Smash Song Hits by Rodgers & Hart

Released in 1940, Smash Song Hits is notable as it features what is considered to be the first example of album cover art. The album features a compilation of records containing the musical works of composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Lorenz Hart. The album was released in a book-like format containing multiple records, which was typical of the time.

The artwork is credited to graphic designer Alex Steinweiss. After receiving a job at Columbia Records as an art director, Steinweiss had decided that the way album covers were designed was far too basic and there was a big opportunity in album artwork. At the time, albums were often packaged in plain brown packaging and were very indistinct. Steinweiss thought that adding unique art was a surefire way to increase sales and help the label stand out. While Steinweiss was originally hired to work on promotional store displays and Advertisements, he was able to convince the label to let him design a cover with unique artwork.

To get the image, Steinweiss worked with a photographer to capture a photo of the Imperial Theatre’s marquee in New York City. The owner of the theater was convinced to momentarily change the marquee to display the name of the record and its composer. The image was taken at night with the signage aglow.

The image was then placed on the cover alongside some orange elements. A bold orange rectangle runs down the spine, helping it stand out on a shelf. Orange circles in the shape of a record allude to the package’s contents.

This album would pave the way for the future of album art. Albums with art would see a large increase in sales, and Steinweiss would go on to design many more covers and even help develop new ways of packaging records.