Earlier this month, Billboard published its list of the "100 Best Album Covers of All Time," which was topped by 1967's The Velvet Underground and Nico, featuring a print of a banana by the late artist Andy Warhol.
England's Planet Rock Internet radio has published its list of "The 50 greatest album covers of all time," which focuses solely on rock albums.
Rainbow's second album, 1976's Rising, tops the list, and Iron Maiden had the most with four followed by Led Zeppelin with three.
- Rainbow – Rising (1976)
- Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
- Iron Maiden – Somewhere in Time (1986)
- Iron Maiden – Powerslave (1984)
- Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell (1977)
- Deep Purple – Deep Purple in Rock (1970)
- Black Sabbath (1970)
- King Crimson – In the Court of the Crimson King (1969)
- Wishbone Ash – Argus (1972)
- Dio – Holy Diver (1983)
- Led Zeppelin – Houses of the Holy (1973)
- The Rolling Stones – Sticky Fingers (1971)
- David Bowie – Aladdin Sane (1973)
- Iron Maiden – The Number of the Beast (1982)
- Mike Oldfield – Tubular Bells (1973)
- The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
- Nirvana – Nevermind (1991)
- Pantera – Vulgar Display of Power (1992)
- Rush – Permanent Waves (1980)
- Supertramp – Breakfast in America (1979)
- Queen – Queen II (1974)
- Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (1975)
- Yes – Tales from Topographic Oceans (1973)
- Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti (1975)
- The Who – Who’s Next (1971)
- Guns N’ Roses – Appetite for Destruction (1987)
- Marillion – Script for a Jester’s Tear (1983)
- Van Halen – 1984 (1984)
- Magnum - On a Storyteller's Night (1985)
- Fleetwood Mac – Rumours (1977)
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Brain Salad Surgery (1973)
- Hawkwind – Space Ritual (1973)
- Cream – Disraeli Gears (1967)
- Yes – Relayer (1974)
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Tarkus (1971)
- Metallica – Master of Puppets (1986)
- Iron Maiden – Killers (1981)
- The Clash – London Calling (1979)
- Queen – News of the World (1977)
- Led Zeppelin (1969)
- Judas Priest – British Steel (1980)
- David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1973)
- Megadeth - Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? (1986)
- Rush – Moving Pictures (1981)
- Uriah Heep – Demons and Wizards (1972)
- KISS – Destroyer (1976)
- Jethro Tull – Aqualung (1971)
- Eagles – Hotel California (1976)
- Peter Gabriel (1980)
- Motörhead – Overkill (1979)
Source: Planet Rock and Premiere
What are some of your favorite album covers? So you miss album artwork?