This is the first in a series of essays called “The Art of Music,” which discusses the art—in its various forms—that accompanies, promotes, or helps fully express our favorite music.

The Theory of Inseparability

A few days ago, I challenged a friend and contributor, DLT, to “Identify your top 7 favorite album covers.” This was after she’d presented me with a random listing of “The 7 Most Iconic Album Covers of All Time.” (I suppose I wanted to prove to her that “iconic” is in the eye of the beholder...or the ear of the listener. Or both.)

A conversation then ensued...my friend challenging me with a series of questions that made me wriggle in my seat, just a bit:

“Is the greatness of an album's cover art simply dependent on the music on that album?”

To right away answer “yes” would sound prejudiced or shortsighted. After all, the album art should stand on its own, correct? You might initially think so. But there are very few album covers people regard as great simply for the art alone. It’s just a fact. If we agree that the album’s music is what matters most, then the cover art should ideally be dependent on, and subservient to, that music.

“Are you saying one’s ‘favorite album cover’ is destined to be no more than a simple reflection of their favorite music...period?”

Umm, yes! Maybe not in every case...but definitely in most. The point of this exercise is to have fun reviewing music from a visual perspective. And make no mistake, it will bear out my theory that album cover art is only relevant within the context of that music.

“So, given the Artist, their Music, and the Album Art representing their music...are the three things ultimately inseparable?”

It would appear so. But if you’re having trouble accepting this, as I did at first, just start the process. As a music lover, you'll begin to discover your own personal truths...as I am discovering mine, through the process of reviewing my own collection of LPs, CDs, cassettes, and MP3s for this challenge.

In any case, at the end of this exercise, how closely will my final list of “favorite album covers” match my “favorite albums of all time”? That will be the proof in the pudding of our so-called Theory of Inseparability.

Sidebar:
The Art and Process of Listmaking

The album art review process has been a lot of fun! Having curated hundreds of mixtapes, compilation CDs, and personal playlists, I was mentally well-prepared for the challenge of culling a collection of thousands of album covers down to just 7-10 favorites. But I'm not quite there yet.

As I recently mentioned to my friend, “There’s a method to chopping down giant lists. You must be swift and unforgiving in deciding who gets the initial cut. Now is not the time for sentimentality or deliberation...that comes later, as you cull your list down to something more manageable. After one or two more rounds of judicious cutting, the fun can begin!”

At that point, you can start analyzing the items that have survived, from the perspective of why they made the list...as opposed to why they should go.

The “process of listmaking” sounds like a boring enterprise, I know. But to nerds and rabbitholers like me, it can be so rewarding! Here’s a little free-of-charge wisdom: The key to happiness is working on the right list.

(More on all this in a dedicated essay, later.)

Challenge Accepted!

As of the date of this essay, we’re each currently working on our “top 7 album covers” lists. As fun as these exercises are for me, I recognize everyone else involved has a life. So we’ve allotted ourselves a few weeks to create and unveil our lists. Listmaking is fun…but it ain’t easy!

In the meantime, feel free to comment below on anything you’ve read here that interests you. Enjoy…