The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Album Sleeve
Date
Credits
- Peter Blake 2 Artist
- Jann Hawthorn Artist
- Micheal Cooper Photographer
- Robert Fraser Art Director
Format
- Packaging 331
Techniques
- lithography 127
- photography 75
Dimensions
Album was released on May 26, 1967. The front cover features 57 photographs and nine wax figures. The “crowd” includes several pop-culture icons from the time period. The back cover includes the songs and lyrics from the album, which had never been done before on a rock LP. In the wake of the release of Sgt. Pepper's, the Beatles were seen as the leaders in the American counterculture scene. During this time period of great political unrest due to the Vietnam War, the album was seen as the optimistic outlook the populous needed during these times of uncertainty and anger.
This cover design helped to “elevate” album cover design to its prominence today. The cover marked the true connection between art, music, pop culture, and time. The cover was designed by pop artists, Peter Blake, and Jann Hawthorn. The design shows the rise in popularity of pop art and collage in Europe and the Americas. Micheal Cooper did the album cover photography, using life-size cutouts of celebrities, politicians, and other icons alongside the Beatles. The cover design was art directed by Robert Fraser.
