ACHOF Inductee List Main Page

ACHOF – List of Inductees Main Page

Since officially launching the site in 2012, each year, in November, we’ve inducted a class of Inductees based on the results from the group’s yearly nominating and final voting surveys. The initial three classes focused on nominees who began their careers as album cover artists in the period of years between 1960 – 1975, 1976 – 1990 and, in 2014, from 1991 – present. 2015 was the first one that allowed for the consideration of any talent not previously inducted into the ACHOF and we continue on going forward in that fashion. The people under consideration this year are people who BEGAN their careers in the field at any time during the period the ACHOF focuses its attention on  – 1960 – present.

The lists for the yearly classes of Inductees selected for inclusion in the Album Cover Hall of Fame  include the names and basic info about the art directors, designers, illustrators, typographers and photographers who created the principal images used on rock and popular music record album covers and packages. Along with the awards in the four main categories, we’ve also been please to honor the record labels and musical acts that have been strong proponents of the art of the album cover, many of whom continue to invest their resources in an effort to build stronger relationships with their fans via both the packaging of their retail music products and the visuals they create for use online, on merchandise and in their related promotional efforts.

Please also note – For the first several years of voting (through 2015), we also inducted two other lists of inductees – one called the “Individual Achievement Award” which was a special award given to people who haven’t contributed regularly to music packaging but who’d created singular achievements in the area and the second being a short list of artists in a class called “Early Influencers”. Included in this list are the names of people who have been credited in a variety of books and magazines as having introduced the public to the art of the modern album cover. While the ACHOF focuses primarily on the people who have produced portfolios of the best rock and pop music-related cover art, it is important to get a basic understanding of how the modern music industry moved from selling their products in plain paper sleeves (which looked just fine next to the sheet music and music instruction books that were on the shelves or in the bins next to them) to the eye-catching packages that were meant to introduce you somehow to the music packaged inside.

In 2022, the ACHOF Voting Panel agreed that it was more important to spend time documenting the careers of those who’ve made our favorite record packages, rather than rating their artistic merit and/or overall impact on the promotion and selling of these products, and so it was decided that voting was no longer needed. Great work is done each year by designers/producers in the field and so we’ll continue to work hard to introduce you to these talented individuals and share updates on their work and careers.

If you’d like to see a list of all ACHOF inductees (by category) in alphabetical order, click here.

All inductees in the “Album Cover Photographer” Category –

2012 – Joel Brodsky, Henry Diltz, Bob Gruen, Elliott Landy, Gered Mankowitz, Jim Marshall, Mick Rock, Norman Seeff, Bob Seidemann and Robert Whitaker

2013 – Anton Corbijn, Bob Gruen, Annie Leibovitz, Neal Preston, Herb Ritts and Pennie Smith

2014 – Danny Clinch, Merri Cyr, David LaChapelle, Michael Lavine and Kirk Weddle

2015 – Richard Avedon, Michael Cooper, Karl Ferris, Jim McCrary and Ethan Russell

2016 – Roberta Bayley, Ed Caraeff, Robert Frank, Brian Griffin and Aaron Rapoport

2017 – Richard E. Aaron, George DuBose, Ross Halfin, Don Hunstein, and Trevor Key 

2018 – Chalkie Davies, Robert Ellis, Lynn Goldsmith, Jean-Baptiste Mondino and Paul Wakefield

2019 – Janette Beckman, Fin Costello, Hideki Fujii, Daniel Kramer, Simon Larbalestier and Linda McCartney

2020 – Drew Carolan, Ed Meola, Stephen Paley, Mark Seliger and Mark Weiss

2021 – Brian Duffy, Laura Levine and Jerry Schatzberg

All Inductees in the “Album Cover Illustrator/Typographer” Category  –

2012 – Robert Crumb, Roger Dean, H.R. Giger, Rick Griffin, George Hardie, Stanley Mouse/Alton Kelley, Cal Schenkel, John Van Hamersveld, Klauss Voorman and Andy Warhol;

2013 – Hugh Gilmour, Peter Lloyd, Dave McMacken, Jamie Reid, Derek Riggs and Hugh Syme

2014 – Jonathan Barnbrook, Stanley Donwood, Shepard Fairey, Russell Mills and Steve Vance

2015 – Abdul Mati Klarwein, James Marsh; Martin Sharp, Drew Struzan and Philip Travers

2016 – Dave McKean, Martin Muller (AKA “Neon Park”), Bill Sienkiewicz, Paul Whitehead and Tony Wright

2017 – Geoff Halpin, David Juniper, Victor Moscoso, Shusei Nagoka and John Pasche 

2018 – David Bailey, Carson Ellis, Frank Olinsky, Dean Torrence and George Underwood 

2019 – Pedro Bell, Ioannis, Tom Nikosey, Terry Pastor, Gerald Scarfe and Winston Smith

2020 – Stefan G. Bucher, Nic Dartnell, Boyd Elder, Jann Hawworth and Raymond Pettibon

2021 – Richard Amsel, Lou Beach and Overton Lloyd

All Inductees in the “Album Cover Designer” Category –

2012 – Gary Burden, Peter Corriston,  Martin Sharp, Ed Thrasher and Tom Wilkes

2013 – Martyn Atkins, Barney Bubbles, Nick DeVille, Nick Egan, Mick Haggerty and Peter Saville 

2014 – Chris Bilheimer, Doug Erb, Bill McMullen, Russell Mills and Brian Roettinger

2015 – Sir Peter Blake, Bob Cato, William S. “Bill” Harvey, Hipgnosis (Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell) and John Kosh

2016 – Stan Evenson, Jeff Motch & Dave Lively DBA Lively & Motch, Vaughan Oliver, Jeri & John Heiden DBA Smog Design and Dean Torrence DBA Kittyhawk Graphics

2017 – Craig Butler, David Costa, Hugh Gilmour, Carl Glover and Geoff Halpin

2018 – Ron Coro, Peter Curzon, Jean-Paul Goude, Storm Thorgerson and Tony Wright

2019 –  John Berg, Mike Doud, Rod Dyer, Rob O’Connor (& Stylorouge) and Glen Wexler 

2020 – Susan Archie, Tracy Maurice, Mike Salisbury, Hugh Syme and Ed Thrasher

2021 – Fritz Klaetke, Paula Scher and Tony Wright

All Inductees in the “Album Cover Art Director” Category –

2012 – Sir Peter Blake, David Costa, Hipgnosis (Storm Thorgerson/Aubrey Powell) and John Kosh

2013 – Martyn Atkins, Barney Bubbles, Nick DeVille, Nick Egan, Mick Haggerty and Peter Saville

2014 – Lawrence Azerrad, Peter Buchanan-Smith, Don & Ryan Clark (Invisible Creature), Kevin Reagan and – Al Quattrocchi and Jeff Smith (Tornado Design)

2015 – John Berg, Bob Cato, Ernie Cefalu, Mike Doud and Paula Scher

2016 – Phil Hartman (originally, Hartmann), Laura LiPuma-Nash, Hugh Syme, (James) Flournoy Holmes and W. David Powell DBA Wonder Graphics and Roland Young

2017 – Gary Burden, Craig Butler, Art Chantry, Gail Marowitz and Tony Wright

2018 – Aaron & Shawn Brauch (Pen & Pixel), David Larkham, Aubrey Powell, Cal Schenkel and Dean Torrence

2019 – Cey Adams, Stanley Donwood, Garbrielle Raumberger, Tommy Steele and Larry Vigon

2020 – Ron Coro, Rod Dyer, Bill Levy, Vaughan Oliver and Winston Smith

2021 – Neville Brody, Philip Smee and Jay Vigon

All Winners in the “Record Labels That Support Great Album Art” Category –

2012 –  Apple Records, Blue Note, Capitol/EMI, Columbia/CBS, Elektra/Asylum/Nonesuch and Reprise

2013 – Casablanca, Sire and SubPop

2014 – Kill Rock Stars, Maverick and Roc A Fella

2015 – Atlantic/Atco and Charisma 

2016 – Mute, Rough Trade and Verve

2017 – Merge, Polydor/Polygram and Stax/Volt

2018 – Interscope and Parlophone

2019 – Island, Nonesuch (solo) and Yep Roc

2020 – The Vinyl Factory and Smithsonian Folkways

2021 – Factory Records

All Winners in the “Musical Acts With A Long-Standing Commitment To Great Album Cover Imagery” Category –

2012 – The Beatles, David Bowie, Alice Cooper, The Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Yes and Frank Zappa

2013 – Depeche Mode, Nirvana, Ramones, Sex Pistols and Talking Heads

2014 – Arcade Fire, Beastie Boys, Beck, Bjork and Wilco

2015 – King Crimson, The Moody Blues and Supertramp

2016 – Electric Light Orchestra/ELO, Pixies and Santana

2017 – Earth Wind & Fire (Tie), Genesis and R.E.M. (Tie)

2018 – Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Rush and The Smiths

2019 – Black Sabbath, St. Vincent, White Stripes and Kanye West

2020 – The Clash, The Decemberists and Cat Stevens/Yusuf

2021 – Chicago/CTA and Radiohead

All Winners in the “Individual Achievement Awards” Category –

2012 – Barry Godber (King Crimson’s Court of the Crimson King), Richard Hamilton (The Beatles’ White Album) and Mike McInnerney (The Who’s Tommy)

2013 – Catherine Kanner (Bob Dylan’s Slow Train Coming) and Kirk Weddle (Nirvana’s Nevermind)

2014 – Sacha Jafri (Silver Rails by Jack Bruce)

2015 – Lee Conklin (Santana by Santana) and Vic Singh (The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn by Pink Floyd)

2016 – Category cancelled

More information on each year’s class of inductees may be reached via the Inductee Info Main Page

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Updated November 24, 2021 and February 11, 2024