3 cover stories in our archive
Behind the Covers' archive includes 3 album covers documented under the "glam rock" design theme, all from the 1970s. These covers sit within the rock tradition and feature work by David Bowie, T. Rex, Lou Reed. 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.
A red-and-blue lightning bolt splits David Bowie's face, a single teardrop pools on his collarbone, and a brief commissioned to make a superstar turned into the most expensive album cover ever sold. Here's how a lipstick outline and an Elvis ring became the 'Mona Lisa of Pop.'
Marc Bolan's iconic top-hatted portrait sparked one of rock's greatest photo credit controversies. The grainy black-and-white image became accidentally legendary when an eager darkroom technician mishandled the developing chemicals.
Mick Rock's androgynous portrait of Lou Reed became one of the most influential LGBTQ+ album covers ever, but the image was actually shot during Reed's glam rock phase when he was exploring gender fluidity through makeup and fashion.