A Journey Into Prince's Album Art

His Purple Majesty had the LP cover game on lock!

The Art of the LP Art Cover - Prince was a recording artist, yet he was so much more than that. His aesthetic was just as important as the vinyl, cassette, CD, or audio file we inserted into our listening devices. Prince's album cover art is an iconic collection all on its own. So let's take a journey through the Purple One's album art. —Jon Reyes (Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

1 / 23

The Art of the LP Art Cover - Prince was a recording artist, yet he was so much more than that. His aesthetic was just as important as the vinyl, cassette, CD, or audio file we inserted into our listening devices. Prince's album cover art is an iconic collection all on its own. So let's take a journey through the Purple One's album art. —Jon Reyes (Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

For You (1978) - For his debut, the artist kept it simple donning an afro and some soft back lighting. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

2 / 23

For You (1978) - For his debut, the artist kept it simple donning an afro and some soft back lighting. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

Prince (1979) - For his sophomore album Prince came back to serve us all the face. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

3 / 23

Prince (1979) - For his sophomore album Prince came back to serve us all the face. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

Photo By Photo: Warner Bros.

Dirty Mind (1980) - Probably one of the most iconic album covers ever, period. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

4 / 23

Dirty Mind (1980) - Probably one of the most iconic album covers ever, period. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

Controversy (1981) - Model realness. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

5 / 23

Controversy (1981) - Model realness. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

Photo By Photo: Warner Bros.

ADVERTISEMENT
1999 (1982) - This was the beginning of Prince's image slowly being omitted from his album cover art. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

6 / 23

1999 (1982) - This was the beginning of Prince's image slowly being omitted from his album cover art. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

Photo By Photo: Warner Bros.

Purple Rain (1984) - Another iconic image. Everything just worked: the blouse, the jacket, the motorcycle. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

7 / 23

Purple Rain (1984) - Another iconic image. Everything just worked: the blouse, the jacket, the motorcycle. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

Around the World in a Day (1985) - The psychedelic album cover was totally '60s and '70s influenced. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

8 / 23

Around the World in a Day (1985) - The psychedelic album cover was totally '60s and '70s influenced. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

Photo By Photo: Warner Bros.

Parade (1986) - Back at it again serving us face! (Photo: Warner Bros.)

9 / 23

Parade (1986) - Back at it again serving us face! (Photo: Warner Bros.)

Photo By Photo: Warner Bros.

Sign O' the Times (1987) - A perfect visual encapsulation of this legendary two-disc set.   (Photo: Warner Bros.)

10 / 23

Sign O' the Times (1987) - A perfect visual encapsulation of this legendary two-disc set.   (Photo: Warner Bros.)

Photo By Photo: Warner Bros.

ADVERTISEMENT
Lovesexy (1988) - Nope, he wasn't covering a nipple — he was being ethereal. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

11 / 23

Lovesexy (1988) - Nope, he wasn't covering a nipple — he was being ethereal. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

(Love Symbol Album) (1992) - The album debut of the now famous "love symbol." (Photo: Warner Bros.)

12 / 23

(Love Symbol Album) (1992) - The album debut of the now famous "love symbol." (Photo: Warner Bros.)

Photo By Photo: Warner Bros.

Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (1999) - 1999 finally came so... tight body suit. (Photo: NPG Records and Arista Records)

13 / 23

Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (1999) - 1999 finally came so... tight body suit. (Photo: NPG Records and Arista Records)

Photo By Photo: NPG Records and Arista Records

The Rainbow Children (2001) - The mural style illustration was perfect for the jazzy yet spiritual album. (Photo: NPG, Redline Entertainment)

14 / 23

The Rainbow Children (2001) - The mural style illustration was perfect for the jazzy yet spiritual album. (Photo: NPG, Redline Entertainment)

Photo By Photo: NPG

Xpectation (2003) - This digital-esque looking visual was a shoe-in for the free online album that was released in 2003. (Photo: NPG)

15 / 23

Xpectation (2003) - This digital-esque looking visual was a shoe-in for the free online album that was released in 2003. (Photo: NPG)

Photo By Photo: NPG

ADVERTISEMENT
Musicology (2004) - This image was everywhere during his semi-comeback (he never really left) at a time when he was on a huge stadium tour in the U.S. (Photo: NPG, Columbia)

16 / 23

Musicology (2004) - This image was everywhere during his semi-comeback (he never really left) at a time when he was on a huge stadium tour in the U.S. (Photo: NPG, Columbia)

Photo By Photo: NPG

3121 (2006) - Even with his back to us... you know who it is. (Photo: NPG, Universal)

17 / 23

3121 (2006) - Even with his back to us... you know who it is. (Photo: NPG, Universal)

Photo By Photo: NPG

Planet Earth (2007) - Prince looking down at us from up above. Yup, that is perfectly fitting today. (Photo: NPG, Columbia)

18 / 23

Planet Earth (2007) - Prince looking down at us from up above. Yup, that is perfectly fitting today. (Photo: NPG, Columbia)

Lotusflow3r (2009) - This triple-disc set included the debut album of Bria Valente, Prince's protegé. (Photo: NPG)

19 / 23

Lotusflow3r (2009) - This triple-disc set included the debut album of Bria Valente, Prince's protegé. (Photo: NPG)

20Ten (2010) - Here we get a glimpse of what Prince would look like as a Japanese anime character. Obviously, he looks hot. (Photo: NPG)

20 / 23

20Ten (2010) - Here we get a glimpse of what Prince would look like as a Japanese anime character. Obviously, he looks hot. (Photo: NPG)

ADVERTISEMENT
Art Official Age (2014) - The last string of album covers had Prince rocking the consistent look of sporting an afro with the circular tri-focals. Even his third eye needed shade. (Photo: NPG, Warner Bros.)

21 / 23

Art Official Age (2014) - The last string of album covers had Prince rocking the consistent look of sporting an afro with the circular tri-focals. Even his third eye needed shade. (Photo: NPG, Warner Bros.)

Photo By Photo: NPG

HITnRUN Phase One (2015) - For his 2015 release, it appears the cover was an illustration of his 2014 album, Art Official Age. (Photo: NPG, Warner Bros.)

22 / 23

HITnRUN Phase One (2015) - For his 2015 release, it appears the cover was an illustration of his 2014 album, Art Official Age. (Photo: NPG, Warner Bros.)

HITnRUN Phase Two (2016) - For what would end up being the last Prince album, the cover art naturally resembled HITnRUN Phase One's. (Photo: NPG, Warner Bros.)

23 / 23

HITnRUN Phase Two (2016) - For what would end up being the last Prince album, the cover art naturally resembled HITnRUN Phase One's. (Photo: NPG, Warner Bros.)