3 album covers in our archive
Prince is featured in Behind the Covers' archive with 3 album covers from the 1980s. Released across Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros labels, the artwork sits in the r&b, funk, rock, pop tradition. Each cover is documented in our archive with design notes covering minimalist, typography, black white, newspaper style, political, portrait. Below you'll find the full story behind each Prince cover — designers, photographers, label history, and the visual choices that defined the release.
Prince stripped away his usual purple fantasy for stark black typography on white—a radical departure that reflected the album's serious social commentary. The minimalist design was Prince's own creation, abandoning rock star imagery for newspaper-style urgency.
Prince's purple-tinted double album cover features a stark, minimalist portrait that launched his iconic color association. Photographer Allen Beaulieu captured the brooding image in a single session, creating one of the most recognizable album covers of the 1980s.
Prince on a custom purple motorcycle, bathed in purple light and smoke, wearing a sequined jacket — the image that cemented purple as his personal brand. After his death in 2016, Pantone created a custom shade called 'Love Symbol #2' in his honor.
