Alex Steinweiss: the story of the world’s first record sleeve artist

At the age of 55 Steinweiss reluctantly decided to “bow out” of the record business, he continued to do package and graphic designs until moving to Sarasotta, Florida, where he began painting and poster making for, among other things, the local symphony orchestra.

Steinweiss launched a new field and practiced in it for well over twenty years. During his heyday, few designers were as focused on a specific discipline, or as influential. His covers visualized music in the same way that decades later music videos added a completely new dimension. Although he eventually left the field, his contribution is no less significant to the marketing and the history of American popular culture. He passed away in 2011, aged 94, in Sarasota, Fla.

Steven Heller’s top 10 Alex Steinweiss covers: