Album Cover Art-Something We have Lost?

[Bakerman]

Today I dloaded an album from the iTunes music store that I used to listen to when I was a teenager way back in the 70's (Kansas-Point of Know Return).

I was looking at the album cover art and it really struck me how much things have changed. In the old days when we all bought vinyl the cover art was very important, an integral part of the whole music experience.

In the 80's we all started switching to Cds, and the smaller case created a much less important focus on the packaging. The art was still there, but the smaller footprint really moved it into the background.

Now that the era is starting where we can download the music the cover art is now relegated to not being important at all. I feel that we have lost a part of the total experience,

For you older forum members (40 and above), remember the excitement of listening to the music for the first time and looking over the cover, front and back, as well as any inserted material? And remember the excitement of the folding gatefold sleeves?

Anybody else feeling the same way about this?

[tntracy]

Originally posted by Bakerman
<snip>
For you older forum members (40 and above), remember the excitement of listening to the music for the first time and looking over the cover, front and back, as well as any inserted material? And remember the excitement of the folding gatefold sleeves?

Absolutely - I remember this very well. The album cover and sometimes the sleeve the LP was in where very much a part of the experience. Especially in the pre-Internet era, the album cover, etc. was the only other way to "connect" with the artist other than the music itself (except for the rare concert appearance). So, studying every detail of the album cover, and following along with the lyrics was a big part of it for me.

Anybody else feeling the same way about this?
I miss the larger album covers to a certain extent, but I get much of the same experience from the CD liner notes today. Granted, it is not as large, but it is still there. And in fact, the lack of liner notes, etc. is why in most cases I would rather own the CD than download the music. The other reason I prefer the CDs is the inherent flexibility in being able to re-rip and re-encode to other bitrates and even other codecs, but I also like owning the album art / liner notes. Again, there is that "connection" with the artist, in addition these days to the artist's Web site.

But I definitely see your point. I fondly remember pouring over those old LP album covers!

Tom

[Kirk]

Move over to Audion and view cover art once again. :p

[tntracy]

Originally posted by Kirk
Move over to Audion and view cover art once again. :p
You can view it iTunes 4 as well. But that wasn't the point. :) The point was the inherent loss with digital music downloads of the tangible album cover, complete with cover art, back cover art (if any), liner notes, lyrics, etc.

And, a nostalgic look back at the "event" of tearing the cellophane off of a new album for the first time and checking everything out. If you're not old enough to remember LPs, you might not know what we mean... ;)

Tom

[m.r.m.]

hearing is just one sense after all. digital music doesn?t stimulate the others (like touch or the smell of a new vinyl record...). *sigh*

[Moldy]

You gotta admit that mp3s taste better than vinyls...:)

[m.r.m.]

Originally posted by Moldy
You gotta admit that mp3s taste better than vinyls...:)

actually that?s not true. there is a guy in germany, who can make a copy of your favourite record out of chocolate. this chocolate record actually plays on your turntable. mmmmhhh, chocolate...

[Bakerman]

Originally posted by Moldy
You gotta admit that mp3s taste better than vinyls...:)

Well you know, on the upside, we also do not have to deal with surface noise, clicks and pops, replacing needles, and all the downsides of vinyl.

But it is sometimes fun to wax nostalgic :)

[Jeff]

I always thought that vinyl album covers as a whole tended to be more imaginative than the current CD inserts..then again, I feel that way about the mainstream music as well. Look at the covers painted for early Styx, Boston or Journey albums, one of my favorite covers being for "Grand Illusion". Kansas had some wild covers as well, especially the already mentioned "Point of Know Return". Today, more often than not, it's just a picture of the artist..most of the effort goes into the CD booklet insert, if there is one. It's certainly an aspect of the experience that I do miss.

[Teechur]

Originally posted by Bakerman
Well you know, on the upside, we also do not have to deal with surface noise, clicks and pops, replacing needles, and all the downsides of vinyl.

But it is sometimes fun to wax nostalgic :)

You know though...hearing an old LP just TAKES you right back. There is something kind of beautiful in those pops and noises. I also remember listening to my father's old 45s but always losing the adapter and trying to center it just perfectly on the record player.

[Jeff]

That was always one of the nice things about UK 45's...they used the smaller hole, just like the LP's, so no adapter was needed. Some even had the center section perforated so that you could punch it out to get the larger hole like normal US 45's. My guess is this was done more for jukeboxes than the consumer.

[Bob]

Album art...........hmmmmmmmmmm

I certainly miss the old LP covers - the likes of Roger Dean's artwork to Yes albums were works of art and I used to spend ages gazing into them as the album played. You can't do that with a CD liner - well you can but I need a magnifying glass these days. ;)

There is a warmth to the old vinyl recordings that is missing with CD's - yes the clicks, pops and occasional skip are annoying after years of near perfect reproduction but as Teechur said " There is something kind of beautiful in those pops and noises."

I even notice some artists introducing surface noise to their songs!!

[Bakerman]

It is funny that you mention Roger Dean's pictures, as I just bought Yessongs from the iTunes music store. Can you remember that one? It was a triple albumn that opened way up, lots of fabulous art. Now it sounds better but no cool art!

[m.r.m.]

it?s those small details that get lost (like the clear, seethrough lucite finish on the 1st and 2nd gen. ipods). maybe we can change this. dunno how, though.

[whoward]

Liner notes are one thing I miss from downloaded digital music. They contain information I often like to see; for example, who was playing what instrument, sometimes a bit of history of performers and music. Right now I'm looking at the liner notes to the Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Collection as I transfer the music to my Mac, and on to iPod.

But surely this is something the iTunes Music store could add, as PDF files. For example, as an inducement to buy a whole album - buy the album and get the liner notes. Hear that, Apple?

[Garrett OneEye]

Here is a good article about this very subject:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/mc/20031027/tc_mc/muzeceotalksitunesmusicstoreretailmusicsfuture

Maybe online music distribution will re-invigorate this aspect of the music experience...

[geistwerks]

i miss vinyl a bit too. i had this 2 record set from reinforced records called "enforcers." it came in a clear plastic sleeve, which of course, didn't say much, but the records were picture discs! they were this unbelievably cool design with bright graphics and a very bold presentation. people would stare in amazement when they spun on the turntables, it was like they'd never seen vinyl before.

i miss those days.

[shottagyal]

another relevant article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/06/technology/circuits/06albu.html?ex=1068699600&amp;en=bb05828e241eef07&amp;ei=5 062&amp;partner=GOOGLE