Alex Steinweiss, an innovative figure in graphic design, left an indelible mark on the music industry through his groundbreaking contributions to album cover design. Born on March 24, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York, Steinweiss became a luminary in the field, particularly during his tenure as the art director for Columbia Records in the 1940s.
In 1939, Steinweiss embarked on a transformative journey when he joined Columbia Records and was tasked with designing advertisements. At that time, album covers were largely uninspiring—utilizing plain brown, tan, or green paper, lacking aesthetic appeal. Recognizing the need for a visual revolution, Steinweiss proposed an innovative idea: replacing the drab standard covers with eye-catching illustrations. Despite concerns about additional costs, Columbia Records took a chance on Steinweiss's vision, and the results were extraordinary.
His first album cover, crafted in 1939 for a collection of Rodgers and Hart songs, featured a high-contrast photo of a theater marquee illuminated with the title in lights. This departure from the norm proved to be a resounding success, with sales of other albums, such as Bruno Walter's recording of Beethoven's "Eroica" symphony, skyrocketing when adorned with Steinweiss's original cover designs.
Steinweiss's approach to album cover design was revolutionary, transcending the practical purpose of protecting records. He viewed the record cover as a blank canvas, offering a unique opportunity to merge visual art and graphic design with music. His covers were characterized by metaphorical and symbolic elements, often using collages beyond literal representations. For instance, for a recording of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," he eschewed a straightforward piano portrait, instead opting for an illustration of a piano against a dark blue backdrop, illuminated by an abstract street lamp with a stylized silhouetted skyline in the background.
One of Steinweiss's enduring contributions was the creation of the "Steinweiss Scrawl," a hand-lettered alphabet that became his signature element. This curly script, reminiscent of the playful cursive of a child, became synonymous with his album covers. It allowed him to incorporate detailed information about the recording without sacrificing the overall visual appeal. The Steinweiss Scrawl was so influential that it was later formalized and adopted by Photo-Lettering Inc., a primary New York service that supplied alphabets to designers.
Beyond his impact on album covers, Steinweiss's creativity extended to various other design projects, including posters for the U.S. Navy, packaging and label design for liquor companies, and film title sequences. However, his innovation in album cover design marked a paradigm shift in the industry.
Steinweiss left the music business at age 55, recognizing that his design ideas were not aligned with the changing landscape of the rock era. Undeterred, he turned to his art, creating ceramic bowls, pots, and paintings, often with a musical theme. His legacy lives on in the iconic album covers he designed and the myriad contemporary typefaces inspired by his work, such as Hairspray, Whitestone Crawl, and Steinweiss Scrawl.
In conclusion, Alex Steinweiss's influence on the history of album cover design is immeasurable. His daring vision and innovative approach transformed how music was visually presented to the world, leaving an enduring legacy that inspires graphic designers and artists across generations.
