Why are covers only such a big deal with music, albums and singles

Eh, I know this is kind of a retard thing to say, but having nice art (or just fitting is most important) really can add to the experience. It can help give context to what the intent was, or an idea of what the people who made it are like.

Music isn't a visual medium, so album art goes a long way in making the artist's aesthetic sensibilities clear

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>>73898850

>You see hundreds of variations of book covers

There are thousands of truly iconic book covers too desu

>>73898850

Music is such an abstract non-visual concept as opposed to film or literature, so the album cover is the only point of reference you have to convey the feeling the art is trying to convey.

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>>73899080
There are but you're much, much, much more likely to see a book that usually has said cover sporting another cover than you are an album with an iconic cover.

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>>73899134

Sure but this is much more common with classics and other older books. When it comes to newer literature there's usually more consistency.

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>>73899317
As a Canadian, I NEVER saw that cover as a kid. Not till I started using the internet, around 14 or so. Pic related is the one I knew.

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>>73899345
There were lots of regional exclusive artwork for Harry Potter

>>73898850
I think at this point it's just a cultural norm. But it's true that music, more than literature, is interested in creating a specific aesthetic. Which is why music is 'cooler' than books too (that's a pretty sweeping thing to say, but you understand what I'm saying). So album artworks are now culturally accepted as part of the broader aesthetic a band puts out there, which, for better or worse, is a huge part of the music industry above and beyond the sounds themselves

>>73898850
>Why are covers only such a big deal with music, albums and singles in particular?

They aren't. All they are there for is being able to pick it out and recognize it. No one actually cares unless it's embarrassingly bad

>>73900963
Thats not true. Albums normally have an official standard artwork, which are seen as part of the package. The images are much more associated with the work than say, book covers with the work.