Often hailed as the best album designer in the world, Storm Thorgerson has sadly passed away at the age of 69.
The British graphic designer was responsible for some of the most influential and memorable album covers to date. There's no denying a Thorgerson creation and with a 40 year career, he's certainly crafted the kind of covers that we'll never forget.
To celebrate the life and work of Thorgerson, we've compiled 10 of his best album covers of all time. A very sad loss for the graphic design industry but his work will no doubt continue to inspire.
01. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Arguably Thorgerson's most renowned album cover, this design for Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon'. Designer Aubrey Powell joined Thorgerson in creating the final product and some say that the prism was inspired by a photograph Thorgerson had come across whilst the pair had been brainstorming.
02. Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
A more recent creation, Thorgerson put his signature stamp on Muse's fourth studio album 'Black Holes and Revelations'. It features Thorgerson's love for the weird and the wonderful and is a brilliant example of his evolution in style.
03. Rival Sons - Pressure & Time
Sticking to his avant-garde style, Thorgerson once again used a mixture of mediums for this album cover. Combining photography, painting and typography, this album cover for Rival Sons' 'Pressure & Time' is another cover classic.
04. Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
Here's another one of Thorgerson's most recognisable album covers and one that many Led Zeppelin fans favour. The futuristic, sci-fi take on the design for 'Houses of the Holy' was met with controversial critique but we think this is a cover that has stood the test of time.
05. The Wombats - This Modern Glitch
Released in 2011, The Wombats' 'This Modern Glitch' was one of the last album covers Thorgerson created. Able to take his style through four decades of trends and still create covers that work is a huge design feat indeed. A modern take but without losing his edge.
06. Phish - Slip Stitch and Pass
Taking a tongue-in-cheek approach to this 1997 release from Phish, 'Slip Stich and Pass' is portrayed with a huge ball of yarn. The phrase 'the old ball and chain' springs to mind, showing us that although Thorgerson took his work very seriously, he never lost his sense of design humour.
07. Genesis - ...and then there were three...
Thorgerson called this album cover 'a failure'. Trying to tell a story through light trails, the design concept aimed to represent the departure of band members. Whatever he says, we still think this deserves a place in the Thorgerson hall of fame. It's unlike any other album cover out there and that's what he does best.
08. Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Mr. Love Pants
Check this little guy out! A firm favourite here at the Creative Bloq office, Thorgerson's creation for Ian Dury & The Blockhead's 'Mr. Love Pants' showcases the fun he had with graphic design. Eye-catching, bright and full of Thorgerson weird-and-wonderfulness, this is a brilliant take on a brilliant album title.
09. Pendulum - Immersion
An underwater adventure for this album cover design, as Thorgerson dives into the murky depths of a sci-fi inspired sea. The illustrative cover was created in collaboration with Polish artist Maciej Hajnrich (aka Valp), and was also used across the Collector's Box Set.
10. Anthrax - Stomp 442
Another sphere-like cover design by Storm Thorgerson, it was created in collaboration with graphic designer and art director Peter Curzon. Adding another album cover containing nudity to his roster, this is another classic creation that will continue to inspire.
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Which Storm Thorgerson album cover is your favourite? Let us know in the comments box below!
