Almost everyone has heard the token phrase, “Behind every great man, there is a great woman.” This same coined phrase, with minor alterations, can relate to almost anything. My favorite relation is, “Behind every great work of art, there is an artist”.

My fascination with music reaches far beyond the sounds that make their way into my ear. Aside from the masterpieces a musician composes, I adore how they present their work. Album artwork tends to take a backseat nowadays. Due the mp3 platform of music, album artwork is something that happens to be associated with the music. When vinyl records and even CDs were the mainstream platform of music, a consumer had to pickup, feel, and observe the casing in which the musician chose their work to be displayed in, with itunes and now the mainstream  illegal downloading of music, this is no longer the case.

Many of the “iconic” album covers are no longer from this decade or the previous. The most memorable album covers of all time are most likely The Wall, Dark Side of the Moon, Zeppelin 1,  Abbey Road, Ten, and Nevermind. These range from the 60′s, 70′s and the 90′s (poor 80′s). Albums such as Blink 182′s Enemy of the State, Lil Wayne’s Carter III, and the Beastie Boy’s debut album are a bit more notable from the 00′s, but I would venture to say that they won’t hold as long as say, The Wall.

Is there any hope that a deeper appreciation for what the artist envisioned and chose to represent his or her work will again be considered relevant to the work? I believe so. In recent years, mp3 sales have dropped and vinyl record sales have skyrocketed. Vinyl record sales are now higher than CD sales. Soon that tiny thumbnail picture on your itunes will be the past, and a more human, tangible piece of art will represent an artists work.

…The Wall?

Will the Beastie Boys crashed flight live up to the legacy of…