Singer song-writer Lil Melee poses on his latest album “Phantasia.” Photo courtesy of senior Ashur Stepbro. 

  Photographs, text, illustrations, or patterns, album covers have long played a crucial role in how music is displayed and perceived. Album covers are an image to match with a song or even a memory.

  Whether released on vinyl or streamed on a digital platform, album art curates music and visual expression. Minimalist designs or psychedelic illustrations, albums can be marketing tools, extensions of the music, or just a piece of art.

  San Luis Obispo High School student Ashur Stepro, or Lil Melee, in the music world, is the most successful and well renowned artist at SLOHS. With four albums released in the past two years, Lil Melee continues to grow his musical career.  

  Some artists craft visuals that have more than just an eye-catching purpose, but reflect the tone, themes, or emotions of the music within. 

 “Well, when I approached my second album, “PHANTASIA” I knew that I wanted the sounds to reflect the current trends in the “underground” subgenre of hip hop music, so I literally took the cover underground,” said Stepro.

  A well-designed cover can give more appeal to the album and music, attracting attention from listeners. This attraction can often lead to more sales, as visual appeal plays a major role in marketing success. A good design, picture, or image can grab attention on a record store shelf or stand out in a digital music library.

  An album cover can become a visual brand for an artist or band, helping it stick in people’s minds and hopefully stand out from the rest. 

  “I think covers really reflect the overall quality of the album,” said Ashur. 

  But album covers aren’t just about gaining commercial attention, but can serve as a form of expression moving beyond the audible aspect of an album. They can reflect personal context or deeper meaning behind the music, an insight into the artist. 

  According to Rolling Stone magazine,  “it became a way to make a visual statement about where the music comes from and why it matters.” Album art does more than decorate, but it illustrates a background and can uncover the listener’s understanding of the music. 

 “…music, especially albums, are meant to be a form of art, so I do believe that the cover should reflect the vision, beyond quality,” said Stepro.

  Keep an eye out for Lil Melee’s new releases with great music and even better album covers and his upcoming album, “NEVERLAND” dropping June 6!

Sources: Rolling Stone