Music is one of the few artistic endeavors everyone “gets” so designing the accompanying visuals is a big deal. SH: I think most graphic designers still long to design album covers! Even if they were born after the heyday of the physical object, there’s something special about doing design for music.
Do you think this will eventually lead to a new generation of graphic designers who will dedicate their skills solely to this market?
Type as an identifier of subcultures was really cemented by the psychedelic movement-all that nearly-impossible-to-read text on the Fillmore posters was like a secret hippie language. It probably really started with Reid Miles’ work for Blue Note, which was so unique but then became “standard”, with all the jazz labels trying to get that feel. It creates an instant connection-take a generic band name like “Dogs”-they could set their name in ransom type if they’re punk, looming knife-shaped letters for metal, or interlocking severely geometric computer type for techno. Type from album covers can help define the entire look of a genre: the Sex Pistols’ cut-and-paste punk type, pointy heavy metal logos, or Designer’s Republic’s techno typography. TR: How important is type in packaging of a subculture? Every “zeitgeist” has its associated type, and members of the subculture identify with the type from their world. Whether it’s flamboyant funkor a hyper-minimal ECM cover. SH: Typography conveys a style that captures the flavor of the music. TR: What is the link between typography and music? SH: As I got more and more records, I started to see the typographic thread running through-or “threads” since the styles vary so wildly, but all have such an impact on the presentation of the music. I have had many blogs over the years, a few that have very specific niches like Bookworship and Gridness and I love the single-subject design blogs like those-diving deep into a specific design idea. Eventually I became an avid record collector-for the music itself, that is. I bought a few of those-including Rumproller, which is in my top 10 here. You used to be able to get one of the original, classic Blue Note records for $25 on eBay. Shawn Hazen: Well, honestly, I began collecting vinyl records just for the artwork about 15+ years ago. Typeroom: How long have you been building this project? So, put on your headphones, let your senses trip down memory lane and discover the amazing combo that type and music is. We asked him to choose his top ten typographic album covers and we enjoyed his spirit and humour as much as his willingness to share two of his passions with us. Meant as an inspiration for designers who create and push typography or just obsess about its form and layout, Typophonic explores type’s connotations and emotive power. Since the beginning of 2008, Shawn founded Hazen Creative, Inc and throughout his adventures in the design field, music is his partner in crime. They’re all unique and speak to what was special about this area of design that has often been the most dynamic and experimental outlet for graphic designers.Īlbum covers are a great window into the visual spirit of an era or subculture, and the type they use can be the most expressive part of the artwork” says the man who started his career in San Francisco where he joined the international firm MetaDesign, explored his skills in the editorial field as a designer for San Francisco publisher, Chronicle Books, he became Senior Designer for architecture and design magazine Dwell, where he established the magazine format amongst others and has spent 2-1/2 years developing design solutions across all Apple Computer’s brand channels. Some of the sleeves are type-only and some use type as a key element of the design.
Masterminded by Shawn Hazen, a graphic designer himself whose career spans across many platforms, it’s a collection of “typographically driven 12-inch record covers from the 1950s through the 1980s. Started in mid-2012, Typophonic as an amazing collection that will inspire any typophile who appreciates letterforms and music alike.
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