The Band with the Best Album Covers?

Other than JD/NO, of course, there are several bands over the ages who have made the art of album covers into something almost as interesting as the music contained inside (and in some cases, more interesting. See "Oasis, Be Here Now, 1997" if you don't believe me). Anyway, I thought it would be a nice boost to my topics total to take some time and recognize those unsung sleeve jacket artiste. Plus, it's Friday night and I'm bored :D

First off, I'm sorry but the Smiths probably took the idea of album art back in the Eighties from the Corey Harts and Lionel Richies of the world. Rather than be featured themselves, they took photos of other folks and made a design off that which arrested the eyes. "The Queen is Dead" is probably my favorite.

Talking Heads also did some interesting things with their covers. But of course they would, what with David Byrne in the group.

The Velvet Underground really had balls to follow up their classic Warhol sketch with "White Light/White Heat"'s intense minimalism. And the self-titled album followed that up perfectly.

Belle and Sebastian continued the practice established by the Smiths of enigmatic designs, and may even have surpassed it.

The Beatles had some decent headshots prior to "Sgt. Pepper", but nothing's more iconic than that. Of course, they followed that up with blank whiteness.

Pink Floyd got carried away a bit, but never really had a "bad" album cover.

Anyway, those are the ones right off the top of my head. Anyone care to nominate any other groups or artists?

yawn. if you're entering them into a pretentious 'pictures of blurry diners and poor people' coffee-table book (to borrow from the daily show).

for sheer ingenuity and disturbing raunchiness, behold NOFX's heavy petting zoo:

Aside from NO, Depeche Mode covers comes to mind like “Music for the masses” & “Violater” and not the ones with the band members on it.

I lean towards the artsy-fartsy covers with muted colors (not a big fan of bright colors) and a relative simple design on it much like NO/Peter Saville Covers. Crisp, clean design is what really catches my fancy. I’ve been listening to the Blue Nile’s “Hats” lately and it’s got a nice cover to it with a brilliant shade of blue. Some of Dead Can Dance albums are striking, don’t know the titles but I think the greatest hits album is the one that is stunning.

I'll try to post visuals of them; I guess that would serve justice to this.

Well, outside of the obvious Factory bands with Saville designs, Pet Shop Boys and The Velvet Underground leap to mind.

Siouxsie and the Banshees - Through the looking glass

The 4AD bands had great sleeves, as had The The.

Excluding New Order, Joy Division and side projects, I have to say Depeche Mode, The Smiths, OMD, Mazzy Star and Enigma!

Other than the Peter saville designs (which are of course the best) I'd have to go for The Cocteau twins and one or two others off 4AD (Pixies, This mortal coil) and also The Smiths and the mighty half man half biscuit. It's quite hard to be totally objective in this question though because you naturally think of the bands you like and not the ones you think are crap, so i thought to be fair i'd check out someone like the Rasmus. Gotta say, the covers match the music.

This has always been one of my favourites:

Absolutely perfect shot.

The best British album of the 90's.

The second best.

More aloof than NO at the time.

Enough said.

must be cocteau twins.i also agree with pixies and of course-siouxsie and the banshees.