3 cover stories in our archive
Behind the Covers' archive includes 3 album covers documented under the "contemplative" design theme, spanning the 1970s, 1990s, 2010s. These covers sit within the r&b, pop, hip-hop, soul tradition and feature work by Beyoncé, Dr. Dre, Marvin Gaye. Each entry below includes the cover artwork, the designers and photographers behind it, and a short story about the visual choices that defined the release.
On April 23, 2016, Beyoncé dropped Lemonade with no warning, and the cover gave away nothing and everything: a woman in cornrows and fur, face hidden by her own hair, leaning against an SUV. It is a single frozen frame from a film about betrayal, healing, and the Black female experience in America.
The stark black-and-white cover featuring Dr. Dre in a contemplative pose became one of hip-hop's most influential visual statements. Shot in simple studio lighting, its minimalist approach let the music speak louder than flashy graphics.
Marvin Gaye's masterpiece broke Motown's visual rules with an intimate portrait showing the artist in a knit cap looking pensively into the distance. The cover's casual, contemplative mood perfectly matched the album's shift from pop to socially conscious soul.