2 album covers in our archive
Sonic Youth is featured in Behind the Covers' archive with 2 album covers from the 1980s. Released across Enigma Records, the artwork sits in the alternative, rock tradition. Each cover is documented in our archive with design notes covering abstract, painting, appropriation, mysterious, atmospheric, fine art. Below you'll find the full story behind each Sonic Youth cover — designers, photographers, label history, and the visual choices that defined the release.
Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation features a detail from Gerhard Richter's 1983 painting "Kerze" (Candle), cropped so tightly that most viewers don't realize they're looking at a candle flame. The band discovered the German artist's photorealistic painting in a book and used it without permission, creating one of alternative rock's most enigmatic covers.
Goo by Sonic Youth — album cover art and credits.
