Album Covers

“Long before I knew about art galleries or even street art, I was excited about album cover art, if only because it was the visual counterpart to the music on the records I loved,” said Shepard Fairey. “With my art I try to capture the same energy and spirit that makes music so powerful and democratic.” Throughout his three-decade career at the forefront of street art, Fairey has returned time and time again to the imagery of music to convey his counterculture spirit and tongue-in-cheek humor. In his notable series, “50 Shades of Black” (2014) and “Revolutions” (2011), Fairey renders vinyl records, rock legends, and album art in his signature intricate, high-contrast designs. Fairey, himself a DJ, even launched a Los Angeles-based record label in 2004, Obey Records, that features hip-hop and electronic artists such as The Gaslamp Killer and Free the Robots.