I have recently started buying records as opposed to digital music. While I love the convenience of taking my music everywhere, I can’t help but feel that there is a disconnect between the music and the artist. With digital files I have no visual. I don’t know how the artists want their album to be conveyed visually, and sometimes I don’t even know what the artists look like. Because of this, I have recently started collecting vinyl albums and special edition sets. Most come with a digital download code as well as the vinyl and sometimes, some pretty cool artwork and extras. It’s a great way to support artists financially and pick up some pretty cool extras along the way (in other words, you get a ton more than a flimsy CD for your money, and artists can afford to keep making music). A few examples:

Black Rebel Motorcyle Club

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Just looking at this makes me want to head to a dive or hit the open road (windows down, of course). The colors, textures, die-cuts, and detail not only look great but really go with the band and music. The black CD just makes sense and really goes the attitude that makes BRMC so perfect when you are need of some solid rock music.
(design via The Uprising)

Broken Bells

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One of my favorite albums of the year, the Broken Bells debuted with this stellar limited edition box set. Not only does the box play an exclusive song made just for this set, you get a notebook, soft pack CD, glow in the dark stickers, and exclusive poster. Again, the design really goes with the music: moody, simple.
(design via Jacob Escobedo)

Broken Social Scene

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With the release of Forgiveness Rock Record, Broken Social Scene offered a limited edition colored vinyl box set. Along with the vinyl, the covers offer plenty of room for the artwork that has made even their CD’s nice.

Menomena

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I love Menomena. I was introduced them, coincidentally, at the same time that I was introduced to the fabulous works of Craig Thompson, who did the artwork for this CD case. The red parts of the image are actually the CD showing through die cuts in the case. As you spin the CD, different objects fill in the blanks and tell a story of their own. Thompson also did the artwork for the group’s latest release – I doubt it will disappoint..

I’m going to end with an album that isn’t a box but that I can totally appreciate. Nicely done:

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Have an album that isn’t listed here? Or maybe you’ve seen other formats used creatively? I’d love to see more!