1980s
35 cover stories
New wave typography, Peter Saville's minimalism at Factory Records, and the arrival of MTV made visual identity more important than ever. The CD format shrank the canvas, pushing designers toward bolder, more iconic imagery.
3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul · 1989
Technique
New Order · 1989
Doolittle
Pixies · 1989
Disintegration
The Cure · 1989
Daydream Nation
Sonic Youth · 1988
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Public Enemy · 1988
Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A · 1988
The Joshua Tree
U2 · 1987
Louder Than Bombs
The Smiths · 1987
Paid in Full
Eric B. & Rakim · 1987
Sign o' the Times
Prince · 1987
Appetite for Destruction
Guns N' Roses · 1987
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths · 1986
Graceland
Paul Simon · 1986
So
Peter Gabriel · 1986
True Blue
Madonna · 1986
Licensed to Ill
Beastie Boys · 1986
Slippery When Wet
Bon Jovi · 1986
Master of Puppets
Metallica · 1986
Skylarking
XTC · 1986
Brothers in Arms
Dire Straits · 1985
Hounds of Love
Kate Bush · 1985
Powerslave
Iron Maiden · 1984
Born in the U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen · 1984
Ride the Lightning
Metallica · 1984
Hatful of Hollow
The Smiths · 1984
Stop Making Sense
Talking Heads · 1984
Purple Rain
Prince · 1984
Power, Corruption & Lies
New Order · 1983
Shout at the Devil
Mötley Crüe · 1983
Synchronicity
The Police · 1983
The Number of the Beast
Iron Maiden · 1982
Rio
Duran Duran · 1982
1999
Prince · 1982
Remain in Light
Talking Heads · 1980