• Contact Me
  • Archives

Sound Marketing

helping music brands be heard

  • About
  • Blog
  • Consulting
  • Let’s Talk
  • Email
  • Print

Extraordinary British Rock Albums Still Inspire Music Brands

Share this:
TwitterFacebookLinkedIn

Four design lessons in memorable branding from landmark British albums.

Next Exit Abbey Road

Great Britain is one-fifth the population of the United States, but it has produced some of the greatest rock bands of all time, including the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones and the Clash. And it’s not just the flood of amazing music that has influenced generations of artists, but also the album cover art—one of the most recognizable artistic expressions of the 20th century. The appeal is the 12” x 12” cover, an oversized canvas for mind-blowing artwork, and sometimes deceptively simple. This potent mix of music and marketing can be a design guide for musical instrument and equipment manufacturers.

1. Be bold and outrageous. The Rolling Stones – Sticky Fingers

Outrageous album cover for Sticky Fingers by The Rolling Stones

Sticky Fingers was released in 1971 and is considered by many to be the Rolling Stones’ best album. Andy Warhol concepted this unforgettable sexual image that had an actual functioning zipper. This tactile cover perfectly captures the Stones’ brand—brash, aggressive and unapologetic. The striking simplicity of this impactful image should challenge today’s music brands to communicate your message with a singular bold visual.

2. Use stellar photography. The Clash – London Calling

Stellar photography on album cover for London Calling by The Clash

Rolling Stone ranked London Calling as one the best albums of the 1980s. Pennie Smith matched the brilliant music by capturing one of the most powerful photographs in the history of rock. Paul Simonon smashed his bass in a fit of ultimate rock and roll expression. He says, “I just got so frustrated with that crowd, and when it got to the breaking point, I started to chop the stage up with the guitar.”
Initially, Smith didn’t want to use the photo of Simonon because it is out of focus, but Joe Strummer and Ray Lowry loved it. Today’s music brands should remember that a single gritty journalistic photo can communicate the heart and soul of a brand

3. Create imaginative packaging. The Small Faces – Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake

Memorable packaging for Small Faces Ogden's Nut Gone Flake

The Small Faces were one of the best British bands to never make it big in America. The band’s 1968 concept rock album, Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake, was presented in a distinctive and completely original packaging idea—an oversized, circular, Victorian-style tobacco tin. It perfectly reflected the British rock spirit of the music it contained. Music brands should never underestimate the power of unusual packaging.

4. Bizarre images can be memorable. King Crimson – In the Court of the Crimson King

Bizarre cover image for King Crimson's In the Hall of the Crimson King album

The debut release of King Crimson in 1969 has been called one of the most influential progressive rock albums of all time, second only to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. Barry Godber painted the screaming madman. The terrifying and fascinating piece of psychedelic art remains the most iconic image for King Crimson—a band that continued for decades beyond the initial release. A highly personal and bizarre image might be the perfect representation of your music brand.

Share this:
TwitterFacebookLinkedIn

Filed Under: Advertising, Branding, Marketing, Packaging

About Doug Nestler

Sales Consultant | Author | Player
Doug is the author of Sound Marketing: Helping Music Brands Be Heard, and has been involved in the musical instrument and pro audio business for nearly four decades. His expertise is in sales & marketing strategy, key account management, product roll-outs and overall channel management.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome to the show.

Sound Marketing sits at the intersection of music, sales & marketing. We explore how insightful strategy, focused tactics, and organizational change will help manufacturers be heard over all the noise in the musical instrument marketplace.

My name is Doug Nestler, and I’ve spent 40 years—still going strong—in sales & marketing. My resume includes roles in all areas of channel management and distribution, and Sound Marketing is a way to share my expertise with you.

Subscribe to Email Updates

Join over 2,000 musical instrument and equipment manufacturers to get the latest music industry news.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Categories

Popular Posts

sales rep with many arms handling phones, computer, clock and coffee

How to distinguish yourself as a sales rep

Grateful for my time in the musical instrument trade

musical instruments and audio equipment in a shopping cart

Psst…want to know the secret of sales?

bearded music store dealer with crossed arms standing in front of music equipment and instruments

Reciprocity – the key to a successful vendor-dealer relationship

illustration of electric guitar with wings in a decorative background

Partnering with your retailers in the musical instrument and pro audio trade

© Copyright 2023 Sound Marketing · All Rights Reserved