There is an old music adage first said by the wise Technotronic. It goes, “Pump the jam, pump it up.” That’s right people, get those feet stompin’. Excuse me. Random Technotronic outbursts have always plagued me. But, this festive 80’s hit does make a point that has become stuck in many people’s musical psyche for the past 20 or so years. Just pump the tunes and let me dance. Popular music today has warped into an odd mixture of auto tune, remixed fast-paced beats, and alien-like dress.
Ra Ra Ah Ah Ah roughly translates to I come in peace
There has been less of a focus today on the true art of a putting together an epic LP, and more focus on single hits that can destroy the charts. The tangible CD is a thing of the past and if you ask a 10-year-old what a Walkman is, their response would most likely be a twisted version of the game Hangman. But, I must admit this all just a natural progression. 78’s turned in 45’s which turned in 12-inch 33’s which turned into 8-tracks and then cassettes, CD’s and finally MP3’s and those fancy schmancy IPod’s. You know in my day I had to hold my thin Walkman while I went running and it usually skipped. And, unless you are overly nostalgic or just a little crazy like me, a record player is an antique.
CD’s still exist though and while they are often burned onto an MP3 player, they have not been fully weeded out quite yet. But, what has seen a tremendous decline, is album art.
Album art used to be one of the most important parts of a record (when they were the size of a laptop computer). It drew people in as they shopped for music in record shops. If the album cover was intriguing, the chances of an indecisive person buying the album increased. Therefore, the majority of the amazing album covers are trapped in the past; most created before the year of my birth, 1989. It is unfortunate that album cover art has mostly been lost. Album art included pictures with subtle intricacies, interesting messages and, sometimes, humorous/austere elements that certainly were embedded in many memories. These masters of the square palette of colorful album creations do not get enough/any credit for their works. For example, when I think of Abbey Road, I am immediately brought to a scene of the four Beatles walking in a single-file line across the street, and if it wasn’t for creative director Kosh and photographer Iain Macmillan, we may have seen a completely different image.
So, in honor of the necessary art of album cover creation, let’s run a poll today on the Music Court. What do you believe is the greatest album cover of all time? I will include pictures. Also, I anticipate many other votes, so, if you have an album that you believe should be included please comment and let’s discuss.
The Music Court 
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