There’s something magical about an album cover that instantly grabs your attention, even before you hear a single note.

And while opinions may vary wildly, there’s one cover that seems to rise above the rest. You know the one. It’s the perfect blend of mystery, style, and iconic imagery. This cover doesn’t just sell music, it tells a story.

What makes it the best?

For starters, it’s instantly recognizable. Even if you’ve never listened to the record (though you really should), you’ve definitely seen the cover in a friend’s collection, on a T-shirt, or hanging on a dorm room wall. It transcends genre and generation, becoming a visual anthem for music lovers everywhere.

Maybe it's the colors. Maybe it's the attitude. Maybe it's just something you can’t quite explain. Whatever it is, this cover has become more than packaging. It's art.

So whether you’re a vinyl collector, a casual Spotify scroller, or just someone who appreciates a good aesthetic, there’s no denying this record has the greatest cover of all time!

According to a list compiled by RollingStone, the best album cover of all time is Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures, released in 1979.

Here's what RollingStone had to say about the greatest album cover of all time:

"There’s an uncanniness to the jagged, unpredictable angles on the cover of Joy Division’s debut album, Unknown Pleasures. Is it a mountain range? A graphical representation of brain waves? Why does it look so bleak? The mystery draws you in, and when you put the record on, with its bass-heavy atmospherics and frontman Ian Curtis’ overwhelming angst, the image makes a little more sense."

Check out RollingStone for a continued list of the best album covers ever made, and listen to Joy Division on iHeartRadio.

Mike Jones