Album Cover Hall of Fame News Update and Link Summary for April, 2024

Posted April 1, 2024 by Mike Goldstein, AlbumCoverHallofFame.com

I’m always a bit concerned about publishing a newsletter on April Fool’s Day, as I want folks to feel confident that the news items you’ll read in all of my summaries are in fact real and not something I’ve put up in some mischievous fashion, as is customary in many press outlets around the world on this day (or, in some media outlets, almost every day). While I’m certain that many creative types do in fact use their imaginations and talents to prank their friends and co-workers – I’m of the mind that some of the art exhibitions I’ve seen over the years are, in fact, nothing but elaborate pranks on an unsuspecting public – I haven’t come across any that I can share with you, but if you’re aware of any examples, I would ask you to send them my way so I can feature them at some point in the future. I won’t go completely out on a limb to say that the BBC’s famous “Spaghetti Tree” hoax in the late 1950s or Pornhub’s 2016 one-day switch to “Cornhub”, displaying suggestive videos of corn cobs instead of their regular fare that day, are two examples of “the best” of the category, but I’d like to think it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch for the folks who brought us records with zippers, in film cans and/or wrapped in sandpaper to give us something to stare-and/or-laugh at from time to time (props to the many people who’ve done that very thing unintentionally, as we’ve seen in the recent book/touring show The Art of the Bizarre Vinyl Sleeve).  

With that all being said, let’s begin this month’s summary of all that’s good and interesting in the world of album cover artists and art.

ACHOF Interview with 2024 Grammy Award winners Jeri & John Heiden of SMOG Design

ACHOF’s Mike Goldstein’s interview with SMOG Design’s Jeri and John Heiden on their 2024 Grammy Award-winning (for “Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package”) work for For The Birds: The Birdsong Project.

Posted March 28, 2024 by Mike Goldstein

This past year, as the result of the labor unrest and strikes that took place in various parts of the entertainment industry, award shows of all stripes have been eager to stress the importance of those who work behind the scenes in various roles in production and promotion. A recent example was during the 2024 Academy Awards show here in the U.S., during which the host brought out to the stage a large entourage of people from that event’s production crew so that they could take a bow in front of the luminaries who the show usually focuses its attention on. It was heartwarming to see the show of solidarity by most of the audience who seemed to understand the importance and significance of those who are credited but typically unseen, and it reminded me that, each year around this time, I venture to bring you an interview or two with some of those who are honored by industry organizations for their superlative productions in the area of packaging and promotion. While the award presentations for these honorees will probably not ever be included in a televised event (as they’re usually given out in pre-show ceremonies), I’ve been covering this business long enough to know that some people’s work over the years deserves special attention, and I’m proud to be able to do this in some (very) small way.

The subjects of this ACHOF interview are two people – partners Jeri and John Heiden of SMOG Design – who, for the first time in the many years since Jeri’s first Grammy Award nomination in 1986 (earning five more through 2024), were finally given the top award in their category – and their first as a duo – at the latest ceremonies this past February.

ACHOF Breaking News Update – Here Are The Winners Of The 66th Annual Grammy Awards In Packaging

Posted February 5^th, 2024 by Mike Goldstein

Unfortunately, I was airborne and couldn’t post this news in real time, but I still want to share the news that the Grammy Award Winners in the Packaging Categories were announced this past Sunday afternoon during the web-cast “66th Annual Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony” – with the ceremonies taking  place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and I’m now pleased bring you the names of both the nominees and the winners in each of the three categories: