Sexy Record Covers

An album cover collection exploring 70 years of surprising, shocking and frankly hilarious nude and provocative art. Sexy covers sold all musical genres, from funk to punk, and the silly German schlager. Comedy albums range from mid-century “stag party” pin-ups to the undeniably raunchy ’70s sensation, Blowfly. Steamy, seamy and adults only.

The sexiest, funniest, weirdest record covers ever wrapped around vinyl

Eric Godtland has worked in the record industry for over 35 years, and collected records since turning 12 in 1977. As manager of the American band Third Eye Blind from 1995 he traveled the world, exploring record stores in every country, adding to his collection. Sexy covers were not a priority, but always welcome.

When Godtland switched to managing, and touring with, Village People in the 2010s he encountered such eccentric, comical and erotic covers in far-flung countries he concentrated on acquiring every sexy record cover ever produced. And he succeeded. The hundreds of covers in this book come from North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. Most are from small labels with limited production that were never seen outside their countries of origin. They range in age from Music Out of the Moon, the first electronic album, 1947, to punk band Dwarves Concept Album, 2023. Genres go from mainstream pop to Japanese jazz, German schlager, raunchy comedy and uncensored sex talk. The artists are well-known: Rolling Stones, James Brown, Charlie Mingus, 2 Live Crew and Queen; cult favorites: Chicks on Speed and comic Blowfly; and frankly profane: Sex Organs, V8 Wankers and The Pleasure Fuckers. All used sex to sell their music, as we’re using their wise decision to sell this sexy, surprising, entirely hilarious book.

The authors

Dian Hanson is a senior editor and writer for TASCHEN, with over 50 books to her credit. In addition to ARNOLD, her recent works include The Art of Pin-up, Masterpieces of Fantasy Art, and The Fantastic Worlds of Frank Frazetta.
Read here how it all began.

Eric Godtland is a self-confessed compulsive collector. Working from his bases in the Haight-Ashbury and Potrero Hill districts of San Francisco, Eric obsesses over all things girly, Hawaiian, musical and modernist. When not lusting after “cool stuff,” Eric manages musicians, bends technology to his will, writes, and begs for money.

Sexy Record CoversHardcover, 29.3 x 29.3 cm, 3.90 kg, 528 pages

ISBN 978-3-8365-9620-6

Edition: English