Sotheby's Institute video explores artist-designed album covers from Warhol to Koons

A video by Sotheby's Institute of Art, featuring 20th-century art expert Bernard Vere, traces the history of iconic artist-designed album covers. It begins with Andy Warhol's covers for The Velvet Underground and Aretha Franklin, followed by Wolfgang Tillmans' photographs for Frank Ocean's "Blond" and Jean-Paul Goude's images of Grace Jones. Damien Hirst's cover for Red Hot Chili Peppers references his London restaurant The Pharmacy with a fly on a pill. The video also cites Lady Gaga's "Artpop" album featuring Jeff Koons' sphere and a collage with Botticelli's Venus and Bernini's Apollo and Daphne. Italian examples include Francesco Vezzoli's cover for Fedez, Lauro, and Berti's "Mille" depicting them as the Three Graces, Valerio Berruti for Lucio Dalla's "Angoli Nel Cielo", and Andrea Pazienza for Roberto Vecchioni's "Robinson". The phenomenon continues to thrive, turning albums into collectibles.