed the baby was.
Title
Me, an Aucklander: https://www.purrsandbeans.co.nz/meet-the-cats (scroll down to the cat photos, top right)
Load More Replies...This could have nothing to do with global warming though, just saying.
I really wanna know what’s up with the downvoting. I’m just annoying that way. I don’t see what’s so triggering about three words, so if anyone smarter than me will ✨kindly✨enlighten me, or maybe it’s just the plain ol’ trolls at it again.
Load More Replies...Circuit City
Take me back to the circuit city, where the chips are green and connection's $hitty
The Sight Of Flowers
Afraid that the visible genitalia of the baby might be unacceptable, Weddle set out to get photos of other babies. He took a few pictures of baby girls in a public pool, but the band wanted to go with the initial suggestion. Apparently, the frontman Kurt Cobain suggested that the only acceptable censorship for the image is a sticker covering the private parts that says “If you're offended by this, you must be a closet pedophile.” So, the image was released as it was.
No, Next Question
Ooo, ooo, I know the answer to this question. *waves arm wildly* It's an Emo band, am I right?
Photo Taken By Me At Santa Monica Beach
Follow me, and dare to face the unknown, and ponder the question: what if...?
Load More Replies...Wow. Just... wow. I do all the cover art for my band(s), and if that would be mine, this would be on a cover. What a pic.
I'm confused. So I've seen these. They're empty rings you put your hands through. So how this picture? It would have to be done with the perfect sized mirror. Or photoshop.
It's Photoshopped, either by playing with the color filters (as maybe they captured the amusement park perfectly in the ring and then just tweaked the color on it) or by compositing two images together. Personally, I vote for the first option.
Load More Replies...Planet Closed
Danggit Zorg! Come to earth you say, it will be fun, you say! Now we are trapped here!
“People of Earth, your attention, please,” a voice said, and it was wonderful. Wonderful perfect quadrophonic sound with distortion levels so low as to make a brave man weep. “This is Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz of the Galactic Hyperspace Planning Council,” the voice continued. “As you will no doubt be aware, the plans for development of the outlying regions of the Galaxy require the building of a hyperspatial express route through your star system, and regrettably your planet is one of those scheduled for demolition. The process will take slightly less than two of your Earth minutes. Thank you.”
Upvote for the bored panda (BP) gas statition. ( Before you down vote me, is just a joke , I m not in a favor of fossil fuels companies ))
The story of the cover image didn’t end there, though. That is because the baby in the photo, Spencer Elden, grew up and started feeling uncomfortable about it. He tried to reach out to people that were in the band and those involved in the production of the album, but didn’t get a single message back. His involvement was quite overwhelming for him.
This Is Not A Coincidence
Rage
What if this photo was merely against a machine?
Load More Replies...Killing in the name of!!!!!!!! Now this song is stick to your head , enjoy ;)
thanks for giving me a good song stuck in my head haha
Load More Replies...I've Been To Places
Did they use the flashy thing on me? I can't remember.
Load More Replies...This would suck for someone with delusions and paranoia
Not just people with paranoia or delusions. Memory is extremely pliable in general and it's not that hard to implant false memories, especially on accident. Like there was a really big problem with this in the 90s where people thought they were pulling up repressed memories but it was false memories that were accidentally being created. There is really good Radio Lab about this.
Load More Replies...“[When] I go to a baseball game and think about it: 'Man, everybody at this baseball game has probably seen my little baby penis,' I feel like I got part of my human rights revoked," said Elden when talking to Time magazine about the cover. So, he sued the surviving members of the band, the photographer, as well as Cobain’s estate.
Long Exposure Traffic Light
And of course when you are the only person at that intersection, the lights all start shaking wildly.
A Photo I Took On A Foggy Night At My College
Man, I loved those nights! Just walking along, paying very close attention to my surroundings but enjoying the vibe.
This pic, though totally unrelated, sums up why I don’t care for the vast majority of LED holiday lights. Which side looks safer, more inviting? To me it’s the yellow side 100%.
I really despise those bright whites. Far too harsh on the eyes.
Load More Replies...Sumo Wrestlers In Sunflower Field
Nice picture, but not an album cover... Feels more like a calender . They must by July or August
As someone who listens to a lot of Japanese music, it could totally be a Japanese album cover. Their music would be quirky but upbeat.
Load More Replies...However, his attempt to seek monetary compensation didn’t go well. His case was dismissed multiple times after the defendants argued that he made money off of it his whole life. He did multiple reenactments of the shoot, has “Nevermind” tattooed on his chest, and once mentioned in an interview that he was “glad” they chose him. So why would he be so upset about it now?
Someone Said This Has Album Cover Energy So I Decided To Put It Here
YOU THREW MY HEART AWAY AND NOW IMMA STRAY TO YOUR ALLEY OF LOOOOOOVVEEEE
Load More Replies...A Man And His Dog During The Australian Wildfires
The Australian Black Summer Bushfires 2019/2020: “But when we were told to move from the surf club to the beach, that's when we knew it was serious.”
We are... but; there's no such thing as Global Warming... is there???
Load More Replies...Came From True I Guess, But Looks Like It Could Be A Album Cover
I was so happy for Tom the time he got it right!
Load More Replies...All in all, album covers are quite a fascinating thing to explore. They have histories attached to them, as well as the stories that come from the pictures themselves. Intriguing and open to interpretation, they capture our minds and hearts and imprint themselves on history. Who knows, maybe the next big thing is on this list.
Twenty Skies
Someone took pictures of the same pole on different days and cut it together.
Load More Replies...I believe it is a photo of reflections on the side of a glass building with windows on different planes.
This is a photoshopped image. Has nothing to do with the topic on this page.
On the contrary. It’s twenty photos for the price of one. It belongs extra much therefore.
Load More Replies...Punk Band Type Album Cover
Lucas believed a gentleman should never motor about after dark.
Load More Replies...Yep, if its made in England, it's dangerous...the question of "How" is still being debated in Parliament.
This Basketball Court
Just Found This And Thought, This Could Be Nice Cover
also, good cover for the U2 album with the same name
Load More Replies...This deserves to be higher. It reminds me of my angsty adolescence in the desert.
Shell
Worked with someone whose name was H. Ellis. The company email made it into Hellis@ourcompany.com
More like the photo accompanying an article on fossil fuel corporation bulls**t.
Welp, This Street Lamp Looks Absolutely Terrifying
So incredibly creepy. Also used frequently on this site but with good reason.
Lights
https://www.instagram.com/p/CjWZMQ4M1wd/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D Best I could find
Load More Replies...Time-lapsed meteor shower? That's the only thing I can think of, beyond just straight Photoshop.
So far I've heard these are rocket launches, searchlights, a timelapse of a meteor shower, sun shining through holes in/between clouds, photoshop, or AI. I just don't even know.
The Passenger
A Pool Untouched By The Brown Flood Waters
In Loving Memory
There was a bench in a park near me which said in loving memory of [name] and some jerk ripped it off the bench and broke it into pieces. I managed to retrieve most of it, took the pieces home, glued them back together, then tracked down the guy's friends on FB and told them I had it and would they like me to send it to them. Guess who got back to me? The guy whose name was on the plaque! He hadn't died - just moved away. He sincerely thanked me and said I could keep it, so it's now on my kitchen wall above the spice rack.
That’s funny, but please don’t put that anywhere near a gravesite, a poor mother who lost her 4 year old daughter due to cancer comes and sees In LoViNg MeMoUrY oF mE, iM nOt DeAd, JuSt SeLf CeNtReD (it took me so long to click the up and down button. Comedy is pain…, but please don’t come to me saying “this isn’t comedy, I know, but you think of a better word for it! I bet you can’t! This comment is getting *pretty* long now, so all of you who have so much of a kind soul to be reading this WHOLE thing, thank you, bye. So unnecessarily long…)
Lights Rays In An Abandoned Theatre
Made On Earth By Humans
"I am human and I need to be loved, just like everybody else does" The Smiths
Inside Tesla circuit boards, much more jokes in the internals of the cars, normal users will never see them.
We used to do PCB design and you'd be amazed the things customers wanted us to include in layouts. One customer always require some variation of a Puffin...
Load More Replies...E X I T
Album Cover?
I saw a photo where hundreds of fluorescent light bulbs were stuck in the ground on one end under a power line tower and they all were glowing just from radiated electricity through the bulb to ground.
Guitar Girl
Now D*e
Oh for sure. This is the place the horror movie protagonists stop at one late night. The boyfriend/best friend archetype will insist it's fine and the other is just paranoid.
Load More Replies...once could be coincidence, but there is a 2nd "DIE" in the background...
Cloud
Cats Just Want To Watch The World Burn
Is this a garage? Someone's room? Why is there a motorbike in a space that has carpet? Why is there a flaming pan on the carpet? So many questions and the least of which is the cat.
Oh no, instead of protecting my house from being burnt down, I take a picture and upload it to board Panda #cutevibes ❤️👍🥰🤪🌸😊😄😘
Most images here have not been uploaded by the people who took them. This list consists of images from Reddit, and most of them are in turn probably originally taken from other places.
Load More Replies...It's perfectly normal to keep your motorbike in the house. Less chance of it getting stolen, you can work on it and keep warm if it's cold outside and they are like a work of art! Can't comment about the kitties or the pan on fire...
Kitten is literally looking at it like... "Oh no." peacefully and matter of factually 🤣
Why is there a flaming pan on a carpet, and next to a dirtbike with a gas tank?
Reminder
Well I give it a try. Do you know Remi Wolf? She launched a song with Paramore this year and has also a really cool new single called prescription. Then, a band I discovered are The Dresden Dolls, they are old but new for me. Now I'm in love with their songs Girl Anachronism and My Alcoholic Friends. And someone else I discovered recently: Laura Marling. A british folk pop singer, pretty cool
Coin-Operated Boy by The Dresden Dolls is a favorite of mine!
Load More Replies...Yes, under the word important. It looks more like a dog or creature to me
Load More Replies...What new music would y'all recommend? My suggestion is Pagan Alter. Start with Judgement of Dead and go from there.
Duck
I almost spit my lunch because I can hear the voice in my head. This shouldn't that funny but it is.
Load More Replies...The chances of being killed by a duck are extremely low, but not impossible.
As I Burn
Caught This At A Great Time A While Back
Here in Europe we only have 12 months/year. What do you in the US call the 22'nd month?
This was my grandmother's birthday. She was born at 2:22 in the morning, and her favorite number was 2.
Flying Cat
I’m pretty sure it’s photoshopped because of how the cat looks
Load More Replies...If this i areal photo, ho awful!! Poor cat!! Whoever done that, you should be ashamed of yourself!
[u/Ilovesurrealism]
:(
Cross
You just know a ton of stupid Christians were like "IT'S A SIGH FROM GOD!!!!!"
I am a christian and I am smart enough to know a general idea of the science behind why its upright like that. But if idiots out there are aloud to believe that pretty rocks give off magic healing energy, then christians are allowed point out what they believe to be a sign if god.
Load More Replies...Someone photoshopped The Stand I believe https://www.amazon.com/Stand-Movie-Tie-Stephen-King/dp/0593313887/ref=asc_df_0593313887/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475771750252&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6319209125684032318&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032941&hvtargid=pla-1000873436053&psc=1&mcid=7c9cfbb00eb93ffaa8896f32b31440b2&gclid=Cj0KCQiAsvWrBhC0ARIsAO4E6f_6OEoS6B5ge3au5eay2WihVwvk0a-ayMMRaqq5OW5We09D37Vw81MaAkaQEALw_wcB
Could even be a shot from the movie adaptation of The Stand. I’m a lifelong huge King fan, but the old movie versions suck so hard that I haven’t watched most of the old ones XD (Shawshank and Green Mile were great adaptations, though.)
Load More Replies...Red Room
When I was growing up, my family traveled a bit in the military. Remember while in Europe if we saw something like this, it indicated that was a place to have dates that you pay for if you catch my meaning. Was according our European friends that adopted us as family and vice versa
I Made This A Couple Of Years Ago
Shining Lights Alt
No Signal
S
I just posted the same quote on a photo above! Such a fab film :)
Load More Replies...Broken Light Not Giving Up
Catholic Priests At A Seminary Playing A Game Of Basketball, Bergamo, Italy, 1964
Father Guido Sarducci has to be in there somewhere...
Load More Replies...UPS Is Determined
This photo is 100% real. It is not Photoshopped, and it is not meant to be a joke. One of my family members worked with this man at the same UPS hub, and was out delivering on that day also. Due to jammed radio and cell towers, they went along, doing their jobs, not knowing the full extent of what was going on.
I was an EMT in New Jersey that day, I went there with my Ambulance Crew, it was a day I still can't describe. I am glad I was able to do my bit for America though, proud to have been part of the rescue response.
Thank you for service, Samantha! I'll bet that day is not one you can ever forget...
Load More Replies..."Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"
Load More Replies...Inside Of A Penguins Mouth
A Recent Flood Where I Live
Am I the only one who thinks Idiot, don't drive where you can't see the road.
"Men Dead Working End" Found In An Fb Group Source Unknown
The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead, and the dead keep it. The way is shut.
Please Wait
We Will Find You
Yep and they flew so high and fast they needed space suits. Ejection at Mach 3.5 would have been death otherwise.
Load More Replies...Genuine American pressure suit for flight crew. That's a relief, for a moment I thought it might be Russian.
Men On The Moon
And? Nowhere does it say it has to be real photos… this post is just about great images that could be used as album covers.
Load More Replies...Flight Attendant In A Turbine
Naughty, naughty. The curve on the intake is critical to correct airflow ino the fan. It shouldn't be butt shaped.
Daft Punk In Japan (2000)
This comment has been removed from recycling bin.
Load More Replies...Apathy
My new hero: 60 year old historian Martin Bühler (who identified himself to the press) appears to ‘photobomb’ a lot of media images of the G20 in Hamburg. In reality he is a long time observer documenting police brutality. In Hamburg he chose to cultivate the most non-activist ‘white bystander in a suit with a bike’ look he could manage and casually walked in front of police. As police slowed down or interrupted attacks and waited for the ‘bystander’ to get out of the way (being caught on camera trashing what look like bystanders is bad press after all), activists had time to regroup or retreat. tumblr_osz...2c451b.jpg
Most Important Instrument In The Orchestra
"Cocktails For Two" -- Spike Jones & City Slickers, 1945. His band used a gun as a musical instrument in most (if not all) of his wacky tunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvt4b_qwC_Q
I don’t remember seeing this option for band in high school. I would’ve joined to be the gun player.
"Please do not shoot the piano player. He is doing his best." - sign posted in an Arkansas bar, according to Oscar Wilde
Streetlighted
We have a junction near us that we call malfunction junction and it has no light, a RR crossing involved, five streets, and four crosswalks. No light. Just stop signs.
Load More Replies...Had to find out - it's just a render: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/6YX55
Lonely Station
Like the beginning of a horror movie. Especially a Japanese horror movie.
I think I can actually make out the letters, my guess is Scheveningen.
During A Walk In The Rain, I Stumbled Upon This Sad Sight
Maybe it's not sad - Maybe they spent the money and got a lovely wedding so no longer needed the box 😇
F**k Station
Classic BP, censoring their own punchline. BP, if you don't DARE to write FÚCK out, don't include pictures that rely on it. For FÚCK'S sake.
I think this is a case of "unnecessary censorship", where the joke only works if they censor something that doesn't actually need to be censored.
Load More Replies...I'm picturing local rednecks shooting out all the other letters to make this happen.
Fire Porsche
Somethings Holy Happens There
Looks like the scene from "Dogma" where God wakes up in the hospital where she was on life support.
This picture was taken by the grandson of Lankester Merrin, whom he unwillingly fathered with Pazuzu during an exorcism back in the 1970s.......unfortunately, it's not always holy water that churchmen splash around with...🤭🙋🏽
I Don't Know
"Palace" By @ijmillz
A Church In My Hometown
Whoever was designing Lutheran churches in the 1970s loved including all sorts of cool lighting effects.
Load More Replies...This Was Taken Two Years Ago, Surely It Still Holds Up?
Was Just Texting My Friends My Location At The Bar And Snapped This
Maybe the brainless tw@s with feet on the table.
Load More Replies...Hey V-Sauce Michael Here
Naah, I much rather prefer the celeb ones, or the affiliate shopping links.. 🤷♂️ JK! (This was good content)
Load More Replies...The man-baby that sued Nirvana for being in a picture is a money-grabbing bastard. Nobody in the world would recognize someone from a baby picture and remember what their member looked like! Go live the rest of your days in your mother's basement as you were already doing sir.
Some awesome photos here. The article kinda reminds me of that "game" where you'd get a wikipedia article as your band name, a random quote from "quotationspage.com" as your album name (or the first/last words of the quote anyway) and the 3rd image of the "explore interesting photos" on flickr for your cover. Used to have so much fun with that. xD
Another reddit ripoff. Just went to reddit, filtered by "top" of "all time" and pasted here. https://www.reddit.com/r/ImagesAlbum/top/?t=all
You're using the word "rape" very lightly Edit: ah yes people, downvote me *after* they fixed their initial comment 🙄
Load More Replies...Naah, I much rather prefer the celeb ones, or the affiliate shopping links.. 🤷♂️ JK! (This was good content)
Load More Replies...The man-baby that sued Nirvana for being in a picture is a money-grabbing bastard. Nobody in the world would recognize someone from a baby picture and remember what their member looked like! Go live the rest of your days in your mother's basement as you were already doing sir.
Some awesome photos here. The article kinda reminds me of that "game" where you'd get a wikipedia article as your band name, a random quote from "quotationspage.com" as your album name (or the first/last words of the quote anyway) and the 3rd image of the "explore interesting photos" on flickr for your cover. Used to have so much fun with that. xD
Another reddit ripoff. Just went to reddit, filtered by "top" of "all time" and pasted here. https://www.reddit.com/r/ImagesAlbum/top/?t=all
You're using the word "rape" very lightly Edit: ah yes people, downvote me *after* they fixed their initial comment 🙄
Load More Replies...
