Why Album Covers Still Matter

Before listeners heard a single note, an album cover could already begin telling the story. In this episode of Dave’s Side One, Dave looks at Styx’s The Grand Illusion and explains why its mysterious, theatrical artwork became inseparable from the music inside. He also reflects on what has been lost as album artwork has moved from twelve-inch record jackets to small images on streaming screens. The music still matters most—but sometimes the cover is the doorway that leads us into the album. What album cover has stayed with you as strongly as the music?