65 Best Album Covers of All Time

Sometimes a picture does speak a thousand words.

The list below of the 65 Best Album Covers of All Time, as selected by the UCR staff, encompasses more than five decades of classic record sleeves and proves that sometimes a well-designed photo or illustration is all that's needed to stake out an identity.

While an album cover doesn't necessarily have to reflect the music inside, many of the best and most imitated ones are a concise representation of what's in store once "play" is pressed. One glance at the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Miles Davis' Bitches Brew album covers flawlessly capture the sprawling, revolutionary music on those albums.

READ MORE: Top 100 Rock Songs of All Time

Artists have used their album covers to redefine their image (David Bowie), implant an aesthetic (Joy Division) and even have a little fun at the expense of their name and record title (the Who). Most of all, each of the sleeves below makes some sort of statement — about the artist, music or the state of the world in which they recorded the album.

From Elvis Presley's mid-performance howl to Bruce Springsteen's denim-clad backside to a certain group's famous street-crossing stroll, these iconic images have settled into the public consciousness as much as, and sometimes even more than, the music contained inside their sleeves has. These are gallery-worthy works of art, suitable for framing. The 65 album covers below, like the timeless and essential music they hold, continue to speak volumes.