Artwork helped popular music to cover itself in glory

Don’t you wonder sometimes
‘Bout sound and vision

lyrics by David Bowie

Hospital radio goes beyond just entertainment, it provides a proven therapeutic aide to patients as well as keeping them in touch with reality and life outside which is particularly welcome to those who are having long stays in hospital.  
Whilst compiling tracks for my Thursday show on Torbay Hospital Radio I am often drawn back to one particular album from my past.  This is Soul was the first ‘album’ that I truly connected with – all be it at the age of 8.  Every time I listen to it the tracks seem as new and fresh as ever.  

My cousin had this in his collection and I couldn’t wait to visit him and play this record again and again on his teak HMV radiogram. Mine was truly an immersive experience as I listened to the amazing songs and stared at the cover with its jigsaw motif and image of people having a great time at a soul concert.  There were also several images on the rear cover from individual artists LPs who were included in the album.  

This is Soul was, in many ways, was ahead of its time.  It was a compilation album featuring the very best of Stax and Atlantic artists, at a time when mainstream radio stations were not focused on soul music.  The release of this compilation in the UK was a stroke of promotional genius.  It was the ‘Top of the Pops’ or ‘Now That’s What I Call Music’  of its time and even better was its release price of 12/6d (62.5p) – a bargain…even for 1968.

There is little doubt in my mind that holding a 12-inch vinyl record invokes a tactile connection with the music that digital formats struggle to replicate. For me, vinyl records evoke nostalgia for a bygone era when music consumption was a deliberate, immersive act with a sense of connection to the past. The artwork on records such as this serves as a window into the music contained within, enhancing the listening experience. 

Album covers have the power to evoke emotions and memories – whether that be the psychedelic landscape of Pink Floyd or the minimalist beauty of Joy Division – the cover elevates the record into a work of art in its own right.  The importance of this is reflected in the sleeve for Blue Monday by New Order which reportedly cost so much to print that Factory Records lost money on the biggest-selling 12-inch single ever. So, which is your most memorable album artwork and how has that shaped your listening experience?  What thought or memories do you have when listening to the music or seeing the artwork? Tune into my show on torbayhospitalradio.com on Thursdays between 12 and 2 and let me know.