OUGD406 Studio brief 01 What Makes An Iconic Album Cover?

After earlier research into the Massive Attack cover designs I found that Tim Hingston designed album covers with the idea that they had to be iconic and recognisable in any format at the fore front of his mind. To help my self do the same I wanted to look into what constitutes an iconic design and how can I implement it in my own.  I looked at many lists and have collected a couple.

http://www.pinterest.com/lefranc22/music-album-art/

The thing that really makes this cover work for blur is the slight tilting of the head in the image of Damon Albarn. This juxtaposition of quite inhuman graphics with such a complex mixed gesture (slightly threatening, questioning and strange) adds humour to what could have been quite a pretentious cover, making its tone of voice perfect for blur.

http://tabsforgrabs.com/?p=29

This says it all, the Beatles were at the hight of fame, they didn't need to sell themselves and they used this very fact...to sell themselves! it is an iconic design because it summarises the complete Beatle mania of the time concisely and perfectly, like the white noise of a screaming crowd. The typography is also perfect. the way the name is in capitals makes it an almost written form of a stage introduction, you can almost hear the crowds roaring.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Is_This_It

It is the combination of humour and edginess. The design brings a whole new meaning to the band name and instantly grabs attention. Its simplicity is mocked by the title 'is this it' adding a dryness to the wit inherent in this design. It takes a vague emotional concept, slaps some sex onto it and undeniably it works! 

The most noticeable similarity between these is the simplicity, in fact the Beatles album is famous for a practical lack of design! This in its self seems to be because the designers have found ways to really concisely communicate something. this makes me think that i have possibly been jumping ahead slightly by thinking too heavily about the aesthetic I want to achieve. first i want to define a few words or a state meant that I want to communicate through my design and find the most concise effective and to the point way of doing so in a visual medium.