For the first time in decades, the Grammy Awards will once again recognize one of the most iconic parts of music culture: the album cover. Beginning with the 2026 ceremony, the newly reintroduced Best Album Cover category will honor the single image that defines an album’s visual identity. This is not about deluxe box sets or expanded packaging, but the core artwork that lives on streaming screens, record shelves, and bedroom walls.
The award originally debuted in 1959 when album art was as essential as the music itself. Over the years, the category evolved to reflect changing formats, eventually becoming Best Recording Package to include broader design elements. Now, with vinyl back in style and cover art once again driving conversation, the Grammys are giving the spotlight back to the square image that says it all. While we wait to see what wins in 2026, these ten albums from the gap years would have been strong contenders.
Radiohead – Kid A (2000)
Source: Wikipedia
Designed by Stanley Donwood and Thom Yorke, this haunting digital landscape broke every rule of traditional album art. It perfectly matched the cold, fractured beauty of the music and helped define the aesthetic of the 2000s.
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
Source: Wikipedia
With multiple covers created by George Condo, this release challenged the idea of what mainstream album art could look like. The censored original became a talking point, and every variant felt like a painting worth hanging in a gallery.
Beyoncé – Beyoncé (2013)
Source: Wikipedia
A minimalist black square with her name in soft pink Helvetica, this surprise album turned simplicity into a statement. It showed how restraint can be louder than excess, especially when the music speaks volumes.
The White Stripes – Elephant (2003)
Source: Wikipedia
Jack White and designer Patrick Pantano used only red, white, and black to create a cover full of mystery and symbolism. The imagery is theatrical, strange, and instantly recognizable — much like the band itself.
Frank Ocean – Blonde (2016)
Source: Wikipedia
Photographed by Wolfgang Tillmans, the cover captures Ocean in a vulnerable, intimate moment. The muted tones and obscured face sparked endless interpretations, just like the music within.
Travis Scott – Astroworld (2018)
Source: Spotify
With its surreal, larger-than-life golden inflatable head designed by photographer David LaChapelle, this cover blurred the lines between theme park fantasy and rap album. It became an instant pop culture landmark.
Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters (2020)
Source: Spotify
This DIY, handwritten, hand-drawn cover looks like it came from the inside of a private journal. Raw, unpolished, and unapologetically personal, it was a perfect match for an album that did things entirely on its own terms.
Tyler, the Creator – IGOR (2019)
Source: Spotify
Designed by Lewis Rossignol and inspired by vintage soul records, the IGOR cover offered a bold portrait that felt out of time. The raw textures and stark styling created a look that was retro, experimental, and uniquely Tyler.
Lorde – Melodrama (2017)
Source: Wikipedia
Painted by artist Sam McKinniss, the cover is a glowing, emotional portrait filled with color and shadow. It evokes intimacy and drama in one glance — a perfect visual encapsulation of the album’s themes.
Charli XCX – Brat (2024)
Source: Wikipedia
With its acidic green backdrop and bold lowercase “brat” font, this cover became instantly memeable, remixable, and iconic. It captured the era’s digital chaos with brutal clarity and made album design feel urgent again.
