Behind the Covers

literary

1 cover story in our archive

Behind the Covers' archive includes 1 album cover documented under the "literary" design theme, all from the 1980s. The cover sits within the rock, alternative, indie tradition and features work by The Smiths. 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.

The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths — album cover art

The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths (1986)

Morrissey selected a still from the 1964 French film L'Insoumis showing Alain Delon — placing a symbol of Continental glamour on an album attacking the British monarchy was characteristically provocative, a snub to Thatcher-era British institutions.

Label
Rough Trade
Designer
Morrissey
Genre
Rock, Alternative, Indie
Decade
1980s
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