BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
The 90's was pretty much a great decade for music. Granted in the later part of the decade we were ambushed with pop stars and boy bands, it wasn't that bad. When people think of the relation between the 90's and music it seems they automatically go to grunge music and gangster rap. There were other music styles popular at the time, but these were the two most relevant genres for sure.
The rise of grunge music was pretty awesome. Bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden would hit the scene and unleash some great hits. Most rock and roll purists would agree that this was the last "great era" in rock. Yes, there have been some great rock artists in the past twenty years but the overall "scene" pales in comparison. Meanwhile, gangsta rap scared the shit out of suburbia and it was great. We saw N.W.A. break off into their own projects and then the eventual rise and fall of both Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. Rap had something to say and it had some of its best representatives of all time saying it. I know the abrasive and violent nature wasn't for everyone, but no one could deny the actual substance behind the songs. I think that's what scared suburbia the most. Gangsta rap was violent and vulgar, but it was also brutally honest.
It would be easy to pick some favorite songs from the 90's; just as it would easy to pick favorite artists or music videos. Today I want to take a look at the album covers of the 90's. There was so much great music coming out during this decade that I think the appreciation of the album art is a bit neglected. If you're reading this, I'm thinking you already have a few 90's album covers in mind. Let's see if our lists match…
IX.] Artist: Dr. Dre
Album: The Chronic
Release: 1992
Dr. Dre was put on the map as part of N.W.A. When his solo album came out people weren't expecting their minds to be blown. The Chronic is one of the most important albums to be released in the 90s. Without it, hip hop as we know it would not be nearly as decorated. This album gave us "Nuthin' but a G Thang", "Fuck wit Dre Day", and our first real glimpse of a young Snoop Doggy Dogg. The music and videos was top notch, but the cover cements its place in infamy. The cover would seem simple to the un-clouded eye. It's homage to the package artwork for Zig-Zag rolling papers. It speaks for itself.
VIII.] Artist: Marilyn Manson
Album: Smells Like Children
Release: 1995
I've read it many times, but it still boggles my mind that this was only an E.P. It has as much substance and awesomeness as an LP for sure. The music on here is an assault on the ears. It balances melody with some of the most twisted sounds I've ever listened to on repeat. Needless to say, I'm a Manson fan. This album was my first exposure to the Manson. The "Sweet Dreams" single and video on here was responsible for me quickly going back and getting the old "Spooky Kids" catalog right before Antichirst Superstar would make him a house hold name. This cover always struck a chord with me. Manson poses at the camera with an insane look on his face with only shades of black and green being visible. The pink and orange font pops on top of it all. It's simple, but one of my personal favorite album covers of all time.
VII.] Artist: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Album: Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Release: 1991
Gus Van Sant is a great filmmaker, but did you know he was awesome in other mediums? I didn't! It was really cool to find this out, but Gus was the art director for this. It's the band's faces side profile with their tongue's out. The tongues spiral into a tribal pattern. In the center and in the covers are the tops of roses. It's nothing too major, but it's still prominent as hell. It's cool to look at and is an interesting, almost pop-art style. It also helps that Blood Sugar Sex Magikis a great album and everyone and their mother had a copy. "Under the Bridge" and "Give It Away" are two songs that sound almost nothing a like, but would define the band's career heading forward. Cool stuff.
VI.] Artist: The Smashing Pumpkins
Album: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Release: 1995
Even if you don't listen to everything The Smashing Pumpkins put out, which you probably should, you should own at least one copy of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. The songs on this double album were mind blowing. Songs like "Bullet with Butterfly Wings", "Tonight, Tonight", and "Zero" were embedding into the world that was 1990-whatever. You can even see and hear the band in an episode of The Simpsons around this time. This illustration is gorgeous. Whenever I see this album cover I wonder how it would look framed on a wall. The visuals are exquisite. Everything from the deep colors of the space, the random plants, the splatter of stars, and of course the woman leering out from an open star. John Craig, an artist who specializing in Neo-Victorian imagery did a great job here.
V.] Artist: Ol' Dirty Bastard
Album: Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
Release: 1995
This album was and still is outstanding. Wu-Tang's co-founder Ol' Dirty Bastard came out with his first solo project and dropped stuff like "Brooklyn Zoo" and "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" on us. This cover is great for more than a few reasons. It's a laminated food stamp card that's been customized to include O.D.B.'s face, autograph, the Wu-Tang logos, and the other little details. It's a really creative idea and works perfectly for the persona that the departed rapper displayed. One of the craziest things I ever saw on MTV was in 1995. O.D.B. was being interviewed about the album and was asked about the food stamp card situation. He proceeded to explain himself "I'm just trying to be real with it, you know what I'm saying?" before getting out of his limo and proceeding to pick up his monthly food stamp ration. There was so much that was wrong with that, but at the same time it was something you could only get from someone like Ol Dirty Bastard.
IV.] Artist: Green Day
Album: Dookie
Release: 1994
I was never a huge Green Day fan. That's not saying I can't show proper respect to this great album. This pop-punk-rock-whatever album was a mid-90's staple. You couldn't and still really can't get away from hearing hits like "Longview", "Welcome to Paradise", "Basket Case", and "When I Come Around". They've had even bigger mainstream success in recent years, but this was clearly the peak of their coolness. The album cover is just one example of that. It's an illustration by Richie Bucher that has become one of the most beloved visuals of the 90s. It's a chaotic display of an interpretation of the East Bay where they're all from. There are tons of little things to take in and notice. It's an awesome piece. It's one of those album covers you'd stare at for hours taking in new little aspects of it. They originally wanted to call this album Liquid Dookie because they'd often suffer from diarrhea. They settled on Dookie and the rest is history. Broadway show to follow?
III.] Artist: No Doubt
Album: Tragic Kingdom
Release: 1995
You're not going to find many bands out there that come close to the coolness of No Doubt. When everyone else was grunge, they brought a funkier ska rock to the mainstream. The band would put out other cool albums over the years but I have a hard time enjoying any of it as much as Tragic Kingdom. The videos rocked and the singles for "Spiderwebs", "Just a Girl", and "Don't Speak" were huge. Part of the madness was the band's image. They were contemporary in terms of being associated with "grunge", but they also were a bit brighter and less gloomy. They had a "classier" Chili Pepper's thing going on. Of course with Gwen as the front of the band, it brought on even more eyes. Her hotness is only rivaled by her talent. The cover for Tragic Kingdomreally captured the essence of the band. The nice graphic design work is bright and easy to look at. Gwen Stefani is bright and easy to look at. The band and the tree look cool too…
II.] Artist: Metallica
Album: Metallica (The Black Album)
Release: 1991
Long before everyone started them "sell outs", before Lars Ulrich broke the internet, and before we had to witness their weepy group therapy documentary Metallica was the shit. In the late 80's they rose with their metal roots and then unleashed this beast and changed metal forever. They put melodic metal on the map while maintaining their take no shit credibility. I know its indie-taboo to say something so bold, but Metallica Metallica is as important, if not assloads more to metal as ANY post Sabbath album. The whole concept was to keep it simple. So what's simpler, bolder, and more metal than a (nearly) all black album cover. The only thing not solid black was the band name and the coiled snake, both a very dark shade of black. To most folks, this is simple The Black Album. The Beatles had The White Album and then bands like Weezer, KottonMouth Kings, and even Jay Z would try to emulate the "fab four's" iconic album's boldness. Metallica is the ONLY other band I can think have that came close. This album gave us "Enter Sandman", "The Unforgiven", Wherever I May Roam", "Sad but True", "Nothing Else Matters", and "Don't Tread on Me". It could have a black and white picture of a blue piece of paper and it would still be awesome.
I.] Artist: Nirvana
Album: Nevermind
Release: 1991
I think we've all seen Spencer Elden's penis so much that we're not even creeped out by it anymore. That is one sentence that I never expected to type, but it's true. Before the gasps and whispers, hear me out. Spencer Elden is the nude swimming baby on the cover of Nirvana's masterpiece Nevermind. In 1991, the band was set to release this monster and didn't have a cover. Supposedly inspired by a TV show about water births, Kurt Cobain thought it was a cool image. Kirk Weddle, the photographer, enlisted a friend's newborn and took him to a local pool. Elden explained to CNN a few years ago, "They went to the local pool, threw me in the water and that was it." The dollar bill on a hook was actually added later on. Apparently, there was controversy over the baby penis. Kurt Cobain would only allow it to be censored if it had a sticker on the cover that said "If you're offended by this, you must be a closet pedophile." Sadly, these awesome stickers were never needed. The result is the best and most iconic album cover of the 90s. I'm sure we all have our own personal favorites, but this album cover WAS the 90's.
What is YOUR favorite 90's album cover?
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