Best/Worst Album Cover Lists – 2012
Each year, music and art critics work to provide readers and viewers with their “Top 10” lists in a variety of categories (by musical genre, by who most-effected pop culture, by who raised the bar, by who revealed the most of their inner souls or their outer skin, etc.). Many of these same publications and sites also attempt to arrive at – by their design standards and/or knowledge of the relationships between musicians, their record labels/distributors and the people they hire to create a new graphical representation of their latest music releases – which records came with the best (or worst) associated album covers.
Some lists were the opinions of a publication’s reporter or staff, while others reflect the votes of readers of those publications, but whether they approach these surveys from the angle of music fan, the art fan or simply from folks that appreciate the importance of good album art (to the promotion and sale of music and/or a musical act’s image), these lists do provide some interesting insights into the “art of criticism”, as do the comments submitted by those who agree or disagree with the final poll results.
Presented in no particular order, here is a list of lists from sources around the world for Best or Worst Album Covers for 2012 – please let us know which of these lists best-represented your feelings on the topic by leaving a comment for us, below – thanks!
“Best of” Lists –
Album Art Exchange Blog – http://blog.albumartexchange.com/?p=4316
Pitchfork Magazine – http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/9014-the-best-album-covers-of-2012/2/
Gigwise – http://www.gigwise.com/photos/78510/1/muse-the-2nd-law-voted-best-album-art-of-2012
The Smoking Section on Uproxx.com – http://smokingsection.uproxx.com/TSS/2012/12/album-covers-list#page/1
XXL Magazine – http://www.xxlmag.com/xxl-magazine/2012/12/xxl-presents-the-best-album-covers-of-2012/
Diffuser.fm – http://diffuser.fm/best-album-cover-2012-diffuser-fm-music-awards/
Paste Magazine – http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2012/12/the-50-best-album-covers-of-2012.html
New Music Express/NME (UK) – http://www.nme.com/ratemy/291008/best-album-art-of-2012
Creative Bloq by Future Publishing (UK) – http://www.creativebloq.com/best-album-art-2012-113322
Bad Perm (“Hip Hop from a Woman’s Perspective”) – http://www.bad-perm.com/2013/01/best-hip-hop-album-cover-art-of-2012/
Hot New Hip Hop – http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/best-album-covers-of-2012-news.3866.html
Respect Magazine – http://respect-mag.com/best-album-covers-of-2012/
Brightest Young Things – http://brightestyoungthings.com/articles/the-best-album-art-of-2012.htm
Print Magazine – http://www.printmag.com/Article/The-Best-Album-Art-of-2012
A Closer Listen – http://acloserlisten.com/2012/12/16/acl-2012-the-years-best-album-covers/
R&B on About.com – http://randb.about.com/od/photogalleries/ig/2012-s-Best-Album-Covers/
Faster Louder (Australia) – http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/gallery/snapshot/29357/Best-Album-Covers-of-2012#1
Kerrang Radio (UK) – http://www.kerrangradio.co.uk/music/features/the-best-album-covers-of-2012/
The 405 – http://thefourohfive.com/news/article/best-artwork-of-2012
“Worst of” Lists –
The Guardian (UK) – http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2012/dec/21/worst-album-sleeves-2012
Brightest Young Things – http://brightestyoungthings.com/articles/the-worst-album-art-of-2012.htm
Pitchfork Magazine – http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/9013-the-worst-album-covers-of-2012/
Idolator – http://idolator.com/7335462/worst-album-covers-2012
Maktoob on Yahoo – http://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/photos/the-worst-album-covers-of-2012-1355928749-slideshow/
Album Cover Hall of Fame.com 