This album cover is of one of Elvis Presley’s albums. It’s the original of this style of an album cover. The image of him singing with his familiar acoustic guitar and the playful font are symbolic of everything he represented in the late 50’s. The clash then paid homage to this album later on in the 70’s with the same font and same layout of writing though the image is considerably different. The clash used this album cover to relay a representation of themselves by contrasting with the Elvis Presley cover. They used this contrast to clearly present the way in which music had significantly changed through the 20 years between them. By comparing Presleys charming acoustic guitar, his boyish manner and his gentlemanly clothing with the clash’s own punk ideals of themselves, they essentially present a big f**k you to mainstream rock and roll which is strongly representational of the attitude of society at the time.
Nirvana’s cover for their album ‘Nevermind’ is one of the most influential album covers of the last 20 years. The naked baby in the water represents all of American society and the fact that it appears to be chasing a one dollar bill under water embodies the bands attitudes towards American culture and way of life. The dollar is attached to a sort of fishing hook, this sends out the idea that like a fish would do anything for food, even be stupid enough to get itself hurt, is exactly how gullible American society has become in thinking that money is the most important thing even life, even a necessity. The band cleverly integrates several metaphors for America’s thirst for money in one album cover. Additionally the fact that the baby is naked is as if it’s just been born and already chasing after money. This relays the idea that American society has become so involved with the prospect of money that it basically starts from birth and ends at death.
