Pet Sounds: What is an Album? / History of Recorded Sound / History of Polyvinyl Chloride / Vinyl Records: LPs and 45s / Album Conventions / Health and Environmental Issues / Downfall of Vinyl Records
An Album has its own name. This is extremely important because it suggests that an album is its own thing. It stands alone as a self contained piece of art. Without the length of time allowed for by Polyvinyl Chloride this could not be so.
The Album has cover art. Seen above are two famous examples. The top is the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The bottom is Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon. Album art itself became an important and popular medium.
In adition to external artwork albums typically contain liner notes or other inserts (even some electronic albums).