Controversial
7. The Coup: ‘Party Music’ – The Coup, part of the sub-genre of political hip hop, is politically radical and Marxist in their music, and align themselves with other radical hip-hop groups like Dead Prez. Their music is characterized by electronic sounds and bass-driven backbeats overlaid by humorous, cynical and sometimes violent lyrics criticizing capitalism, American politics, pimping as a form of patriarchal exploitation, and police brutality, among other things.
In 2001, The Coup released Party Music to widespread praise. However, in part due to distribution problems, sales of the album were low. The original album cover art depicted group members Pam the Funkstress and Riley standing in front of the twin towers of the World Trade Center as they are destroyed by huge explosions; Riley is pushing the button on a guitar tuner. The cover art was finished in June 2001, and was scheduled to be released just after the September 11, 2001 attacks. In response to the uncanny similarity of the artwork with the Sept. 11 attacks, the album release was held back until alternative cover art could be prepared.
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Weird
7. Jim O'Rourke: 'Eureka' Uh, what is that rabbit doing? An odd cover indeed, I think the less said the better. Eureka is an album by American musician Jim O'Rourke. It was released on Drag City in 1999. It is named after the 1984 Nicolas Roeg film of the same name. It is one of three albums recorded by O'Rourke that are named after Roeg films.
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Worst
7. Tino – ‘Por Primera Vez’ He seems super concerned that you notice the wedding ring on the left hand. Wonder why. A super terrible cover, the main claim to fame for this release is that it makes many, many lists for the worst cover.
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Best
7. The Beatles – ‘Abbey Road’ Abbey Road is the eleventh official album released by The Beatles. Though work on Abbey Road began in April 1969, making it the twelfth and final album recorded by the band; Let It Be was the last album released before the Beatles' dissolution in 1970. Abbey Road was released on 26 September 1969 in the United Kingdom, and 1 October 1969 in the United States. It was produced and orchestrated by George Martin for Apple Records. Geoff Emerick was the engineer, Alan Parsons was assistant engineer, and Tony Banks tape operator. It is regarded as one of The Beatles' most tightly constructed albums, although the band was barely operating as a functioning unit at the time. Rolling Stone magazine named it the 14th greatest album of all time.
At some point, the album was going to be titled Everest, after the brand of cigarettes I used to smoke", recalls Geoff Emerick. The idea included a cover photo in the Himalayas, but by the time the group was to take the photo, they decided to call it Abbey Road and take the photo outside the studio, on 8 August 1969. The cover designer was Apple Records creative Director Kosh. The cover photograph was taken by photographer Iain Macmillan. Macmillan was given only ten minutes around 11.30 that morning to take the photo. That cover photograph has since become one of the most famous and most imitated album covers in recording history. The man standing on the pavement in the background is Paul Cole (d. 13 February 2008), an American tourist who was unaware that he was being photographed until he saw the album cover months later. The zebra crossing today remains a popular destination for Beatles fans; see the Abbey Road webcam.
The Beetle
The Volkswagen Beetle parked next to the zebra crossing belonged to one of the people living in the apartment across from the recording studio. After the album came out, the number plate was stolen repeatedly from the car. In 1986, the car was sold at an auction for $23,000 and is currently on display at the Volkswagen museum in Wolfsburg, Germany.
imitations and parodies
The front cover of Abbey Road has become an icon within popular culture and has been imitated and lampooned repeatedly. The zebra crossing at Abbey Road is also a popular tourist destination, with visitors making their own recreation an extremely common sight.
In music
Many record covers have imitated the cover of Abbey Road, many using photographs shot at the same zebra crossing. Some of the best known of these include Red Hot Chili Peppers' The Abbey Road E.P. (in which the band appear nude, apart from tactfully placed socks), Paul McCartney's live album Paul Is Live, Beatles parody The Rutles's Shabby Road, The Shadows's Live At Abbey Road LP, Booker T. & the M.G.s's LP McLemore Avenue, Kanye West's Live Orchestration DVD (recorded at Abbey Road studios) and Sttellla's A.B. Rose (recorded live at the Ancienne Belgique, with the band dressed in rose).
Only the Beatles could have an image of the band crossing a street and have it recognized as one of the best covers of all time.
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